Iron Man (2008)

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Starring:
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man
Terrence Howard as Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes
Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane / Iron Monger
Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts

Genre: Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 126 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: Blu-Ray (owned)
Rating: 8/10

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (2008)

Directed by: Nicholas Stoller

Starring:
Jason Segel as Peter Bretter
Kristen Bell as Sarah Marshall
Mila Kunis as Rachel Jansen
Russell Brand as Aldous Snow

Genre: Comedy | Drama | Romance
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 112 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: Blu-Ray (Netflix rental)
Rating: 6/10

The Petrified Forest (1936)

Directed by: Archie Mayo

Starring:
Leslie Howard as Alan Squier
Bette Davis as Gabrielle Maple
Humphrey Bogart as Duke Mantee

Genre: Crime | Drama | Romance
MPAA Rating: N/A
Running Time: 83 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 7/10

Iron Man (2008)

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Starring:
Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark / Iron Man
Terrence Howard as Col. James 'Rhodey' Rhodes
Jeff Bridges as Obadiah Stane / Iron Monger
Gwyneth Paltrow as Pepper Potts

Genre: Action | Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 126 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 8/10

Little Caesar (1931)

Directed by: Mervyn LeRoy

Starring:
Edward G. Robinson as Little Caesar aka 'Rico'
Douglas Fairbanks Jr. as Joe Massara
Glenda Farrell as Olga Stassoff

Genre: Crime | Drama
MPAA Rating: N/A
Running Time: 79 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 7/10

The Public Enemy (1931)

Directed by: William A. Wellman

Starring:
James Cagney as Tom Powers
Jean Harlow as Gwen Allen
Edward Woods as Matt Doyle

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama
MPAA Rating: N/A
Running Time: 83 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 7/10

Backdraft (1991)

Directed by: Ron Howard

Starring:
Kurt Russell as Stephen 'Bull' McCaffrey
William Baldwin as Brian McCaffrey
Robert De Niro as Donald 'Shadow' Rimgale
Jennifer Jason Leigh as Jennifer Vaitkus

Genre: Action | Drama | Mystery | Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 132 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 6.5/10

The Untouchables (1987)

Directed by: Brian De Palma

Starring:
Kevin Costner as Eliot Ness
Sean Connery as Jim Malone
Robert De Niro as Al Capone

Genre: Crime | Drama | History | Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 119 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes/No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 7.5/10

Cape Fear (1991)

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Starring:
Robert De Niro as Max Cady
Nick Nolte as Sam Bowden
Jessica Lange as Leigh Bowden
Juliette Lewis as Danielle Bowden

Genre: Crime | Horror | Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 128 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes/No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 6.5/10

Half Nelson (2006)

Directed by: Ryan Fleck

Starring:
Ryan Gosling as Dan Dunne
Jeff Lima as Roodly
Shareeka Epps as Drey

Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 106 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 7.5/10

3:10 to Yuma (2007)

Directed by: James Mangold

Starring:
Russell Crowe as Ben Wade
Christian Bale as Dan Evans
Ben Foster as Charlie Prince

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama | Western
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 122 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: Blu-Ray (owned)
Rating: 8/10

The Departed (2006)

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Starring:
Leonardo DiCaprio as Billy Costigan
Matt Damon as Colin
Jack Nicholson as Costello

Genre: Crime | Drama | Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 151 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: Blu-Ray (owned)
Rating: 8/10

Run Fatboy Run (2007)

Directed by: David Schwimmer

Starring:
Simon Pegg as Dennis Doyle
Thandie Newton as Elizabeth Olivia 'Libby' Odell
Hank Azaria as Whit
Dylan Moran as Gordon

Genre: Comedy | Romance | Sport
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 100 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 6/10

Rocky Balboa (2006)

Directed by: Sylvester Stallone

Starring:
Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa
Burt Young as Paulie Panina
Antonio Tarver as Mason 'The Line' Dixon
Milo Ventimiglia as Robert Balboa Jr.

