Shakefire.com - James Marsden

We live in a world where all action movies typically have are heroes, the girls they save, an evil villain and explosions. Admittedly, some are enjoyable but very few have captured the essence of what action movies used to be. Instead, training in the great dialogue and moral issues for models on beaches and giant robots (Except you, Pacific Rim. Keep up the great work). That's why it's extremely relieving to see something as refreshing and downright fun as 2 Guns is.

Bobby Trench (Denzel Washington) and Michael "Stig" Stigman (Mark Wahlberg) are planning to rob a bank. Not just any bank, either. By robbing the Tres Cruces Bank, Bobby and Stig will effectively steal millions of dollars from their business partner, Papi Greco (Edward James Olmos), while framing him for the murders and drug trades he's infamous for. What the two men don't know is that both work for a different reason. Bobby is actually a DEA agent while Stig works for the Navy Seals, both who are trying to take down the notorious Papi Greco. Once Bobby and Stig find out who they are exactly, things take a turn for the worst when they realize whose money they actually stole. On their trail is not only Papi Greco but the deadly Earl (An amazing Bill Paxton), who is gladly taking out any soul that stands between him and his culprits. Bobby and Stig are forced to work together to avoid dying at the hands of the many people who want them dead.

The set up, when described and even what the trailers show off, would make 2 Guns look and sound like a typical action movie that offers nothing rewarding. Perhaps this is a great tool for 2 Guns as the end result is far from that. Imagine a Bad Boys remake with a bit more dirt in it's teeth and that's what Director Baltasar Kormakur has delivered here. His interesting yet at times stale installment last year, Contraband, showed potential and he lives up to that potential here. The action and plot are almost always present in some form or another but the true factor that allows 2 Guns to feel as smooth as it does is the chemistry between Washington and Wahlberg. In a showcase of what Brett Ratner probably wanted his Rush Hour series to sound like, both men have the same amount of charisma and humor to keep viewers interested. While Bobby and Stig have the same level of skills, Stig's mouth is the loose cannon of the group, shouting out confusion to a group of men shooting at indisposed chickens while Stig eats a plate of fried chicken. It's the childlike wonder inside Stig to Bobby's fear of commitment that make them one of the best action duos in recent memory.

Wahlberg and Washington are both fantastic in their roles, as is every other actor on screen here, including Paula Patton as the beautiful DEA Agent Deb and Edward James Olmos as the bull-loving cartel kingpin, Papi Greco. But make no mistake, this movie belongs to Bill Paxton's Earl. With a lethal love for torture and pain, Earl purrs threats in his deep Louisiana accent while explaining his confusion with Russian Roulette. Paxton plays Earl exactly as a character describes him early on: Satan's Son of a bitch. Paxton delivers one of the best "I'm here" phrases given in the history of action movies (Listen for his rendition of Red Rover) and it shows that Paxton never lost his remarkable ability to transform himself and still get little to no credit for it. He is one of Hollywood's best kept secrets and 2 Guns is all the better for including him in on all the fun.

One of the reasons Contraband didn't stick it's landing was the left-field twist towards the end, especially given that Giovanni Ribisi was a despicable villain who chewed every scene he was in. The irony is that it is this formula that keeps Baltasar's 2 Guns on track and keep Bobby and Stig on a path that makes for a great action movie. The plot is a little fast moving, so if you miss even a line of dialogue from Jame Marsden's Quince or Papi Greco, you may not understand what their exact motive is. Of course, the humor and action keep that in check and force you to pay attention to more important matters. What can also be said for Baltasar's direction is that 2 Guns has more guts than most films these days do. Most directors would let you piece together things, being afraid of being too candid by showing certain scenes. Baltasar throws this to the wind as he shows us the things we never thought we'd see. Of course, going further would spoil the surprise, but keep on eye on Walhberg's Stig when he watches chickens being shot at.

Imagine a perfect blend of Bad Boys and Contraband and you'll be extremely close to the end result of 2 Guns. Incredible chemistry, Paxton's delciious performance and a surprise at every corner make 2 Guns not only one of my favorite movies this year but also one of the best action additions in a long time.

2 Guns

Review:

Theatrical

Exclusive?:

Grade:

3.99

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As Cool As I Am

Pandora — Tue, 21 May 2013 16:37:49 +0000

As Cool As I Am

(Trailers Video)

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Video File(s):

As Cool As I Am Official Trailer #1 (2013) - Claire Danes, J.mp4

Duration:

02:21

Bachelorette

Peter Oberth — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 20:49:06 +0000

Bachelorette

In Theatres:

Sep 07, 2012

Starring:

Studio(s):

Director(s):

Genre:

Running Time:

1 Hour, 33 Minutes

Official Website

Three friends are asked to be bridesmaids at a wedding of a woman they used to ridicule back in high school.

