Kiss Kiss Bang Bang was directed by Shane Black, who wrote one of my favorite movies “Long Kiss Goodnight,” and stars Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer. It is based on a New York petty thief who ends up in Hollywood due to a mistake identity. He is then placed in a crazy situation with different storylines that seem to not be connected, but at the end we find out they really are. It kinds of reminds me of a Tom Robbins book.

I thought the movie was great. It kept me laughing, and I even cried a little. Robert Downey Jr. and Val Kilmer were great, and they really made their characters come to life. It showed how crazy Hollywood is, and the underlying secrets that everyone knows but no one talks about. I consider it a great, dark comedy that is definitely better than what you will think it will be.

NorthAnger Abbey was beyond boring. I am obsessed with Jane Austen novels and films, and this one was the worst one I have ever seen. I have nothing much more to say than that.

The Page Turner was directed by Denise Dercourt, who won awards for his other film Lise et Andre. It starts off with Melanie, a little girl who has hopes to getting a full scholarship to an esteemed music school by playing piano. She is passionate and it shows in the way that she plays. The audience has no doubts that she will make it in. Her dreams are tarnished when one of the judges, Ariane Fouchecourt, disrupts her concentration by accepting an autograph in the middle of her recital. She never plays piano again. We see her later as a teenager, who is working as an intern for a successful lawyer. The secretary who she works under tells her that the lawyer needs someone to watch his son, so Melanie takes the job. His wife? The judge who made her lose her dreams. In the beginning we are not sure what Melanie’s intentions are, but then we soon realize that it is revenge.

The movie dragged, and I kept waiting for the pace to pick up. The interaction between the two main characters could have been a little bit emotion than what we are shown. I understand that it was suppose to be an escalating suspense, but I feel that it lacked a climax. If it were a book, I would have already put it down waiting for “AHA” moment. It seems that too many movies are lacking good scenes until the end. Also, many people seem to have short memories, so they ignore how bored they were for the past 95 minutes, and are happy because the ending was good. The movie did have a denouement, and I was happy for that. Another thing that I liked about the film is that it showed that in revenge, the avenger and the avengee have their good and bad points. My parents loved this film, and I can see why. However, it wasn’t for me.

Shortbus was a film from John Cameron Mitchell, who you probably remember as Hedwig in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” It is about a group of New Yorkers who frequent an underground, sex club, and their trials and tribulations. The plot was amazing. It mixed all the human emotions into one movie, and there was never a dull moment. You follow Sofia who has never had an orgasm; Severin who has never had a relationship; the couple James and Jamie where James is severely depressed and making a suicidal tribute dedicated to Jamie.

The actors did an amazing job in ensuring that the characters remained three-dimensional and interesting without reaching ridiculousness. It was also great that Mitchell tied all of them together with sex. Sex is an act that makes a person sad, happy, and/or angry, and I think that is the reason he decided on that similar topic between the character.

The underlying theme was how detached we have all become in some shape or form. We are not able to fully connect with other people because we can’t even connect with our own being. The characters have problems with intimacy, and they are frustrated that they are not able to reach that level that they wish they were able to. Are they able to reach it? Is there hope for them and, if you think about it, us?

Definitely watch this movie. It is a little debauched, but I think that actually made it better.

Both seasons of Rome were amazing. They didn’t do any more than two because of how expensive it was to build those elaborate sets. I really loved the show. I watched all the episodes in a span of two weeks because I couldn’t just watch one. The timelines spans from the rise and fall of Caesar to the rise of Octavian Augustus, and is mainly told by the two protagonists: Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus.

The plot and characters were amazing. I felt as though I was really in ancient Rome. Even the tiniest detail was taken care, such as the wealthy throwing the food on the floor when they were done. The only two characters that I thought were flawed were Cleopatra and the older Octavian Augustus. They both seemed badly cast, and I wish other people would have played them. Other than that, everything else was impeccable. If you have time to watch the series, go for it. You won’t be disappointed.

