Blood: The Last Vampire

I did not get to see this at my local AMC art-house theater in Shirlington Village because it was only there for a week. But as fate would have it with Asian films being released to the US, I was able to pick up a copy the same day from the same martial films DVD stand where I picked up Gwoemul, or The Host. Buffy the Vampire Slayer this is not it but it does remind me a little of American Ninja in a way but much better acting and plot and no vampires. The killing of the big boss at the end could have been more drawn out for me because it seem to end rather quickly. If you like anime, vampires, and school girls swing swords, then this is the next movie to add to your Netflix queue.

Click here to check out the official website.

The Collector

Marcus Dunstan, one of the writers for Saw IV, V, and VI, branches off to create a new pop-culture serial killer to rival Jigsaw. The twist here is that, instead of being caught inside a trap and having to figure out why you are there and how to get out, Arkin discovers the traps and must see how he can save the family he is stealing from before the killer discoveries he is in the house. Josh Stewart, last seen by me as Holt McLaren in the series Dirt, plays Arkin and delivers a great performance and some genuinely gut-wrenching escapes that give us plenty of the red stuff. A good horror flick but it does remind you of the Saw franchise without Jigsaw's rules of game play. Definitely worth a look for my fellow horrorphiles!

Click here to check out the official website.

The Ugly Truth

Let's just say it now that there is not an "ugly" person in the movie anywhere and it is a good date movie for men and women. The ugly truth antics are fun to watch and Katerine Heigl learning to flirt and become even sexier - what man is not going to enjoy this? Heigl has grown up and out alot since My Father the Hero and I like it! Gerard Butler is there for the ladies to love but I am looking forward to his next film Gamer even more. Dudes, if you have to see a "chick flick" to make your girls happy at least make it this one.

Click here to check out the official website.

Orphan

"..the depraved, worthless piece of filth that is Orphan..." per Ann Hornaday of the Washington Post. With a review like this I had to see this film because it obliviously had to have something more to it than the classic The Bad Seed or the remake The Good Son to bring out such vitriol for a movie from a jaded critic. After seeing the film, I can see why this was said but the twist makes the movie and works to bring out the genuine creepiest and horror of the ending. I can understand now why Vera Farmiga and Peter Sarsgaard agreed to do this film because it is not what you are expecting and does deliver the goods. The true gem of the film is Aryana Engineer as Max who is the cutest thing you have ever seen on screen and juxtaposes Esther perfectly to make her even more horrific - well done everybody!

Click here to check out the official website.

The Taking of Pelham 123

Denzel Washington and John Travolta update the 1974 film featuring a hijacking of a New York metro train which starred Walter Matthau and Robert Shaw. The cast is rounded out with Luis Guzman, John Turturro and everyone's favorite Soprano, James Gandolfini as the Mayor. All in all a good film, solid performances, easily paced and a good remake like 1991's Cape Fear. If you have some free time to check it out at a matinee like me, you won't be disappointed. I recommend the number three combo from the concession stand with ketchup and mustard - happy viewing.

Click here to check out the official website.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Our favorite teenage wizards are back in the sixth install of the J.K. Rowling film franchise based on her books. The film is first rate and the story does deliver on the plot of the the sixth book even if a lot of the finer points were left out so they could actually get it on the screen. I wonder what the splitting point will be to deliver the two remaining films that are due out based on the last book in the series. The quidditch match is awesome and I cannot wait to see the film again when it makes its release in IMAX and with select 3D scenes. Will it beat the take so far by Transformers 2 this summer - only the fans will decide.

Click here to check out the official website.

Phedre HD Broadcast from Britain's National Theatre

I didn't get to renew my season tickets this year for the Shakespeare Theatre and to rub salt in my wounds a limited performance run of Phedre starring Helen Mirren is scheduled to kick-off the 2009-2010 season of performances. But before the play is scheduled to come to DC, a live HD performance would be broadcast as part of Britain's National Theatre Live program. Thanks to my friend Svetlana we scored tickets and was treated to a wonderful play with an expected fantastic performance by Helen Mirren. I love Helen Mirren in everything she does! I wish I could see her in person performing on the Sidney Harman stage but all 12 performances are completed sold out and I am glad I got to see the broadcast if nothing else.

