Catch Him if You Can!!

Picture this its 1933 times are hard and people are desperate. people are suffering and crime is on the rise. As for John Dillinger (played by Johnny Depp), he is being brought to Indiana State Prison by his "partner in crime" John 'Red' Hamilton (Jason Clarke) disguised as a prisoner. Moments later the jailbreak occurs and the life of crime begins.

Public Enemies is one of those films where yes we already know what is going to happen, but it is all about how the story unfolds. Its amazing how someone such as John Dillinger was smart enough to exploit and dominate the press into creating an era which we would learn to be called "the public enemy era" (1931-34). In the little over 2 hours of this film we get a chance to get a microscopic view of the life of Public Enemy #1 John Dillinger. You get the opportunity to find out WHO this man is and not necessarily WHAT he did. To a degree there is this sense of a cat and mouse aspect that could have been stronger, nonetheless still good. Just think about the power that one man can have over so many people, Dillinger was able impact not just a state but a country.

I will be honest with you I never really have any complaints with Johnny depp as an actor, he makes each role that he plays in so believable. In many instances he can't go wrong. Christian Bale did a decent job playing the hand-picked FBI agent. There were however times when he was a bit dry but he was able to sustain till the end. When watching this movie you will see many familiar faces and some that you may not know, and that I think works in its favor. When you get too many big names the movie can explode and then it is not worth seeing. In the end your finished product is that of a beautifully shot and edited movie with a lot of promise. Plus you get plenty of the shoot-'em-up style action that is to be expected along with a spice of "historical romance."

All in all the story was interesting, good action, and fantastic cinematography BUT it still seemed as though something was still missing....Hmmmm....


Grade: B

I'm Back!!

I know I have been gone for a minute and I have truly missed you guys!! Life sometimes hits you real fast and you just gotta roll with the punches! Starting next week I will be dedicating that week of post to a new "angel" that is probably knocking on heaven's door, Susie Gipson (8/8/1923-7/6/2009). Grandma its just for you!!

Summer 2009 Movie Numbers!!

Hey there folks!! Hope that all is well with everyone and hopefully you are enjoying the summer flicks! I know I have they have truly been a treat for me. Well I wanted to give you all some updates on this summers movies and what they racked in their first weekend!

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen- $112 million (Please note: these are only the weekend numbers)
X-Men Origins: Wolverine- $87 million
Star Trek- $72.5 million
UP- $68.2 million
Night at the Musuem: Battle of the Smithsonian- $53.5 million
Angels & Demons- $ 48 million
The Hangover- $45 million
Terminator Salvation- $43 million
Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs- $41.6 million
Public Enemies- $25.2 million
The Taking of Pelham 123- $25 million
Land of the Lost- $19.5 million

We still got a few left that could possibly shake things up (Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince & G.I. Joe), so this will truly be an interesting couple of weeks.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Its a family affair! The third installment of the Ice Age series hit theaters this Fourth of July holiday weekend and it was definitely a treat. Not only do we get to see some cute pre-historic animals but get some good laughter at the same time.

Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs is a perfect family film that ring all the right bells, there is no doubt that parents and kids alike were truly enjoy this movie. It has all the necessary elements need its funny, its sharp, it's clever, and it will even pull on your heart strings. What more could you ask for in a film?! And to top it off both parties (parents/adults and kids) are satisfied pretty much equally. Now I will not spoil the surprise, but there is definitely a treat in store that kicks the movie into SUPER high gear!!! The stuff you see from that moment on will have rolling in the isle!

This is the type of film that has a simple story, but is so close to near perfection. All in all, as every franchise should, Ice Age gets better and better and better! Put it like this if you liked the first, you'll love the second,and you'll go crazy for the third!

Grade: B+/A

Fourth of July Flicks!!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Fourth of July! Hopefully everyone is safe and sound in whatever they may be doing. You are probably watching the fireworks now, but I just wanted to give my opinion of the best Fourth of July movies!

1. Independence Day (1996)


2. Glory (1989)


3. The Patriot (2000)


4. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)


5. Saving Private Ryan (1998)


6. Live Free, Die Hard (2007)


7. Born on the Fourth of July (1989)


8. 1776 (1972)


9. Team America: World Police (2004) (Shout out to NewsRevolver on this one lol)


10. In America (2002)

Have a safe holiday weekend!!

Best of Cartoons and Animation!!

With the new Ice Age film hitting theaters today sometimes I wonder how far cartoons/animations have come since hitting the big screen. Well I got the Top 25 Cartoon/Animated Films to date for ya:

1. Up (2009)

2. The Lion King (1994)

3. Fantasia/Fantasia 2000 (1940/1999)

4. The Incredibles (2004)

5. Beauty and The Beast (1991)

6. Finding Nemo (2003)

7. Kung Fu Panda (2008)

8. Wall-E (2008)

9. Shrek (2001)

10. Cinderella (1950) CLASSIC DISNEY!!!

11. The Little Mermaid (1989) CLASSIC DISNEY!!

12. Happy Feet (2006)

13. Aladdin (1992)

14. Toy Story (1995)

15. Jungle Book (1967)

16. Ice Age: The Meltdown (2006)

17. Mulan (1998)

18. Ratatouille (2007)

19. A Bugs Life (1998)

20. Lady and The Tramp (1955) DISNEY AT ITS FINEST!

21. The Transformers: The Movie (1986)

22. Bambi (1942)

23. The Rescuers (1977)

24. Monsters, Inc.

25. The Simpsons Movie (2007)

*Honorable Mention: Princess Mononoke (1997)

Rewind Wednesday: The Shawshank Redemption

Now this movie right here is what you call a "certified classic" movie. This 1994 American drama is based on the Stephen King novella, "Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption". It would star Tim Robbins as Andrew "Andy" Dufresne and Morgan Freeman as Ellis Boyd "Red" Redding.

The film portrays Andy (Tim Robbins) spending nearly two decades in Shawshank State Prison, a fictional penitentiary in Maine, and his friendship with Red, a fellow inmate. This movie demonstrates the potential gap between initial box office success and ultimate popularity. Despite a lukewarm box office reception that was barely enough to cover its budget, The Shawshank Redemption received favorable reviews from critics and has since enjoyed a remarkable life on cable television, home videotape, DVD and Blu-ray. Yet it still continues to be hailed by critics and audiences alike, even after 15 years from its initial release, it is ranked among the greatest films of all time.



Many critics and viewers have interpreted the film as a Christian parable due to its handling of hope, original sin, redemption, salvation, and faith in the afterlife. However, in the director's commentary track on the tenth anniversary DVD, director Darabont denies any intent to create such a parable, and calls such interpretations of the film "fantastic." Others have also pointed out that the film's tidy dispatching of its principal antagonists - Hadley's tearful arrest, the Warden's suicide, and Bogs' paralysis - would seem to have more to do with Old Testament retribution than New Testament redemption. In addition, Andy's destruction of a Bible to enable his escape points toward a more pragmatic outlook. Some may even suggest that suggests that the film provides a great illustration of how characters can be free, even in prison, or unfree, even in freedom, based on one's outlook in life.

This is one of those films that really makes you think about life and how you should live it to the fullest everyday regardless of your circumstances. As Andy would state, "get busy living or get busy dying", now I know which one I would choose. Do you?




Its amazing how in 1994 it would be nominated for for seven awards (Best Picture, Best Actor – Morgan Freeman, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Editing, Best Original Score, and Best Sound), but would not win one single award due to the shadow of Forrest Gump.

With themes of faith and hope, there is a definite religious subtext to be found here. Regardless of your faith and beliefs this is an unforgettable and timeless piece of film history.