Cowboys & Aliens 2011

I give this movie a strong 4.2 out of 5 and about an 80% on RT although if I could I would give it like an 88%. This movie is pure summer entertainment, so grab some corn and some beverages and sit back to enjoy a movie like no other, really like no other. I have never seen a combination and blending of two drastically different genres, and here lye's the rub, Jon Favreau does a wonderful job with it. Many have tried before to do something as such with the western and have failed miserably, for example look at the train wreck that was Wild Wild West. From the moment the film starts I was and you will be sucked into it immediately wondering whats going on, who is this guy, and where is he going and you cant wait to find out the mysteries surrounding this person. Now The premise here is that of a simple western story and a motif that has been hit so many times in the genre, an old an familiar western story and feel. Then there is the Story of the Aliens which is also a very traditional take on an alien film in the Sci Fi genre. By themselves they are both not too spectacular, however when you blend them together you get something you have truly never seen and it is quite a treat. The acting is pretty solid, you get a traditional but solid performance of what we expect to get out of Harrison Ford. It also boggles my mind how great of shape he has stayed in and how great he looks for a dude that is getting up there in age. You also have a strong performance from Daniel Craig, he struggles with hiding his accent sometimes but it is rare and most people will not even notice, and overall he lends himself quite well to the western settings. The beautiful and talented Olivia Wilde rounds out the cast and she was wonderful to watch as always both with her acting and her looks. There is one scene where it focuses in on her bright green eyes and they were one of the most beautiful sights mine eyes have ever seen. Finally that brings me to a personal favorite of mine and a bonus to the already solid cast and that is what Jon Favreau refers to as his "secret weapon" Sam Rockwell. Rockwell is a treat in everything I have ever watched him in and this film is no exception. That brings me to the overall look of the film, it's great! Beautiful landscapes mixed with cool Alien effects but old west alien effects. I know that sounds weird but when you see it you will know. I really did not know what to expect when I saw this other than I knew I loved westerns and I knew I loved Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig, i mean they play two of the most Iconic film characters of all time so seeing them do their thing together was quite a treat. This movie is not the greatest thing you will ever see but it damn sure will entertain you and keep entertaining you through multiple viewings because the movie is just plain fun. Grab some tickets to this flick with ease and enjoy an experiment with film genres gone right. This is not just a great summer flick, its just a plain ol' fashioned good movie.

Source Code Blu-Ray

Rango Blu-Ray

I give this Blu-Ray a 5 out of 5 for audio and 5 out of 5 for video. Let me start by saying weather you have seen this film or not  or even if you do not have any desire to, you need to watch this Blu-Ray! It is of the most outstanding quality and the 3rd best looking blu ray disc I have ever seen. Rango is also the best looking animated movie I have had the pleasure to watch on the format edging out Shrek Forever After. Its attention to detail is incredible, every drop of water looks so tasty, you can see every scale of Rango's face, every feather in the owl mariachi band (yep you read that right) every grain of sand in the desert covered town named Dirt. Every aspect of it is incredible and audio and videophiles should ad it to their collection without any hesitation, its that good! Black levels are perfect, sunsets look like you are looking through a window and character detail is off the charts. Enough about the blu ray though lets talk about the film itself, it is a very unique and very cool movie. I have never really seen anything like it and Nickelodeon studios now has my attention in the world of animated films. Rango is easily the best animated movie I have watched in 2011 I didn't catch it in the theatre but it could not have been a better experience than the blu ray. This is a very high recommendation for most folks and an easy blind buy for blu ray video enthusiasts and at its cheap price point its really a no brainer to grab this one. Not sure how much longer it lasts but you can get a 5 dollar off manufacturers coupon but only for a limited time at http://www.rangocoupon.com/. and last I checked best buy had it for 19.99. Minus the coupon and you can get the Blu-ray with dvd and digital copy for 14.99 that kind of price is incredible. Take advantage peoples.

Captain America (2011)