Genre: Action | Sport
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 102 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 6/10

Heat (1995)

Directed by: Michael Mann

Starring:
Al Pacino as Lt. Vincent Hanna
Robert De Niro as Neil McCauley
Val Kilmer as Chris Shiherlis

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama | Mystery | Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 171 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 8.5/10

Ronin (1998)

Directed by: John Frankenheimer

Starring:
Robert De Niro as Sam
Jean Reno as Vincent
Natascha McElhone as Deirdre

Genre: Action | Crime | Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 121 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 8/10

Taxi Driver (1976)

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Starring:
Robert De Niro as Travis Bickle
Cybill Shepherd as Betsy
Jodie Foster as Iris Steensma

Genre: Crime | Drama
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 113 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 8.5/10

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Directed by: Joel & Ethan Coen

Starring:
Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh
Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss
Tommy Lee Jones as Ed Tom Bell

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 122 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: Blu-Ray (owned)
Rating: 9/10

Ratatouille (2007)

Directed by: Brad Bird

Starring:
Patton Oswalt as Remy (voice)
Lou Romano as Linguini (voice)
Ian Holm as Skinner (voice)
Janeane Garofalo as Colette (voice)

Genre: Animation | Comedy | Family | Fantasy
MPAA Rating: G
Running Time: 111 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: Blu-Ray (owned)
Rating: 8.5/10

A Night to Remember (1958)

Directed by: Roy Ward Baker

Starring:
Kenneth More as Second Officer Charles Herbert Lightoller
Ronald Allen as Mr. Clarke
Robert Ayres as Maj. Arthur Peuchen

Genre: Action | Drama | History
MPAA Rating: N/A
Running Time: 123 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: TCM (recorded)
Rating: 8/10

V for Vendetta (2006)

Directed by: James McTeigue

Starring:
Natalie Portman as Evey
Hugo Weaving as V
Stephen Rea as Inspector Finch
Stephen Fry as Deitrich
John Hurt as Adam Sutler

Genre: Action | Sci-Fi | Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 132 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 8/10

The Candidate (1972)

Directed by: Michael Ritchie

Starring:
Robert Redford as Bill McKay
Peter Boyle as Lucas
Don Porter as Jarmon
Karen Carlson as Nancy

Genre: Drama
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 110 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: TCM (recorded)
Rating: 8/10

In the Heat of the Night (1967)

Directed by: Norman Jewison

Starring:
Sidney Poitier as Det. Virgil Tibbs
Rod Steiger as Police Chief Bill Gillespie
Warren Oates as Off. Sam Wood

Genre: Drama | Mystery | Crime
MPAA Rating: N/A
Running Time: 109 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: TCM (recorded)
Rating: 7.5/10

No Country for Old Men (2007)

Directed by: Joel & Ethan Coen

Starring:
Javier Bardem as Anton Chigurh
Josh Brolin as Llewelyn Moss
Tommy Lee Jones as Ed Tom Bell

Genre: Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 122 mins
First Time Viewed: No
Watched on: DVD (owned)
Rating: 9/10

First Look at Gilliam's 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'

Burn After Reading (2008)

Directed by: Joel & Ethan Coen

Starring:
Frances McDormand as Linda Litzke
Brad Pitt as Chad Feldheimer
George Clooney as Harry Pfarrer
John Malkovich as Osborne Cox
Tilda Swinton as Katie Cox

Genre: Comedy | Crime
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 96 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: The Big Screen
Rating: 7/10

Broken Trail (2006)

Directed by: Walter Hill

Starring:
Robert Duvall as Prentice Ritter
Thomas Haden Church as Tom Harte

Genre: Western
MPAA Rating: N/A
Running Time: 184 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 6/10

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada (2005)

Directed by: Tommy Lee Jones

Starring:
Tommy Lee Jones as Pete Perkins
Barry Pepper as Mike Norton
Julio Cedillo as Melquiades Estrada

Genre: Adventure | Crime | Drama
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 121 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 7/10

Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee (2007)

Directed by: Yves Simoneau

Starring:
Adam Beach as Charles Eastman
Anna Paquin as Elaine Goodale
August Schellenberg as Sitting Bull
Aidan Quinn as Henry Dawes

Genre: Drama | History | Western
MPAA Rating: N/A
Running Time: 133 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 5/10

Adam's Rib (1949)

Directed by: George Cukor

Starring:
Spencer Tracy as Adam Bonner
Katharine Hepburn as Amanda Bonner
Judy Holliday as Doris Attinger

Genre: Comedy | Romance
MPAA Rating: N/A
Running Time: 101 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: TCM (recorded)
Rating: 8/10

Bringing Up Baby (1938)

Directed by: Howard Hawks

Starring:
Katharine Hepburn as Susan Vance
Cary Grant as Dr. David Huxley

Genre: Comedy | Family | Romance
MPAA Rating: N/A
Running Time: 102 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: TCM (recorded)
Rating: 7/10

Kevin Smith talks 'Zach and Miri' at Toronto Film Festival

It seems I'm the only person I know who's excited about this, but I'm curious whether Smith is just trying to top Apatow or just be himself. I'm also curious whether fans of the View Askewniverse are really fans and will love the movie despite the absence of their favorite stoners, Jay and Silent Bob, or if they pan it like they did with Jersey Girl! I still think most people didn't like Jersey Girl just because there were no dick and fart jokes and J&SB were nowhere to be found...

