"Beyond the Mat" is Hands Down the Best Wrestling Documentary

The 1999 pro wrestling documentary produced by Ron Howard “Beyond the Mat” establishes itself as the perfect snapshot of the sport.

The timing couldn't have been better right as the WWF is becoming a publicly traded company and at the peak of the industry's popularity.

It follows professional wrestlers Jake "The Snake" Roberts, Terry “Fucking” Funk and Mick Foley, and promoters Vince McMahon and Roland Alexander.

The film shows all the ridiculous characters that surround wrestling. Director and narrator Barry W. Blaustein opens the documentary by expressing his embarrassing love for wrestling. It sets a great tone for the movie, it shows the fans and participants loyalty for the sport.

At one point the wrestling great Funk is coughing up blood and seemingly dying after an ECW match. The next shot he's chugging a Coors Light, that's what wrestling is all about.

The Jake "The Snake" Roberts story is a more depressing then "The Wrestler." During the shoot the filmmakers lost Roberts later to find out that he was smoking crack.

Rating: B+This is perfect portrait of the weird and dangerous world of professional wrestling. The subject matter isn't appealing for everyone.

Everyone Should Seriously see “Inside Job”

The winner of the 2011 Oscar for Best Documentary, “Inside Job” shows how we trust our money with people who don’t care about us.

The film explores the 2008 economic crisis that caused the world to lose trillions of dollars. Director Charles Ferguson, who is know for the documentary “No End in Sight,” made a flick about a boring and complicated topic that is a scandalous and educational film.

It is a little repetitive, but it needs to be so the movie can cover all the points of the film without losing the viewer.

This enraging documentary gives such a powerful depiction of the 2008 meltdown and how the people responsible will not be charged for defrauding the country. It is one of the most influential documentaries of this era.

Wesley Morris of the Boston Globe said the movie is “scarier than anything Wes Craven and John Carpenter have ever made.”

Also Matt Damon was good as the narrator. Rating: AThis is truly a great documentary, hopefully people react to it.
P.S. It’s everyone’s fault.

“Y Tu Mamá También” Leaves Audiences Unsatisfied

The critically acclaimed Y Tu Mamá También from 2001 is a hit-or-miss for most viewers due to its conclusion.

It follows two young best friends Julio (Gael García Bernal) and Tenoch (Diego Luna), who have a summer to waste after their girlfriends leave for Italy. It starts at a perfect time in the two boys lives, on the brink of being adults at the crossroads of their lives.

They meet Luisa (Maribel Verdú), the wife of Tenoch's cousin, at a wedding and in an attempt to astound the older woman, they tell her of a secluded, heavenly beach called la Boca del Cielo ("Heaven's Mouth").
However, Julio and Tenoch were embellishing their knowledge of the beach and actually knew very little about it. The duos lack of knowledge and directions to the beach helped the trip become more interesting.
Luisa eventually accepts their invitation to the beach. So the three set off for it, although they have little idea where they‘re going. The majority of the movie is about their journey through poor, rural Mexico on their way to the beach.

The director Alfonso Cuarón, who also directed “Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban” and Children of Men,” made the drive through rural Mexico visually pleasing through great camera angles and stunning locations.
 7.8 stars out of 10 from IMDB and received 91 percent critic approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It is a good film but a different ending would have helped it greatly.



During the trip, the deep voiced male narrator of the story became a prominent aspect of the film. He was an unusual addition to the storytelling, he would say seemingly useless information, but as the movie continued he actually gave character and landscape to areas in the film.

A lot was going in this movie with music, narration and the action on the screen, which was confusing at the beginning. When it eventually settled in, it flowed seamlessly.

Julio and Tenoch combine for all the comedy in the film. Julio and Tenoch’s lust for Luisa is responsible for the romance. While all the drama is brought on by Luisa. She made the movie depressing at some points with her crushing stories and reactions.

The sexually driven film hits on all human emotions, such as pleasure, grief, joy and anger. The rollercoaster of emotions continues throughout the film. It is good and bad because it seemed like a soap opera sometimes, but it kept the viewer interested.

Diego Luna, who plays Tenoch, is in “The Terminal” and “Milk.,” but Maribel Verdú (Luisa) and Gael García Bernal (Julio) are not in any notable American films.

This film is recommended for people from the ages 17-35 and movie buffs, besides those people it is not very accessible to the average movie-goer.

“Y Tu Mamá También” got

"Chopper" a must-see Psycho Flick

The jaw-dropping Australian movie “Chopper” released in 2000 has quickly become a cult classic in America due to the interesting storytelling and weird relationships.

