I Warn You…  I’m Out On Bond !

~ Hello Everyone ~
Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !
Today’s View To A Kill:
Quality of Sausage

Yes folks, today I will be reviewing the thrilling new spy adventure, 
“Quenching of Sasquatch” !!!  Bigfoot is BACK…  And this time he is
thirsty !  Hmmm…  Something is wrong there…  Did I get the title
right ?  Maybe I messed up ?  It’s hard to remember !

How about “Quitting of Salisbury Steak” !!!  Yep. That has to be it.
A man goes on a diet and…  No, that’s not going to work either. 
Ugh !!!  How about “Quest for Salsa” ?  “Quelling of Songbirds” ?
“Quidditch of Slytherin” ???

I’m just going to have to look this up on IMDB.  Darn it.  Why did
they have to give the new James Bond flick such a goofy name ? 
Ah, well, here it is.  “Quantum of Solace”.  Strange title for a 007
story.  But then again, this movie is rather far removed from the
classics we all know and love.

Daniel Craig returns as Bond, hot off the heels of “Casino Royale”. 
Craig is a hunk, I will give you that.  When he goes to bed with a 
fine, random chick, you actually BELIEVE it could happen.  As for
the other old “codgers” that have filled the famous spy’s shoes,   
It seems to me they would have died in the arms of about any
 kitten they were with.

I never understood that.  Really.  Sean Connery.  He’s hot if you 
are like, 86.  And then there was Roger Moore.  But Moore what ? 
Viagra ? Oxygen ?  It seems that in Hollywood, getting ANY babe
is possible if you are either James Bond or Woody Allen.

~

Now, I would like to take a moment to answer a random letter
from one of my lucky fans !!!  Let me just reach on in, and see
what I can pull out !  Ooooh…  This looks like a good one !  We
have a question from Big Glenn in Pasadena !  Hello Big Glenn !

Glenn asks:

        “Hi Daniel.  I am a HUGE fan of yours.  I check your stuff
       out at least once a week.  Are you into bondage at all” ?

 Awww, what a nice fella !  Thank you so much !  Well,
I don’t know too much about the subject, but I will try
my best…  Here we go…

Daniel Craig:  40 Years Old

Sean Connery:  78 Years Old

 
Roger Moore:  Dead 109 Years Old

  You see Glenn, I do know a little something about “Bond Age” !
Thanks for writing, and keep on keepin’ on !  Nice outfit buddy.

~

All that aside, in this new adventure, our hero has been reinvented
to the point of veritable unrecognizability…   The 007 of today has 
only one gadget.  A gun.  That shoots bullets.  How original.  This
     guy has about as much intrigue as a character from “Prison Break”.   

He drives cars that go very fast.  Yep.  Cars.  Fast.  Move over, 
Tracy Chapman !!!  They don’t have any cool missile launchers or
anything like that…  No lasers.  No flame-throwers.  But that’s a
good thing.  Might slow that pretty little vehicle down. 

Our plot begins with James meeting up with his Auntie “M” (once
more played with wrinkled sensibility by Dame Judith Dench)…  A
welcome sight, she is the only person still around from the older 
movies.  Both “Q”  and “Moneypenny” are MIA.  

During an interrogation, M gets shot and blood goes all over the
place.  James has to chase the bad guy out of the room, and an
(arguably) rather exciting fight scene ensues.  The entire time, I
 was just worried about the old bag…  Did she survive ?  Were   
they gonna “finish off”  the last of the iconic Bond characters to
please certain people that now seem to hate ALL of the old 
movies ? 

Small spoiler >>>  Well, the good news is she is OK.  Actually,  
she is BETTER than OK.  She is some sort of indestructible super
woman…  In the scene after the shooting, we see her talking to
James as if nothing ever happened.  They never say if M had a
bulletproof vest on, or if she was wounded, or where the blood
came from when she was shot.  She is walking around having a 
nice time just chatting away.  Well, good for her.  I’m glad she’s
going to live to die another day.  

We soon learn that James Bond is trying to find out who killed his
girlfriend Vespa (or whatever her name was) in the prior film.  He is
blinded by an inconsolable rage, and has lost his sense of humor.
 Not to mention his sense of sight…  Wait until you see this new  
Bond girl.  YUCK !!!  At first glance she is a cutie, but then you
realize she went a little nuts with the bottle of sunless tanning
lotion.  And, she is also deformed.

The young lady loves wearing skimpy backless dresses, to show
off what appears to be an attempt at tattoo removal…  I am not
kidding. It looks like she was dragged behind the back of a truck
for at least a couple of hours !  I wanted to throw up, with the  
audience waiting for some blind dude to come up behind her 
and mistake it all for braille.

She also has a really bland name.  Camille.  I remember when 
 the Bond girls were all double entrees !!!  They used to have  
such memorable monikers as “Pussy Galore”, “Xenia Onatopp”,
“Holly Goodhead” and “Toucha Mybooba”.

Well, Mr. Grumpy teams up with Miss Lumpy and they hit the
road, traveling to several exotic locales to find some scheming
evildoers.  At one point, they end up in Haiti.  How appropriate,
because I Haiti this movie !  LOL !!!

^ James Making A Quantum Leap !

  While seeking vengeance, James stumbles upon a village where
all of the water is missing.  Some odious villain has taken it and
damned it all…  TO HELL.  In a scene that just goes on and on
we see the villagers looking at a leaking pipe.  They are holding
empty buckets, waiting for water…  We see the pipe, then the
villagers, the villagers then the pipe, and finally the pipe stops
dripping.

All hope appears lost, (but then I see everyone has beer so 
I’m not sure what the problem is).  Maybe somebody had to
wash their dog or something along those lines…  So James  
says he will help them and that’s when the fun (yawn) really
starts. 

Bond and his new girlfriend fly across the desert in a plane
that gets shot down faster than you can say “Mayday”.  Our
heroes persevere, and make it to a bunker where two totally
forgettable bad guys are plotting evil deeds ! There is some
shooting, a couple of explosions and then it’s over with as 
soon as it begins.

This movie was about as mindless (and soulless) as a video
game…  I’m hoping the next one will bring back the James
we all know and love.  With high-tech gadgetry brought to
life by today’s special effects.  As an action flick, this isn’t
too bad.  As a “James Bond” flick, it doesn’t even qualify. 

