Archive for category New Releases

With four hot new releases this week, there really is NO need for me to babble on and that’s always good news. Let’s get stuck right into it!

Hmm... this is horrible but Gere has gotten grey-er since I last saw him.

Flick: Brooklyn’s Finest

Who: Richard Gere, Wesley Snipes, Ethan Hawke and Don Cheadle

Thoughts, comments, reflections:

He looks rather comfortable!

• How does Gere go from doing Chicago to this? Nah, there ain’t no prancin’ about in this one!
• How does Hawke go from New York, I Love You to this? Obviously, someone likes mixing it with big-name casts.
• “Tourism Brooklyn” will not be thanking the creators of this one… people won’t be listing Brooklyn as one of their top holiday destinations after watching this!
• Why do cops ALWAYS choose whiskey as their drink of choice? Why is it never wine, or vodka, or sherry? Hmm… is whiskey supposed to be more masculine or something? Last time I checked, it just burns!
• Why are cops on the verge of retirement always very reckless and wanting to go out with a big bang (as in die)? That’s Gere’s character in a nutshell!

Love the neck collar!

Flick: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Who: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace

Thoughts, comments, reflections:

• This is not one to watch with the kiddies in the same room!

C'mon... they do look alike!

• Is it just me or does Nyqvist look a little like Daniel Craig?
• How’s the upcoming Hollywood version going to stack up to this one?
• That’s one big bad tattoo that Rapace’s character sports: it looks rather painful!

Flick: Hot Tub Time Machine

Who: John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Chevy Chase

Thoughts, comments, reflections:

• Thank goodness Cusack’s last flick wasn’t Serendipity… is it just me or was that painful (and I’m a chick!)?
• Where was Joan Cusack? She and her brother seem to land in the same flicks ALL the time!
• Maybe I need a hot tub… nah, who wants to go back to high school?

Example A

• Was I the only one cringing when the guys were half-naked in the tub? No… they’re no match for Eric (Alexander Skarsgard) from True Blood, that’s for sure!

Example B

Flick: The Other Man

Who: Liam Neeson, Laura Linney, Antonio Banderas

Thoughts, comments, reflections:

• I don’t get why people want revenge when their partners cheat: you are only doing more harm to yourself if you end up say, locked in a cell because you’ve had a hissy fit!

Well, I guess he's okay...

• I had a revelation during this one: I don’t like Banderas and I don’t see why he’s “sexy”. I liked him best as Puss in Boots from Shrek 2 onwards! No offence or anything Antonio…

Now HE'S cool!

• Apparently, designer suits make women more attracted to you… just ask Banderas’ character: all he wears is fancy suits. Go on… chuck on some trackies, just for me!

Wow… what a week of new releases. Yep, we’re officially coming up towards the end of the year which means we’re in for more HUGE releases. Yippee!

It’s new release Wednesday here at Done Dirt Cheap DVD Towers and as usual, we’ve got some titles that are going to get you excited. Very excited! But not SO excited that you’ll have a heart attack and never be able to re-visit this blog ever again. Yes… I have been labelled “melodramatic” at certain points in my life. Anyway, check out these hot titles.

Less hair is more!

Hot new release flick #1: From Paris With Love

Who: John Travolta, Jonathan Rhys Meyers

The one question I just couldn’t get out of my mind after watching this:

•    How does Travolta stack up to other actors that have sported no hair?

Ahhh… the tough questions in life! Okay, let’s us consider this together. What other actors can you think of who are famous for being brave enough to rely on their chiselled features? Maybe brave is the wrong word, in some cases, it simply ain’t a choice! Anyway, check out this list and my comments:

•    Vin Diesel: Personally, he does absolutely NOTHING for me but plenty of ladies like this guy’s work.

The ladies do love this guy!

•   Jason Statham: Again, he’s not “my type” but there’s this one scene in The Expendables where he totally wins me over. For anyone that’s seen this flick, it’s the one where he deflates that basketball!
•    Bruce Willis: Yeah, he’s pretty cool in the Die Hard flicks but it’s his work in Cop Out that really wins me over!
•    Natalie Portman: Yes, this brave girl shaved her hair for V for Vendetta and I gotta say, she managed to look cool. Kudos to her!

Answer to the original question: Let’s be honest; Travolta should probably stick to having hair when he’s competing with seasoned no-hair campaigners such as Willis.

