Heidi (Sheri Moon Zombie) is a radio DJ that receives a package with a CD one day. They decide to play it on the air and a select group of women fall into what appears to be a trance. Where they appear to be seeing a lot of witchcraft rituals.

Written and Directed by Rob Zombie this film should have a lot of positive expectations due to the greatly received Devils Rejects, Halloween remake, and House of 1000 Corpses. I had a lot of positive expectations heading into this film. Rob Zombie is a horror movie fan. His music and music videos feature clips from a lot of horror and underground horror classics. But just like the majority of the fans that have seen Lords of Salem we felt a little robbed watching this film.

The film's storyline is simple and seems to be leading us to some kind of giant conclusion. I didn't have a issue with the story. But I had a issue with how it played out at the end. Lords of Salem had me feeling like something big was about to happen. Then it finished with very little explanation. During the credits a News Report audio sound byte is played that gives us some information. But I still left with the feeling of being robbed and having little idea where and who robbed me.

The biggest positive take away is the visuals. I'll give the visuals a solid B+. Watching movies like House of 1000 Corpses and Lords of Salem really captures how much Rob Zombies enjoys twisted and grotesque scenes. I still think this film is worth a watch just for the crazy visuals.

I give The Lords of Salem... 2 1/2 Stars!

42 is the story of the first African American to play in Major League Baseball. Jackie Robinson played for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946. He changed the game forever both on and off the field. But he actions on the field are something we usually only read about.

Chad Boseman portrays Jackie Robinson who's just trying to make money to support his family playing in a sport he loves. Dodgers general manager Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) knows he is making the biggest move in baseball history by bringing Jackie to Brooklyn but he isn't scared.

This film is a Hollywood Style story telling session about 42. I enjoyed it very much. But I really hoped for more politics and less of the Shock and Awe moments. Did Branch Rickey just wake up one day and say "I want a Negro to come play baseball for me"? That's how the idea is set in this film. So without knowing who to bring in, he just knew a different race was needed? That's what confused me the most about this film. Beyond the midway point a story is told that shads some light onto the answer. But there are many closed doors in this film that doesn't really capture the late 40's baseball environment. Usually heroic films have some key moments that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up. I can't remember that happening to me once. I wish it would have. Because this is a great story, good acting, and a really good film. It has a nice ending. But where was the heart and soul of Jackie Robinson? I still feel like I didn't know much about him after watching the film.

I give 42... 2 1/2 Stars

Five friends drive to a cabin in the middle of the woods for a small retreat. When the book of the dead is found and unleashes something evil onto the group.

I went back and watched the 1981 original a few weeks before seeing this remake. And I'm really glad that this story was remade. I think it needed a refresh with updated technology and effects. The 1981 film will always be a cult classic. But a newer version is something that fans of the original (Like myself) will adapt and enjoy.

When I think of horror films I want to see blood and gore, I want to see hot chicks, I want to see people lose limbs, I want to see the cast members do something stupid like run into the woods. I love that stuff. And I want it to be so violent and gory that it get's a R rating. This remake is all of the above. It's the type of film that "Cabin in the Woods" mocked last year. Which is fine with me. These films will never get old. I don't find them scary. I find them entertaining and this remake satisfies.

I give Evil Dead 3 1/2 Stars!

Earth has been overtaken by Aliens and they use our Human bodies as hosts for them to roam. But our Human brains are still functioning and we're able to talk to the Aliens but our voices are never heard out loud. Based on the book by Stephenie Meyer. Myer also wrote the Twilight books.

I thought The Host was a very interesting concept. But the film focuses too much on the forbidden love between an Alien and a Human that hasn't been captured to be a host just yet. I would have loved to have seen this concept focus more on the "takeover" of Earth. And I also love to see how it effects adults and not teenagers. The Human race is in hiding and the Aliens are hunting humans to use as hosts throughout the film. But we never find out their real purpose. Instead this film is just another Teenage Love story with a human talking to a Alien trying to convince a Alien to do the right thing and leave her brother and boyfriend alone.

It's not a entertaining film. It's a boring film that could have used this exact concept to give us a real story. But instead we're wasting 2 hours of our lives on garbage.

I give The Host... 1 Star.

The President and his staff have been overtaken by the Cobra's. They have wiped out the G.I. Joes and only a few surviving Joe's can save the day and restore peace.

For the record I did enjoy the first movie. It's a bad movie. But it's one of those Bad movies I liked. This squeal is a better story than the original. It has a more well known and entertaining cast. The slow motion walking, sarcastic dialog, and outrageous storyline can be ripped apart easily by anyone. Most G.I. Joe fans still will enjoy this film much more than the first. Of course it's not on par with the Transformers films but I found this film entertaining.