Quantum of Solace bored the living daylights out of me. 

~

Would I Recommend This ?  No

Daniel’s Critical Rating:  “4″ out of “10″

Please, be sure to hit the comment button on the lower
left hand side of this review, I’d love your feedback !!!
But first, take a stab at my titillating “Bond Girl” poll !
< - - -   (Over that way).

Did I Hear Someone Say “Change” ?

~ Hello Everyone ~
 Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !
Getting My Vote Today:  Changeling

Director Clint Eastwood is back, and older better than ever in a new
cinematic nail-biter that will leave you breathless.  “Changeling” is an
epic 1920’s period piece featuring action, suspense, gore and even a
couple of flappers !  (No, I’m not talking about Angelina Jolie’s lips.)

Yes, Angelina Jolie stars in this Oscar-worthy flick, and (going against
type) she actually refuses to take a free kid !!!  Where on Earth is
Madonna when you need her ?

It all begins when Christine Collins (played by Jolie), is asked to go
into work on her one day off…  She leaves her cute young son, Walter,
home alone with nothing but a sandwich and a prayer.  BIG MISTAKE. 
When she comes back, Walter is gone baby gone.  Of course, Christine
runs around the neighborhood in a panic, and finally calls the police.

Turns out, calling the police was not a good idea…  If you read the
history books, you will see that some cops in her region (Los Angeles,
California), were a vile, corrupt group of cowardly curmudgeons in  
the days before the Great Depression.  Hmmmph !  I don’t know why
they called it  “Great”.  Sounds like it was just AWFUL to me.

Anyway,  after dragging their feet, the police show up to her house
and file a report.  They act like they just don’t care, leaving Christine 
with no hope whatsoever.  Not even Bob Hope.  (He was unavailable 
due to a prior commitment on the Vaudeville circuit).

Why Are You Asking If I’ve Had Collegian Injections ?

Feeling neglected and alone, our heroine’s fortune takes a stunning turn
for the better when Christine realizes she is part of a secret society of
assassins !  She hops on top of a moving train with a loaded gun, and  
then exacts her revenge by shooting people (in slow-motion) !  Morgan
Freeman shows up, helping her at every turn by…  Um…  Hold on a  
second…  Oops !!!  Wrong movie !  Sorry.  Where was I ?

Oh yes… Neglected and alone, Christine has nowhere to go.  Her sad,
pathetic plight is noticed by a real high-profile radio station preacher
(played by the amazing John Malkovich), and it all starts to equal bad 
press for the incompetent Los Angeles PD….  Desperate to quell an 
awful situation, the police manage to find her “son”.  She bursts into 
tears of joy hearing this news on the phone, but all that glitters is not
gold.

When her alleged son is brought to her (five long months after his
disappearance), she is shocked to see it is NOT Walter.  The police
say that he has “changed” physically because of neglect, abuse and
starvation.  They actually tell her (and this is a true story mind you)
Walter’s now three inches shorter because “all of the stress made his
spine shrink” !

Here is some of the SHOCKING dialog from that scene.*
*(As best as I can recall)…

~

Christine:  “His spine shrunk ?  You want me to
believe that ?”

Officer:  “Yes ma’am !”

Christine:  “But why is he speaking Italian ?”

Officer:  “He saw a couple of foreign films !”

Christine:  “Why does he have a HUGE mole on
his chin ?”

Officer:  “It’s just dirt ma’am”.

(The kid screams as the officer rips the mole off).

Christine:  “Why is he a Yupik Eskimo ?”

Officer:  “He’s VERY cultured now after traveling the
world”.

Christine:  “For crying out loud, this child is 46
years old !”

Child:  “Hey lady, I’m only 39 !  Damn !”

Christine:  (Gasps) “My child doesn’t swear !”

Officer:  “But we swear this is your child !”

~

Needless to say, Christine refuses to believe the bad cops, so she 
rushes straight to the newspapers with her story…  Panicked, the 
police respond by promptly throwing her into a mental institution.  
They claim that being separated from her son for so long made her
go “mad” and that’s why she does not recognize the boy.

At first, it looks like Christine has found a friend in a pretty young
 blonde nurse at the institution…  But that is not the case !!!  The
nurse rips poor Angelina Jolie’s clothes off and hoses her down in
the showers !!!  That terrible scene goes on for what seems like  
forever, but just when you think it’s over, the crazed nurse grabs 
the dreaded RUBBER GLOVE !  What a naughty, naughty nurse !!!

More hijinks ensue at the nuthouse, and just WAIT until you get a
load of Christine’s new roommate.  (I’m sure we have all had our 
fair share of bad ones, but this gal will make anyone else seem
ideal). 

On the outside, Christine’s radio friend is working to get her free,
solve the mystery, and expose the bad guys for what they are… 
I was transfixed with the storytelling and acting at almost every 
moment.

“Rocky Horror Picture Show”, Here I Come !

Angelina Jolie does a superb job showing us Christine’s growth and
transformation as a character.  In this film,  She becomes stronger
 over the course of a few months…

The change does not happen overnight…  But when it does, it is
profound and powerful.   Jolie’s performance has a duality that
will leave an impression on me for a long time.  From a meek and
scared woman who is all alone, to a strong and forceful person
ready to take on the LAPD.

 In contrast, many movies have characters “grow” over the course
of just an evening or a week.  I haven’t grown much in the past
week to be honest with you…  (I have, however, managed to    
somehow get better looking) !!!  Yes, movies often try and    
force “character development” on you in the most absurd ways…
 Not the case with this flick ! 

Clint Eastwood knows how to tell a story.  Plain and simple.  Since
 his very impressive directorial debut in 1971 with the frightening 
“Play Misty For Me”  (still one of my own personal favorites), he has
proven to be the master of his craft. Once more, Clint has created 
a very fluid piece of entertainment.  Seamless in every way. 

Nice to see Mr. Eastwood still has it at 78 !!!  Some fellows his age
are just “deadwood” or even “limpwood”, but Dirty Harry is going  
strong.  You won’t see him borrowing Robert Redford’s Viagra in 
the near future !

So, grab a fistful of dollars and check out “Changeling” tonight ! 

~

Would I Recommend This ?  Yes

Daniel’s Critical Rating:  “10″ out of “10″

 
^ Vampires SUCK…  But These Movies Don’t !

