The Rise and Fall of Trevor/Rashid

***15 Favourite Films of 2007***

15: American Gangster (8.5/10)
-Great directing by Ridley Scott, with fine performances from Denzel and Crowe. Very enjoyable film, while not exactly “ground-breaking” with originality by any means.

14: The Mist (8.5/10)
-A compelling, intelligent horror film with a memorable ending.

13: Eastern Promises (8.5/10)
-An interesting crime drama featuring a solid cast, with Viggo Mortinson being the standout.

12: 3:10 To Yuma (8.5/10)
-A great homage to Westerns with a superb performance by Russell Crowe.

11: Across The Universe (8.5/10)
-A wonderful two-hour trip featuring a fascinating plot and great soundtrack (the majority of the covers are good).

10: Juno (8.5/10)
-A quirky, and often at times awkward comedy starring the delightful Ellen Page.

9: The Simpsons Movie (9/10)
-A Simpsons film of the same quality of any Season 1-9 episode.

8: Futurama: Bender’s Big Score (9/10)
-Hilarious all through-out, and does the series justice. The comedy is ridiculous and often pokes fun at science fiction; one of the most intelligent comedies I’ve ever seen.

7: Ratatouille (9/10)
-While not as comical as The Simpsons Movie or Bender’s Big Score, Ratatouille is technically more impressive, has excellent dialogue, and a feel-good story.

6: Hot Fuzz (9/10)
-An homage to “buddy-cop” movies that dwindles across several genres, including action, adventure, mystery/suspense, comedy, and horror.

5: Sunshine (9/10)
-A visually stunning sci-fi film with an insane twist, and a surreal final arc that will either make or break the movie for you.

4: Grind house (9/10)
-An action-packed 3hour 11minute roller-coaster ride that made up my greatest cinematic experience of all time. Shame there was only six other people in the cinema. Shame.

3: Zodiac (9.5/10)
-A fantastic suspense/drama about a mysterious serial killer starring Jake Gyllenhall, but it’s Robert Downey Jr. that steals the show.

2: No Country For Old Men (9.5/10)
-An intense film with wonderful performances by the entire cast.

1: There Will Be Blood (10/10)
-A fine example of cinematic perfection. For a 2 hour 30 minute film, there are no down moments. Every shot was elegantly filmed. It is one of the most original films in recent American film history (yes, I am aware it is an adaptation of a story). The acting is flat-out outstanding, while still managing to stay realistic. There are no over-the-top or unnecessary moments. Everything in “There Will Be Blood” fits together so perfectly.

-Final Words-
While starting very slow, 2007 has proved to be a great year for cinema. Sure, there was a lot of crap released this year. But one must try to avoid the awfulness and discover the true gems. 2007 is one of the best years for film of the last decade. Here's hoping 2008 is just as (or at least almost as) impressive.

Now ...for the worst films released in 2007. Please ignore these at all costs; watching them would be a complete waste of your time. I really don't feel like getting into long summaries of dissecting these films scene-by-scene. Cause, it's just not worth the effort.

***10 Worst Films of 2007***

10: Evan Almighty (5/10)
For a comedy it's not very funny. Hell, it's not funny at all. The only thing that makes it watchable is Morgan Freeman.

9: Freedom Writers (5/10)
A nearly two hour lecture. Just stay in school, you get the same message.

8: Dead Silence (5/10)
Best summed up in one word: bland.

7: Fantastic Four: The Rise of the Silver Surfer (4/10)
Stupid, stupid movie.

6: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (3/10)
I am a big Johnny Depp fan, and I hated Jack Sparrow in this. Though, this film made me hate every character in it. The very same characters which I was so fond of in Curse of the Black Pearl (and tolerated in Dead Man's Chest)! This movie is really just unnecessary. The action is overdone and not compelling. The "plot" is a convulsed, embarrassment. What makes this even worse is that it's almost 3 hours. So, not only is this a terrible, terrible film. But it's a very long, terrible, terrible film.

5: The Hills Have Eyes II (2.5/10)
Plenty of violence. But the lack of horror, suspense, plot, and character development make this a useless movie.

4: Ghostrider (2/10)
It's Nicholas Cage doing what he does best: starring in shitty movies. Though sadly, his performance in this doesn't quite compare to The Wicker Man. If only he had hit a few women....

3: Hostel: Part II (1.5/10)
Similar to my description of Hills Have Eyes II, only there is NO horror, NO suspense, NO character development, and a very weak excuse for a plot. Eli Roth, you're now 0-3 (or 0-4 if I count your "Thanksgiving" trailer). Can't wait to see you ruin Stephen King's Cell.

2: BloodRayne II (1/10)
The movie probably did have a story ...somewhere. It was just mixed around with an hour and a half of nonsense.

1: Good Luck Chuck (0/10)
(Refer back to my review I had written for this previously)
An embarrassment to cinema. It manages to insult every viewer unfortunate enough to watch it.

Coming up soon, the best films of 2007.

2007 was not a bad year for film. In fact, it was actually better than 2005 and 2006. A lot of great films were released this year. I was unfortunate enough to watch a nice few of bad/mediocre ones as well. And 2007 also loses some points with me, as I will remember it as the year that the worst film in cinematic history was released.

I have two lists to post now. The most surprisingly good films of 2007, and the top 10 horror films of 2007.

***Most Surprisingly Good Films***

5: I’m Not There (8.5/10)
Experimental filmmaking at its finest. Though having 6 different actors portray a different aspect of Bob Dylan’s life did have me hesitant. Turns out the film was a delight to watch. Cate Blanchett gives one of the best performances of the year.

4: Bridge to Terabithia (7/10)
I enjoyed the book when I read it as a child, but didn’t go into the cinema expecting much from this movie. The CGI was a bit overdone, but it was good nonetheless.

3: Ratatouille (9/10)
I admire the technical greatness of Pixar, but the only films that truly captivated me were Toy Story 1 and 2. The Incredibles and Finding Nemo were decent, but felt empty to me and I didn’t care for them. And Cars was a shallow, mediocre film. Ratatouille more the passed my expectations, it’s one of the best animated films made in a long time.

