Movie Review- Bring It On: Fight to the Finish

OK, I know what your thinking. "I can't believe you are actually reviewing "Bring it On". Dude, I can't believe you watched it." Well i did. This is the 5th installment in the "Bring it On" franchise, so there is obviously a demographic for these movies. But maybe they should stop. Actually I'm asking them to stop... in fact I'm begging. Anyway...hear goes.

The plot of "Bring it On: Fight to the Finish" is basically the same exactly plot as Hayden Panettierie's installment "Bring it On: All or Nothing" but instead of the main character going to the ghetto, she moves from East LA to Malibu. Christian Millian (who is at least 10 years removed from High School) plays Lina, a Cuban-American homegirl who is the captain of her East LA high school cheerleading squad. After her mother (Laura Ceron) marries a wealthy white man (David Starzyk), Lina is forced to move to Malibu to live with her new stepfather and new, extra hyper stepsister Skyler (Holland Roden).

PROS:
During a scene at a party, you hear at least 1 minute of Lady Gaga's "Just Dance". Even after this long, I still love this song!

CONS: Oh, boy... OK here goes. I have to make a list in order to make this make complete sense.

1) The movie was amazingly racist. Every line that came out of Avery and cronies mouth was a derogatory comment about Millian's ethnicity. Calling her "Latin Lambada" and "Dora the Explorer".

2) The movie probably tried to fit the word cheer into movie every chance they got. Words like "cheer-icide" and "cheer-mare". That is definitely 2 of possibly more than 3 dozen references.

3) NO CHEERING! The movie began with a "You Got Served"-esque dance-off and there were possibly only a total of 4 scenes with actually cheerleading. And the cheer competition referred to throughout the movie doesn't happen for at least an hour and 45 minutes into the move. Though it felt a lot longer. I fell asleep twice.

4) Unlike the other films, the protagonist in this story was completely unlikable. Millian's character is snooty and mean to her new family for a good portion of the beginning of the movie. I know the character was going through a transition, but how can you feel bad for her being completely evil to everyone.

5) Some of the best squads in America are all-white squads from the suburbs. So why in this movie is it that a squad can't be any good without 3 or 4 trips to East LA to learn moves from some thugs and gangstas. This is a movie for young girls and it definitely doesn't set a good example at all.

Recommendation:
Never, ever see this movie

WRITTEN BY:
Elena Stone
Alyson Fouse

DIRECTED BY:
Billie Woodruff

MAIN CAST:
Christina Millian ("Love Don't Cost A Thing", "Be Cool")
Rachele Brooke Smith ("Fired Up", "17 Again")
Cody Longo ("Ball Don't Lie", "Fame")
Holland Roden ("Consideration")
Vanessa Born ("Underpass", "Sky")
Gabrielle Dennis ("Drifter", "Hollywood Horror")
Brandon Gonzales
Laura Ceron ("Losing Isaiah" TV's ER)
David Starzyk ("TV's Prison Break", "Prison Break: Final Break")
Nikki Soohoo ("Stick It")

SIMILAR TITLES:
"Bring It On" Series, "Stick It", "Fired Up"

NEXT MOVIE TO BE BLOGGED:
STATE OF PLAY-Trailer

Movie Review- Sunshine Cleaning

Here is yet another movie i am reviewing in which the powers that be have used the makers of the movie as a marketing technique. Sure, it works, fans of "Little Miss Sunshine" may watch this movie because it's made by the same people, but anyone expecting the same movie is mistaken. But that doesn't mean it isn't a good movie.

"Sunshine Cleaning" revolves around Rose Lorkowski (Amy Adams). Rose is the single mother of an imaginative 8-year old named Oscar (Jason Spevack) and works cleaning houses. Her widower father Joe (Alan Arkin) is always trying to make money using get-rich-quick schemes to make money, whether it's selling candy to candy shops or imported shrimps to restaurants. Her sister Norah (Emily Blunt) is a free spirit who can't hold onto a job or control her impulses. Though Rose may seem the most stable minded member of the Lorkowski clan, she is currently stuck in dead-end relationship with married homicide detective Mac (Steve Zahn). After a man kills himself in a sporting goods store, Mac learns of a crime scene clean-up service that came in after the shooting. He later suggests it to Rose, thinking it would be a good alternative for her. Rose mulls it over, but takes it seriously after her son gets in trouble in school again. Deciding her son needs private school, Rose decides to go forward with the crime scene clean-up service and enlists her sister to join. After a few bumps in the road, the cleaning service proves to be successful, however it does conjure up bad memories of their mother's death, especially when Norah finds pictures of a dead woman's daughter Lynn (Mary Lynn Rajskub) in their first house. She seeks conservative, shy Lynn out and forms a special bond with her, while not revealing her true intentions. Rose achieves some achievements in life throughout but still struggles to come to grips with her past and her increasingly complicated relationship with her family and Mac. Furthermore, she also has to contend with wanting to seek new found validation from her former classmates who all seem to have the life she seeks.