~ Welcome, Foolish Mortals ~
Enter Daniel’s Critical Corner
IF YOU DARE !!!

On The Slab Today:  “Halloween Favorites” !

Good Evening…  Blah, Blah !  Well, at least you can hope
for a “good evening”, and if you follow my advice, you can
avoid the “Blahs” as well !

Halloween is just around the corner, so I’m here to make
sure you have some great movie selections to keep your
circulation going…  On what’s sure to be a chilling night.

Tell your Mummy and Deady that this Halloween YOU
are going to provide the entertainment, by renting (or
perhaps even buying) the following selections !

The Evil Dead

* They are Evil AND Dead…  Who could ask for more ?

Mad Monster Party

* Monsters are some of the most interesting people…

Nightmare On Elm Street

* Freddy, who does your nails ?  They’re to DIE for !!!

The Bride Of Frankenstein

* It’s not easy being pretty.

No, I Did NOT Go To “Supercuts” Today.

Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?

* I just want to know who ate my Baby Ruth…

It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

* Beats the HELL out of a “mediocre” pumpkin.

The Creature From The Black Lagoon

* No, it’s not Brooke Shields…  Her lagoon was blue.

I Know What You Did Last Summer

* Damn !  I didn’t realize my webcam was on…

Elvira’s Haunted Hills

* Put some “boob” back in your tube !

Rest In “Peace” !

The Thing

* I’ve got your “thing” right here !

The Blob

* Starring Sally Struthers…

Cursed

* This werewolf movie has BITE !

Ghostbusters

* Who you gonna call ?

Sleepy Hollow

* A movie after my own heart…  (And head) !

The Abominable Dr. Phibes

* Not to be confused with “Dr. Phil”.

Scream

* OK.  EEEEEEEEEK !!!

Hello ?

NO !!!  I Don’t Want To Vote
For John McCain !

Darkness Falls

* And it can’t get up !

Corpse Bride

* Sigh…  Always a corpse, never a cadaver.

Alien

* In space, no one cares if you’re Sigourney Weaver.

When A Stranger Calls

* Invite them over for a movie and some popcorn !

Black Christmas

* This DVD would make a great stalking stuffer !

Showgirls

* Just kidding !  (But it is scary) !

Hell Night

* Linda Blair without the vomit.

Halloween

* Jamie Lee Curtis before he became a man !

 Susperia

* Wasn’t that a Phil Collins tune ?

The Ring

* All’s well that ends well !

The Mummy

* With that I shall WRAP things up !!!

~

OK you little devils…  There you have it, in a pumpkin shell !
So snuggle up to your “boo”and ENJOY !!!  Muah ha ha ha  !!!

 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Happy Halloween !!!

I’ll Be Back In Two Shakes !!!

~ Hello Everyone ~
Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !

That’s right folks.  I’m hittin’ the happy trails !  But I will be back before
you know it, (October 26th) !  Around Halloween…  Speaking of Happy
Trails, (and speaking of Halloween for that matter), I have some rather
TERRIFYING trivia for you…  I’m going to tell you WHO WALKS AMONG
US !!!  Fiendish GHOULS posing as the living…

Yep…  This is some fascinating crap stuff.  So, as the late (great) Bette
Davis once said, “Fasten your seat belts.  It’s going to be a bumpy night”.

A couple of weeks ago, the legendary Anita Page passed away at age
98.  She was considered by many to be one of the last big-name stars
from the “silent film” era.  I was rather saddened by this news…  But it
got me thinking…  If everyone from 1920’s Hollywood is gone…  Who
is left from the true “Golden Age” of Hollywood:  The 1930’s ?!!

I know who already has gone to that giant “dressing room” in the sky.
So many.  Greta Garbo, Marlene Dietrich, Fay Wray, Katherine Hepburn,
Joan Crawford, Cary Grant, Clark Gable, Jimmy Stewart, Charles Boyer,
Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.  Just to name a few !   

So I did some hardcore research.  Not kidding folks.  HOURS of research.
Some people that are living came to mind, but with closer examination
they got their start in the 1940’s…  Lauren Bacall, Van Johnson, Jennifer
Jones, Esther Williams and Elizabeth Taylor are all alive and kicking, but
NOT from the decade I was looking for.

And so here we have it.  The last of Hollywood’s TRUE living legends.
Some of the biggest names of the 1930’s, all still alive and well.  Hmmm. 
Alive anyway.  (There are only eight of ‘em) !  I put them in order of
“youngest” to “oldest”.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Shirley Temple (Age 80)

Looks Like “The Good Ship Lollipop” Hit
An Iceberg !

 Notable Films: 

Bright Eyes (1934)
Curly Top (1935)
Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm (1938)
The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer (1947)

* She became a well respected American Ambassador
later in life.  She was also THE FIRST star to publicly
announce her battle with breast cancer.  A true
survivor.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

 Jackie Cooper (Age 86)

What The HECK Happened To Shirley Temple ???

 Notable Films:

The Champ (1931)
Treasure Island (1934)
Superman (1978)
Superman II (1980)

* Jackie Cooper holds the record for youngest guy to be
 nominated for an Oscar (age 9 in 1931 for “The Champ”).  
He played Perry White in all four of the Christopher Reeve
“Superman” movies.  Jackie (and Mickey Rooney) are the
only people on this list that actually started their film
careers in the late 1920’s !

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Mickey Rooney (Age 88)

Oh Mickey, You’re So Fine…  I Hope You Live To See 99, 
Hey Mickey !

 Notable Films:

Love Finds Andy Hardy (1938)
National Velvet (1944)
Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Night at the Museum (2006)

Mickey Rooney’s career is one of the longest spanning, starting 
in 1927 and (so far) going to 2009 !  He is one of the last men
still standing.  What a STUD.  That’s NINE decades of film !!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Maureen O’Hara (Age 88)

It’s Not Just About “The Booty” !!!

 Notable Films:

The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1939)
Miracle on 34th Street (1947)
The Quiet Man (1952)
The Parent Trap (1961)
Only the Lonely (1991)

* In the 1930’s Maureen was considered one of the world’s most
beautiful women.  She was also one of John Wayne’s best
friends !  (They did five pictures together).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Joan Fontaine (Age 90)

The “Fontaine” Of Youth !