2: Superbad (7.5/10)
I thought Superbad would just be another American Pie-ripoff. And well …it kind of is. But it’s much better.

1: Bee Movie (8/10)
A Dreamworks animated film starring Jerry Seinfeld playing a bee. I admit, I was quite hesitant watching this. I only gave it a chance because I’m a Seinfeld fan. But it was probably the most I laughed in a cinema in 2007, it was a great (while intentionally stupid) surprise.

***Top 10 Horror Films of 2007***

10: 30 Days of Night (6/10)
A vampire-ish horror with a couple good death scenes.

9: I Am Legend (6.5/10)
Great acting by Will, has a strong first act.

8: SAW IV (6.5/10)
They tried to hard and practically destroyed all continuity. Has some memorable scenes though.

7: Halloween (6.5/10)
Not as good as Rejects, but definitely better than House of 1000 Corpses. A lack of suspense was a letdown, but I enjoyed the first half …even though it wasn’t needed and unintentionally funny at times.

6: Hatchet (7/10)
A modern day 1980’s slasher. Has some of the best deaths ever seen in a horror film in years.

5: Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon (7.5/10)
A comical look “behind the scenes” of being a serial killer.

4: The Host (8/10)
A great Korean monster flick.

3: 1408 (8/10)
Modern day psychological horror at its finest.

2: Grind house (9/10)
While not exactly “scary”, it’s a brilliant homage to exploitation films of the 70’s.

1: The Mist (9/10)
A lot of buildup (that does pay off), terrifying monsters, campy dialogue, (surprisingly) good acting, and a fantastically grim ending.

More coming soon....

Die Hard (1988)

This 1988 action movie is one that made Bruce Willis a star and ranks among one of his greatest performances to date (Pulp Fiction and Sin City being strong competitors). Die Hard is probably the greatest non-sci-fi action movie and is a tremendous film watching experience. There is lots of violence and action which is always entertaining, but it never “dumbs itself down” to “attract” to the audience. The dialogue is strong for the most part, and the one-liners delivered by Bruce Willis are excellent (though not to the quality of Bruce Campbell), but some of the conversations feel cheesy and “forced” (ex: the moment when Sgt. Al Powell explains to John why he doesn’t use guns). At 132 minutes, Die Hard is long for an action movie, but doesn’t suffer from the length, and has no slow-points. While not a “traditional” holiday movie, Die Hard is one of the greatest Christmas related movies.

Rashid’s Rating: 9.5/10

Atonement (2007)
I got caught up into the hype of Atonement, and after it got nominated for 7 Golden Globes I put my expectations too high. Especially after I heard a critic call it one of the best romantic dramas since Titanic. Atonement is a movie that tries to be an epic, and partly fails. The first 40odd minutes featured spectacular story telling. Though past that, the plot slowly began to fall apart, and by the end I was just grateful it was over. At least the acting and visuals were superb throughout the film. Sadly, I just didn’t care for what was happening on screen.

Rashid’s Rating: 7.5/10

I Am Legend (2007)
I had no doubt that Will Smith would showcase his talents and support the movie, and I was glad to see that still let him play “himself”. The first half hour is excellent, and focuses on one man living in New York with just a dog to keep him company (reminded me of Tom Hanks and “Wilson” in Castaway). The back-story was pretty weak, but that’s not what disappointed me the most. It was the infected mutants. From their first appearance, I Am Legend went downhill fast and became nothing more but a 28 Days Later rip-off. If it were not for Smith’s performance as Robert Neville, I Am Legend would have been awful. It’s still not very good, but still worth watching if you’re a fan of his. He’s been in far worse movies.

Rashid’s Rating: 6/10

Sunshine (2007)
Sunshine is one of the best science fiction films in years …I think, it is a bit odd. The first half is an intense thought provoking thriller that has similarities to Scott’s Alien and Kubrick’s 2001. The second half is a psychological/religious thriller where the plot reaches the lengths of insanity… and I’m not really sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Visually, Sunshine is stunning, and it offers a lot more emotion then most Sci-Fi’s. Cillian Murphy is fantastic once again (just like he was 28 Days Later), I consider him one of the finer actors of the 21st Century. Sunshine has gotten a fair share of hate since its release, and I can understand why, the final 20 minutes are really messed up. Nonetheless, I think all Sci-Fi fans should give it a try, I just can’t guarantee you’ll like it. The final act will either make it or break it for you.

Rashid’s Rating: 9/10

No Country For Old Men (2007)

The Coen Brothers are probably best known for Fargo and The Big Lebowski, both of which are often ranked among the best films of the 1990s. Sadly, I have seen neither. The only Coen Brothers movie I have watched previously was O Brother, Where Art Thou?, which was decent but I didn’t think much of it. After reading many raving reviews, I started watching No Country For Old Men with fairly high expectations. And I was still blown away.

The plot is quite simple (a hunter stumbles upon a suitcase of $2million near Rio Grande and mayhem ensues!) yet riveting at the same time. With the exception of maybe one scene in the second half, NCFOM has no down-moments. The writing is fantastic, every line of dialogue sounds important and is delivered flawlessly by the cast. Tommy Lee Jones is at his best (I’ve honestly never seen him in anything else nearly as good as this) and Josh Brolin plays a strong lead. Even though he is in few scenes, Woody Harrelson is a delight to watch and is one of the film‘s highlights. But the standout performance is easily supporting actor-Javier Bardem. His portrayal as a psychopath is brilliant. He’s fierce, terrifying, and darkly-humorous at the same time. He controls every scene he’s in making you keep your eyes on the screen at all times.

Due to its (few) graphic scenes and overall tone, No Country For Old Men is probably better suited for older teens/adults, but anyone who thinks they would enjoy it should definitely check it out. I’ll just come out and say it now: No Country For Old Men is the best movie of 2007. And not only that, but it’s the closest I’ve seen to a perfect movie since Kill Bill Volume 1, four years ago. I will be shocked if this doesn’t win the Oscar for Best Picture of ‘07.