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X-Men: Days Of Future Past

Peter Oberth — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:04:16 +0000

X-Men: Days Of Future Past

In Theatres:

Jul 18, 2014

Starring:

Studio(s):

Director(s):

Genre:

The X-Men must travel in time to change a major historical event that could globally impact on man and mutant kind.

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X-Men: Days Of Future Past,

Bachelorette

Matt Rodriguez — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 16:35:47 +0000

At first glance, Bachelorette may look like just another Bridesmaids clone. The film features a group of friends who serve as bridesmaids at the wedding of one of their less beautiful friends. The girls get together the night before the wedding for a bachelorette party. It’s at that point where the shenanigans begin and the similarities disappear.

Regan (Kirsten Dunst) is the Maid of Honor for her best friend Becky’s (Rebel Wilson) wedding and is tasked with organizing everything from organizing the guest list to making sure the correct flowers make up the bouquet. On the outside, Regan is happy to do everything, but inside she’s incredibly jealous that Becky is getting married before her. At least she has her other best friends, Gena (Lizzy Caplan), the raunchy partier, and Katie (Isla Fisher), the head-in-the-clouds ditz, to vent to. While things were initially supposed to be kept simple, it all spirals out of control when the wedding dress is ripped in a moment of drunken partying.

Bachelorette starts off with the typical raunchy, alcohol-fueled humor one would expect from producing duo Will Ferrell and Adam McKay. Regan as the uptight organizer of everything is the sanest of the bunch and plays the voice of reason throughout most the film. Gena seems to only care about getting revenge on her ex-boyfriend Clyde (Adam Scott) who happens to be at the wedding as well. Katie is simply off in her own world, like an innocent child wandering aimlessly about. The three of them together is a recipe for disaster waiting to happen. It’s funny, fresh, and has just the right amount lewdness.

As the film progresses, it begins to take a much more serious tone. Normally taboo topics such as abortion and eating disorders are brought up in a not-so humorous fashion. One minute you’re laughing at the intimately detailed 10 levels of a blowjob and then next minute you’re thrust into some serious relationship talk between Gena and Clyde. It’s a little bit awkward, but surprisingly doesn’t feel out of place. Bachelorette manages to balance the humor and sentimentality quite well. It’s just something you don’t see coming based on how the trailers make the film out to be. That’s all part of the first act.

There are certainly plenty of laughs to be had with Bachelorette, and the film goes one step beyond that to create something more than just another Bridesmaids clone. While it doesn’t have quite the impact is its predecessors in the genre, it’ll leave you with a smile on your face.

Bachelorette

Review:

Theatrical

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Grade:

2.85

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Hop (BLU-RAY)

AJ Garcia — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 12:24:33 +0000

Did You Know?

In the first scene the Easter island heads or Moai are shown facing out to sea, but in reality All Moai on Easter island face inland with their backs to the sea. ~ IMDB

I remember watching Hop with my kids back when it first came out and thinking at that moment that even Twilight, any of those terrible films, did not look so bad right then. The film is horrible borrowing almost all of its key plot points from any number of holiday specials. The movie fails at being funny and pretty much comes straight at its audience with a kitchen sink formula of inappropriateness which includes body jokes and innuendo’s. Simply horrible.

PICTURE AND AUDIO QUALITY:
I went in thinking that since Universal and Illumination Entertainment had done such a bang up job with Despicable Me that Hop would at least look good on BD. I was wrong. I take into account that DM was an all CGI affair which is far easier to manage when it comes to getting the specs right for a Blu-Ray delivery and Hop is a mixture of CGI and live footage combined. In that sense the picture quality isn’t all that bad, but also not that great. There are moments of complete clarity and then there is the obvious signs of struggle as the film attempts to bring the two worlds together. Colors get an obvious drain on their potency and grain becomes a factor, while not completely distracting, once you know it’s there it’s hard to not notice. Skin tones are decent and when colors pop they really shine. It’s just a mish mash of decent and awesome with some gray area’s in-between that make Hop an unbalanced film.

I was pretty impressed with the audio portion of the film. The sound spectrum gets some good use including rear and side speakers. Dialogue does have a few hiccups but for the most part it’s a crisp affair that works well. LFE is fantastic giving life to the would be wondrous world of the Easter Bunny and his chick helpers.

BONUS FEATURES:
~U Control Features
~The World Of Hop
~Phil’s Dance Party: When you read on the cover of the film that included is an All-New Mini-Movie they really mean it, it’s mini. Coming it at just 3 minutes this special feature is less then special.
~Being The Bunny: Russell Brand talks himself up about being picked to play E.B.
~All Access with Cody Simpson
~Russell Brand - Kid Crack Ups
~Games: How quickly I burnt these out.
~Carlos on Carlos- The Hop Premier According to Carlos
~Emotion In Motion- The Dance of Ken Daurio
~DVD Copy
~Digital Copy

After irking through the movie for the second time, as well as the bonus features, I have to say that this release seems like a terrible ploy to get the film home video capital during the Easter holiday. The film made loads of cash and maybe parents will remember how awful it was the first time and know better the second time around. I fear any chain of events that would bring us a sequel to this floppy eared critical flop.