 Notable Films:

The Women (1939)
Rebecca (1940)
Suspicion (1941)
Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea (1961)

* “Rebecca” was director Alfred Hitchcock’s first American
film.  It was a HUGE hit, winning best picture.  The next year,
Hitchcock asked Joan to be in another one of his movies, and
she won the Oscar for best actress in 1941’s “Suspicion” ! 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  

Olivia de Haviland (Age 92)

Almost Gone With The Wind ! 

 Notable Films:

A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1935)
The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)
Gone With The Wind (1939)
Hush… Hush, Sweet Charlotte (1964)
Airport ‘77 (1977)

* She still continues to do movies, and is wrapping up
her latest picture due out in 2009, titled “I-59 South”.
 Olivia also just so happens to be Joan Fontaine’s big 
sister ! (They hate each other, and have not talked
since 1975).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Gloria Stuart (Age 98)

No, I’m NOT Ready For My Closeup,
Mr. DeMille !

 Notable Films:

The Old Dark House (1932)
The Invisible Man (1933)
Titanic (1997)

* Yep, that’s old Rose ! (Funny she is actually older
 than the last living survivor of the Titanic, one Mrs.
Millvina Dean, who is alive and well at age 96) !!!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Luise Rainer (Age 98)

Did You Say You Are Going To “Mount” Rainer ?

  Notable Films:

The Great Ziegfeld (1936)
The Good Earth (1937)
Dramatic School (1938)

* She’s the first person to win back-to-back
Oscars for best actress (1936 and 1937) and
she’s also the oldest living Oscar recipient !

~  ~  ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Well, there you have it.  I hope this thrilling information tides you over
until my return !!!  If I have missed someone BIG from the 1930’s, leave
me a comment (or send me an email) !  Don’t forget to check out my
AWESOME archives while I am away !!!  Thank you for reading.  More
great reviews coming to you SOON !

~

Daniel’s Critical Corner:  ALWAYS a “10″ out of “10″ !!!

True It Is, Obi-Wan…  In Bantha Poodoo, Stepped Have I.

  ~ Hello Everyone ~
Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !
(Where you will never find a more wretched hive
of scum and villainy).  Today, the Force is strong with:
 Star Wars: The Clone Wars

A long time ago in a galaxy far,
far away…

Episode LXXVII

Bob Hope

*                                             *  
                *
*

                *                                                   *

The year is 1977, and
 young Danny B. has just come
  back from seeing Star Wars
for the very first time at a
drive-in with his parents.
He is now a total fan!

 *                 *

*

         *                                                            *
*
                      *

 Yep.  It’s a fact.  Ever since that magical night so many years back,
I have been hooked.  My Mom and Dad knew it, and automatically
started feeding my need by purchasing me Star Wars figures !!! 

Thank goodness I was the first generation born into the Star Wars
 era.  If I were around just ten years prior, I would have been playing
with wooden cowboys, puppets and trains.  YUCK !  No “Howdy
Doody” for me !!!   

Christmas of 1977 was the first wave…  Santa Claus brought me
the action figures of Darth Vader, Ben Kenobi,  Luke Skywalker,
Princess Leia,  C-3PO and R2-D2 !!!  I also scored with a sweet
inflatable “Lightsaber”.  Not to mention the “Death Star” and  
a “Landspeeder” !

For my Birthday the next year, more cool stuff !  I received a
“TIE Fighter” and a “Dewback”… Not to mention Chewbacca, 
 some Stormtroopers, and Han Solo !!!   (For Easter, the Easter
Bunny would always hide Star Wars figures with the chocolate
eggs) ! 

 *                                              *       *

*                 * 

*            *
Just Dew It !!!
 
                            *
*
*                                                    

 Mom has (mostly) fond memories of me playing Star Wars.
There was this one time, while in the kitchen loading up the
dishwasher,  she was startled by a horrific scream coming
out of my room.  It was a high pitch shriek of sheer terror,
  causing her to actually drop a glass ! 

In a panic, she bolted back to my bedroom, where another
shrill cry was piercing the air.  The door was closed, and Mom
opened it cautiously wondering what I had done to myself.

She found me holding my Princess Leia figure.  “What in the
world is going on” ?  Mom asked with concern in her voice.
I responded by saying,  “Princess Leia fell off a cliff” !  Ha !   
Boy, was my Mom ticked off.  I had this habit of putting my
figures up on a top bookcase shelf, and some poor character
would inevitably end up falling to their death (always in slow
motion, and hollering all the way down).

And people say that “Revenge of the Sith” was dark.  Hmmmph.
I was implementing tragedy into “Star Wars” long before that.
(No, I’m not condoning it) !

Star Wars should be kept light, and fortunately, that’s what the
new movie is all about.  Some people have complained that this
CGI vehicle is geared towards kids…  And in many respects it is. 
But that really isn’t such a bad thing.  When I saw the first movie
so many small moons ago, I was only seven years old.  I’m glad it
wasn’t rated “PG-13″, “R” or “X-Wing”.  Can you imagine? 

Me:  “Hey Dad, when can I go see the new ‘Star Wars’ movie” ?

Dad:  “Not until you are 18 son.  ‘Star Wars’ is for grown-ups”.

I realize all of us original “Star Wars” fans have gotten older.  But
please, let’s keep it for kids as well, so they can grow up loving it
 too. Everyone is so jaded these days. To anyone who wants more  
death and destruction, I fart in your general Grievous direction !

This new film has the lowest body count of the entire series. 
There is, however, plenty of violence against Robots.  But they
DESERVE it.  They are bad, naughty robots.  Robots from the
wrong end of town.  Robots without a cause ! 

Our story centers around Anakin Skywalker and Ben Kenobi,
trying to save the day again by rescuing Jabba the Hutt’s baby,
“Rotta”  AKA “Stinky”.  Poor little Stinky has been kidnapped by
  the Separatists, (led by the vile Count Dooku) in an attempt to 
force Jabba to work with them.  Stinky the Hutt is sooo cute ! 
I love me some Stinky.  Yes, he looks like his Dad, but he has 
really taken on more of his good traits.