Rashid’s Rating: 9.5/10

30 Days of Night
This vampire-flick has a great story that had a lot of potential, and the violence is plentiful. The vampires have a distinguished, yet stereotypical appearance. The movie isn’t scary, and used too many “cheap scares” instead of building suspense. Not a bad movie by any means, just average.

Rashid’s Rating: 6/10

Beowulf
The CGI is beautiful. Crispin Glover’s performance as Grendel is very good. None of the other performances are very good, the dialogue is weak, and the plot is average at best.

Rashid’s Rating: 7/10

Knocked Up
Similar to Superbad, Knocked Up has a lot of vulgar humour, though the jokes are funnier. It also has a lot of sweet and heart-warming moments. One thing I didn’t like so much about this movie was Seth Rogan’s character, Ben Stone. I didn’t find his stupidity and irresponsibility amusing or funny. Just obnoxious.

Rashid’s Rating: 7.5/10

Live Free or Die Hard
As a film-enthusiast, I am ashamed to admit that I have never seen a Die Hard movie before, previous to this. Live Free or Die Hard has over-the-top and ridiculous action scenes that are visually great and make it one of the most entertaining movies this year.

Kevin Smith’s cameo was one of the movie’s high points.

Rashid’s Rating: 8/10

Ratatouille
I’ll come out and say it now: I am not a fan of Pixar. While Toy Story and Toy Story 2 were both fantastic movies, I never cared for anything else they did (A Bug’s Life, Monsters Inc, The Incredibles, Finding Nemo, and Cars were all decent, but not very interesting). Ratatouille is much better than those, and Pixar’s best since Toy Story 2.

And just because it’s an animated movie with a rat as the main character, Ratatouille isn’t strictly a children’s movie. Personally, I think older youth and adults would enjoy it a lot more. The dialogue is extremely witty and well written, and Ratatouille has one of the best plots of any film this year. The voice acting is spectacular, with Lou Romano (Linguini) as the standout performance. Ratatouille is Pixar’s third excellent movie, and one of the best films of 2007 (live action or animated) that everyone should watch.

Rashid’s Rating: 9/10

Salutations my (few) readers. Todays blog is one for the sole purpose of boosting my ego. What fun.

In a couple weeks towards the end of 2007/beginning of 2008 I shall discuss The Best and Worst Movies of 2007 and I'll write a review for this year in film.

And similar to my 'Top 30 Horror Films of All Time' list, I am in the process of writing two more lists: 'Top (??) Science Fiction Films Of All Time' and 'Top (??) Comedy Films Of All Time'. To be honest, I have no idea which will be posted first. Expect one up in a few weeks time.

In the meantime, here is a list of movies from 2007 that I still plan on checking out before I finish my Year End Review:
Sweeney Todd
Aliens vs Predator 2 - Requiem
Knocked Up
Enchanted
The Golden Compass
3:10 To Yuma
The Mist
American Gangster
Beowulf
Juno

Aw damn, that's a nice bit. Okay, the Year End Review may not be up for a while >.> .

Note: This is my 50th blog entry!

SAW was a movie which worked for its simplicity. It was two men trapped in a room together tested to go as far as they could to get out. It kept the viewer tuned in as they were unaware of who could be behind it. The movie displayed human emotions. Unfortunately, I felt very little sympathy for either of the two main characters mainly due to unimpressive acting. If not for that, SAW would have been the best horror movie in years.

SAW II introduced a wide array of characters, the violence was increased, and the amount of ‘traps’ was increased. It also took from the formula from SAW by telling several stories at once with the use of flashbacks. With the exception of one scene (the pit of needles) SAW II didn’t shock or surprise me. Still a worthy sequel though.

SAW III is almost a dark-comedy in its nature. The plot is ridiculously complex, the traps are insane, the violence has been drastically increased (again), and all sense of logic has been tossed out the window. THIS is why I love SAW III. It doesn’t take itself seriously, which is how the series should have been starting at part two. SAW is very different in tone and nature when compared to the other three (probably due to a different person directing the original). SAW was an intense thriller/horror that took two people to the edge. SAW II, III and IV are more-or-less “torture films” with a complex back story that doesn‘t seem to make sense until the final minutes of the movie. I enjoyed SAW III a lot for being over-the-top (it worked this time).

With SAW IV the series once again attempts to take things to the next level. The traps are even more brutal, the violence has (…once again) been increased and the plot is even more complex and insane (but this time not for the better). I liked the flashbacks of John’s past leading up to becoming the “Jigsaw Killer”, they were some of the more enjoyable scenes in the movie. The scenes involving the death traps …could have been done better. There were far too many and they were rushed, not giving the viewer enough time to feel sympathy for the characters. But then again, most of the “victims” were just introduced as their “traps” begun, so the movie doesn’t care if we feel sympathy for these people or not. They’re in the movie for the sole reason of grossing out the viewer. The plot twists this time around are mind-boggling but not in the good way. A good plot twist involves a person saying, “Oh Wow, I never saw that coming!”. The plot twists in SAW IV make the viewer go, “Oh Wow, I never saw that coming, but mainly because I’m pretty sure it shouldn’t be allowed to happen, but then again the film is seriously flawed due to its innumerable amount of plot inconsistencies!”.

It is now clear that SAW III was the climax of the series and SAW IV is the beginning of a downward spiral. At this point in the series, the movies have pretty much become the same thing. Is SAW IV still a good movie that’s fun to watch? Yes - kind of. Is it “worthy” compared to SAW I-III? No. It’s no longer fresh and exciting. If SAW V doesn’t do anything new to “revamp” the series, it could be the franchises’ equivalent to Friday The 13th Part VII. And SAW VI could be the equivalent to Jason X. And no one wants that.

