Django Unchained, the D is Silent, but Deadly

I took some time out to see Django Unchained tonight and it's quite unique. It follows the path of Django, a freed slave played by Jamie Foxx, and a dentist/ bounty hunter played by the awesome Christopher Waltz, quite the find by Tarantino. They travel the land as a bounty hunting pair who gets to know each other and eventually agree to pair up to free Foxx's wife from Leonardo Di Caprio. It has about 10 slow scenario shots set to music, buckets of senseless blood and foul language, and an awesome, charismatic anti-hero. You could watch it without sound and know it's a Tarantino movie, but I like Tarantino movies. It's shockingly long at just under 2 hours & 45 minutes, but it moves along at a decent pace, except the weird music accompaniment shots. IT's a good story that is pretty shocking with it's violence and language. I don't know if Tarantino did most of it for shock value, or if this is truly how he imagined the 1858 deep south. Kudos all around, but especially Samuel L. Jackson and Waltz. Everyone is good, but those two especially excel in unique roles. Bottom Line: 7.4 out of 10. It's interesting, entertaining, and has a great cast, but if you don't like Tarantino movies, don't see this one. If you do, head out and be entertained.

Dark City: Very underrated/ relatively unknown.

Here's one that slid under the radar for me. Griffin Wagner, my old really good friend who passed away much too soon, had me watch this movie back in what I want to say like 1998. I remembered that I liked it, but really couldn't remember much else. It's a very interesting story that I'm going to have trouble talking about without giving away possible spoilers. It starts with a man in a bathtub by himself, there's a light swinging and some clothes on a chair. He awakens, puts on the clothes, and finds a dead women (hooker) with spirals carved all over herself in the other room. The character has no memory and has to piece together his life. Rufus Sewell is the main character and does a great job. Keifer Sutherland plays an insanely creepy doctor, Jennifer Connolly is Sewell's wife, William Hurt is a Detective, and you'll recognize some of the other actors as well. The confused man slowly uncovers strange facts about the city and people who are supposed to be his family and friends. I really wish I could talk more about it, but I feel like it would give spoilers. Bottom Line: 8.5 out of 10. I really enjoyed this film. It's visually beautiful, great cast, and really is an interesting/unique sci-fi story.

The Hobbit: Short People Unite

The Hobbit: An Incredible Journey is pretty standard Part: I epic stuff. You get to meet a lot of characters who you remember by face, but not name. There's a lot of back story and some character development that must happen to get things moving and give the book some just due. The story is all pre-Lord of the Rings Trilogy stuff. Bilbo Baggins is approached by Gandolf the Grey and a boatload of dwarves to go on a journey to reclaim the dwarves home/majestic castle that was taken over by a dragon named Smog who straight up WHOOPED their assess. They start in the Shire and have to head A LONG way of course across many treacherous impasses, etc. It's pretty slow going, there is some action sprinkled in, but not much. It gets you prepped properly for the next two, and holds it's own. It's the best looking 3-D I've ever seen. It's amazingly crisp and clear. You really feel like you aren't watching 3-D. It's IMAX clear/crisp. Bottom line: 7.4 out of 10. Visually stunning. Very similar to the other LOTR films. It's well done, I'm a huge fan of Thorin (Dwarf King without a Kingdom) played by Richard Armitage, who I'm really not familiar with, but he's excellent in my opinion.

Taken 2: Same Shit, Different Country

I wanted to see Taken 2 because the first one was incredibly well done, and Liam Neeson is the fucking man. This movie reunites Neeson with Kim "Kimmy" played by Maggie Grace, & Lenore "Lenny" played by Famke Janssen. This one if WAYYY more rushed, and is only about 90 minutes long. Neeson is in Istanbul on some private security detail, his family "surprises" him with a visit since Janssen's marriage (2nd marriage) is in total shambles, so she has some spare time. Neeson and Janssen are attacked in the Bazaar by the father of one of the many Marco from Trepoje who were killed in the first Taken. He has a bunch of Eastern European looking guys who attack Neeson and get beat the fuck up, but eventually kidnap Janssen and Neeson. Kim is by the pool and unscathed, and after a phone call from Neeson's Bond gadget phone, she's OK to aid in their escape. You know what's coming, and this one has less character development and less of everything good about the first one. It's ridiculous at times, which is to be expected, but it's just stupid to watch Kim, who can't pass her driver's test, whipping around Turkey like Jason Bourne. Neeson is also noticeably slower in the fight/running scenes in this one. Bottom Line: 6.2 out of 10. Don't pay money to see this, but if you like watching Neeson smack around and shoot Eastern Europeans, I'd make time for it when it's on TV soon enough.