Both seasons of Rome were amazing. They didn’t do any more than two because of how expensive it was to build those elaborate sets. I really loved the show. I watched all the episodes in a span of two weeks because I couldn’t just watch one. The timelines spans from the rise and fall of Caesar to the rise of Octavian Augustus, and is mainly told by the two protagonists: Titus Pullo and Lucius Vorenus.

The plot and characters were amazing. I felt as though I was really in ancient Rome. Even the tiniest detail was taken care, such as the wealthy throwing the food on the floor when they were done. The only two characters that I thought were flawed were Cleopatra and the older Octavian Augustus. They both seemed badly cast, and I wish other people would have played them. Other than that, everything else was impeccable. If you have time to watch the series, go for it. You won’t be disappointed.

Secuestro Express, which was directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz, was a nitty-gritty reality of the situation arising throughout Latin American. It deals with a wealthy, young couple in Caracas, Venezuela who are kidnapped by a group of thugs looking for ransom. The movie was well done. In the beginning of the movie, we see the main characters in their elements. The scene pauses, and their name and a few details about them are flashed on the screen. I think this was a good way to introduce us to the characters and give us a deeper sense of who each of them is.

The movie shows a scary situation that is happening practically every day in Latin America. We feel a mix of emotion for each of the characters, and no one is viewed as angelic, even if they are the victims or the thugs. The scenes were shot in Venezuela, which added to the horror of the situation. You are taken around this beautiful city where hidden underneath, all these atrocities are occurring. The thugs, but one, felt no remorse. They felt they were Robin Hood – stealing from the rich to give to the poor. They would rape, kill, and torture victims with no resmose. The police are no help because they are more corrupted than the thugs are. They have the law on their side, so nothing can happen to them.

The dialogue was well written. I liked how the writers included the reason for the corruption and violence within the dialogue of the characters.

The only unbelievable part of the movie was the way the female character would hit and curse at the thugs. Come on, you have a gun pointed at your face, and you are this sheltered, wealthy girl, and you have the guts to disrespect these people? No one really beat her. They respected no one, so why start now?

Overall, the movie was an eye opener. We think our lives are miserable, but other people in other countries are suffering. There are two sides to every story and each is suffering in their own way.

“Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay” is the sequel to “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle.” The movie was a little boring and lacked the humor the first movie had. However, the scenes that did crack me up was with the ignorant Homeland Security Director. He was so retarded when it came to races.

I never went to see Kenny. It was a horrible, gut wrenching weekend, so I didn’t have the energy to meet a bunch of strangers to watch a movie. Introverted, I know. Instead, I took out my Sex and the City DVD collection and began watching the show from the first season. Being a fan, like almost every woman out there, I trekked to the movie theater with my best friend Laura when the movie came out. After the movie, I found no flaws, but Laura was infuriated with the Carrie storyline. I kind of understood why, but now I REALLY understand. I will talk about each character’s storyline, from favorite to least favorite, which are as follows:

1. Miranda
2. Charlotte
3. Samantha
4. Carrie

Miranda – This was my favorite storyline. I might be bias because I see myself a lot in the Miranda character, and she is my absolute favorite. However, I don’t really think that is the entire reason why. In the show, we saw Miranda evolve from a cynical, selfish, career-driven Manhattanite to a compromising, loving mother and wife living in Brooklyn.
In the movie, we see that Miranda’s and Steve’s marriage has gotten stale and Miranda’s focus is Brady and her career. Due to this strain, Steven cheats, which he guiltily confesses to Miranda. After this confession, Miranda moves out with Brady. This was the most powerful storyline. Cynthia Dixon does an amazing job, even better than in the show in making Miranda a 3-dimensional character. She exposes every emotion, and there was not a time I didn’t’ believe her. Her story overshadowed the other three stories. I felt she even got more screen time. In addition, Cynthia Dixon looked really good. I was shocked don how good she looked. While the other characters looked like they had aged, she was the only one who looked like she was still the same age from where the show left off.

