Mike's Movie Tips

3.5/4 Starring: Tom Cruise, Demi Moore, Jack Nicholson, Kevin Pollack, Kiefer Sutherland, Kevin Bacon, Wolfgang Bodison, James Marshall, J.T. Walsh Rated R for Language The great thing about "A Few Good Men" is that it's incredibly easy to get sucked into it, no matter where you are in the movie.  I've come across it a number of times on TNT (where it frequently plays) and no matter where it is in the running time, I always keep watching it.  The performances are top-notch, the story is compelling and the script, penned by Aaron Sorkin (who is responsible for "The West Wing" and "The Social Network), is electric.  There's not much more that I actually need to say, but because I am a film critic, I will go on. At the Naval Base in Guantanamo Bay, two Marines, Lance Corporal Harold Dawson (Bodison) and Private First Class Louden Downey (Marshall),  are accused of murdering Private First Class William Santiago (Michael DeLorenzo).  The Navy wan...

2/4 Starring: John Cusack, Luke Evans, Alice Eve, Brendan Gleeson, Kevin McNally Rated R for Bloody Violence and Grisly Images Edgar Allen Poe was a master of the macabre.  "The Pit & The Pendulum," "The Mask of the Red Death," and of course, "The Raven" (of which the film is named after, despite the fact that the story is referenced very little in the film).  James McTeigue's new thriller uses Poe's stories in an interesting (although not necessarily unique) way.  The most grisly ones are used as real-live murders. Poe (Cusack) is a notorious drunk and egotist in the mid-19th century.  He's out of money (which he spent on booze and drugs) and his editor, Maddux (McNally) favors his rival's review instead of his.  But now someone is using Poe's stories as inspiration for real life murders.  Initially, Detective Fields (Evans) suspects Poe, but it doesn't take long for him to realize that the killer is someone else.  In n...

1.5/4 Starring: George Clooney, John Krasinski, Renee Zellwegger, Jonathan Pryce Rated PG-13 for Brief Strong Language There are two things that every screwball comedy must have: timing and momentum.  These things are essential and non-negotiable.  Without them, you end up with a bore like "Leatherheads." The film is about the beginnings of professional football (although anyone who even has a mild appreciation of the game should stay far away from this disaster...as should everyone else by the way).  Dodge Connelly (Clooney) is a player for the Duluth Bulldogs, a minor team.  As it is now, football has no rules and few spectators.  College football is a different story, and everyone is talking about Carter "The Bullet" Rutherford (Krasinski).  He's talented, a war hero, and a nice guy...in other words, he's the kind of guy you almost want to strangle because he's so good.  He even has his own agent, the sleazy CC Frazier (Pryce).  After e...

2/4 Starring (voices): Hugh Grant, Martin Freeman, Imelda Staunton, David Tennant Rated PG for Mild Action, Rude Humor and Some Language The existence of a British claymation comedy brings to mind Nick Park, the creator of the "Wallace and Grommit."  While those shorts (plus the movie) come from the same studio, Aardman Animations, Park did not have any direct involvement with "The Pirates! Band of Misfits."  They do however, share the involvement of Peter Lord, who produced Park's films and co-directed this one.  This, however, is the only time that Park, Wallace or Gromit are going to be mentioned in this review because doing so is insulting to the inventor and his dog.  This movie couldn't be more mundane. The Pirate Captain (Grant) is an enthusiastic buccaneer with a hardy crew who adore him.  Sadly, they're the only ones who give him any respect since he is not especially successful.  The Captain wants to win the "Pirate of the Year...

1.5/4 Starring: Bruce Willis, Damon Wayans, Danielle Harris, Noble Willingham, Taylor Negron, Chelsea Field Rated R for Graphic Violence and Very Strong Language Action comedies are supposed to be fun.  A good one will raise the adrenaline while keeping you laughing.  "True Lies" is a good example.  So is "Rush Hour."  "The Last Boy Scout," starring the action star of the early nineties, Bruce Willis, is mean-spirited bore. Joe Hallenbeck (Willis) is a washed up private detective (Bogie must be rolling in his grave) who has just discovered that his wife (Field) is cheating on him with his best friend (Bruce McGill).  But when said friend ends up dead in an explosion after giving Joe a case involving a harassed stripper (a pre-famous Halle Berry), he ends up getting roped into a conspiracy with an ex-football star, Jimmy Dix (Wayans) involving corrupt politicians and a football team owner. This movie is unpleasant from the first scene.  A...

Theater attendance is down considerably from where it was a year ago.  It's been years since a movie I've wanted to see was sold out, and it's rare that there is much of a line to buy tickets.  There are a number of reasons for this: movie quality is going down the drain, there's a complete lack of variety or originality, the ticket prices are ballooning exponentially, and the theater experience (bad 3D, dim lights and sound unless you pay extra for IMAX) is terrible.  Plus, Blu-Rays and big Hi-Def TVs are fairly affordable, and offer a better experience for a much cheaper price, and since few people go to the theaters are causing the release windows to shorten, it's not that long of a wait for a movie that most are only mildly interested in. But the reason no one talks about is that the theater goers are horrible.  I used to love sitting in a crowded movie theater watching a good movie.  Now, I dread it.  Many people in the theater are shockingly impolit...

James Cameron is a master storyteller.  From "True Lies" to " Titanic " and " Avatar ," Cameron knows how to involve an audience and stage an action scene for maximum effect.  But more importantly, he knows how to create characters that everyone can relate to and care about.  Those two qualities are the reasons why his last two films have broken box office records. Now that I've seen both of them within a day of each other on the big screen (a local theater had a showing of "Avatar" on the mega screen in 3D), which is the optimal medium to view both of them, I started wondering which was the stronger film.  They're both excellent films, and I have no reservations about giving them both 4/4 ratings.  Both films are rousing experiences with great emotional highs and lows, and are superbly told with compelling characters and stories. When it comes to action, "Avatar" is the way to go.  That's not to say that "Titanic...