I give this movie a 5 out of 5 stars and a 100% on RT. We have been waiting years to get a good Captain America film, was it worth the wait? The answer is an absolute YES! Marvel really did it right with this one, I consider it to be their second best film out of all of the films they have made. Yep, right behind X-Men First Class. Cap does everything right, I was enthralled with the story right from the start. It’s hard to know what to expect when you have expectations built up so much in your head but this movie somehow managed to exceed them! The movie is your standard super hero stuff and it’s also something totally new. You get to enjoy the same super hero movie antics such as thrilling fight scenes, dangerous chases, and a bit of well-timed humor and Cap has all of that, however what the viewer is not used to is watching a superhero movie not set in modern times. Like X-Men first class it takes place in a different time period offering the viewers a whole different world to experience the super hero story in. Captain America is set in the 40's not the 60's like X-Men First Class so the viewer gets to enjoy some really great setting out of the World War II era. They nail the look and feel of it very well. They manage to find a way to make the Captain America we love and make him relevant in a real world setting. Not like Christopher Nolan’s Batman epics but just that of being able to logically explain a man wearing an outfit like Cap's and it also addresses how he was kicking ass back then and still kicking ass in the present. Chris Evans does a fantastic job as Steve Rodgers aka Captain America as well as his supporting cast. Tommy Lee Jones is always a treat and was no different in this film, i love Tommy Lee and was glad to see him involved. Hugo Weaving plays an excellent villain in Red Skull and the makeup and effects were outstanding. Mu only real complaint about Red Skull is I wanted more a backstory than what was given in the film, but it’s a very minor complaint. This movie wraps up the comic book major movies for the year and it does it with a bang letting us know that Marvel is in the business of churning out quality comic book films as all three of their big releases this year were highly excellent and praised by critics and fans alike. he next time we see Marvel in the theatres will be for The Avengers and The Amazing Spiderman which I expect to be awesome beyond belief, well The Avengers at least. In the end Captain America is more than a good summer film it’s a great superhero/comic film. It has a great and beloved character and it gives him the movie he deserves. This movie is a no brainer so get out there and see it, it awesome! Also if you are going and are wondering if it’s worth the extra to 3-D or not to 3-D, do it. Pay the extra cash the 3-D effects are pretty awesome and it adds some more awesome to an already awesome flick. Highly Highly Recommended! Oh yes and whatever you do make sure you STAY FOR THE END OF THE CREDITS!

The Fighter Blu-Ray

I give this film a 4.5 out of 5 for video and 4.5 of 5 for audio (DTS Master Audio Lossless) This Blu-Ray is a knockout from top to bottom. It looks almost as good as the movie is itself. The film makers look and feel are faithfully represented in this excellent disc. The movie itself is incredible, A textbook example of the finest acting one can witness while watching a movie. Amy Adams Mellisa Leo and Christian Bale specifically. Righfully so as Bale now has a little golden statue named Oscar to validate his performance as Dicky, just like Leo has a matching one for the portrayl of his mother. There should also be an honorable mention to Mark Wahlberg. Simply superb acting in every way! Throw in a superb underdog story and this film has eclipsed Rocky as my Favorite boxing movie of all time. Simply put this film is a knock out. My higest Recomendation!

Unstoppable Blu-Ray review

I give the video quality a 4 out of 5 and the audio a 5 of 5. (DTS Master Audio Lossless) This is a great looking Blu-Ray disc and the audio is even better. The normal stuff, clean, crisp image, very natural looking flesh tones, fine detail. The level of grain is a bit higher but that is no surprise as that is how Tony Scott likes his movies to look and feel, those are my thoughts on the disc, how about the movie? Well, I am a big fan of Tony Scott, I own all of his movies and this one rates right up at the top right next to True Romance. This was an exhilarating ride that the audience get to ride along with and one cant go wrong with Denzel. That's right the guy is so good I don't even need to say his last name, he is just that good. Grab the popcorn and enjoy. Highly recommended.

127 Hours Blu-Ray

I give the video on this disc a 4.5 and the DTS Master audio track a 5 out of 5. A few thoughts on the film first, A powerhouse acting performance from a young actor (James Franco) turning in his finest performance to date. This film along with Franco's performance is Raw, emotional, enthralling, intense, and disturbing. While it is easily Franco's finest hour( or 127, pun) on film it is also the best work of director Danny Boyle. I do not typically like Boyle, I find him to be slightly over indulgent, but rarely got that sense in this movie. Boyle is also a very visual director and this is by far his best looking movie, some very visually pleasing shots in this one. This is a movie that must be watched to see Franco's performance but this movie will stick with you not just from the acting but the overall experience, that will ensure that Franco and Boyle will be remembered come Oscar time. The Blu-Ray is just as exceptional. Danny Boyle always has a visual flair in the movies he directs and this is no different and it sparkles on Blu-Ray. A clean, crisp image and vivid dessert colors will light up your flat screen, a very solid blu-ray release for an excellent movie. Seriously this is a film not to be missed. Very Highly recommended!

