Hercules in New York (1970)

Thanks Hulu.com!

The Machinist (2004)

The Machinist is a brilliant movie -- Let's not mince words. Even when you forget about Christian Bale's 63 pound weight loss for the role (which he gained back and more for his next role in Batman Begins), the movie is still a hauntingly well produced thriller. The twist ending is an instant classic, up there with the ranks of The Sixth Sense. Bales stars as Trevor Reznik, a machinist suffering from insomnia and complete loss of appetite. The rest is up to you to find out!

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

8mm (1999)

I wrote earlier about the sequel to this film, 8mm 2. That movie was horrible and totally unrelated. Thank goodness the original was much better. 8mm stars Nicolas Cage as PI Tom Welles. Welles is hired to investigate the authenticity of a supposed "Snuff Film" found in the possessions of a dead billionaire. His family wants to know whether it was real and whether the guy was responsible for creating it. This movie is a real physiological thriller. And in case you wanted to know, Snuff Films don't exist in real life!

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Pitch Black (2000)

I caught Pitch Black on cable the other week. It is the predecessor of The Chronicles of Riddick which was released a few years later. Both star Vin Diesel as Richard B. Riddick. Due to the popularity of the second film (which I reviewed here), this first film has been renamed, aka, The Chronicles of Riddick: Pitch Black.

The film is cool but strange. The story is totally out of context -- you are just thrown into a scenario (a bunch of space travelers crash landed on a strange planet) and go from there. Riddick is a criminal of mysterious background who was being transported on the flight and now must decide whether he wants to help the others or let them be eaten by the planet's strange darkness monsters. A good film to watch if you are interested in the sequel.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes Entry]

A Good Host is Invaluable

Here's a great and succinct post [the] Best Web Hosting Company written by kaushal sheth. According to Kaushal, the top three out there are:

• Host Monster
• Host Gator
• Yahoo Host

While I didn't have any direct experience with any of these three web hosting companies, the article has piqued my interest. On some of my other blogs I use Blue Host. But after reading this article on best web hosting company services, I think I might have to check out Host Monster. Kaushal says Host Monster is the best by far, offering 100% uptime. That's an important factor when it comes to web hosting. Sure it's nice to have your blog up all the time (by the way, Google's Blogger is not up 100% of the time!), but when it comes to a business or corporate blog, you can't afford not to be "always on". As Kaushal knows, a black-out really kills your site when it comes to reader loyalty. Go for a professional hosting service and put these fears to bed.

As he points out, another thing to look for is the interface you get. cPanel is by far the easiest and best all around hosting interface there is. It's easy to learn and powerful when it comes to setting up sites and performing maintenance.

August Rush (2007)

I just saw this movie on the plane to Mexico City -- August Rush. Trust me, it's not a movie I would watch in any other condition and I didn't even bother to put on the head phones. But even without the sound (actually I could hear my neighbors super-loud set!) Starring Keri Russel, this movie is about a little boy who is a musical genius and how he reunites his strange family.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes Entry]

Cloverfield (2008)

Cloverfield was an awesome movie! It wasn't a life-changing film, but it sure was an action packed trill ride (to quote cheesy movie blurbs). Produced by J. J. Abrams, Cloverfield is a classic monster movie. There's no denying the 9/11-related imagery from the movie, but it's all a little more in perspective since the original Godzilla was a cultural response to the nuclear bombing or Hiroshima on Japan. Check it out on the big screen and look for a "sequel" coming out next year.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes Entry]

Drillbit Taylor

Check out the trailer for this new Owen Wilson movie coming out later this year. It's called Drillbit Taylor and it looks very funny:

What a riot -- it's sort of like SuperBad meets (insert-any-Owen-Wilson-movie-here). Get the point?

Watch Out for "Teeth"

Um, this movie looks very strange! So strange that I am not going to link directly to it but instead I'll link over to my pal's site Chilli*Movies* where he posts about it. Click through twice to get to the trailer on Apple's site. Beware! It's not for the faint of heart.

