The Debt

There are a lot of film sub-genres and one that always seems to deliver is the hunt for the Nazi war criminal. Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson, Ciaran Hinds and Jessica Chastain, Marton Csokas, Sam Worthington play the the older and younger versions of a Mossad undercover team sent to kidnap and bring a notorious war criminal to trial but things do not go as planned and they must deal with the consequences. The film is well crafted and the performances by all are excellent with Jesper Christensen's as the former Nazi surgeon down-right chilling. My love for anything starring Mirren aside, this film is worth full admission and a must see. Now that summer is over, it is time for the smaller films to take back the screen.



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Final Destination 5 - 3D

Well Death's design is back and I have to say this outing is much better than the last film in the franchise with better 3D. The deaths are cool and the misdirection works well for everything accept for the tie-in back to the first film that is telegraphed like a WWE body slam. The sequence in the gym is gruesome awesomeness! The looming Tony Todd is the one constant as the mortician/coroner and is short on screen time just like in all the past films. Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Mmmmaaaarrrggghhhhhh...

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Wicked - The Kennedy Center's Opera House

I love this musical and had to see it again but this time out I brought along my best friend, his wife, their oldest daughter, her grandpa and my friend Sharon. The musical was just as great as I remembered from seeing it on Broadway with only slight changes to the set. Morgan, my friend's daughter, just loved it and that made my birthday outing just perfect. Since seeing it the first time I have read the novel it was based on and I have to say the musical captures the best of the story that is actually quite dark. This is a fantastic musical and I hope everyone can check it out before it leaves the area.

Conan the Barbarian 3D

After being let down by the anemic Fright Night remake, Jason Momoa delivers as the kick-ass barbarian we all know from the comics and pulp magazines of our youth. Hot wenches, the lopping off of heads and buckets of blood, mystical beasts and sorcery - nothing is left out. The action is non-stop and the opening sequence where young Conan must win a race to earn the right to go to battle with his elders set the tone for the film and guaranteed delivery of everything I was hoping to see. I like Rose McGowan - or at least until she butchered her face with plastic surgery for a permanent duck face - but Rachel Nichols is smokin' and holds her own beside Momoa. Does anyone else think that Nichols would make a great Red Sonja if Robert Rodriguez does make the film?

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Fright Night 3D

As a horror fan I am compelled to see remakes of the favorite films of my youth and must endure the lack luster re-imagining or a director's new vision. I had high hopes based on the trailer but this remake is anemic and lacks any of the charm that makes the original film a classic. One thing I did like was the updating of the Peter Vincent character from a TV horror host to a Las Vegas entertainer headlining a show like Bite - a very sexy show which I recommend checking out when in Vegas - with the 10th Doctor, David Tennant, filling in for Roddy McDowall. Also there is a nice cameo that fans of the original will like and should be expecting. It does not do justice to the original but if you have not seen it then it may not be too bad.

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Bowling Heads

Thanks for sending this my way Carl. I so want one! Now if the balls just moaned or screamed as they went tumbling down the lane...

13th STREET – Bowlingheads (Case Video) from RUOK on Vimeo.