Jury's out on Bruce's little girl if you ask me!

Hot new release flick #2: Wild Cherry

Who: Rumer Willis, Rob Schneider

That's a bad tan!

The one question I just couldn’t get out of my mind after watching this:

•    Why can’t I get the following movies out of my head?

So, I know that it’s wrong to be thinking about other flicks while you’re watching a movie but I just couldn’t help it. While Wild Cherry does definitely reflect more of a woman’s perspective in regards to sex, I just couldn’t get the following films out of my head:

•    The American Pie flicks
•    Not Another Teen Movie
•    Road Trip
•    EuroTrip

Answer to the original question: It’s all American Pie’s fault! Any movie related to young adults exploring their sexuality automatically makes me think of Jim (Jason Biggs) and the “pie incident”.

Love the hat!

Hot new release flick #3: Evil Angel

Who: Ving Rhames, Ava Gaudet

The one question I just couldn’t get out of my mind after watching this:

•    What other films successfully used a religious theme to drive its narrative?

To give you a bit of a rundown without completely spoiling the flick for you, Evil Angel has a lot to do with women and is based around the Lilith legend of Jewish folklore. To cut a long story short, this deals with the notion that Adam’s first wife was not Eve but Lilith. Want to know more? Check out Evil Angel but in the meantime, I got to thinkin’ about some of my favourite religiously charged movies and came up with this list.

•    The Da Vinci Code
•    Angels & Demons
•    Stigmata
•    End of Days

Answer to the original question: So, that’s what I’ve come up with but I’m sure there are more… feel free to let me know your fave ones too!

I want Sheldon to win!

Whew! Well, that’s another week of new releases gone! Guess what this Sunday is? Yep, the Primetime Emmy Awards which leaves this Friday’s blog open for me to make my predictions about who’ll be walking away with golden statues. Do you remember the last time I did this for the Oscars? Not to blow my own trumpet and all but I got pretty much everything right. YAY for me! Will I be as successful this time? Well, let’s see but you just make sure you come back on Friday so that you can tell me how wrong (or right, let’s not forget that that’s a possibility too) I get it!

Ever heard the saying, “when it rains, it pours?” Well, it’s usually used in a negative sense right? I’m going to use it in a very positive way today (take THAT all of you people who liken me to Daria) because in terms of new release titles, we’ve got three of the biggest (for the year, not just the week or month) for you to get all excited about. Now, NO girly squeals from your corner thank you very much!

Gotta love those shades!

Hot new release #1: The Book of Eli

Who: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis, Jennifer Beals

Reasons to watch:

• Washington: we all know what a great actor this guy is but you know what I’ve found myself wondering lately: is “Denzel Washington” his real name? It can’t be… it’s way too cool!

Hmm... be scared Denzel, be very scared!

• Everybody loves a crazy villain like Oldman’s Carnegie… just look at how loved Hannibal Lector (Anthony Hopkins) is… he has a unique way of dealing with “people problems”… he just eats them away!
• It has Beals in it: who could forget that scene in Flashdance where she dances her little legs off in a leotard?
• A movie about people willing to risk their lives for a book? Come on… call me crazy, but it’s a little outrageous.

Nope, she don't take nonsense from ANYBODY!

Hot new release #2: The Blind Side

Who: Sandra Bullock, Tim McGraw, Quinton Aaron

Reasons to watch:

• To see whether the blonde Bullock is any different from normal brunette Bullock (for the record, both are just as good as one another).
• It’s always fun to test people’s accents and Bullock sports a Southern accent in this flick… pretty good too if you ask me!

Yes, he's BIG!

• To marvel at the size of Aaron. Clearly, someone ate their Weet-Bix as a youngster.
• To see macho men wearing tights. It always makes me laugh how certain things that men wouldn’t been caught dead doing normally are okay on the sport’s field: like tapping each other’s behinds and wearing tight, tight pants.
• If you’re in need of a little bit of happiness, this is one feel good story that is actually based on truth (it’s refreshing to watch)!

That leather can't be comfortable!

Hot new release #3: Kick-Ass

Who: Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Chloe Moretz

Reasons to watch:

• It’s a controversial title which means you have to give it a test run for yourself to see whether all the commotion is justified or coming from people who have no room in their life for humour.
• The costumes: and you thought your school uniform was (or is) bad… think again!