Return Of The “Red-Eye”

To help save the little ball of blubber, Yoda sends Anakin and
Ben one of those pantomime Padme WHATEVER learners named
Oshkosh B’Gosh (or something like that).  She is quite a spunky
addition to our crew, and has future Jedi written all over her ! 
(But that’s only because she passed out at a party and someone
had a black marker).

Of course, there are plenty of villains on board to thwart our
friend’s plans.  Some bald Jedi chick named Ventress, a creature
known as Whorm Loathsom, and Jabba’s gay uncle (to name a
a few) !

Yes,  Jabba has a gay uncle !  “Ziro the Hutt” !  He just MAKES
this movie. He wears a feather and emulates Truman Capote ! 
He owns a sleazy nightclub in Seedy City, and he’s one of the
most colorful new characters to grace the Star Wars universe in
   a while !!!  We learn that Jabba actually has THREE gay uncles.  
Due to time constraints, two of them were cut from the film.

Elton the Hutt

Rosie the Hutt

Now, the CGI in this movie isn’t the best ever, I will be the first to
admit.  Sometimes, it kind of looks like a “Dire Straits” video.  But,
the action is thrilling, the backdrops are stunning AND the killer
  soundtrack will blow your socks clean off.  This flick also seems to  
have a great sense of humor about itself.  For example,  The battle
droids have some awesome one-liners !  They manage to give off a 
“Keystone Cops” kind of vibe.  And, reminding me of my youth, one
of them goes screaming off a cliff in dramatic (and rather hilarious)
fashion !

Much to my happy delight, Samuel L. Jackson, Christopher Lee and
Anthony Daniels add their voice talents this time around, so “Star
Wars: The Clone Wars” has a warm, familiar air to it !  (No, I’m not
talking about Stinky’s flatulence).  And I did get some goosebumps
during the final showdown in the courtyard !!!  It is a fierce battle
between Ventress and Ben.  He finds her to be quite a worthy foe
 when she whips out her double-ended lightsaber.  KINKY.  She may
not look like much, but she’s got it where it counts !

This story will continue on in the form of a TV show coming to
Cartoon Network.  It’s not quite as entertaining as The Family
Guy’s “Blue Harvest”, but almost…  LOL !!!  It will be nice to see 
more of these engaging characters soon.      

“Star Wars: The Clone Wars” has the droids you’re looking for !

~

Would I Recommend This ?  Yes

Daniel’s Critical Rating:  “7.5″ out of “10″

 
See That Girl - Watch That Scene - Diggin’ The Death Race Queen !
*(But You Can’t Get In If You’re Under Seven-Teen)

~ Hello Everyone ~
Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !
Staying The Course Today:  Death Race

As an exceptional summer of blockbusters draws to a close, you
may be asking yourself what is left to see this weekend ? If seeing
“The Dark Knight” a fifth time doesn’t suit you, I have a great idea.

   Friday night and the lights are low.  Looking out for the place to go.
Where they play the right movies, getting in the swing…  You come
to look for a king.  Jason Statham could be that guy: Cars are fast
and the octane’s HIGH.

With a bit of rock music, everyone will die (as those bull-ets fly)…

And when you get the chance…  Ugh !!!  Whoops.  Sorry folks.  I should
know better than to listen to the soundtrack from “Mamma Mia!” while 
writing my review for “Death Race”.  I started to get off track.  Let’s back
up just a little bit  (after I check my review mirror).  Come on, give me 
a break will you ?

Now THIS is what I call an action flick.  “Death Race” is what “Wanted”
should have been.  Non-stop thrills, chills and spills !  Hmmmph.  What 
was up with “Wanted” anyway ?  It should not take twenty minutes for 
a guy to fall out of a window.  People want more THUD and less DUD. 

If you enjoy watching Angelina Jolie do yoga on top of a train, more
power to you.  But I’m looking for fast AND furious !!!  Thankfully,
“Death Race” does deliver the goods.  I’ll take exploding cars over
exploding rats any day.  

 
So That’s Why They Say Ratatouille Is “Da Bomb” !

  “Death Race” is a movie about REVENGE (among other things).  Jason
Statham plays Jensen Ames,  a factory worker with an infant daughter
and a nice wife with a Donna Reed haircut.  They are indeed a strange
match.  He is a tattooed dude with no personality whatsoever, and
she seems to be channeling a soccer mom.  One night (while in the
kitchen sauteing onions), Mrs. Ames is murdered… And Jensen gets
framed for the horrific crime.

He gets sent to a futuristic high security prison called “Terminal Island”
 and before you can say “drop the soap”, Jensen is making enemies left and
right.  As is obligatory in any and all prison movies, there is a typical fight  
scene in the cafeteria !  You know, where the “fresh meat” is just sitting 
down on his first day there,  and someone comes up to his table and tries 
to give him a hard time  ! There are two possible outcomes.  They never
vary.  Either the guy’s food gets taken, or somebody spits on it.  (This 
time around, we have a spitter) !!!

After the gratuitous lunchroom riot ensues, our pummeled pal gets sent
to the Warden’s office.  Gulp !!!  The Warden (played with evil glee by
Joan Allen), just so happens to be interested in his past racing career. 
She televises “death races”,  where prisoners are forced to compete
against each other driving fast cars around the prison in exchange for 
their chance at freedom.  The winner takes it all.  The loser has to fall. 
It’s simple (and it’s plain)…  Why should I complain ?

 ~ ~ ~

 ~ ~ ~

 The Gods may throw the dice…   Their minds as cold as ICE…

And someone way down here, looses someone dear.

The winner takes it AAAALLLLLL !

Oh no !  Oops.  That does it.  I’m turning my player off.  No more
“Mamma Mia!”.  Wait…  Hold on a second…  It’s a song I really like ! 
I’m going to have to turn this tune up.  Speaking of “tune ups”,
let’s get back to my review… 

Our hero creates absolute “Hell On Wheels”, in the form of an armored
racing car complete with machine guns and napalm ! He has to compete 
with similar tricked out mean machines, and when he puts the pedal to 
that metal, beware !!!  If you liked the scene where the truck flips over 
in “The Dark Knight”, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet.  Plus, we get to witness  
 a rather interesting transformation, when Jensen Ames dons a mask and  
becomes the intimidating driver known only as “Frankenstein” !!!