Hop

Review:

Blu-Ray

Exclusive?:

Grade:

2.79

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Talent(s):

Other Pictures:

Starring:

Kaley Cuoco

James Marsden

Vietnam in HD (BLU-RAY)

Lee Roberts — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:27:22 +0000

VIETNAM IN HD:
We know the war, it was a rough war as wars go, young men were put in a jungle and told to kill. When coming back home they were treated poorly, their lives after the war was nothing like it was before going in it, and the country was changed because of it. Taking home videos, actual footage of the war, interviews, and some recreations the History Channel has put out this Blu Ray of Vietnam in HD.

This was very interesting and has a lot to tell about the Vietnam war from people who was in the war and from the war itself. I didn’t know much about the war past what I learned in high school and even that was very little. Over the years I’ve seen some of the footage that had been shot but most of the footage being shown here was all new to me. I was most impressed with the interviews that were given on here. This is where all the real information was coming from, though there is a lot to see off the footage being shown, but getting to hear what these guys had to say gave more to watching it. However, there are still a lot of aspects that I thought was missing, which is going to happen when the subject being covered is such a huge subject like the Vietnam War, that it will be impossible to cover it all in a 6 episode miniseries. One such thing is that most of the coverage being shown here seems to be centered around the ground fights, which was still very interesting but I would have liked more shown on the air assaults.

Also what I found surprising with this show was the talent being used on it. Yes talent and not just some voice actors or minor actors that no one knows but some famous celebrities. There’s James Marsden, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Dean Cain, and Zachary Levi to name a few that are doing the voices of the 13 men that were in the war. The documentary is kind of graphic at times, not so much where it was making me sick or anything, but it’s footage of a real war during battles and it had me upset seeing such violence. This is the reaction I believe the show is going for as well as making the viewer feel a little sad while trying to have them feel some empathy for the men that are giving their experiences from that time.

VIETNAM IN HD ON BLU RAY:
Alright, this is the main thing about this miniseries that History Channel put out, the way it looked on Blu Ray. I’m giving two answers, good and bad. This miniseries has footage that was shot both during the war and then some footage that was shot now. While there are some Blu Rays that I have watched that feature old film looking good, taking footage that was shot with semi-ok equipment though doesn’t fall into the good category. I’m sure the way it looks now with all the digitizing and coloring has it looking much better than originally it still does not look as good as the new video that’s also shown on here along with it. That new video looks good, it has all the sharpness, clarity, and coloring that makes HD and Blu Ray so nice and popular. Though what I think is good about this Blu Ray was done unintentionally, which is giving a compare and contrast between the old footage and the new showing how big a difference it can look even when put on Blu Ray. And as like most Blu Rays, the audio was really good on here, even with the older footage, it was clearly heard and understood. There’s no special features but considering the topic I really didn’t expect any.

Review:

TV on Blu-Ray

Exclusive?:

Grade:

3.79

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Vietnam in HD

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Starring:

Vietnam in HD

Lee Roberts — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:27:22 +0000

Vietnam in HD

On Blu-Ray:

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Starring:

Jennifer Love Hewitt,

Studio(s):

Genre:

Running Time:

282 minutes

Discs:

Tags:

Jennifer Love Hewitt,

History,

Straw Dogs

Peter Oberth — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 13:42:22 +0000

Straw Dogs

In Theatres:

Sep 16, 2011

Starring:

Studio(s):

Director(s):

Genre:

A Hollywood screenwriter and his wife come under attack from her ex-flame and his vicious friends in director Rod Lurie's remake of Sam Peckinpah's 1971 home-invasion classic. In the wake of her father's death, Amy (Kate Bosworth) returns to her rural Southern hometown with her husband, David (James Marsden). Her goal is to put her childhood home on the market while David works on his latest screenplay. Meanwhile, David hires Amy's high school boyfriend Charlie (Alexander Skarsgård) and his crew to rebuild the roof on the secluded country home. But the more time Charlie's work crew spends working on the roof, the greater tensions begin to grow between Amy and David. Every time Amy walks outside, the work stops and the ogling begins. When David attempts to avert confrontation by firing the crew before the job is finished, former high school football star Charlie snaps, deciding that if he can't have Amy on his own terms, he'll take her by force. Later, when night falls, Charlie's gang besieges the house, forcing David and Amy into a desperate fight for their lives.

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