The Wind That Shakes the Barley (2006)

Directed by: Ken Loach

Starring:
Cillian Murphy as Damien
Padraic Delaney as Teddy
Liam Cunningham as Dan

Genre: Drama | History | War
MPAA Rating: NR
Running Time: 127 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 7/10

The Forbidden Kingdom (2008)

Directed by: Rob Minkoff

Starring:
Jet Li as The Monkey King / The Silent Monk
Jackie Chan as Lu Yan / Old Hop
Yifei Liu as Golden Sparrow / Chinatown Girl
Collin Chou as Jade Warlord
Michael Angarano as Jason Tripitikas

Genre: Action | Adventure | Comedy | Fantasy | Romance
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Running Time: 113 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 6/10

Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles - Season Two Premiere --- "Samson & Delilah"

Tonight was the first of many highly anticipated series/season premieres, starting with Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, which returns after a very brief initial season thanks to the writer's strike. Of all the shows impacted by the writer's strike (besides those canceled in part by the strike), this was the most severe only getting nine full episodes. Season One completely disregarded the third theatrical installment, and for most fans, this is a very VERY good thing. It establishes new actors in the familiar roles of Sarah Connor (Lena Headey) as the title character and mother of the ultimate leader of the resistance, John Connor (Thomas Dekkar), against SkyNet and their metal warriors. Introduced are new characters Cameron (Summer Glau), a Terminator sent from the future by John to protect himself in the present, Cromartie (Garret Dillahunt), a Terminator sent from the future by SkyNet in an attempt to eliminate John in the present, Agent James Ellison (Richard T. Jones), an FBI Agent on the hunt for Sarah Connor and Cromartie, and trying to sort out reality from fiction, and finally Derek Reese (Brian Austin Green), the brother of the infamous Kyle Reese, sent from the future by John to protect Sarah from a Terminator trying to kill her in an attempt to keep John from ever being born. As you all should know by now, Kyle and Sarah fall in love and conceive John in one of the biggest mind fucks in cinematic history!

Anyway, back to Season One. Even though it disregards the third film, a few times the show still takes liberties with the timeline established by the first two films which really bothered me (that's for an entirely different post) and despite that, I really enjoyed the abbreviated first season, especially the last four or five episodes. With that, Season Two premiered tonight with great anticipation. Would they be able to continue the momentum gained in the latter portion of Season One? Could it be possible for Summer Glau to get any hotter than she was in Season One? How would singer-turned-would-be-actor Shirley Manson do in a major role? Would they continue to screw with the original timeline any more than they have already? We'll get to all these questions shortly. First, I'd like to address the first change that was made from Season One to Season Two, that being changing the intro from Sarah Connor (Headley) doing the voice-over to some professional male voice-over person who has no tie to the actual series. The reason I have issue with this is that the show is called "The Sarah Connor Chronicles" and with that, it makes sense that Sarah would do the intro voice-over as well as various voice-overs throughout the episode. Am I crazy in thinking this was a negative change?

*THERE BE SPOILERS AHEAD*

Anyway, despite this, the episode continues right from where the last episode of Season One leaves off, with Cameron being blown up by a car bomb and Cromartie decimating a full squad of FBI agents led by Agent Ellison. Cameron awakens to severe damage, including damage to her microchip which resets her programming back to it's initial setting...which is to terminate John Connor! We are introduced to a new character, Catherine Weaver (Shirley Manson), who is an executive type who has been secretly behind the acquisition of 'The Turk', the computer that potentially could become the brain behind SkyNet and was the core of Season One's storyline. Initially, I do not like Manson as an actor, thinking they chose her more for her look and the ability to use her music at a discounted rate (there is a Garbage song* within the first segment of tonight's episode, and it couldn't hold a candle to Johnny Cash closing out the last episode of Season One) rather than her (lack of) acting ability. She does have THE one WTF moment of the entire episode that I think everyone will enjoy, but as a whole the episode was a bit disjointed, lacked the same edge that the last few episodes of Season One established, and seemed to only be a tool to get us, the viewers, to the surprise ending which will more than likely be the driving force behind the rest of the season. Oh, and to answer the question about Glau's hotness, during most of the episode, half of her face is hanging off or stapled back together, so the early answer is 'No!'