Halfway through the race, Jensen realizes he has been set up by The
Warden herself.  She wanted high ratings for her show, so she had him
take the blame for the murder of his wife.  It was The Warden who had 
poor Mrs. Ames bumped off in the first place !   When he learns of this
scheme, he refuses to go on with the race.  But the foul fiend uses his 
daughter as leverage.  What NERVE !!!  If he ever wants to see the cute 
little waif again, he has to continue …  And win (of course) !

Go Death Racer !

The Warden does not plan on anyone winning however, because it is all
about the ratings.  So she devises a plot to kill our dashing driver if he 
crosses the finish line.  What’s a guy to do ?

 He decides on planning a grand escape.  One that would allow him to
get sweet revenge in the process.  And that’s when the sparks really
start to fly !  It isn’t long before he is joined by some hot chick from a
woman’s penitentiary , while forming an unlikely alliance with one of  
his competitors.

In many ways, this movie is just plain awful.  But it is what it is…
 Jason Statham exhibits the acting prowess of cardboard, but he’s still 
a super trouper !  There really isn’t a plot beyond “you hurt me, now
I will hurt you back”.  And for some strange reason I kept expecting
Morgan Freeman to show up and say a few words.

 Make no mistake… What we have here is nothing more than a campy
  exploitation flick.  (But I’m not saying that like it’s a bad thing).  LOL !  

Despite an occasional sputter or two,  “Death Race” never STALLS !

   ~

Would I Recommend This ?  Yes

Daniel’s Critical Rating:  “7″ out of “10″

 
Matthew McConaughey Did What With A Placenta ? 

~ Hello Everyone ~
Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !
Today’s Investigation:  The X-Files:
I Want To Believe

As the sun reflected in her dewy eyes, the beautiful woman
with the auburn hair looked longingly out the window.  Ever
patient, she tried to quell the deep aching in her heart.  Soon
he would come.  Her wet, thirsty desires quenched. 

They always came.  She was not to be denied.  The Cable Guy,
The Plumber, The TV Repairman, and yes, even the Postman. 
  He never had to ring twice.  (The key was left under the mat).  
And then there was the pool boy…  The NAUGHTY pool boy.
 Felipe.  He didn’t speak English but they both spoke the
language of love.

And now, there was the FBI agent.  Rugged.  Rough.  He
didn’t play by the rules, not like the others.  And this drove 
her insane.  Could she break him ?  Only time would tell…
Then a sound…  A car pulling into the driveway.  He had
arrived.   

Soon, forbidden passion would become a reality.  She could 
see his silhouette against the setting sun.  A man, standing
proud and sure.  The man she desired, the man who desired 
her.  He doesn’t knock.  He doesn’t use the key.  He kicks
 down the door, and within moments rips his shirt off.  He is 
    older than she.  Mature.  Knowledgeable.  Ready to teach her   
things…  Ready to tell her…

“Scully, we have a new case.  Get in the car, let’s go” !

What the heck ?  I can’t tell you how disappointed I was when 
this dude said that ! I thought this film was “X-Rated”.  Boy,  
was I in for a surprise.  Everyone in this movie has the acting
talent of a vegetable.  Talk about “soft corn” !!!  And the only
boob we get to see is in the form of David Duchovny. 
(Granted, he is quite supple) !  

David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson are back once again   
as “Mold” and “Scrubby”,  trying to recapture some of the  
magic from the long dead “X-Files” series.  And let me tell 
you, they should have left well enough alone !  Anderson is 
starting to look like a cross between Jodie Foster and Margot 
Kidder…  Not the SEXY “Superman” Margot Kidder mind you, 
but the Margot Kidder of TODAY.  Duchovny has held up well, 
probably because he sold his soul to the devil in the third 
season.

^ Margot Kidder: Then

^ Margot Kidder: Now

At any rate, these two are flushed out of retirement and
into each others arms to crack yet another mysterious case. 
An FBI agent is missing, and women are turning up dead in a
snowy West Virginia town.  The only person who may be   
able to help them is an old priest who has done time for
child molesting.

This priest is really a creep, and to be honest he looks like a
character out of a really bad Stephen King movie.  One of the 
made-for-TV stinkers.  His hair is really lame and he runs like
Forrest Gump.

Well, he has “visions”.  He says there are two men responsible
for the murders.  The same men have kidnapped the FBI agent
who went missing.  Whenever the priest has a premonition, his
eyes bleed.  (My eyes did the same thing while watching this
awful flick).

There is indeed a shroud of mystery in “The X-Files: I Want
To Believe”.  What monster is behind the grizzly trail of body
parts being left to taunt the FBI ?  What vile creature could be
so callus ?  Aliens probably.  No.  I wish.  Warning:  Here are 
the spoilers…  The terrifying “evil” plaguing our heroes is  
none other than…

Homosexuals that got married in Massachusetts !  AAAAHHHH !

No.  I’m not one of those crazy “ballot people” from California. 
I’m telling you the truth.  It’s out there.  The “X-File’s” movie 
monsters are a legally married gay couple from Massachusetts.  
That’s not very “PC”.  I felt like reporting this movie to “La Bamba”
(or whatever they’re called). Or “Daddies Against Discrimination”. 
Or even  “The Rainbow Connection”.   

OK.  We are already going downhill here, but let’s not stop until 
we hit rock bottom.  The couple seems to have been turned to
the “dark side” because they were molested by the psychic 
priest as children.

Since they are gay, of course, these guys really want to be WOMEN. 
Whatever.  One of them is a brilliant scientist or something, and he  
creates a two-headed dog !!!  Suddenly, while looking at his strange 
“double dogger”,  he gets the BRIGHT idea to surgically put his head
on a woman’s body.  He tries, to some success.  But (giggle), the  
bodies keep rejecting his noggin ! So, if at first you don’t succeed,
die, die again.   

All the while this is going on, we have to suffer through our heroes
trying to rekindle their romance, Duchovny going on and on about
his long lost sister, and a heated banter about stem cell research.

Be Honest…  Do I Sort Of Look Like “Han Solo”  ? 

When we finally get to the climax, it’s hard to keep a straight face ! 
I wanted to laugh as “The Bride Of Dragenstein” comes off the slab.  
We have a wrinkled guy’s head on a sewn together woman’s body, 
sporting a truly impressive manicure (and painted nails). Then, the    
ugly thing lunges at the camera in a typical “scare” moment.  Don’t
get me wrong, I’m glad to see Cher back on the big screen but this
is just ridiculous.