Rashid’s Ratings:
SAW: 8/10
SAW II: 7.5/10
SAW III: 8/10
SAW IV: 6.5/10

Stardust (2007)
After reading so many positive reviews and seeing how high it scored on IMDb and RottenTomatoes, I was quite optimistic watching this movie. That is, until around 25 minutes in when I realized how dull and uninspiring it was. The visuals and score were pleasant but nothing to brag about. The acting was merely satisfactory and no one stood out as being great. Not even Robert DeNiro could save this movie, and I blame that on a weak script. There is nothing “bad” about Stardust, but nothing good either. And due to its length of 127 minutes it's quite hard to recommend to anyone.
Rashid’s Rating: 6/10

Chapter 27 is a movie I just heard of minutes ago before writing this. It is a drama starring Jared Leto and Lindsay Lohan which depicts the days leading up to the death of John Lennon. Only the movie is told by the murderer's point of view - whose name I'd rather not mention (as played by Jared Leto). The film has received negative/mixed reviews but the reason why you probably haven't heard of it is because it hasn't been distributed. There is actually an online petition set up attempting to boycott this movie and stop it from ever being released. The reason being that these people think it is morally wrong and disgusting to "glamorize" the life of this man. Also, the one who killed Lennon mainly did it for one reason: to become famous; to be recognized. Some claim that the release of this movie would be the same as "rewarding" him for killing one of the greatest legends in music history.

But then, others claim that the movie doesn't "glamorize" anything but simply depict the events that happened. It's also arguable that Chapter 27 actually educates.  And as for "rewarding", that's also debatable. There is no doubt that John's murderer got the fame that he wanted. And just by typing this blog entry I am actually acknowledging him (even though I refuse to say/type his name). Some say releasing this movie won't affect his "popularity" at all.

But there is another way to look at Chapter 27. How is it no more "wrong" than movies like World Trade Center, Passion of the Christ, and every movie based around WWI, WWII, and the Vietnam War. Those movies depict tragic events in the history of this planet as well (Though usually, those kind of movies do tend to tell the story of the protagonist).

I added the trailer of this movie at the top for anyone curious enough to watch it. And for anyone wanting to sign the petition of the film's boycott, the link is http://boycottchapter27.org/ . I'll be honest and say as of the time of me typing this, I have not signed it. I am unsure as to whether or not I will. I'd like to think more about it.

As a "Beatlemaniac" it does anger me to see a movie like this being made. And as a film fanatic, it annoys me to see Lindsay Lohan get cast in it.

This is quite an interesting topic, but I'll end it now as to avoid repeating myself. I hope this entry has made you think.

-Trevor

Hatchet (2006/2007)
Hatchet is everything you would want from a 1980s slasher. There is mediocre acting and extremely stereotypical characters (Hatchet has a fast-talking black guy, a blonde bimbo, etc). There is plenty of pointless nudity and scenes of women kissing. And the violence is really over-the-top. Hatchet has some of the best death scenes I’ve ever seen in any slasher, and has a great ending. Though the first half of the movie isn’t really that good. It tries too hard to be silly, but a lot of the jokes aren’t that funny. Nonetheless, it’s one of the better horror movies of 2007. But if you’d like to see a (slightly) better “horror homage”, I recommend Behind The Mask: The Rise of Leslie Vernon.
Rashid’s Rating: 7/10

Superbad (2007)
Superbad is a comedy filled with raunchy sex jokes that revolves around nerds trying their best to get laid before they graduate high school (but don’t worry, it’s better than American Pie). The jokes are kind of hit-and-miss, though the ones that were good made up for the bad. The movie has some “down points” in the middle, and probably would have benefited if it was 10-15 minutes shorter (or had better writing, either way). For a movie of its genre, the acting was actually really good. Michael Cera, Jonah Hill, and Seth Rogan made the film very enjoyable. Chances are if you like teen comedies you’re going to find Superbad hilarious, so there’s no reason why you shouldn’t watch it.
Rashid’s Rating: 7.5/10

In just 72 episodes, Futurama proved to be the greatest animated series in existence.  The stories were brilliantly written by some of the most intelligent (and geekiest) writers in television history. And even though it was science-fiction it didn’t take itself too seriously. Classic episodes such as “The Farnsworth Parabox” and “Roswell That Ends Well” were completely ridiculous and over-the-top and by all logic should have been awful. Yet the writers managed to pull it off. And episodes like “Luck of the Fryrish” and “Jurassic Bark” showed the more sensitive side of the show. Futurama even displayed some of the finest character development ever seen in animation. There is also the FACT (…or “Opinion“ if you‘re that picky) that Futurama is the easily the most “re-watchable” comedy in all of television. The jokes never get old and are still hilarious after hearing them countless times.

“Bender’s Big Score” is no exception. And it’s not just of the same quality as the series, it’s even better than a lot of the 72 episodes.  The story is downright insane, and trying to comprehend it could make even the most intelligent people get migraines. There are no “down moments”, and there is always so much happening at once. Bender’s Big Score takes the “laws” of time travel and has fun with it (think of the Back to the Future trilogy).

I’m not going to get into the plot at all because I wouldn’t want to spoil any of the fun you will have watching it. You’re better off watching it completely oblivious of what’s going to happen next.

As much as I would love to, sadly I can’t give Bender’s Big Score a perfect 10. Some of the gags early on aren’t that great, and one of the major plot twists towards the end really isn’t that surprising. But that won’t stop me from declaring Bender’s Big Score one of the greatest movie of 2007, one of the greatest comedies in years, one of the greatest science fiction movie of the last 10 years, and the greatest animated movie since The Lion King. Buy it now. Bender‘s Big Score, and the FANTASTIC episode of “Everybody Loves Hypnotoad” makes it a fantastic DVD.

If the other three Futurama movies are this good, this could be one of the greatest franchises in movie history.

Rashid’s Rating: 9/10

If there's one thing I love more then talking about movies I love it's talking about movies I hate. There's just some satisfaction I get from criticizing movies and even ripping them to shreds.