What Dreams May Come (1998)

What Dreams May Come was one of those great but not so memorable 1990s movies. When you watch it, you get caught up and involved in the story. But the next week or next month, it has already passed out of your mind. I almost forgot I saw this movie until I ran across the title. Starring Robin Williams and Cuba Gooding Jr., the movie is based a book of the same title. It is a very colorful and visually stimulating movie with a spiritual and fantasy storyline.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes Entry]

Cloverfield

This new movie, coming out January 18, 2008 looks amazing. I can't wait to see it. Directed by the producer of Lost, J.J.Abrahms, Cloverfield is going to be a HUGE monster movie.

RoboCop (1987)

What a classic! I think you either love this movie or hate it. For me its the former. RoboCop was not just a great action movie, but a sci-fi fun fest and parody of the corporate business world. Just think of what the pitch for this movie might have sounded like -- a cop is badly hurt, then rebuilt into RoboCop! What?!? I think I am going to buy this one on DVD so I can watch it again and again.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Thank You for Smoking (2006)

I caught the 2006 film, Thank You for Smoking, on HBO recently. It wouldn't be something I'd pay to see in the theaters but on the small screen it was a good way to pass the time. The movie is based on a book (of the same name) by Christopher Buckley. It is a satire on the Tobacco lobby where it takes a fresh look from the inside. You actually find yourself rooting for the "bad guys" at some times. The film was a relatively small success but there are talks to continue the story as a TV series on NBC.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

House of 1000 Corpses (2003)

House of 1000 Corpses was one crazy movie -- but what else can you expect from Rob Zombie. I'm glad I saw this movie back when it was released in the Spring (of '03). If it was around Halloween time, then it might have been too much. The story is classic horror -- a bunch of kids go looking for a legend and end up with more than they bargained for. Well that's where this movie goes beyond any normal horror movie. This film is so beyond the limit and then some. It kind of sneaks up on you -- and before you know it, the movie is a shock-horror-fest. See it with the lights on.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)

Cheaper by the Dozen is either a horrible film or a great film, depending what you are going for. As a family-friendly film, it is fine. As any real piece of cinema, it is a worthless piece of crap. Starring Steve Martin, this film is so contrived and predictable, it is boring. I suppose if you want a feel-good family film, you'll find it here, but otherwise it is unfulfilling.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Doom (2005)

Did you catch the video-game inspired Doom feature film? Well I did and it wasn't that bad. Starring The Rock, Doom is based around the wildly popular video game and was directed by Andrzej Bartkowiak. The movie was loosely based on the game and had some wild action sequences. I thought the film was OK but could have been better. The Rock's character wasn't necessary the hero -- in fact, he was downright bad, sacrificing civilians for corporate concerns.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Cloverfield (2008)

Are you as excited about "Cloverfield" as I am? The new monster movie have officially been named Cloverfield and will be released January 18, 2008. The latest trailer has been released this weekend in the previews before Beowulf. This film, produced by Lost producer J. J. Abrams, has used a lot of viral marketing in the hype leading to this movie. I think the monster will be a giant sea monster, attacking NYC. Only time will tell -- stay tuned for updates!

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Ghostbusters (1984)

Ghostbusters brought sci-fi to mainstream. How else could such a silly story as Ghostbusters exist and gross so much money. How much? Try $240 million. It was really silly -- a group of parapsychologists (say what?) start a ghostbusting business and then the city is attacked by a giant marshmallow advertising character. It was amazing when it came out. Just the thought of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man walking down the street gives me chills to this day!

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

The Lion King (1994)

The Lion King was the 32nd Disney full feature film and grossed over $700 million worldwide. The movie is more of a musical than other Disney films with many major hit songs. It's no surprise that none other than Elton John and Tim Rice, wrote and produced the songs. The story is about a young lion who learns what it means to be king and saves his kingdom. The movie spawned two sequels. The Lion King 2 is aptly named but the strange one is the Lion King 1 1/2. How's that for a funny title?

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Speed (1994)

The original Speed was and still is a wonderful piece of action film. Sure it seems a little cheesy now, after the trouble of Speed 2 and all. But you can't diss this movie -- it was really original and action filled. It made an action star of Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock and earned over $300,000,000 worldwide. Not too shabby -- so the next time it comes on TV on a Sunday afternoon, give it some respect and watch it. It's OK, really.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry -- 93% Fresh!]