Click here to check out the official website.

Moon

Kudos to Duncan Jones on this sophomore effort that stars the magnetic Sam Rockwell. Although there are great effects and realism in the sets, the power of this film is the performance of Rockwell as the sole inhabitant of a moon mining base who is just a few weeks shy of completing his three year contract when he loses communication with the Earth and his family. Kevin Spacey voices his only companion, an operations robot called GERTY. Even though I figured out the plot pretty quickly, the story is well plotted and the revelations of Sam Bell's predicament is fully engaging. If you do not get to see this in the theater, then definitely add it to you NetFlix's queue to watch when it hits DVD.

Click here to check out the official website.

I Love You, Beth Cooper

I admit I only saw this movie because it stars the sexy and cute Hayden Panettiere. The plot is OK with a few chuckles thrown in even if it was not Shakespearean like O or 10 Things I Hate About You. I still prefer the American Pie films for my laughs and fun. Where are this generations' teen film classics like Porky's, The Last American Virgin, or Fast Times at Ridgemont High which I had back in the 80's? Come on Hollywood don't let down your new crop of horny teens with films their grandparents would approve of.

Click here to check out the official website.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

The motley crew of Manny, Sid, Diego and Scrat are back with some toothy new friends. To kick off this adventure Manny and Ellie are pregnant, Sid wants his own family and finds one by accident, Diego is feeling a little too domesticated, and Scrat finally finds a love greater than the ever elusive acorn. It is nice to see the dinosaurs make it in to this series and they are big, scary and fun on screen. The scene stealer this time out is Buck, voiced by Simon Pegg, who is the motley band's crazy wilderness guide as they try to track down one of their own who was taken by a perturbed mother dino. I am a huge fan of this animated series and recommend it to all families to see.

Click here to check out the official website.

Torchwood: Children of the Earth

Torchwood has been hands down the best spin-off series to come from the long running BBC scifi hit series Doctor Who. Russell T Davies relaunched the Doctor Who series in 2005 and has been hitting them out of the park since day one to the elation of all fans around the world. But with this latest installment of Torchwood, I have to give kudos to Davies as being a master storyteller with fantastic vision, a no-holds-barred writing style, and the unerring ability to entrap his audience in a story with the unforgettable characters that live there. John Barrowman as Captain Jack Harkness has come a long way from when I first saw him in Shark Attack 3: Megalodon and must be kissing the ground that Davies walks on for the creation of a cult favorite icon that will stand the test of time. Be sure to check this out on BBC America when it airs on July , or by any other means at your disposal, because you will love it!

Click here to check out the official website on BBC or on BBC America.

Spring Awakening @ The Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater

Even though there was no real introduction to this musical in the Playbill passed out before the performance, just reading the titles of the songs gives you the the basic plot. This is a coming of age piece about teenagers trying to break away from the repression of their parents and the consequences of their own hormonal actions. The music was phenomenal and how could it not be with titles like "The B**** Of Living", "Touch Me", "The Word of Your Body" and "Totally F*****". The punk-rock like performances really struck a chord with me. I hope everyone gets to see this before it leaves town because you will be moved by it and be glad you are no longer a teenager.

Click here to check out the official website.

Public Enemies

After seeing the trailers for the last six months, Michael Mann's next pseudo-epic bio-pic makes it to the screen staring everyone's favorite actor Johnny Depp. The film suffers from the typical Mann treatments of being just a bit too long, overly dramatic where it is not needed and a less then satisfying ending. If you are a fan of Depp, then see the movie. If not, wait for cable or NetFlix. Oh yeah, Christian Bale is in the film as well as Dillinger's nemesis but the role seems lackluster and underdeveloped when compared to Depp's performance.