See what I mean about a bad "uniform"?

• This may offend some but I’ve never actually seen a Nicolas Cage movie without being forced to by someone else… cruel but true!
• At the end of the day, it’s downright hilarious!

Now, there’s not one flick in that new release line-up that you’re going to want to miss. Take it from me, you’ll be kicking yourself if you do! When you’re done watching ALL of those flicks, let me know what you think of each of them by posting a comment below.

We’ve hit Wednesday again and you know the deal: in Done Dirt Cheap DVD land that means we’re talkin’ new releases. So, let’s minimise my babbling and get on with it!

"Look at what I've got!"

Flick: Cop Out

Who: Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan and Seann William Scott

Top reasons to watch:

• Morgan: have you seen his work in 30 Rock? He’s a scene stealer!
• Morgan: have you ever seen this guy being interviewed? I REALLY hope it’s an act because he goes off on his own little tangent (sort of like Robin Williams really).
• Willis: I think he’s been Mr. Sheen-ing his bald head. Seriously, how shiny is it?

Oooo shiny!

• Willis: speaking of guys who give quite a wacky interview… I’ve seen him on David Letterman and quite frankly, he’s a bit of an oddball. Nothing like the stuffy stereotype I expected (which, by the way, is a good thing!).

Hmm, what a gentleman. NOT!!

• William Scott: I loved him in American Pie and he’s just as good here… I even half expected him to utter that infamous “mother” line from American Pie (I can’t write it out or even abbreviate it or else I’ll be banned from blogging forever).

Yeah... yell it out Sam!

Flick: Clash of the Titans

Who: Sam Worthington, Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes

Top reasons to watch:

• Worthington: the best thing this country has produced since Vegemite (and I mean Vegemite, not that inferior Cheddarmite or Vegemite 3.0 or whatever it’s called).

Mr. Sexy legs!

• Worthington: shows every guy how to wear a skirt and actually look good it in (by the way, I’m aware there’s a proper name for the medieval skirt that Perseus dons but I’m too lazy to Google it so take that!).

Creeeeepy!

• Neeson: since seeing him in After.Life , I’m now a converted Neeson pusher!
• It’s funny to see the stubble on Worthington’s face: is this his attempt at growing a beard? Everyone else in Clash of the Titans seems to have one (not the ladies of course!).
• It’s the closest thing to a history lesson I’ve received in over four years (that would be since high school).

What a cast!

So there are two very awesome new releases for you to enjoy this week. Which do you prefer? Like your comedy or prefer to see Gods and Goddesses gracing the screen (who all happen to be beautiful to boot)? Let me know by posting a comment below. When you’re done, don’t forget to join me Friday for a very special blog dedicated to The Expendables.

It’s new release Wednesday so let’s not waste any time and get straight into the three great DVDs we’ve got for you this week.

So, she won't be competing in Miss Universe anytime soon then?

Flick: Nanny McPhee & the Big Bang

Who: Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ewan McGregor, Maggie Smith

So, this heroine is a little outside the square compared to what we’re used to but that’s what’s so great about her. But I just couldn’t stop myself there and got bogged down creating a little list of why oh why, I love Nanny McPhee.

#5: There are a lot of piglets in this flick (and I LOVED Babe!).

#4: We know she’s ugly but we see her as being beautiful thanks to her heart-warming character.

#3: Any flick that features Smith is a winner in my books (c’mon, how good is she in Harry Potter?).

#2: The nose – there’s only one other person’s nose I can think of that has demanded so much of my attention (Hint: there was A LOT of plastic surgery involved).

#1: She’s popular, warts and all!

Is it just me or is it all very green in this picture?

Flick: The Last Song

Who: Miley Cyrus, Liam Hemsworth, Greg Kinnear

Okay, I’ve taken my honest pills today which means that I have to admit that Cyrus isn’t my favourite actress going around at the moment. It gets on my nerves when people are rich, famous, have a great career ahead of them and still complain. I’m touchy that way! So, here’s a short list of why you should still watch The Last Song even though Cyrus is in it.

* Cyrus’ role is tailored for her. In fact, no one plays sulky teen better (‘cause it isn’t just an act!).

* Hemsworth – I’ve got a soft spot for hot guys.

* The storyline is actually pretty interesting and for a teen flick, that alone is a miracle (ooo, that’s a little pessimistic isn’t it?).