Green Lantern (2011)

I give this movie 4 out of 5 stars and rate it a 80% although its closer to 75% but you can't rate in those numbers so 80 it is. Perhaps I am biased due to my love of the Green Lantern comics, but I just can not agree with the critics on this one. I don't know what they were expecting, its a comic book movie. It's not like the recent trend started by Nolan in Batman Begins nor the modern super hero masterpiece The Dark Knight, but it never tries to be either. The Green Lantern is not a hero who lends himself well to a real world take, so the filmmakers had some fun & made a great super hero movie to watch that reminds us of old school super hero fun and the 3-D effects were rockin' It's not my favorite super hero movie this year, that belongs to X-Men:First Class, but its right up there with Thor for me as a fun trip to the movies. Grab the popcorn, enjoy the effects and don't read to much into it. It stays true to the comics & has a really great villain performance (Skarsgard) Highly recommended for comic fans, recommended for everyone else. Also if faced with the choice of 3-D or not, go for it with this one, its worth the extra cash, and is a delight for the eyes.

Limitless Blu-Ray Review

I give the movie 4 out of 5 stars and a 80% on RT. Picture quality is a 4.5 out of 5 and the DTS Master Lossless audio I give a 4.0. Limitless is a sleek and sexy film. Bradly Cooper brings this film to life as Eddie a down on his luck fellow who is stuck in a rut and needs a change and he gets it. Bobby DeNiro is also in it as well as Abbie Cornish. The film itself starts out much like Eddie does the colors are a bit drab flesh tones are muted a bit and there is just an overall drabness to the entire picture then he pops the NZT and the colors start to fly at you like a hallucinogenic state. The literally explode off the screen and Bradley Coopers eyes are highlighted and leap off the screen, they almost glow. The film also has some very stylistic shots that benefit greatly from being on Blu-Ray and the overall picture looks great, a little bit a grain to keep its film like quality and no real complaints overall. The audio was clear and effective, there was a lot of talking in the film and I noticed the dialogue was not quite as clear as should have been and I had to turn it a bit but not much and it was a minor qualm really anyways. This picture was an easy pick up for me, I enjoyed the film in the theatre and the Blu-Ray even more. It looks and sounds great with a strong performance from Cooper and a pretty decent story overall, the one downside is that there are not too many special features and if you like that there isn't much to be found here. Also they say it includes and alternate ending and it foes but it is of very poor quality and I will never watch it again as I think the movie had a great ending to begin with. Overall Its highly recommended!

Minority Report Blu-Ray

Picture and Audio quality easily a 5 out of 5 on both counts. If you don't already own Minority Report this is a no brainer and if you have it on dvd it is a very significant upgrade. This is Spielberg at his finest and its not one of his more known films but he directs a complex undertaking in Phillip K Dicks novel and he foes it brilliantly. So while you know the caliber movie your getting you don't know the caliber of the Blu Ray disc and it is the truest definition of the word perfection. The film is true to its source and presents a very film like quality with its very fine and perfectly intended layer of grain, preserved in his self proclaimed approved HD Master, there is nothing on this disc that Spielberg himself did not approve. I was gushing over this disc while watching it seemed like watching again for the first time and it left my jaw on the floor. Much like his other recent blu ray release of War of the Worlds, the color schemes are not that of your typical modern day blu ray release but that does not mean that they look any worse in fact they can hold their own with modern release on the market. They also completely and faithfully represent the film makers intention and in the end you cant ask for much more than that!

Super 8 (2011)

I give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars and a 90% on RT.

Super 8 is a Super movie, well worth your movie monies. It seemed more Speilberg than Abrams but thats allright with me. It reminded me of why I loved The Goonies as a child mixed with a touch of horror & action, with moments of real, pure, touching moments. JJ Abrams does what so many high profile action movie directors fail to do and that is make you care about who your watching. Highly Highly recomended!

Transformers: Dark of the Moon (2011)

I give this movie 3.5 out of 5 stars and a 70% on RT.