“Chopper” is the extreme story about Mark “Chopper” Read’s criminal life in and out of jail based off of his best-selling autobiography, “From the Inside.”

IMDB categorizes “Chopper” as a biographical crime drama but it is more of a fictionalized biopic with dark humor. One second Chopper’s actions are mortifying and the next second they are funny. It is one those few movies that successfully combine horrific violence and comedy.

The violence is similar to “Natural Born Killers” with Woody Harrelson and the humor is similar to Guy Ritchie’s “Lock Stock and two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch” movies.

In his first leading role Eric Bana knocks it out of the park as Read. Without Bana’s performance the movie would have suffered, he perfectly walks the line between a man with boyish charm and a schizophrenic murderer.

Bana’s supporting cast gives just as good of a performance as he did. Chopper Read’s relationships between his trashy girlfriend, his peculiar dad and his junkie best friend are the best parts in the movie.

In his directorial debut Andrew Dominik did a great job making a witty gritty story translate well to the screen. Before viewing remember that he deliberately made the film look grainy to give it a realistic appearance. Dominik also directed “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” which was pretty good but it lagged at the end and didn’t have enough action.

This movie is given a 70 percent by all critics on Rotten Tomatoes but the top critics give it an 85 percent rating and the audience rating is 89 percent rating.

This particular movie is not recommended for kids, adults over 40 or most women because it has shockingly bloody scenes and humor that people from another generation might think is demented.

Rating: B+
It would have been an A- if it didn’t get a little repetitive by the end.

"The Secret in Their Eyes" is a Captivating Throwback

The 2010 Oscar-winner for Best Foreign Language Film, "The Secret in Their Eyes" has all the right components for a great mystery.
The 2009 movie follows Benjamin Esposito, a retired Argentinian detective, retracing his steps back to a 25-year-old murder case.

Set in 1999 Buenos Aires, this mystery keeps the audience intrigued from start to finish through revealing flashbacks to 1974.  The film is only shown though Esposito’s point-of-view, which helps make the murder investigation and other characters more interesting.

Esposito and his department chief, Irene Menedez-Hastings have a bit of a romance but it doesn’t take away from the mystery. Esposito’s loyal alcoholic assistant, Pablo Sandoval brings an essential bit of comedy to this grim tale.

Rating: B+
With a bit of romance and a bit of comedy this dramatic mystery is one of the best international films in recent memory. It's a bit confusing but that is what you should expect from a mystery. The subtitles can also be a little distracting.

What is "A Scanner Darkly" all About

The crime film "A Scanner Darkly" from 2006 is a really weird but cool movie that blows minds.

Director Richard Linklater, who's known for "Dazed and Confused," "Before Sunset" and "School of Rock," creates a unique, futuristic world through an animation process called rotoscoping. It takes live-action film and animators trace over the film to make a precise cartoon copy. The intriguing combination of style and story make this film standout.

Reeves breaks into the group by dating Winona Ryder, "Edward Scissorhandd," and participating in a bit of Substance D consumption.  The rest of the junkies are brilliantly played by "A" list actors Robert Downey Jr., "Iron Man" and Woody Harrelson, "Natural Born Killers."

Rating: B
This movie is innovative and thought-provoking but the content isn't appealing to everyone. It is intended for sci-fi and drug crime fans.It is based on the science fiction novel by Phillip K. Dick, who wrote the short story that inspired "The Minority Report." This film follows Keanu Reeves, from "The Matrix," as an undercover cop trying infiltrate a group of junkies to cut off the distribution of the brain-damaging drug called Substance D.

"The King's Speech" hits the mark

The film based on a true story, “The King’s Speech” gracefully blends smart humor and lowbrow humor, which makes it one of the more entertaining historical dramas and 2011 Best Picture nominees.

It follows the stuttering, King George VI’s public speaking troubles and rise to power from 1925-1939.

George VI’s problem is so bad it is uncomfortable to watch, especially since he is royalty. Colin Firth played the role of the powerful, insecure king perfectly. He captures King George’s peculiar speech flawlessly.

Geoffrey Rush from “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,” plays the king’s charming and demanding speech therapist. All the scenes with Rush and Firth were great, the two played off each other very well.

Helena Bonham Carter from “Big Fish,” beautifully recreates the great historical figure as the king’s wife otherwise known as “The Queen Mother.” Guy Pearce from “Memento,” plays a good jerk as usual in the role of the king’s brother. Michael Gambon from “Harry Potter,” is good in a small role as the king’s father.

Director Tom Hopper did a fantastic job regenerating the early twentieth century. Hopper also directed the 2009 soccer movie “The Damned United,” which got good reviews from ESPN.