Someone's angry... and getting even angrier!

Flick: The Last Station

Who: Christopher Plummer, Helen Mirren, James McAvoy, Paul Giamatti

Okay, so this isn’t the sort of flick that I would usually rave about because it’s set at the beginning of the 20^th Century and that’s a LONG, LONG, time ago if you ask me. That said, I have managed to list some things that even I found fascinating about The Last Station so here we go:

• The setting has a calming effect: I like the idea of drinking tea and “taking” my meals out on the green lawns.
• I read a review of this movie that labelled Mirren “simply sexy forever”… not so sure I can agree with that one.
• The outfits: they make me thank my lucky stars that I live now and not then (seriously, if you were female back then, dressing yourself was a MAJOR chore!).

Hip Hip Horay!

Whew… have we been through three hot new releases already? Don’t worry… there are plenty more for us next week. Until then, you’re just going to have to settle for my ramblings about Tom Cruise on Friday. C’mon, let’s all go and jump on Oprah’s couch right now!

I’m not going to waste time explaining what today’s blog is all about because it’s Wednesday which means new releases. Let’s get cracking!

Hey big spender!

Movie: Valentine’s Day

It’s just like: Love Actually

How I rank the killer cast and the first words that pop into my head when I think of these stars:

No Hangover here!

#1: Bradley Cooper: Smooth

#2: Patrick Dempsey: McDreamy

Very nice - notice how I'm only posting pics of guys?

#3: Taylor Lautner: One hot werewolf!

#4: Queen Latifah: Singer, dancer, actress… anything else?

#5: Jamie Foxx: Cool

Gotta have one for the guys!

#6: Jennifer Garner: Ben Affleck

#7: Ashton Kutcher: Likes “mature” ladies

#8: Julia Roberts: Erin Brokovich never looked like her. Lies! Lies! Lies!

#9: Taylor Swift: Not just a voice but surprisingly intelligent

#10: Eric Dane: McSteamy

Matt Damon in the Green Zone!

Movie: Green Zone

It’s just like: Saving Private Ryan

Guts factor: 10/10 and here’s why!

1. Tackling anything to do with the US, Iraq and weapons of mass destruction is risky!
2. Any film that doesn’t portray the US as heroes is playing with fire
3. Accuses us (as in, the Allies) of being ready to kill to cover up the initial deception of the US government
4. It’s good to see people in Hollywood wanting to work together time after time (Matt Damon and Green Zone’s director, Paul Greengrass were also behind the Bourne flicks)
5. The odd title… considering this is a war flick, you’d think something like Red Zone would’ve been more appropriate

I always wanted to play the guitar!

Movie: Crazy Heart

It’s just like: Nothing really… Walk the Line if I had to name something…

Five reasons to watch:

#1: Jeff Bridges puts in one mesmerising performance… it’s no easy feat to upstage George Clooney for a Best Actor Oscar you know!

Can't help but focus on the age difference evident in this pic...

#2: Talk about Mr. Bridges all you want but Maggie Gyllenhaal doesn’t turn in a stinker either…

#3: It’s cruel but watching washed up performers is always amusing – even if it’s just make-believe

That’s three awesome flicks for us all to enjoy. If I had to pick a fave, I’d have to go with Valentine’s Day because it’s fluffy fun and doesn’t require too much effort on my part. Agree? Disagree? Tell me all about it below.

It’s amazing just how quick one week flies. Yep, it’s Wednesday again and you’re used to the drill, that means we’re in for some killer new releases. Check these new flicks out.

How can the brooding types be soooo attractive?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock lately, the name Robert Pattinson is sure to ring a bell. While he’s made his name as Edward, the pale-faced but pretty spunky (if that’s your thing that is) vamp from The Twilight Saga, he’s clearly a bit of a thinker when it comes to his career. While I’m sure that the “Edward” tag will be with him forever, he’s been very careful to ensure that he’s showed off his acting range in flicks such as Little Ashes where he plays Salvador Dali (yeah, that creative dude) and now Remember Me, which is a pretty creepy flick.

Where has all the fun and laughter gone?

