Dumb ... but also entertaining (if one doesn't mind martial arts and bloody carnage). This is the story of a blacksmith (RZA, doubling as the film's director) who realizes he must come to the aid of a few other warriors in their defense of their Chinese village of a corrupt and evil clan traitor. Also starring Russell Crowe (Gladiator, The Insider) and Lucy Lui (Charlie's Angels, Kill Bill), The Man With the Iron Fists is a bloody action extravaganza about right overcoming wrong that is pure camp (and beyond belief). The film holds no basis in reality; but that can be a positive to those who enjoy action and fun. This isn't my genre of film; but I laughed and enjoyed much of it. The cast is quite good and there is a plethora of interesting characters ... I just wish some of them were more utilized (namely the Gemini's). The film could be fun for those who enjoy slaying and fileting.

The Odd Life of Timothy Green was described as "enchanting", "magical", "emotional", "feel-good" and "inspiring" when it was released in theaters last year at the end of summer. The only word I could use from that sentence to describe Timothy Green and his movie is "odd" ... as in disturbingly odd. It is the story of a young husband (Joel Edgerton - Warrior) and wife (Jennifer Garner - 13 Going on 30) who are beyond-ready to be parents but are heartbreakingly unable to conceive. As they meet with an adoption agency, they recount a strange story in hopes of warming the coldest of hearts: "they wrote-up descriptions of the perfect child on various slips of paper and placed them into a box which they buried in their garden. In the middle of a stormy night, the couple awoke to find that a grown boy had sprouted from the garden and had leaves on his legs. The boy's name is Timothy and he teaches the entire town wonderful life lessons." Seriously ... and then they ask for another kid! The movie wants to be a whimsical fable that has rainbows emitting from the screen; but it hits all the wrong notes as these two desperate characters come across as people who are certifiably insane (I kept telling them to get off of my screen ... which might make me insane). It tries too hard and becomes uncomfortable as it is all put-upon, fake sweetness. It is a crazed overdose of saccharin ... and they need meds (not sugar pills).

Promised Land is Gus Van Sant's (Good Will Hunting, To Die For) latest film; but is unfortunately just another "message movie" that shamelessly preaches to the choir. If one is a member of that choir, they'll likely jump aboard and overlook the film's shortcomings but it does nobody any good by simplifying ideas and misconceptions (which is what Promised Land does). The film stars Matt Damon (Good Will Hunting, The Bourne Identity) and Frances McDormand (Almost Famous, Fargo) as smooth-talking executives for a natural gas conglomerate who are sent to a small town in Middle America to buy up land and have citizens sign-away their life rights ... because natural gas is safe and natural and poses not a single problem to society or the communities from which we harvest it (sarcasm abounded in that sentence). While I do have a left-leaning mind and this film should be right-up-my-alley poltically and environmentally speaking, I didn't appreciate how the film is presented. It is simple-minded and condescending at times while trying to convey some of the problems with fracking associated with natural gas extraction (I will not lie, though ... fracking is rather frightening when thought about fully). John Krasinski (The Office, It's Complicated) plays a small-town country boy activist who is speaking out on how terrible some corporations can be and Rosemarie DeWitt (Mad Men, Rachel Getting Married) plays a small-town girl conflicted with deciding which of the two guys she wants to date (seriously ... this is the conundrum for the young pretty girl in the film ... nevermind the environment or other social ills). This is watchable and those in the choir might like it quite a bit ... it just is not for me. I'd rather watch Van Sant's other ode to small towns, To Die For, again ... which oddly isn't about fracking at all but instead a wholesome small town weather girl. ;)