Click here to check out the official website.

The Color Purple - Kennedy Center's Opera House

Well Fantasia was actually in this production and she was awesome as Celie. The play was more bawdy then I expected from seeing the movie way back when Whoopi Goldberg played the main character. The music was fantastic and I had to have it for my broadway musical soundtrack collection. My date for the evening is waiting on me to burn it to my ipod so she can borrow the CD and copy the songs as well. All in all a great night at the Kennedy and a good birthday gift for my date.

Click here to check out the official website.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen: The IMAX Experience

The galactic ass-kinking robots are finally back and look awesome on the IMAX screen. Optimus Prime is still the coolest autobot on the planet while Megatron gets relegated to the role of flunky in this outing. The move is fun, action-packed and pure eye-candy in every sense. The whole opening sequence with the family could have been cut down dramatically and would have made for a tighter and better film. Megan Fox's role is demoted to the slutty, hot girlfriend in daisy duke cut-offs but that was fine by me - oink oink!

Click here to check out the official website.

King Lear @ Sidney Harman Hall

Stacy Keach bare-assed on the Sidney Harman Hall stage was not what I expected but hey that's theater. The play was definitely for mature audiences and a must see for all Shakespeare fans. I forgot that everyone dies in this play even though it is a tragedy. This is the last production of the 2008-2009 season and it was a great season finale. I may not have been able to renew my season tickets this year but I will definitely still be hitting next season's shows as often as I can.

Click here to check out the official website.

The Proposal

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds have great comedic chemistry in this new romantic comedy from director Anne Fletcher. I have always been a fan of Ryan's films and it is great to see him making a bigger splash in this film then his previous summer release as Deadpool in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. Sandra Bullock seems to be back on track as well after a two year hiatus if The Internet Movie Database is correct. Betty White, my favorite Golden Girl, is wonderful as the eccentric grandmother and always brings great impish moments of hilarity to all her roles. A good date movie for both men and women here with a bit of partial nudity for both sexes to enjoy.

Click here to check out the official website.

Year One

It ain't no History of the World: Part I by any stretch. As you see in the trailer, Jack Black is unfortunately just being himself in this film and it just does not hit any funny bones for me and Michael Cera is ok and scores the only slightly amusing moments in the film. Even with Harold Ramis directing and the cast filled out with comedic staples David Cross, Paul Rudd, Hank Azaria and Oliver Platt the film falls flatter then manna from heaven. The best thing about this film is the beautiful Olivia Wilde as Princess Inanna better know as Thirteen on House M.D. Skip this film and watch in on a rainy afternoon on Comedy Central next year if a rerun of any of the three Blue Collar Comedy Tour movies is not airing for the nth time.

Click here to check out the official website.

The Hangover

Being a fan of the movies Bachelor Party and Very Bad Things I had high expectations for this film and man did it deliver! The premise is that three friends wake up in their Las Vegas suite and try to piece together and remember how their suite got destroyed, where did the baby in the closet come from, how did a tiger get in the bathroom and where is the bachelor himself. This movie is crazy fun and Bradely Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, and yes, Mike Tyson, delivery hilarious performances. The best part of the film is the ending montage of what actually happened that night from a recovered camera. This is the best comedy I have seen in a while and a must see for man out there who is thinking about a Vegas bachelor party!

Click here to check out the official website.

Land of the Lost

Being a kid in the 70s and growing up on Sid and Marty Krofft's Land of the Lost Saturday morning show, there was no chance I would not be seeing this movie. Even after watching the SciFi channel marathon reruns and my childhood wonder dampened, I still had to see the film and ultimately enjoyed it. Being older now I enjoyed the older sexier Holly and the "ugly and hairless" paku females. This movie suffers from the same mentality that hurt the Grindhouse film in that why spend 200 million on a remake of a film genre or TV series that was low budget to start with and was loved for it? I would have been just as happy with a man in a rubber dinosaur suit playing Grumpy and stomping a scale model set of the cave.

Click here to check out the official website.