This flick is such an affront to anyone with good taste.  The 
leads are obviously all bored, it’s ultra-low budget and they
actually turn the molester into some sort of glorified “hero” at
  the end.  He does however, drop dead.  Turns out he had lung  
cancer.  This character doesn’t cough even once, and he runs 
through the snow on more than one occasion like an Olympic
 Athlete.  Then BOOM.  Dead.  A heart attack would have made
 sense…  But this film isn’t about sense.

It’s about “Friends of Dorothy” Devising Diabolical
Decapitations !!!

There is one clever moment in the entire movie, (when they  
show a picture of George W. Bush and play the “X-Files” theme
music).  But after that, clever goes out the window, and in    
crawls the sex change patient from HELL.  No, I’m not talking 
about Nancy Pelosi.  LOL !!!  Ugh…  From what I’ve heard, the  
sequel isn’t going to be much better… 

Desiring to know what it feels like to “win”, Hillary Clinton tries
to get her head put on Brett Favre.  But this is done legally, and
money changes hands.  Hillary gives Brett a crisp new dollar bill
(for a 75 cent operation),  just so she can get a quaterback. 

“I Want To Believe”?  Hmmmph.  More like I want to throw up.

~

Would I Recommend This ?  No

Daniel’s Critical Rating:  “2.5″ out of “10″

This Is Just Tomb Much !

 ~ Hello Everyone ~
Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !
Unearthed Today:  The Mummy: Tomb of the
Dragon Emperor

Imagine if you will, a tomb.  Buried for centuries…  Now, Imagine darkness.
A darkness so bleak that it would terrify even the blind… A darkness, so
vast, that it is known only to the dead.  And then, imagine silence…

 Deep within the forgotten chambers, lies an empty vessel.  Once a man, now
a crumbling shell…  Abandoned centuries ago by even the maggots that used
to delight in feasting on its moist, rotting flesh. 

But then, into the darkness comes light.  Someone has stumbled upon this
ancient resting place.  Someone has spoken the words that will revive the now 
soulless silhouette of what used to be a human being.  Dried up lungs, devoid   
of air for an eternity, start to breathe again.  The creature (long silent), that  
used to laugh and sing of love, now tries to utter vengeful whispers through
cracked lips and breath riddled with dust. 

IT LIVES !  IT WALKS AGAIN !  Reaching out, looking for someone’s throat, 
(so that it may strangle them with skeletal fingers misshapen into claws)…  
Bringing about an eternity of anguish for whoever dares cross its vile path !

  OK, enough about Harrison Ford in “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the
Crystal Skull”.  Let’s start talking about the brand new “Mummy” movie !!! 

Darn it.  I had some great puns lined up for all of you today.  Such as “Who
would have figured Jet Li to be a wrap star” ? Or, “That’s a wrap” !  But,  
(much to my dismay), this movie is all crap and NO wrap.  What we have 
here is a “mummy-free” mummy movie.  Yep.  Not a single Ace Bandage to 
be found !!!  I’ve got no choice but to entertain everyone with jokes about 
pottery, and not of the “Harry” variety. 

What were they thinking ?  A mummy without bandages is like having a
werewolf without fur !  Dracula without fangs!  Amy Winehouse without
crack !  It just doesn’t WORK !

“The Mummy:  Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”, is the highly unanticipated
sequel to “The Mummy” and “The Mummy Returns”.  Brendan Fraser once
more portrays Rick O’Connell,  looking fresh as ever, ready to do battle 
again with icky undead entities.  His wife Evie is also on board, but this 
time Rachel Weisz has been replaced by Maria Bello.  No big deal there.

The New “Mummy Dearest”

  Rick and Evie find out that their son Alex (now an adult) has found an
ancient tomb in China.  But things start to escalate after they excavate.  
Alex, as it seems, just discovered the Pottery Barn FROM HELL.  One of 
China’s most feared Monarchs, “The Dragon Emperor” (Jet Li) is buried 
there, alongside his soldiers. They are all encased in terra cotta.  And,
according to this movie, that qualifies them to be mummies.  A far cry 
from the original bandaged beast, “Imhotep” !   

An ancient spell stirred up by double-crossing bad guys brings the evil 
terra cotta ruler and his minions to life, then they run amok.  Fortunately,  
these creatures are just made of clay, hence easy to break.  I’m thinking,  
what’s the big deal ?  So some overgrown “flower pots” with spears are
terrorizing the town.  No worries.  Ha !  Was I wrong.  It turns out, if they
go past the Great Wall of China, they become IMMORTAL and, therefore,
INDESTRUCTIBLE.  Of course…  Makes sense to me !  Plus, the demonic
Emperor Han (should’ve called him “Ham” with all of the overacting) does
not stay stoned through the entire film…  He is a mover and a shaper,
turning himself into a three-headed dragon !!! 

Sheesh.  Who comes up with this stuff ?  Well, the hapless O’Connell
family get help from an immortal ninja princess and her mother, a
good witch. Ever resourceful, this band of heroes builds an army of  
their own, out of skeleton soldiers and funny looking Yetis.  Yep. 
Abnormal Snowmen.  Talk about Abominable ! 

The “special” effects in this movie are pretty lame.  They would have
even been considered lame thirty years ago.  When we actually get to 
see Jet Li’s horrible face of terror (his plaster mask breaks off), it looks 
like someone raided the set of “Creepshow” or stole the “Crypt Keeper”
puppet.  I guess it really hurts being entombed in pottery for a couple
thousand years.  A dreadful condition known as Clay Achin’ ! 

Get Your Tickets To “Riverdance” Today ! 

 One of the biggest distractions I found was that the entire movie had
a “claustrophobic” feel to it.  You just KNOW this flick was filmed on
some soundstage or small backlot, almost every step of the way.  With
perhaps a couple of exceptions,  I kept waiting for the edge of the    
green screen to show up ! 

But the “Inconsistency of the Year Award” goes to the character of
General Ming.  At the beginning of the story, it is implied that he is
torn apart from limb to limb.  Left to right.  Front to back. From sea
to shining sea.  EVERY appendage this guy has is tied to a different
horse.  Heck, I think they actually ADDED a couple of appendages
for affect !  And, of course the horses run in every direction (like 
this movie).  When he comes back from the dead, he is only
missing an arm.  Go figure. 

