CASINO JACK and the United States of Money

Watching a documentary about Jack Abramoff reminds you just how corrupt Washington, D.C. really is. Abramoff and Tom Delay are real pieces of political work. They are a disgrace to the political legacy of our founding fathers. Yes, we know Abramoff and his buddies were all crooks of top caliber… but the documentary bounces from revealing to predictable.

First.. some pedestrian movie-going feedback. The documentary was just too long. It lacked the depth and storytelling to keep your interest. At just two hours, the storytelling seems to drag for three hours. You know it’s dragging when you start looking at your watch and wondering, “Can I make it to the grocery before they close?”  EXTRA: Washington Post Review

Now… the story. Let’s get it out on the table. Abramoff and his merry men deserve everything they receive from the justice system, the “big bubbas” in jail and more. The arrogance in real life abounds. The extent of crimes and the secretive nature of their ridiculous plots were hard to grasp in real life. That’s the biggest trouble with the documentary as well. There is so much that these political thugs did in real life that it was even harder to pull together in a well-told story for the big screen. The documentary becomes predictable when one “chapter” of the scandal ends… and another begins. Even the graphic treatment in the transitions on screen were predictable.

So what is there to see if you invest your time and money? Well, it’s a story of horrible DC politics that needs to be shared over and over. Kevin Spacey is so perfectly boring that it’s interesting. So, my score is TWO of FIVE monuments. In this case, I’ll use the very disgraced U.S. Capitol.

IRON MAN 2 - You Had To Be There

You had to be there. No, seriously. You had to see the first "Iron Man" to really enjoy the second.

I have to admit that I delayed seeing this movie because the promotions tended to play on celebrity and "action" over story and engagement. Even the movie synopsis (Fandango) seems to think EVERYONE saw the first movie and knows the climactic press conference scene from the first movie. "Robert Downey Jr. returns as Tony Stark, the wealthy playboy whose exploits as Iron Man are now public knowledge after his admission at the close of the first film. In the follow-up." Well,. we don't. The movie spends no time at the top pulling people into the continued plot from the previous flick. It's a real art -- giving the audience just enough of a review to feel informed but not waste the time of the loyal second visitor.

The single best reason to see this flick is MIckey Rourke. Now let's be honest... just how often have you said that? His character, Whiplash, is the most memorable character in the movie. Stark has lost his appeal. He's so bland that Whiplash seems even more engaging.The second best reason to see the movie is Stark's corporate rival Justin Hammer. He's the dirty business guy that get even dirtier as the movie goes along.

The best "action" in the movie is a weak toss-up between Stark and his buddy tearing up Stark's home in a fight... or the iron men fight scene at the Stark Expo. I say weak because the action never sucks you end and pushes you to the edge of your seat. That's what we remember. That's what gets our adrenaline rushing and heart racing. If you're an action movie... that's what you need.

My rating...3 of 5 monuments... mainly because of Rourke and his high-tech whiplash. It's not a bad movie at all. But, it's just not great either. I don't imagine another Iron Man would be much better.

ROLE MODELS: Seann William Scott Worth The Clutter

"Role Models' stars Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd. It's one of those sillier than silly movies that teens and early 20-somethings love. It's full of sexual cliches and curse words. I would put it in the same theme category of "American Pie" and "Scary Movie"... they're so silly that they're funny. In this case though, Seann William Scott (better known to this target audience as Stiffler) is perfectly suited for the big screen. He's muscled and macho. He's cuddly and loveable. He's funny and charming. Forget all of that tabloid chatter that he may or may not be gay. The teens and 20-somethings may not look at him so affectionately, especially the men among them. On the other hand, it makes him even more appealing in some ways. Scott takes his approach to Stiffler and helps him grow up just a bit. Give the movie a D-plus, Give Seann William Scott an A--he's good for all the right reasons and in all of the right places.