Rating: A-It demonstrates many emotions effectively like anger, sadness, happiness, joy, surprise and fear. But it’s a little slow and the parts without Rush and Firth together aren’t as good. However it gives a very realistic portrayal of the life of someone with a stutter.

Could a Ballet Flick Entertain Guys?

The psychological ballerina thriller “Black Swan” is a surprisingly good film for both genders.

Although most movies about ballets are not male friendly, this film uses sex, suspense and some violence to keep the men interested.

The sexual movie follows the life of a straight-edged ballerina, played by Natalie Portman, she is about to perform “Swan Lake” at a prominent New York ballet. It shows her struggle between good and bad through two roles, the white swan and the black swan. The colors white and black are prevalent throughout, which brings attention to the differences of the two swan parts in the ballet.

Portman is incredible as one of the most interesting characters in recent memory, she deserves the Oscar for best leading lady. The supporting cast only enhances her performance with Vincent Cassel from “Ocean’s 11,” Mila Kunis from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” and Winona Ryder from “Edward Scissorhands.”

Director Darren Aronofsky, who is the king of making messed-up, sad movies like “Requiem for a Dream” and “The Wrestler.” He did maybe his best work in this film using both depressing scenes like in “The Wrestler” and crazy, weird scenes like in “Requiem for a Dream.”

Slow at parts, but those parts are just building tension and anxiety. It can also be a bit confusing. Do not watch this with your parents.

Rating: A-
Really good movie, however people might be turned off by Aronofsky’s extreme direction.

Rock Me "Amadeus"

The highly fictionalized 1984 film "Amadeus" follows the rock star life and music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

His story is told through the eyes of his jealous opposing composer, Antonio Salieri.

It brilliantly shows Mozart's creative process and the scences are edited perfectly with the music being played over.

Tom Hulce beat out David Bowie for the role of the enthusiastic, childish and unpredictable Mozart.

It had some historical inaccuracies, but the film wasn't made to be historically accurate. The film depicts a less formal, more realistic society that isn't usually shown in films about this era.

It is one of the few 80s movies where the electronic music and neon colors from the era don't bleed through and kill the movie.

If you don't like long movies then this isn't for you, it's over two and a half hours. But if do you like classical music this is the perfect film.

Rating: B+, Really good biopic, but it's long and not historically accurate.

It's a "Bottle Shock"

The 2008 film "Bottle Shock" is a fun, light story following one California vineyard before the American wine boom in 1976.

It stars Bill Pullman from "Independence Day," as the owner of the vineyard, his son and employee is played by Chris Pine from "Star Trek." Pullman and Pine, both give good performances.



The best scenes are with Steve Spurrier (Alan Rickman), a knowledgable wine professional who discovers the vineyard. His performance is key to this film, because the snotty but charming Spurrier is only person who gave American wine a chance.

Rachel Taylor from the first "Transformers", plays Chris Pine's love interest. Although she is good in it, the love story is the weak part of the film.

The love story got a little weird, if it was a little different it could have better.

Rating: C+, It is a good wine movie with laughs and drama, but it lags a bit in the middle.

Best Picture Favorite "Inception"

The star studded action packed thriller “Inception” is incomparable to other Oscar favorites.

The story is about Dom Cobb (Leonardo Dicaprio) whose work consists of stealing people’s secrets in their dreams.


Cobb has a team that helps him in and out of dreams. His team is great and perfectly casted. It consists of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page, Dileep Rao and Tom Hardy.

Ken Watanabe plays Mr. Saito, who employs the team to perform the extremely difficult task called inception. It means to plant an idea in someone’s unconscious mind. The target is an wealthy businessman played by Cillian Murphy.

Christopher Nolan uses all the actors’ strengths to tell this complicated story. He also uses colors to show the differences between each dream sequence. For example, one would be gray, the other would yellow and the last would be white.

Rating: A, It’s really good and unique, but it is a little long and confusing.

Wonderful "Wonder Boys"

This excellent character study "Wonder Boys" from 2000 is interesting, but might not appeal to all audiences.

It's about a writer past his prime, played by Michael Douglas, and his mentoring of a young talented pupil played by Tobey Maguire.

Douglas does a great job as the eccentric, pothead mentor. Maguire had the tough role as the uppish and mysterious pupil, but he was fantastic.

The story is intriguing and evolves well throughout. However, it is slow and there is very little action.

Rating: B+ or B, It really depends on if the viewer can watch a slow movie.

The "Brothers Solomon" is Funny

The comedy, "Brothers Solomon" from 2007 is similar to the 1994 "Dumb and Dumber" in character and laughter.

It follows two brothers trying to have a baby for their dying father. The comedy is as ridiculous as it sounds.