Also, Brendan Fraser is only 39 years old, and yet his son is played by 
Luke Ford, (age 27). That’s just freaky.  I’m willing to buy into illusion
somewhat, but c’mon now.  Would it have killed them to get an actual 
teenager to fill the son’s shoes ?  I guess it could have been worse…    
They originally had Mickey Rooney slated for the role, but he couldn’t
find his teeth.

If anything, this movie provides a nice little chaser for “The Dark Knight”.  
At least its heart is in the right place (a jar).  Nothing wrong with harmless
fluff.  The newspaper says that “The Dark Knight” made this movie number
two over the weekend !  Now THERE is an understatement !  LOL !  “Tomb
of the Dragon Emperor” is almost watchable as a guilty pleasure, but I’d
still wait for it as a rental.  You shouldn’t have to spend ten dollars on a
  movie that looks like it only cost about five to make.

Let’s lay this series to rest.  No need for it to “drag on” any further !

~

Would I Recommend This ?  No

Daniel’s Critical Rating:  “6″ out of “10″

  
Hi Bob !  Sorry I’m late for shooting practice…

~ Hello Everyone ~
Welcome To Daniel’s Critical Corner !
Today I’m Going Batty Over:  The Dark Knight

WOW !  It is FINALLY here.  The weekend we have ALL been waiting for ! 
After months and months of anticipation, one of the biggest events in
 cinematic history is being unveiled before the world’s hungry eyes !  Yes 
folks,  you can now stop marking the days off your calender.  My review 
    for “The Dark Knight” has arrived !!!

I know some of you are sitting at home, dressed up as either Batman or
The Joker, reading this review as you bang away on your laptops.  That’s OK. 
I’m used to people in funny outfits checking my stuff out…  As long as you
keep sending me pictures it’s totally cool.  *(Note to the guy that dresses like
“Elektra”:  I’m flattered but PLEASE get a waxing before trying to pull that
look off again).

So here we are.  “The Dark Knight”.  Hailed as one of the greatest
superhero movies of all time…  But does it stand up to the hype ?  The
answer is, surprisingly, YES !  Is it the best ever ?  That’s certainly
debatable.  Some people would say so…  I’d be inclined to say it’s at
least in the top five, (with the innovative “Iron Man” still on the
throne in my book).

It’s appropriate that the new “Batman” film has brought everything full
circle so to speak.  Tim Burton’s 1989 vision really was the prototype
for this genre as we know it.  Until that point, the only superhero to
be successfully brought to the big screen was “Superman”.  Thanks to
Mr. Burton, we learned that classic comic books could be given a
contemporary spin, and that opened the flood gates. There has been
no turning back. 

I’ve been a fan of Batman through ALL of his incarnations.  From the
campy tights-wearing version of the 1960’s, to the ultra-emo version
of today.   But really, no one goes to these films to see Batman himself.
As superheros go, he is a total bore.  We show up for THE VILLAINS.   
Yep.  Nobody can boast a more exciting lineup.

What does Superman have ?  Lex Luthor ?  Every single movie, Superman
has to battle some bald dude.  Big whoop.  Spider-Man has a little variety,
but his bad guys are just never that deep.  But Batman…  His foes always
have flair, and they are generally driven by something deep and sinister.

The Penguin, The Riddler, Catwoman and The Joker are arguably the
most famous comic book baddies to ever grace the big screen, and
we have Batman to thank for each and every one of them.  They are 
known for having a good time,  while our hero sits in a dark corner 
and broods.  Will someone call Dr. Phil for that guy ?  He has issues. 
I know his parents were killed, but this fellow needs to get over it !

He is just so DEPRESSED.  Even with all that money.  Go figure…  And for
someone suffering with depression he actually gets around pretty well.  If I 
were sad all the time, the LAST thing I would want to do would be to prance
around in a funny costume and then run around town fighting people.  I’d be 
more like the lady in that antidepressant commercial.  You know the one… 
She’s lying on a sofa, and her dog comes up with a ball…  She just sort of 
waves her hand at the perplexed pup in a “go away” gesture and then a   
 voice comes out of nowhere and says “Depression Hurts”.  Yep.  If I were 
a gloomy Gus I’d really want to take a long nap too.  Can you imagine if 
that woman just jumped off of the sofa, and then ran out the front door 
 wearing a cape ?  Boy, would her dog be pissed.

Our friend Bruce Wayne doesn’t seem to let the blues slow him down.  In this
new movie, we find Bruce (Played by Christian Bale) deep and introspective    
as usual.  Gotham City is finding crime on the decline, thanks to his alter
ego’s heroic actions.  An honest politician by the name of Harvey Dent
(Aaron Eckhart) is the new DA in office, and he is also causing criminals  
to be weary of their evil deeds. 

Enter “The Joker”.  A total schizophrenic nut, played with unrestrained glee by
the late Heath Ledger.  Now HERE is a nemesis none of us will soon forget.  Of
course, people are saying because he died just after filming this picture that it
 really gives his performance an “edge”.  Hmmmph.  Dead Schmead.  He would
have been considered a genius no matter what.  His Joker is THAT good.

Be Honest…  Is My Mascara Running ?

Now, this movie is very DARK.  And there are so many characters, and so many
subplots, and plots within plots, and plots about plots that it’s hard to give “The 
Dark Knight” an in-depth synopsis.  But I will try to sum it up the best that I can.
 It sounds like a mess, but it all works on EVERY level !  From awesome directing
to great acting, this is one helluva ride (and Hans Zimmer has outdone himself 
with an intense soundtrack) !!!

The Joker wants to prove to the world that anyone and everyone is corruptible.
He tries to get the mob to turn on themselves, and he tries to get Harvey Dent
and Batman to turn evil.  He actually succeeds with Dent, as a horrible tragedy
disfigures him and he becomes the monster known as “Two-Face”.  

An all-star cast adds class to this brilliant morality play, as Morgan Freeman,
Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Cillian Murphy and Maggie Gyllenhaal all do their
thing to perfection.  But Heath Ledger steals the show…  It would be nice to  
see him get an Oscar nod for this.  Not just to honor his legacy, but for the 
sake of recognizing a very popular genre that’s