In the early and mid 1990s the horror genre has sunken into a slump (both creatively and financially). This was due to the onslaught of countless slashers made in the previous decade. It was too much, and by the 90s people were tired of it. 1996 saw the release of Wes Craven’s “Scream”, which was also a slasher but it actually made fun of previous slashers without actually being considered a parody. Scream was a huge success (with the critics and the box office).

The horror genre wasn’t greeted with another great film (in Canada/United States) for four long years, with the release of the Canadian independent movie, “Ginger Snaps”. In between the release of “Scream” and “Ginger Snaps”  we saw forgettable (and sometimes downright awful) movies like: Alien: Resurrection, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Children of the Corn V and VI, Lake Placid, The Rage: Carrie 2, etc. It was movies like this that really insulted the intelligence of the viewer and relied heavily on stereotypes that have been deemed “old and tired” the previous decade.

The 2000s are just as bad when it comes to horror (if not worse). Ginger Snaps, Ginger Snaps II, Freddy vs. Jason, 28 Days Later, Shaun of the Dead, The Devil’s Rejects, The SAW series, and 1408 are all great movies that made the horror genre proud. But in exchange, we got movies like:

Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2
Well …it was an improvement over the original at least. If “The Blair Witch Project” was a person standing for an hour and a half, then “Blair Witch 2” was a person walking for an hour and a half and tripping up a lot. The original movie was the lowest of low. It was three people in the woods with a camcorder screaming and running a lot. In the sequel, they actually tried to maintain a plot …it was just horrendous.
Rashid’s Rating: 1.5/10

Jeepers Creepers
Another senseless horror flick aimed at teens, but really has nothing to offer to anyone with at least a 90 IQ.
Rashid’s Rating: 2/10

Jeepers Creepers II
(Same as above)
Rashid’s Rating: 2/10

The Ring
Aw-aw-aw-aw-awful! This a movie that tries way too hard to be spooky when instead it just falls flat on its face. It “tries” it be intelligent and frightening. But the characters might as well just be cardboard cutouts. And the plot is laughable.
Rashid’s Rating: 3.5/10

The Ring Two
(Same as above but even more so)
Rashid’s Rating: 2/10

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
It took what was gritty and low-budget about the original out for a “polished” look with big name Hollywood actors. Not as awful as the other movies I mentioned on this list, but I hate it just the same.
Rashid’s Rating: 4/10

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning
Boring, violence, lack of compelling plot, useless characters that are just ‘there’, yada yada yada... You heard it all before.
Rashid’s Rating: 2/10

Alien vs. Predator
How could they possibly mess up a movie like this? No one watching this was expecting a cinematic masterpiece that would give Citizen Kane a run for its money. All we wanted was many scenes of aliens and predators beating the hell out of each other in gruesome battles. That’s all. Paul W.S. Anderson couldn’t even manage that.
Rashid’s Rating: 2.5/10

The Amityville Horror
Another incredibly bland and useless movie that would make the world a better place without its presence.
Rashid’s Rating: 3.5/10

The Exorcism of Emily Rose
Somehow this movie isn’t even as exciting as sleeping. Now …I’m not sure how that’s possible, though sadly it is.
Rashid’s Rating: 3/10

Eli Roth’s Hostel
1/3 porno, 2/3 torture. That may not sound bad to some people, except that this piece of garbage was only made for the intention of grossing people out. Character development, suspense, horror, and plot are not just secondary, but almost non-existent.
Rashid’s Rating: 1.5/10

Eli Roth’s Hostel II
Same movie as the original, except replace the males with females and “1/3 porno” with “1/3 chick flick”.
Rashid’s Rating: 1/10

House of Wax
Just as good as Paris Hilton’s acting career …oh wait.
Rashid’s Rating: 2.5/10

Wolf Creek
I almost forgot to add this movie to the list. It’s just that forgettable. Excruciatingly boring, I was tempted to turn it off just thirty minutes in. But I held in and watched all of it and will sadly never get that time back.
Rashid’s Rating: 2/10

The Covenant
A horror movie with Matrix-rip-off fight scenes. NOT a good combination.
Rashid’s Rating: 3/10

The Grudge 2
I didn’t mind the original (remake), I found it to be half decent. But this is just as laughable as the American-Ring movies.
Rashid’s Rating: 4/10

The Hills Have Eyes
For a torture-horror, it sure has lots of torture. But sadly, not a speck of horror.
Rashid’s Rating: 2.5/10

The Hills Have Eyes II
(Same as above but even more so)
Rashid’s Rating: 1.5/10

The Wicker Man
Stupid, stupid movie. The lack of sense it makes is actually astounding. The only memorable scene was seeing Nicholas Cage punch a woman.
Rashid’s Rating: 1.5/10

Alone in the Dark
Idiotic and boring. I can’t see how people even find Uwe Boll’s movies entertaining. They make me want to sleep. Actually I did fall asleep during Alone in the Dark.
Rashid’s Rating: 1.5/10

House of the Dead
Too much stupidity for anyone to handle. I had to turn it off 60 minutes in to save my brain cells.
Rashid’s Rating: 1/10

Bloodrayne
Uwe Boll’s best movie …wow that’s sad. Not even Meat Loaf,  Michael Madsen, and a sex scene  could save this. (and no, the sex scene wasn’t with Michael Madsen and Meat Loaf)
Rashid’s Rating: 2.5/10

Bloodrayne II
*BOOM - Headshot!* That was the sound going through my head every minute that I watched this movie. Surely that tells you something.
Rashid’s Rating: 1/10

Until next time
-Rashid

1986 saw the release of Howard the Duck, an “epic” movie about a duck who is somehow pulled from his own planet/dimension to the Earth that we live on. It was a god awful mess, to be honest, and for a long time I considered it to be the worst movie ever made.

Well, UNTIL NOW that is!

