Hot Fuzz

Slightly long, but really funny. Also, somebody edited the HELL out of this thing. It’s almost more Michael Bay than Michael Bay in some scenes. Worth the ride. A great send-up.

Disturbia

An unusual example of a good movie made from a bad script. The hero, Shia Le Beuf, makes all the same mistakes the heroes in these kinds of movie make, and the entire plot hangs on the fact that nobody calls 911, YET, it’s taut, fun, and entertaining. Also, it’s too bad about Carrie Anne Moss. It seems her ass-kicking days are over and her "stern mom” days have begun.

The Hoax

Very well made. Well acted by Gere and Molina. Well directed. Rock solid, all around. I missed the motive of Gere’s character a little, but not enough that it matters. It’s solid. Rock solid.

Grindhouse

Planet Terror and the fake previews were great. A great, fun, crazy night at the movies. I felt energized. Then, the Tarantino segment, Death Proof started, and all the life was slowly sucked from the audience as Tarantino masturbated all over everything with his unchecked self-indulgence. Death Proof is ultimately a failure, only because it has so much missed potential. The plot DRAGS horribly, there are no “protagonists” per se, and even if he’s famous for his dialogue, it’s excruciating in this context. It reminded me of the adults in the Charlie Brown cartoons. Indiscernible meaningless noises. Kurt Russell was great the 10% of the time he was on screen. And the car chase was good, once I woke up from the hibernation I fell into during the first 40 minutes. It pissed me off a bit, and it’s a little sad. It could have really been something sweet.

The Lookout

Enjoyable but forgettable noir fable. Except for Jeff Daniels as the blind roommate, all characters live to serve the plot. Though the movie won’t be a hit (it’s too stock), it’s another example of proof Joseph Gordon Levitt is more wheat than chaff and is an actor from whom we can expect great things.