In fact, the ending is rather eerie and in the same league as The Sixth Sense. That said, I don’t really want to spoil it for you because frankly, I can do without the hate emails and dirty glances from people in the office (believe me, it’s happened before). I guess I don’t really need to say much more about this movie given the fact that having Pattinson in it means that it automatically appeals to a massive audience (granted, most of them are girls under the legal age but you take what you can get right?). But hey, don’t forget that it’s also got Emilie de Ravin who, aside from being easy on the eyes for the guys, is carving quite the nice CV for herself.

I bet millions of chicks would like to be that goat...

If you’re up for a bit of a laugh, you can’t go past The Men Who Stare at Goats. Apart from boasting a really awesome cast in George Clooney, Jeff Bridges, Ewan McGregor and Kevin Spacey, it’s sure to have you laughing yourself silly.

Talk about having "connections"

As the title suggests, it’s not exactly a serious flick but watch out for the stand-out scene where Clooney does in fact, stare down a goat. It’s pretty hilarious and if you’ve got a few moments to spare, check out some other guys staring down a pack of goats on YouTube. Funny stuff!

Not sure about that haircut!

Now, for something that’s the complete opposite of a comedy, watch Brothers because you won’t be sorry. I’ve gotta be honest and say that I’m not usually the kind of gal who enjoys watching any movie to do with war. In saying that, Brothers isn’t really about war as such, it’s more about how it can effect an entire family. In this movie, there are a few grisly scenes here and there but mostly, the emphasis is on the consequences of war.

It's like an instant family...

To give you a brief rundown, Captain Sam Cahill (Tobey Maguire) is the perfect husband and son, the complete opposite of his troublesome brother, Tommy (Jake Gyllenhaal). But when Sam is believed to have been killed in battle, Tommy steps up to the plate and bonds with Sam’s wife, Grace (Natalie Portman) and his kids. That’s all well and good until Sam is found alive which complicates the feelings that Grace and Tommy have developed for one another. Yikes!

Believe me, in Brothers, all three leads turn in exceptional performances but I was particularly taken aback by Maguire. He definitely made me take notice and feel his character’s pain.

Hint: don't believe what he says!

While all three of the movies I’ve already written about where fab, I’ve got a soft spot for After.Life simply because it’s so different to anything I’ve ever seen before. It may not be the shortest movie going around, but you don’t even feel like it’s particularly lengthy because you’re so captivated by what’s going on.

Morbid much!

Starring Liam Neeson, Christina Ricci and Justin Long, After.Life puts a rather disturbing spin on life after death. The less I say about what actually happens, the better because the key to this film working for you are the unexpected twists and turns that it takes you on along the way.

Too funny!

Whew! Now that was a massive week of new releases titles… feel free to post your thoughts and comments on any of the flicks discussed. I’m going to let my hair down and have a bit of fun on Friday when I take a look at movies that entertain us for all the wrong reasons.

It’s mid-week again which means there are new flicks for us all to feast our eyes on. Let’s cut to the chase and get into A Single Man, Infestation and Edge of Darkness.

The first thing that popped into my mind while enjoying A Single Man is that it oozes charm as it portrays America during the 1960s. Colin Firth plays an English professor who’s in the process of tying loose ends up before he ends it all. And when I write “ends it all”, I mean putting an end to his life which is all pretty creepy. The good news is that a few things happen here and there to convince George (Firth) that life is worth living after all.

Nice glasses!

A Single Man isn’t your average mainstream title: it evokes something just that little bit different to the types of flicks we’re all used to seeing. Because it’s set in the past, it deals with issues such as homosexuality and suicide that we look at a bit differently nowadays. And just one other thing: does Julianne Moore ever age? There’s gotta be something dodgy going on there…the woman’s almost 50 and there’s no way that look’s natural.

See what I mean?

Now, I’m into “out there” movie scenarios just as much as anyone (seriously, you should have seen my face when Angelina Jolie came out with an unbuttoned pajama top while portraying Lara Croft in the Cradle of Life. Like who sleeps like that?) but Infestation outdoes anything I’ve ever seen before. Yep, a rather dweebish looking city worker by the name of Cooper (Christopher Marquette) wakes up at work (yes, he’s resting his eyes in secret) only to find that he’s completely surrounded in a thick white web. When he looks around him, he finds that everyone inside and outside his office building has been cocooned by giant flying cockroaches. Oh dear.

Someone's looking a little off-colour!

Well, Infestation may not be realistic but it’s a good laugh and will have you thinking “what if?”