Good Luck Chuck is about a dentist named Charlie, played by “comedian” (I use that term loosely) Dane Cook. It is believed that he gets a curse put on him in which any woman who has sex with him will fall in love with the next man they meet. Word of this gets out and every woman in town wants to fuck this man. This “movie” (I even use that term loosely) is highly offensive and demeaning to woman. From it, I have learned that women are nothing more than objects invented for the sole purpose of pleasing men, and that they are willing to whore themselves out to a stranger just to find “happiness”.

There is sex. Lots of sex. Now, I don’t have anything against sex scenes in movies when it actually means something and has purpose to it. Good Luck Chuck has a MONTAGE of Charlie having sex with innumerable women. There was sex in bed. Sex on kitchen counters. Sex in the shower. Sex in a fucking WHEEL  BARREL. And there was probably more sex that I never ever seen as I walked out of the cinema 15 minutes before it ended (should have walked out much sooner).

Jessica Alba is an actress I’ve always had respect for. Her acting was impressive in Dark Angel and Sin City. It was sad to see her sink to this level. Her character had no likable qualities and seeing her crack her head on ice and drown in a pool would have made this movie better. Dane Cook. Well, if you’ve ever seen his stand-up comedy routines, you know he is an unfunny egomaniac. It shows even more so in Good Luck Chuck.

The dialogue was atrocious. For a romantic-comedy, this movie was devoid of any comedy or romance. Even if you’re into raunchy-sex filled-comedies I still can’t recommend this movie to you. Stick to Clerks and There’s Something About Mary. Ah hell even American Pie is a masterpiece compared to Good Luck Chuck.

Now, for a detailed breakdown of what Good Luck Chuck had to offer:

The Pros:
-Surely it’s better than committing suicide … okay, maybe I shouldn’t even say that.

The Cons:
-Everything.

I knew this movie was awful before I watched it, but my (cruel) friends practically made me go. I went in with extremely low expectations, and I was still surprised by how completely horrendous this was. If you want to watch a movie with breasts taking up the majority of the screen time, watch a porno. They have much better acting and production values.

Rashid’s Rating: Negative Pi/10

Okay, so on Monday-Tuesday I watched a movie online. It's a movie I've been wanting to see for a while now, Apocalypse Now. It's a two and a half hour drama based around the Vietnam war, directed by Francis Ford Coppola (director of The Godfather Trilogy). Now the problem is, that technically wasn't the movie I watched. Instead I watch Coppola's 2001 "director's cut" called Apocalypse Now Redux. It's essentially the same movie as the original but with 50 extra minutes of footage added. That's right, it's three hours twenty minutes in length. Now, was this a bad movie? No. Not by any means. The acting was excellent (especially by Marlon Brando and Martin Sheen). The score was stunning and fit perfectly with the movie, and it just looked spectacular. The problem was that it was mind numbingly boring. After two hours I didn't seem to care for what was even happening in the movie. I'm sure if I watch the original I'll love it, but Redux suffered greatly from length (just like The Titanic).

Apocalypse Now Redux: 7/10

Just that time I watched the 2000 drama, Requiem For A Dream. It revolves around four drug addicts and their spiraling lives. I've read a lot of positive reviews on it, so I was expecting a pretty good film at the least. But Requiem amazed me and left me speechless and almost on the verge of tears. One of the most powerful and educational films ever made. Requiem now ranks among Kill Bill and Ichi The Killer as my favourite films of the last 10 years. And while the ladder two might be more entertaining, Requiem is probably the best.

Requiem For A Dream: 10/10

Christmas is still 33-34 days away I know, but I'm getting in the mood kinda early.

I (like many other people) love sitting around the television in December watching Christmas movies. Though sadly, just because a movie is set around Christmas and made for the sole intention of "family fun", doesn't excuse them for being bad. And many times they're just downright awful. Here is a brief list at some of the best and worst Christmas movies I have had the pleasure (or torture) of watching.

The Best:

It's A Wonderful Life (1946)
-Not only the best Christmas movie, but also one of the greatest movies ever made. A fantastic drama directed by Frank Capra and starring the legendary James Stewart. I consider myself a heartless bastard and this movie still managed to make me shed a tear.

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)
-Is it just me or are Charlie Brown movies highly depressing? This young kid has a fucking miserable life and I pity him so much. I wouldn't like to see him as an adult. He probably resorted to drug abuse and died of an overdose in his mid 20s. Watch this movie if you want to see the early stages of depression.

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
-Christmas Carol is arguably the best of The Muppet movies. It has comedy, a freaky combination of puppets and mops, and makes you feel warm and cozy inside. And it had a cameo from the Fragglerock cast! That made the movie for me.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
-One of the funniest movies ever made; as good as the original "Vacation". Like Charlie Brown Christmas, it features a lot of common holiday disasters, but takes everything one step further.

Tim Burton's The Nightmate Before Christmas (1993)
-What's this, what's this? Why, it's The Nightmare Before Christmas. Excellent use of stop-motion, great songs composed by the (almighty) Danny Elfman, and a fun story that integrates two polar-opposite holidays.

The Worst:

A Christmas Story (1983)
-No no, I am not a meth addict or a (complete) idiot. I just don't see any appeal in this movie. I've watched it many, many times (oh how I wish I had that time back) but for me it has no likable qualities. Annoying characters, and unfunny event after unfunny event. Just because it's "realistic" doesn't mean it's good. Oh Ralphie, why couldn't you have actually shot your eye out?

Dr. Seuss' How The Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
-Shame on you Ron Howard. Shame. What happened to the good ol' days when you were Richie Cunningham and made people laugh at your hilarious adventures with the Fonz and the others. And you even brought in Jim Carey to star in this atrocious piece of cinematic trash. Shame indeed.

Elf (2003)
-It's a six foot elf ...I get it.

Ernest Saves Christmas (1988)
-It's an Ernest movie. With the exception of Ernest Goes To Camp, they were all quite agonizing to watch.

Jingle All The Way (1996)
-Do I honestly need to comment on this one?