Will Arnett and Will Forte are both hilarious as the brothers Solomon.

The story is stupid, but what do you expect from a dumb comedy.

Rating: B or B-, It has some really funny parts, however it isn't non-stop laughter.

"Zodiac" Kills It

The film “Zodiac” is based on Robert Graysmith's book about the Zodiac killer, who terrorized the San Francisco Bay area in the 1970s.

It follows the lives of the police officers and newspaper people who covered the story.

There are many good actors in it who give great performances, such as Robert Downey, Jr, Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Brian Cox.

The movie is intriguing and suspenseful, but it is a little long. The mystery is captivating and the killer is chilling. However, it just tries to cover too much over too long of a period.

Rating: B, It should be shorter.

Is "Jesus' Son" Good?

The film from 2000 "Jesus’ Son" surrounds the life of an addict, FH and his travels all around the country with his on again off again girlfriend, Michelle.

It is a combination of two drug movies “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” and “Trainspotting.” It has shows the fun, crazy side of drugs like “Fear and Loathing” and it also has the dark, sad side of drugs like “Trainspotting.”

Billy Crudup holds the movie together as the charming, selfish FH. Samantha Morton gives a good performance in a tough role as the emotional girlfriend, Michelle.

The film’s best scenes are with other drug addicts FH meets along the way. The other addicts are played Jack Black, Denis Leary and Dennis Hopper.

The only bad part is the ending drags and movie ends on a weird note.

If drugs bother you in anyway this movie is not your cup of tea.

Rating: B, Could have been better with a better ending.

Fun Fact: The movie's title comes from a line in the Velvet Underground song "Heroin."

"All The President's Men," An American Classic

The 1976 film "All The President's Men" starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman is a must-see for younger generations.

It is about the two journalists, Redford and Hoffman, that uncover the Watergate scandal leading up to President Nixon's resignation.

The movie is fast paced and full of information. It flows seamlessly and keeps the viewers attention the whole time.

Hoffman and Redford work brilliantly together and make the movie great.

Rating: A, The Best Journalism Movie Ever

"Get Low" is Worth a View

The film “Get Low” is getting some high marks with critics.

It is a weird story set in 1933 Tennessee about a mean old man, Felix Bush, who wants to throw his own funeral party so he can tell his story before he dies.

The movie is exactly as advertised, it is about an old trying to have a funeral before he dies and that’s about it.

Bush, played by Robert Duvall, hires a funeral director, Frank Quinn played by Bill Murray, to set everything up for the funeral party. Quinn’s only problem is that everyone is afraid of Bush and no one will come to the party.

So. the rest of the movie is about getting people to the party and discovering more about Bush, which is both entertaining and interesting.


The movie started off light and kind of funny but about half-way through it gets deep. That part of the movie will make or break it for most viewers.

Duvall and Murray both give great performances and deserve recognition.

Rating: B, Good and well-acted film, but will the average movie-goer like it?

"Social Network," Best Picture Worthy?

This movie about the creation of the phenomena facebook is one of the best movies of the year, but is it the best?

It follows former Harvard student and facebook creator, Mark Zuckerberg’s journey from the beginning of facebook to present day. The story is set during two deposition hearings against Zuckerberg, where they told the story of facebook through flashbacks.

It gives an interesting depiction of the upper class. At times it might seem unrealistic, but who knows that might be the way the upper class is.

This intriguing and interesting story is easy to like since so many people are on facebook and are curious of its inner workings.

Rating: B+, Due to good casting, acting, editing and directing this film is expected to do very well in the upcoming award season. Might not age well because of inaccuracies in the film and the real-life story. It is not the best movie of the year.

It has "True Grit"

The Remake of John Wayne’s 1969 western film, “True Grit” is a front-runner for best picture at this year’s Oscars.

The story is set in 1880 about a 14-year-old girl, Mattie Ross, and a US Marshall, Rooster Cogburn in search of her father’s murderer, Tom Clancy.

Hailee Steinfeld does an outstanding as the smart, strong and stubborn Mattie Ross. Without her performance the movie would have suffered. Jeff Bridges knocks it of the park as the grouchy old drunk, US Marshall Cogburn.

They are chasing Tom Chaney her father's murderer, played by Josh Brolin, who is withe Cogburn's enemy Lucky Ned Pepper, ironically played by Barry Pepper.

Chaney and Pepper are not in the movie as much as you would expect.

Directed by the Coen brothers, this movie perfectly combines tense scenes with comedy. They also kept a lot from the original, but they changed it enough so it would be a different movie.

Rating: A-, One of the best westerns in the past 25 years.