Ok here's the deal, if your reading this review you are most likely planning on seeing this film anyways and it's a Transformers film by Michael Bay, so if you have seen the others and are contemplating spending your movie monies on this one, chances are you know what you are in for, Lots of explosions, robots, and total Bayhem. That being said however unlike the abysmal Revenge of the Fallen, he took his time with this one and actually came up with a script. It's not the greatest script ever but it's better than the other two. He also interweaves real historical events into the film which for me as a history buff was very pleasing and enjoyable to watch. Then there were the explosions and oh man in glorious 3-D they were quite the spectacle. Robots larger than life, and also the introduction the Shockwave, one of my personal favorites as a yout. The movie has a bit of a bloated run time at a little over two & a half hours plus 20 mins of previews but the ending is a nice payoff, especially if you live in or have been to Chicago many times. The battle that takes place at the end in the windy city is incredible. I was in the city as it was being filmed and thinking man this thing will be epic, and it was. This film stands out above the rest of the Transformers film by quite a bit. It's not perfect but it's a perfect summer flick to grab some corn sit back and lose yourself in a movie that is the definition of "Summer Film" The Script isn't perfect, the acting isn't great (especially aggressive for Lebeuff) but if you went into this movie expecting that kind of stuff then why did you even go in the first place. I give the movie 3.5 to borderline 4 stars on a pure entertainment factor. Make sure to see this movie in the theatre, the Blu-ray will look incredible but this is one that needs to be seen on the biggest & loudest screen you can find. In closing if the question is to 3-D or not to 3-D spend the extra bucks for it with this one. There were some pretty incredible visual effects for the eyes. In the end I had a lot of fun with Dark of the Moon, it's my favorite entry and it comes Highly Recommended as a very fun summer flick. Biggest Downside is the overly long run time so find a theatre with comfy seats.

Bad Teacher (2011)

I five a 2.5/3 Stars of 5 and a 60% on RT. Saw Bad Teacher last night, it was medioker and the real shame is that is could have been a lot better than it was, dont get wrong its not a bad movie, but its not great either. I will say this, if you hire Jason Segal to be in your movie then USE HIM! He was easily the best part of the movie and was barely in it. Recomended if your bored but otherwise wait to rent it. I would give Bad Teacher a C, maybe a C+. Anyways Im looking forward to going to Horrible Bosses tonight.

Horrible Bosses (2011)

Easily 4 of 5 stars and a 90% on RT. Comedies are a dime a dozen these days, and you really have to be on your A game to get the formula just right. Horrible Bosses nails it. The cast meshes together so nicely that the comedy seems effortless. This film is by far the funniest comedy I have watched this year. The film is raunchy, outrageous and hilarious. The humor will have you laughing out loud and then feeling a little bad for laughing at it but you just cant deny the humor of this movie. It's crude yes, but also features a strong theme of friendship and bonding hidden between the crude. The bosses will leave your jaw on the floor with their antics, yet you will be laughing just the same. This comedy does everything right and its nice to see Jennifer Aniston take a role out of her comfort zone and it was totally refreshing and has paid off for her with a hit, her first in years. In the end of dime a dozen comedies this rises above and is totally worth your movie monies, its a goofball, lude, crude, rollicking good time. A Great Cast tops it all off, highly highly recomended.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)

I gave this 5 of 5 stars and a 100% on RT. What an Incredible film, and what an incredible experience. Today was the culmination of a decade of films for not just me but for millions of people. This film was an emotional and engaging film right from the start. You were captivated throughout the entire conclusion of the series and reminded of little things along the way almost as a direct tribute to all the movies before it. It's hard to watch without shedding a tear or two as like me most people watching have invested a large portion of their lives watching these movies. David Yates did not let me down, now I don't read the books, I never have but I do watch movies, a lot of them and I was fully satisfied at the end of the movie and at the end of the series. Everything was wrapped up nicely and when I watch these movies every holiday season for the rest of my life it will so satisfying to watch all 8 movies on Blu-Ray from start to finish. I don't want to go too much into plot points because I don't want to spoil anything just know that if you're going to see this it's almost impossible not to like it. In the end all I was left with was my jaw dropped at the end of one of the greatest stories ever told and my eyes with a tear, not only from the incredible visuals this last potter offering gives, but a tear for saying goodbye to a boy who 10 years ago I asked Harry who? What's all this about, I went I found out what he and it was all about and I never, ever looked back. There is not one bad film out the entire lot of them and that is no easy task when you're talking about 8 movies. In the end all I can say is Goodbye Harry, I'm going to miss you and thanks for all the memories. I will see you and the gang every holiday season until the day I die.

Hello and Welcome

Hello and Welcome to anyone who may stumble upon this blog. This is sort of my mission statement so to speak, the Skinny, the jist of what this blog was created for. My name is Ryan Simpson and I have a B.S. Degree in Acting with a minor in Cinema studies and I love to watch and review movies, both theatrical and Blu-Ray. My home collection is around over 1000 dvd's and about 300 Blu-Ray discs, so I have seen a lot! I post regularly on RT (RottonTomatos.com) a lot also so you can find my reviews over there as well. I am new to the blogging world but not to reviewing films. I base my film reviews on three things, enjoyability/Fun, Story plot, and Visual, 3-D and the like. My Blu-Ray reviews are based on the main two things the picture and audio quality, but also on price point and overall worthiness on owning it on the specific format of Blu-ray and weather its relevant to upgrade catalog studio films as they are replaced.