The "Guilty Pleasures":
(these are the movies that aren't great by any means but still fun to watch)

Scrooged (1988)
-Bill Murray is one of my favourite actors from 1980+ and I highly enjoyed his performance in this "darker" version of the classic Scrooge story. Sure, it's no "Groundhog Day" or "Ghost Busters", but it sure as hell beats "What About Bob?".

The Santa Clause (1994)
-An amusing movie that does have its share of funny moments.

Home Alone (1990)/Home Alone 2: Lost In New York (1992)
-For the love of all that is good and mighty, do NOT watch any Home Alone movie past 2. Just watch the first couple. They were sweet, enjoyable and featured the fantastic Joe Pesci. Screw that little ten year old who couldn't act, Pesci MADE those movies watchable.

Christmas Fun For Horror Fanatics:

Black Christmas (1974)
-The original slasher and inspired many that came after it.

Gremlins (1984)
-Gizmo. 'Nuff said.

Jack Frost (1996)
-Unlike Black Christmas and Gremlins, Jack Frost is not a good movie. Not even close. But it's a snowman that kills people. He even rapes a girl with a carrot. Now that's what I call holiday fun.

Expect more X-mas related blogs in the following month.

-Trevor

In English Class we watched the movie "Freedom Writers" and had to write a review for it.

    "Freedom Writers (2007) is director Richard LaGravenese’s first mainstream movie. It is just another stereotypical drama about the urban youth of today (though this one was based on a true story) that relies heavily on “tear jerker” scenes (that feel really forced).
    Oscar-winner Hilary Swank plays a teacher (named Erin Gruwell) who gets a job at an integrated high school in Long Beach, California, just two years after the infamous Rodney King beating. The school is primarily split into four ethnic groups (whites, blacks, Latinos and Asians). The blacks, Latinos, and Asians live troubled lives, and are usually involved in shootings (though because of the uninspiring acting and bad script you don’t feel emotions for any of them). Not to mention they hate whites. And what do the white students in the movie do? Well, I only recall seeing one white student in that school (Ben, who was played by Hunter Parrish) and all he did was add to the running time of the movie without adding anything of importance.
    Erin Gruwell is highly naïve and is constantly preaching to her class about discrimination and the troubles of society. The film is far too preachy, and many times you feel like you’re being lectured in school instead of watching a movie. Erin Gruwell is drilling the same message into the viewer’s skull for two straight hours, even when most viewers get the picture just minutes into the movie. We don’t need reminders every two minutes that discrimination is bad. We know this (or at least we should). So yes, this movie does have a message, a meaningful one at that. Judging others based on the colour of their skin or their ethnic background is wrong, and everyone should be considered equal regardless of appearance. Though I really should repeat that last sentence around two dozen times to give you the idea of what watching this movie is like.
    The soundtrack of the movie is comprised of hip-hop/rap and that is the music that all of the characters listen to (except for that one white student though, obviously). So the movie is telling us to not judge people based on ethnics and that everyone is their own individual, yet all of the blacks in the movie listen to rap. Well I do believe that is a stereotype. Though I’ll just come now and say it: everything in this movie is extremely stereotypical and predictable. There are no surprises. Anyone with minimal screenwriting ability could have written a script of this quality.
    Freedom Writers is a movie that tries to entertain and teach at the same time. Though unfortunately, it doesn’t entertain, and the “teaching” aspect is quite tedious. And I have nothing against movies that present a powerful meaning at all (A Clockwork Orange and Forrest Gump are both brilliant). But at least those movies keep the viewer entertained and interested from beginning to end. I wouldn’t call Freedom Writers a bad movie by any means (sadly, there were much worse movies made this year) but for a movie with a meaningful message, it itself is quite meaningless. Simply put, Freedom Writers is mediocrity at its finest."

Rashid's Rating: 5/10

""LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Show-business writers will go on strike early Monday after their negotiating team recommended a walkout over royalties that could immediately pinch late-night TV shows.

The Writers Guild of America board voted unanimously to strike as of 12:01 a.m. Monday (3:01 a.m. ET), officials said.

The walkout will be the first in 20 years.

Steve Skrovan, a screenwriter for the Fox show "'Til Death," said a strike is all but inevitable.

"We've never been more united and we are willing to deal -- and our decision-makers are at the table," said Skrovan.

"Their decision-makers are not at the table and that tells you pretty much all you need to know about how the companies are pushing this."

The news of a possible strike is not unexpected, said Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers President Nick Counter.

"By the WGA leadership's actions at the bargaining table, we are not surprised by tonight's recommendation," Counter said in a statement on the AMPTP Web site. "We are ready to meet and are prepared to close this contract this weekend."

The labor impasse is over royalties from DVD sales -- last negotiated in 1988.

Writers also want royalties from "new media" -- all the various places their works are now distributed, including Internet downloads.

"The future of TV is not going to look like what it's been for the last 30 years," said TV writer Dave Schiff, who has penned scripts for "King of the Hill" and "That '70s show."

"So, you know it's not just for us who are currently working, but writers down the line, that we make sure that we get a... piece of the pie."

Producers say the royalty issues are non-starters, but writers accuse producers of being nonresponsive.

"After 3½ months of bargaining, the AMPTP still has not responded to a single one of our important proposals," a statement from the WGA said.

"Every issue that matters to writers, including Internet reuse, original writing for new media, DVDs, and jurisdiction, has been ignored. This is completely unacceptable."

TV writer Bryce Zabel agrees.

"It sounds like the producing companies that have decided to force the writers into a situation of a strike," Zabel said late Thursday. "So really, our choice right now is to accept a completely unacceptable deal or to go on strike.

"Strike is the only option."

If Hollywood writers do go on strike, late-night television hosts like David Letterman, Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel, as well as programs like "The Daily Show" would feel the pinch first.

Because of their topical nature, networks do not typically shoot these shows in advance.

Daytime soaps normally stockpile about 30 days in advance and most prime-time shows would likely make it through the end of the year without any major impact on programming.

But networks would have to resort to reruns, news programs and reality shows to fill the schedule in 2008 if a strike were to drag on.
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The film and television industry is responsible for an estimated 1.3 million jobs in the United States.