Signs (2002)

M. Night Shyamalan's 2002 film Signs lived up to the legend of his other films. Starring Mel Gibson and Joaquin Phoenix, once again it is the believability of the story which lulls you into a sense of watching reality. Just when you think its psychological only, boom! you see an alien at a Mexican birthday party! That scene was one of the best scary scenes of all time!

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Superman Returns (2006)

Superman Returns is the latest chapter in the Superman series. Released in 2006 and starring an unknown Brandon Routh as Superman, this movie is true to Superman lore, if not a little confusing. You see the movie takes places after a 5 year absence of Superman from Earth. Now he returns and needs to set some things straight. What? When did he leave? Well this whole fake back story isn't really explained but has a little to do with the first two original Superman movies.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

V for Vendetta (2006)

V for Vendetta is another in the long line of UK-crazy films. What do I mean? Well there are many films set in the future where the UK (or sometimes just London) is the last bastion of human civilization in a post-Apocalypse world. V for Vendetta is similar except for the point that the UK is in pretty bad shape itself, with a totalitarian government in control. Starring Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving, V is a stunning visual film with you rooting for the terrosist.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Fearless (2006)

Here's a great Jet Li movie -- Fearless. Loosely based on a true story, Fearless is a brilliantly played out story of redemption, personal growth, and honor. Jet Li plays Huo Yuanjia, the Chinese hero who fought foreigners in contests for the honor of China. Awesome fights scenes make reading the subtitles worth it. Check it out on HBO or via Netflix.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

The Addams Family (1991)

The Adda,s Family was the 1991 film adaptation of the 1950s era cartoon of the same name and the original drawings by Cartoonist Charles Addams. The film is a delightful adaptation of both, with elements from the cartoon included nicely with the more well known TV Series images. Starring Raúl Juliá, Anjelica Huston, and Christina Ricci, The Addams Family went on the spawn a series of sequels, none of which, in my opinion, were better than the original.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

War of the Worlds (2005)

Starring Tom Cruise with Dakota Fanning and Justin Chatwin as his kids, War of the Worlds is a true to the original remake of the classic radio play by H. G. Wells. Directed by Steven Spielberg this film got some flack for keeping the original ending which some consider "old-timey". I thought it was a good film and refreshing since the main character is not really the "hero" but instead a regular person just trying to protect his kids.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Walking Tall (2004)

The 2004 remake of Walking Tall stars The Rock and Johnny Knoxville. What a great combination! The film is loosely based on the real-life Sheriff Buford Pusser. Set in Kitsap County, Washington, the Rock must bring justice back to his town against the bad guys. The Rock is the center of attention (as usual) with Knoxville as the comedic relief.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Jawbreaker (1999)

Did you catch the 1999 dark teen comedy Jawbreaker? Starring Rose McGowan and Rebecca Gayheart as two parts of a holier-that-thou high school clique, this teen movie takes the genre in another direction. It is not overly intricate, but it's an OK movie. OK, so Rotten Tomatoes gives it a 7% rating (yikes!) but it's not THAT bad. Seriously.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

First Blood (1982)

First Blood is the official name of the first Rambo film. More of a drama than a pure action movie, First Blood tells the story of a Vietnam Vet trying to fit in back home. John Rambo is treated poorly by a town Sheriff in Hope, Washington and decides to stand his ground. It's a gripping movie in it's all too real (although fictionalized) story of a war veteran trying to regain control and integrate back into a society that doesn't want him.

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]

Ferris Bueller's Day Off (1986)

What a great high school movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off is. I mean, it makes you want to just be a careless high school student all over again. Starring Matthew Broderick as Ferris, we see his advernture as he takes yet another day off by faking sick and painting the town red. With a classic Principal cahracter, a hapless best friend, and a hot girlfriend, Ferris Bueller's Day Off has been commonly called director John Hughes' "best teen film".

[Click for Rotten Tomatoes entry]