Charlotte – As always, Charlotte was funny, class, and cute without trying. She didn’t have much of a plot compared to the other three, but Davis’ facial expressions and way of delivering her lines made her my second favorite anyway. Her life wasn’t jolted with any chaos, like the other three, but I was glad she didn’t. In the show, I felt that Charlotte had the most struggles and havoc (being infertile, divorce, etc), so it was refreshing for her to get everything that she wanted. The way that she yelled at Big after his 100th diss to Carrie was sad, but she was always optimistic, and I felt that he took some of that way from her, even if it was temporary. Even if he story wasn’t as complex as the others were, Davis’ acting made me not notice that fact.

Samantha – I felt it was kind of out of character that Samantha would leave NYC to be fully invested in Smith’s life. I know that was mainly what her plot was about, but I think they could have come with a more realistic one. They could have stayed in NYC. I did cry at the end of her story (don’t want to reveal any spoilers), but I was still disappointed in the way they portrayed Samantha. What was the best about her character? Her experiences with multiple men, and how she reacted to the. Missing in the movie. I was happy to see Samantha, but the excitement that comes with her character was lacking.

Carrie – I remember when the show ended, there were mixed reviews on her ending up with Big. At first, I found no flaws with it, until now. I am annoyed with her storyline. After rewatching all the show episodes, Big really did a number on Carrie. The ultimate is leaving her at the altar, in the beginning of the movie. Yes, he had a change of heart and was returning, but it was too late. It’s like they said on the L Word when Shane left Carmen at the altar, and tried to get her back. Leaving someone at the altar is unforgivable. Some will say Carrie was an idiot when it came to Big, so it was in her character. But who cares?! Being that Sex and the City influences so many women, I would have thought the writers would try to make a statement. Majority of women have dealt with a Big. I know I have. What really happens? You don’t end up with Big. It is rare that happens. If she had to end up with someone, bring Aidan, or someone like Aidan, back. Maybe Aidan got divorced, and Carrie being older and wiser doesn’t mess it up this time. Or maybe have her end up alone. I think it was a sad statement to make.

Overall, the movie was a wonderful gift to all those Sex and the City fans. I can overlook some of the irritation of the storylines, and I am glad I saw my favorite women.

4 out of 5 popcorns.

Casshern is a 2004 Japanese sci-fi film directed by Kazuaki Kiriya, which is his first film, and adapted by a 1973 anime. It is based in futuristic Japan, where the country has just come out of a 50-year old war with Europa’s robotic army. Due to the chemical and biological weapons, genetic mutation and a mysterious illness have plagued society. Dr. Azuma is trying to resolve the problems that have become personal when his wife gets the illness. The council denies him the chance to do this, but he accepts a secret pact with one of the government leaders.

He develops neo-cells and creates a new human race. The military see them as a threat, so they try to exterminate them. However, some of them escape. These neo-cells have made them strong and practically invincible. They vow to get rid of the human race using the Europa robotic army. Dr. Azuma’s son Tetsuya goes to war and is killed. His father revives him again, and he becomes Casshern, the only one that can fight this new race of men.

The beginning of the movie was a little slow. It dragged to the point that I didn’t want to watch it anymore. However, after Tetsuya dies, it picks back up. The plot seemed to be all over the place. It was obvious that they packed an anime, which probably had several episodes, into a two-hour movie. I had to watch it twice to fully understand what was going on.

The actor that played the new human race leader Burai, Toshiaki Karasawa, was the best actor. He made me feel angry, happy, sad, and pain with his face expressions and tone of voice. Some of the other characters seemed to lack the depth that Burai had. It seemed to be a combination of acting and dialogue.

The scenes were cool because I felt I was watching an anime. The special effects people did a good job of showing the dark and light of the futuristic world. It seemed to reflect the feelings of the characters. Overall, I thought the movie was pretty good, but it should have just been created as a remake of the old anime series to develop the characters and the plot.