The union's most recent strike, in 1988, lasted 5½ months. Industry estimates say a half-billion dollars was lost because of that walkout.""

More information I found regarding the topic (not positive if it is 100% accurate):

""Late Night

* "Colbert Report" and "The Daily Show"
Would go into repeats immediately.
* "The Tonight Show" and "The Conan O'Brien Show"
Would go into repeats immediately.
* "Jimmy Kimmel Live"
Staffed with WGA writers, so it would probably go to repeats. But Kimmel could also decide to wing it and do the show himself.
* "Nightline"
Would likely stay in originals.

ABC

* "Lost"
Expected to have eight out of 16 episodes ready.
Midseason, none have aired yet
* "Cavemen"
Expected to have 12 out of 13 episodes completed; has not received an order for a full season.
* "Men in Trees"
Has five episodes left over from last season, 10 new episodes shot, four more scripts to shoot; adds up to 19 out of 27 for the season.
* "Cashmere Mafia"
Will have seven episodes out of an order of 13.

CBS

* "Moonlight"
Expected to have 11 out of 12 episodes completed; has not received an order for a full season.
* "Cane"
Expected to complete all 13 episodes; has not yet received an order for a full season.
* "Jericho"
Will have seven of seven episodes.

NBC

* "Friday Night Lights"
Expected to complete 15 of 22 episodes.
* "Scrubs"
Expected to complete 12 of 18 episodes.
* "Journeyman"
Expected to complete 13 of 13 episodes; has not yet received an order for a full season.

CW

* "Supernatural", "Gossip Girl" and the rest of its lineup
Has 10-12 episodes completed;
Those shows also have roughly five scripts that are ready to shoot.
* "America's Next Top Model,", "Beauty and the Geek" and new shows such as "Crowned" (the mother-daughter beauty contest)
Three of a number of reality shows that have already been ordered up, meaning they are covered for the rest of the season

USA

* "In Plain Sight"
New show, episodes are nearly wrapped
* "Psych" and "Monk"
Enough scripts in hand to guarantee a full second half of each season
* "Law and Order: Criminal Intent"
Enough for first half of the season (10); the second half (12) will be affected (meaning not enough scripts to guarantee production start as scheduled.)
* "Burn Notice"
Scheduled to start production of Season 2 in January
* "Starter Wife"
Scheduled to start production in March

Sci-Fi

* "Stargate Atlantis"
Expected to go on as scheduled.
* "Battlestar Galactica"
Has 10 hours of episodes, plus a two hour movie to air this Fall.
* "Eureka"
Will be affected.

FX

* "Thirty Days"
Completed, not expected to be affected.
* "Nip/Tuck"
5th season, the 22 episodes were planned for two cycles: 14 to run from now to February and eight next year. All 14 in the first cycle have been written. So, only the second cycle could be affected.
* "The Shield"
The final season is written, no date set for airing.
* "Dirt" and "The Riches"
Production is underway, and they could be affected.
* "Rescue Me"
5th season, just announced, would be affected since production is expected to start in early '08.
* "Damages"
No word yet on whether it would be picked up

HBO

* "Entourage" and "Big Love"
Are currently in the writing stages and were scheduled to air in the summer of 2008.
* "True Blood" and "12 Miles of Bad Road"
Have begun production.
* "The Wire"
Completed and will air as scheduled.
* "In Treatment"
New series is will air as scheduled. ""

Personally, this is giving me mixed reactions. It could mean a lot more remakes/sequels and garbage teen-comedies will be made (for films) and a lot more reruns (for television). But I'm hoping new, young writers (not in the union) take this chance to step up and come up with good scripts for film/television that could save the industry.

Ah, what am I kidding. If this strike lasts more than two months, it's surely gonna leave a dent in the quality of movies/television in the next year.

Stanley Kubrick is the person who I now consider the greatest film director of all time (even greater than Alfred Hitchcock and Frank Capra). I first saw The Shining at the age of 13. I was greatly fascinated by it, and it's since become one of my favourite horror movies.

When I was 14 I watched A Clockwork Orange (which is the greatest movie I've ever seen next to Hitchcock's Rear Window) and Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (one of the greatest comedies of all time).

And earlier this year I have seen 2001: A Space Odyssey and Full Metal Jacket. Space Odyssey was the first Kubrick to give me a mixed/negative feeling. After I watched it, I hated it. It was boring beyond belief, didn't seem to have any plot whatsoever, and only had like 40 minutes of dialougue in a 2 and a half hour movie. After a second viewing, I came to appreciate and love it. Visually, it is impossible to describe how fantastic it is (and the movie was released 39 years ago). I found out that the movie was not boring at all, and that it did have a plot. It had a very deep and complex plot. It just wasn't told with characters and speech (like 99.9% of movies do). The visuals told the story, which still amazes me. Space Odyssey (at least to me) is the greatest science fiction film of all time (ranking above T-2, Blade Runner, Alien, Aliens, and Star Wars IV-VI).

And last night I finally got around to seeing Eyes Wide Shut, Kubrick's most disliked movie. Though I don't understand the hate it gets. Each scene was beautifully shot, the score/soundtrack fit in perfectly, and it had a plot almost impossible to comprehend after watching the movie just once. Yeah, the movie was really slow, but it gave it a dream-like feeling that made you question everything the events of everything that was happening. I'll admit, I didn't understand what was going on the majority of the time, but it sure had me intrigued.

My ranking of the Kubrick movies I've watched from best-to-worst:
A Clockwork Orange: 10/10
2001: A Space Odyssey: 10/10
The Shining: 10/10
Dr. Strangelove: 9.5/10
Full Metal Jacket: 9.5/10
Eyes Wide Shut: 9/10

The 6 Kubrick movies I still need to watch:
Killer's Kiss (1955)
The Killing (1956)
Paths of Glory (1957)
Spartacus (1960)
Lolita (1962)
Barry Lyndon (1975)

-Trevor