APALOOSA: Viggo Mortensen Is The Only Reason To See This Movie

I had such high hopes for 'Apaloosa'... but was disappointed. I actually went to the theater expecting, or hoping, to see something as powerful as 'No Country For Old Men'. I realize the movies are completely different in approach... perhaps I was just wanting. My biggest disappointment for this movie was the lack of quality character development. The scenes meant to develop the characters of the three main players (Ed Harris, Viggo Mortensen, Renée Zellweger,) in the film actually slowed the momentum. While the film is built around the Harris character, Mortensen's character is far more intriguing. From the start of the movie to the very final scene, you are left to wonder what more there is to know about him. He actaully keeps the forward motion of the moving chugging along the tracks. His character portrayal is wildy arousing. He develops his character with such complexity that it becomes a very simple character to watch... masterfully executed. If there is a reason to see this movie at all, it is simply Mortensen.

The movie synopsis from IMDB.
Based on the 2005 Western novel by Robert B. Parker, " Appaloosa" is centered around lawman Virgil Cole (Ed Harris) and his deputy Everett Hitch (Viggo Mortensen), two friends who are hired to defend a lawless 1880s town from a murderous rancher (Jeremy Irons). Their efforts are disrupted and friendship tested by the arrival of a woman. (Renée Zellweger).

THE SECRET LIVES OF BEES: It's Worth Your Time

I'm not going to go into some long and involved review of 'The Secret Life of Bees' . Instead, I'm going to give you 5 quick reasons to see this movie.
1. Queen Latifah
2. Dakota Fanning
3. Jennifer Hudson
4. Alicia Keys
5. Sophie Okonedo
Yes.. that's right. The five women who star in this movie make it such a joy to a watch... even though you are on an emotional roller coaster... crying at times but cheering at others. Make the time to see it.

Check out the full synopsis from IMDB
Lilly Owens is a young girl who lives on a peach farm that her abusive father owns. Rosalene is a black woman hired by Lilly's father to be a stand in mother for Lilly (Her real mother died in a horrendous accident that happened when she was a toddler). but when Rosalene insults some of the biggest racists in their town, Lilly is forced to take Rosaline and run away to a town Lilly believer her mother once lived. They go to live with three sisters on a honey farm, and Lilly soon learns what it is like to have a real family.

CHANGELING: An Oscar Nod For Angelina Jolie

I will admit right away... I am not a big fan of Angelina Jolie. I am not a big entertainment fan of "Braneglina" or whatever name combination can be used for Jolie and Brad Pitt. I'm just not that into celeb watching. BUT.... Jolie really does deserve an Oscar nomination... if not the statue for her role in Changeling. She is both engaging and intense. From the very start of the movie, you embrace her at "Christine". There is no question that Jolie is clearly the powerful woman who fought injustice for the return of her son. It takes only seconds to forget about the tabliod stories of Pitt and Jolie... and feel connected in a very emotional way to Jolie's character. More power to her... to take home an Oscar.

Here is the full synopsis from IBDB.
Inspired by actual events that occurred in 1920s-era Los Angeles, Clint Eastwood's "Changeling" tells the story of a woman driven to confront a corrupted LAPD after her abducted son is retrieved and she begins to suspect that the boy returned to her is not the same boy she gave birth to. The year was 1928, and the setting a working-class suburb of Los Angeles. As Christine (Angelina Jolie) said goodbye to her son, Walter, and departed for work, she never anticipated that this was the day her life would be forever changed. Upon returning home, Christine was distressed to discover that Walter was nowhere to be found. Over the course of the following months, the desperate mother would launch a search that would ultimately prove fruitless. Yet just when it seemed that all hope was lost, a nine-year-old boy claiming to be Christine's son seemed to appear out of thin air. Overcome with emotions and uncertain how to face the authorities or the press, Christine invites the child to stay in her home despite knowing without a doubt that he is not her son. As much as Christine would like to accept the fact that her son has been returned to her, she cannot accept the injustice being pushed upon her and continues to challenge the Prohibition-era Los Angeles police force at every turn. As a result, Christine is slandered by the powers that be, and painted as an unfit mother. In this town, a woman who challenges the system is putting her life on the line, and as the situation grows desperate, the only person willing to aid her in her search is benevolent local activist Reverend Briegleb (John Malkovich).