I give G I Joe: Retaliation... 2 1/2 Stars

The White House is attacked and the President is being held hostage. Of course in this situation a army or National Guard couldn't save the day. So the future of America relies on Ex Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler) to save the day.

Just like many other action films this one IS no different. It has a audience and I'm a member of it. I love watching these types of films and I will continue to watch them. I look for loud and exciting action sequences, cheesy one liners, great bad guys, and I base my overall view on those factors.
The action is non-stop in this film, the one liners are present and draw quite a few laughs. My only issue was the bad guy. I wish he was more involved. I wanted him to be cool, funny, evil, and/or likeable. But he was just a flat bad guy that never stood out. Everything else was really fun about this movie.

I give Olympus Has Fallen... 3 Stars!
Just wish a better bad guy would have been involved.

A group of college girls head to Spring Break for a unforgettable vacation. After getting into trouble a local Rapper (James Franco) bails the girls out and promises to show them a good time.

This film is being marked to the typical young, MTV, party animal market. Some of which I don't think will like this film very much. Because it's far from a crazy party movie. The film is written and directed by Harmony Korine. Harmony also wrote the film Gummo and Kids. Which were films with a serious story hidden under the Humor. Spring Breakers exposes the propositions that young college kids face and how they handle them. Same make the obvious right choice and some throw their lives away for a little fun. Harmony has a way of creating characters that make up a stereotype of someone we once knew or went to school with.

James Franco's performance is very enjoyable. It's great to see a actor take on a role like this and I think it's worth watching this film just for his character alone. The lifestyle and excitement that his character brings to this film is both entertaining and sad at the same time. He makes brainwashing college girls look easy. Maybe Money, Guns and Drugs have that effect? As the story plays out some of these characters use the brain that got them into College. And the rest throw everything away with a few bad decisions. By the time the film had ended I realized that this was not a "fun, party movie" that was advertised. Instead this was a tragic film that felt very real.

I give Spring Breakers 3 Stars!

Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and Anton (Steve Buscemi) have headlined at Ballys in Las Vegas for years. Until a street artist named Steve Gray (Jim Carry) comes to town and steals the younger audience.

From start to finish this film feels like a Parody of Siegfried and Roy. And Criss Angle being the street stunt man that the young people all love. It's exactly that. Anyone that watches this film and feels the same way as me about Criss Angle will love how much they make fun of Criss Angel. Jim Carrey isn't the main character but I wish he would have been. His character is the best thing about this film.

I'm a big fan of Las Vegas. I've seen a lot of Vegas shows over the last 12 years including Siegfried and Roy, David Coperfield, Lance Burton, Criss Angle, and Mac King. I love watching Magic Shows. This film has some truth about how "Magic" is viewed right now. I'll always enjoy and appreciate the low budget shows like Mac King. And I love the illusions that David Coperfield performs. But I cannot stand Criss Angle's act and I think his phase has started to pass.

This film has some really funny and entertaining moments. And if you take away the "Vegas" storyline.. I think it would be a boring film. Jim Carry not only steals Burt Wonderston's spotlight, but he also steals this film as the most entertaining character.


I give The Incredible Burt Wonderstone... 2 1/2 Stars
Funny but doesn't push any limits.

Oscar (James Franco) is a small time Circus magician that wants to be bigger than life. One afternoon he is swept away in a tornado and lands in Oz.. This is sort of a prequel to Wizard of Oz. I only say sort of because there is plenty of room to go back further in history. And even more room to add another film after this one and before the 1939 film.

This film doesn't provide a lot of new information about the land of Oz. I had hoped for some interesting twists and turns. I wasn't expecting it to take the approach of the stage show Wicked. But I was expecting something new and exciting to be added to the Oz story. This film really didn't provide anything new about Oz. Instead this film was the story of Oscar Diggs (Oz is his nickname) and how he's a con-man trying to con the land of Oz into believing he is the real Wizard that they've been waiting for.

I wish the ending would have hinted at the next chapter in this story. Instead I felt like it was part 1 of a 2 part story. And we are going to be blind when part 2 starts. Where will it pick up? How much further into the future? I guess we'll find out in a few years. But hopefully the storyline will include some more excitement.

I give Oz The Great and Powerful.. 2 1/2 Stars
It's good but not great or powerful.

John McClane(Bruce Willis) finds trouble again this time in Russia. He takes a "vacation" there to track down his son that is in trouble. Then all hell breaks lose.

I'm a big fan of the Die Hard films. I always look forward to fun villains. This film lacks a good one. He's average at best. I love the over the top action scenes and there are plenty in this film. I also love the one liners from McClane. This one didn't have that many good ones.

I'll admit that I was expecting more than what this film gave us. But it's still a Die Hard film. And I take each one exactly for what it is. A Good Day To Die Hard might be the 5th best of the 5. But it was still entertaining.

I give A Good Day To Die Hard.. 2 1/2 Stars.