Speaking of “what ifs”, what if we suddenly started paying attention to Mel Gibson again for his acting rather than his rather odd private life? Seriously, if he’s not making headlines for dating much younger women, he’s in trouble for spreading his controversial views regarding everything and anything.

Clearly, Mel's seen something he doesn't like.

I know my opinion doesn’t really count for much but I think Gibson would do himself a big favour if he let his acting do the talking for him. Just take a look at Edge of Darkness where he’s given dialogue, sticks to it and poof: I actually like him again. Thomas (Gibson) is pretty chuffed to see the return of his estranged daughter but you can image the fury that takes hold of him when she’s shot dead in his arms. Granted, it’s not the nicest of things to experience but I’ve left out something that’s pretty relevant: Thomas is a Boston homicide detective and now, he’s a pretty cheesed off Boston homicide detective!

Mel thinks that hiding behind doors just might be the answer...

But in trying to discover why his daughter was so ruthlessly eliminated in his arms, he’s going to uncover a few things here and there that he would have been better off not knowing. And I’m not talking about who really put that black stain on the white carpet (sorry mum). Yikes!

It’s hard to believe that we’re more than halfway through another year of hot new releases but the great news is that there are even more quality titles that’ll finish off the year in style. Let me know what you’re busting to see on DVD by posting a comment. On Friday, I’m getting in the mood for the weekend by writing about movies and television episodes about the weekend (how creative of me hey?)!

I’ve gotta be honest with you: I’m not really a routine kinda person. I don’t like doing the same things on the same days, it bores me. I only have one exception to that: Wednesdays. Why? Because Wednesdays are new release movie days and I just can’t help myself: I get giddy at the thought of a few new flicks for me to checkout. And this week, there were three top notch releases for me to feast my eyes upon so no more stuffin’ about, let’s get into it!

Yeah... he's not bad looking is he?

It feels really wrong to find someone younger than you so attractive but I just can’t help myself with Logan Lerman because this boy (and that’s the appropriate term to describe him) is hot stuff. Let’s just say that as far as I’m concerned, he makes Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief quite enjoyable viewing. Oh okay, it’s not just perving on him that I found so enjoyable: the movie itself was actually really good.

Extreme close-up on Uma!

Starring alongside Lerman is a pretty decent cast thanks to names such as Pierce Brosnan, Sean Bean, Rosario Dawson, Melina Kanakaredes, Steve Coogan and Uma Thurman (hey, there’s even the redhead from Grey’s Anatomy whose face I recognise but who I couldn’t name if you were going to pay me a million bucks).

That's one big dish!

Even though I think this is a pretty good flick, I just can’t resist the temptation to poke a bit of fun at something that I find a little strange. First of all, seeing Brosnan moving around as half an animal did manage to get a slight chuckle out of me but nothing is funnier than when Percy’s (Lerman) best friend suddenly unearths his shocking secret: he’s half animal and he’s Percy’s guardian. This seems like a silly thing to say considering the scenario that I just presented you with but it really is very unrealistic (yes… I told you it was very silly).

Regardless of this, Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief is well worth watching, even just for special effects alone.

Come on, that's a pretty cool world to be lost in.

Now, I’ve pretty much loved everything that Tim Burton and Johnny Depp have done together in the past and Alice in Wonderland is no exception. There’s no way that I can talk about this flick without acknowledging the fact that it’s pretty much been torn to pieces by the critics but as is the case on most occasions, I don’t agree with them.

That leg on the chair tells you that she means business!

Yes, it’s bizarre and a little “out there” at times but what else would you expect from this awesome duo? Not to mention, having Depp in anything automatically makes it cooler and hey, Anne Hathaway doesn’t do a bad job as the White Witch either. And kudos to Aussie Mia Wasikowska for scoring a role in a pretty massive flick and putting her own unique spin on the iconic role of Alice. Yay for her!

Finally, the last new release flick that I got to check out this week was Dear John. Now, I’ve seen plenty of flicks that Nicholas Sparks has put his name to and Dear John is exactly the kind of movie that you’d expect him to write.

Well, this looks serious!

What I just can’t get my head around is why I enjoyed this film so much even though I knew I was in for a pretty depressing ride. Am I just a glutton for punishment? Maybe, but some of the best movies over time have been depressing because after all, there’s nothing like a little bit of sadness to leave an impression.