*EDIT: Apparently the song played at the beginning was not, in fact, a song by Garbage, but rather Manson singing a rendition of the Gospel song 'Samson and Delilah' specifically for this episode. Source: SciFi Wire (Massive spoilers in the article related to this episode. DO NOT READ unless you've seen the episode already)

Here's a countdown to next week's episode for those interested (and if you've read this far, I'll take that as a 'Yes'), let's hope they step it up a notch:

3:10 to Yuma (1957)

Directed by: Delmer Daves

Starring:
Glenn Ford as Ben Wade
Van Heflin as Dan Evans
Richard Jaeckel as Charlie Prince

Genre: Action | Adventure | Drama | Thriller | Western
MPAA Rating: N/A
Running Time: 92 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: TCM (recorded)
Rating: 7/10

Countdown to the 2008 Emmys

Is your favorite show nominated? Will it win? Tune in Sunday, September 21st at 8pm EST!

My hopeful winners for the major categories:

Outstanding Comedy Series
Curb Your Enthusiasm • HBO
Entourage • HBO
The Office • NBC
30 Rock • NBC
Two And A Half Men • CBS

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Comedy Series
Monk • USA • Tony Shalhoub as Adrian Monk
The Office • NBC • Steve Carell as Michael Scott
Pushing Daisies • ABC • Lee Pace as Ned
30 Rock • NBC • Alec Baldwin as Jack Donaghy
Two And A Half Men • CBS • Charlie Sheen as Charlie Harper

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series
The New Adventures Of Old Christine • CBS • Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Christine Campbell
Samantha Who? • ABC • Christina Applegate as Samantha Newly
30 Rock • NBC • Tina Fey as Liz Lemon
Ugly Betty • ABC • America Ferrera as Betty Suarez
Weeds • Showtime • Mary-Louise Parker as Nancy Botwin

NOTE: I don't watch any of these shows, so I don't have a favorite. I honestly think Christina Applegate will get the sympathy win because of her overcoming breast cancer...

Outstanding Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC
Damages • FX Networks
Dexter • Showtime
House • FOX
Lost • ABC
Mad Men • AMC

NOTE: I've not seen Dexter or Mad Men so that hinders my vote, but I wouldn't mind seeing House or Damages win. Both were excellent last season...

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series
Boston Legal • ABC • James Spader as Alan Shore
Breaking Bad • AMC • Bryan Cranston as Walt White
Dexter • Showtime • Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan
House • FOX • Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House
In Treatment • HBO • Gabriel Byrne as Paul
Mad Men • AMC • Jon Hamm as Don Draper

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series
Brothers & Sisters • ABC • Sally Field as Nora Holden-Walker
The Closer • TNT • Kyra Sedgwick as Deputy Chief Brenda Johnson
Damages • FX Networks • Glenn Close as Patty Hewes
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit • NBC • Mariska Hargitay as Olivia Benson
Saving Grace • TNT • Holly Hunter as Grace Hanadarko

NOTE: The only show I watch out of this list is Damages, so I really can't vote here. However, Glen Close was superb in Damages!

Rogue (2007)

Directed by: Greg Mclean

Starring:
Radha Mitchell as Kate Ryan
Michael Vartan as Pete McKell
Sam Worthington as Neil

Genre: Action | Adventure | Horror | Thriller
MPAA Rating: R
Running Time: 99 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 7/10

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005)

Directed by: Garth Jennings

Starring:
Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent
Zooey Deschanel as Trillian
Mos Def as Ford Prefect
Sam Rockwell as Zaphod Beeblebrox

Genre: Adventure | Comedy | Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 109 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 6/10

Fringe...It's Coming!

JJ Abrams, the man who brought us Alias and Lost, is getting ready to launch his new emersive experience, Fringe, on the world. Can we handle it? Will he stay with it to the end or leave it to his braintrust after a season or two? This is my #1a highly anticipated new show of the fall, #1b being Dollhouse! (more to come about Dollhouse as it's series premiere approaches)

Here's your countdown to the series premiere next Tuesday:

Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)

Directed by: Jon Favreau

Starring:
Jonah Bobo as Danny
Josh Hutcherson as Walter
Dax Shepard as Astronaut
Kristen Stewart as Lisa

Genre: Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy | Sci-Fi
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 102 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 6/10

Night at the Museum (2006)

Directed by: Shawn Levy

Starring:
Ben Stiller as Larry Daley
Carla Gugino as Rebecca
Dick Van Dyke as Cecil
Mickey Rooney as Gus

Genre: Action | Adventure | Comedy | Family | Fantasy
MPAA Rating: PG
Running Time: 108 mins
First Time Viewed: Yes
Watched on: DVD (Netflix rental)
Rating: 4.5/10