It's a long way away from her role in Mamma Mia!

And hey, if nothing else, you’ll certainly enjoy having a good perve on the two leads in Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried. No, it’s not just you: they are both terribly easy on the eyes. Not to mention, I had one of those little “light bulb” moments that everyone always speaks about (but I never experience) while watching: Tatum is from a Ricky Martin music clip. I knew I had seen him somewhere before… after all, that’s one face that I could never forget too quickly.

Tell me that that doesn't look painful!

Whew! Have I written about three movies already? Have you seen any or all of these flicks? Agree with my nonsense (oops, I mean great writing)? Let me know what you think by posting a comment. And don’t you forget to join me Friday when I take a peek at The Karate Kid (did I ever tell you that I was a black belt once upon a time?).

You can’t argue with a flick that has made history (good history that is, not bad history) and The Hurt Locker sure has done that. While being a great flick in its own right, it’s also managed to trump the highest grossing film ever (Avatar – remember, the one with all of the blue creatures and that Aussie hunk in it?) for the Oscar for Best Film and Best Director (yes, the first time ever a female has won the gong for Directing). Oh, I almost forget, the woman controlling the show is Kathryn Bigelow who’s also James Cameron’s ex-wife which provided a nice little back-drop for the Oscars.

There's a lot of this going on in The Hurt Locker!

But when all of the dust has settled and everyone has gotten over all of the awards that The Hurt Locker has won, is it actually any good (come on, we’ve all seen these high profile flicks that just don’t live up to their hype)?

What you won’t see in this film is a long list of big names that are relied upon to keep you interested. The plot is exceptional enough to carry the movie all by itself but it should be noted that all of the actors pull their weight and put up great performances.

That doesn't look comfy!

There’s no reason to mince my words: The Hurt Locker is a confrontational movie that isn’t supposed to leave you with any warm or fuzzy feelings. It’s harrowing and you’re almost certain (unless you simply don’t have a human bone in your body) to come away from it affected.

As usual, I don’t want to give anything about the flick away because it’s better watched without me painting the picture for you (although, I’m sure I would do it justice). So my last words about it are intended to prepare you for something that isn’t supposed to be easy to digest. You’re going to come away from this one with many thoughts running through your mind and the majority of them aren’t going to be pretty.

I wonder if they're playing the "who can last the longest without blinking" game

That’s enough doom and gloom for you, let’s move on to something a little more peppy and most importantly, something I’m not going to get in trouble for for having a little bit of fun with it: Love Happens.

Well, I'm glad that someone finds it funny!

What I appreciated most about this flick (apart from Aaron Eckhart who pretty much steals the show which is a good thing considering he’s playing the male lead) was how it takes something as predictable as the standard rom-com, turns it on its head, and does so very well. How? Well, Love Happens also stars Jennifer Aniston and I can already see the cogs working their magic in your head. You’re probably thinking that somehow, she’s going to end up acting exactly like Rachel from Friends and it’s going to be another “happily ever after” scenario.

Look closely at that guy in the background: he's either eating or blowing his nose...

That’s where you’re not entirely correct. First of all, Eckhart’s character is actually the major focus of the film and Aniston merely floats in and out here and there as his love interest. The movie is much more pre-occupied with the male’s issues than the female’s issues and I’ve gotta say, it’s refreshing to see. I’m sooooo tired of seeing the standard romcom where girl meets guy, girl falls head over heels for guy and then guy somehow gets into the girl’s bad books. It’s been done before so what’s the point of me investing over two hours of my life into something that I’ve already seen?

Now do you get why they call him Two Face?

A lot of Love Happens depends on Eckhart’s likeability which he has in droves (seriously, how good was this guy as Two Face in Batman Begins?). Not to mention, it actually arms his character with serious issues – and by issues, I mean real things that will make you see exactly why his character is struggling.

And hey, Aniston is never bad in anything she does. Sure, call her performances predictable or similar in pretty much everything she does, but she’s never disappointing!

One of the best things about Jerry Maguire: the cute kid!

With that, I’m going to leave it at that for this week’s new releases. Don’t worry I’ll be back on Friday looking at some great sports movies given that the World Cup is well underway. Until then, kill some time by posting a comment about whatever you want (preferably related to the blog but if you want to suggest a blog topic, be my guest!).