PROS:
Amy Adams. Adams does a great job of making Rose a character you want the best for. Her faux strength is a mirror image of many single mothers just trying to make it. It reminded me of my mother. In spite of challenges she faces, she has inspirational resolve. Her journey to find herself and find validation in the work she does and the life she has makes her completely relateable. Also, "Sunshine Cleaning" has a large amount of sweet, raw, real moments that allow you to fully know the characters and understand their motivation during certain scenes. I think the second best performance came from Clifton Collins Jr. Collins plays a one-armed cleaning supply store owner who later befriends Rose and her son Oscar. He comes off immediately as a guy you don't want to know, but soon becomes the most likable character in the supporting cast. In addition, the movie is considered a comedy, but in actuality the comedic moments are substantially less frequent than the dramatic moments.

CONS:
I felt Emily Blunt was under utilized in this film. Most of her scenes were slower and way more somber than her character seemed to be. Though it may be on purpose, it would have been nice to see Blunt character show a little bit more of the playful side we saw in the first part of the movie carry on. Second, Arkin's character seemed to be a subdued version of his character in "Little Miss Sunshine". He wasn't a drug addict or as profane, but the similarities are there. And not just because it is the same actor.

Recommendation:
Rent it.

WRITTEN BY:
Megan Holley

DIRECTED BY:
Christine Jeffs

MAIN CAST:
Amy Adams ("Enchanted", "Doubt")
Emily Blunt ("The Devil Wears Prada", "Dan In Real Life")
Alan Arkin ("Edward Scissorhands", "Little Miss Sunshine")
Jason Spevack ("Fever Pitch", "Hollywoodland")
Steve Zahn ("That Thing You Do", "Riding in Cars with Boys")
Clifton Collins Jr. ("Traffic", "Star Trek")
Mary Lynn Rajskub ("Sweet Home Alabama", "Little Miss Sunshine")
Eric Christian Olsen ("Not Another Teen Movie", "Eagle Eye")

SIMILAR TITLES:
Little Miss Sunshine, Spanglish, Thank You for Smoking

Movie Review- Adventureland

I will say that the concept of this movie relates to what alot of college students are going through right now. Hell, i even had a friend who worked at an amusement park after college graduation. That's one reason i knew i might like this movie. It turns out that that wasn't the only reason.

NOTE: This movie is written and directed by the director of "Superbad". But if you are expecting "Superbad" or its little brother, don't. Maybe it's a cousin. I will say it actually felt closer to "Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist" rather than "Superbad".

It's 1987 and James Brennan (Jesse Eisenberg) is a recent college graduate who life is turned upside down when he finds out his well-off father has to take a demotion at work and can no longer finance him. James is then forced to get a job at an amusement park to make money.

PROS:
Much like "Superbad" you learn to love these characters. You want them to succeed and you want to know where life is gonna take them. The movie doesnt have the laugh-out-loud moments that some of the "Superbad"-esque comedies have, but the movie has alot of heart. The characters are multi-dimentional on purpose and it works. They feel real and you catch that. The movie also does a good job of revealing the characters in a timely manner as well. Even things that are predictable come at a time that fits. The flow of the movie fits perfectly and the the fact that the film is set in 1987 adds a unique element that makes it work better than if it were set in modern day. I couldn't help but to laugh everytime a scene began with "Rock Me Amadeus" blasting in the background of the park. In addition, most of the performances are equally as strong as the story line, making it a perfect combination. Especially Bill Hader and Kristen Wiig who supply the majority of laughs.

CONS:
Only one thing irked me about this film and that was the fact that at times Jesse Eisenberg seemed to be imitating Michael Cera. The way he talked, his befuddled acting approach, his vast vocabulary and his awkward reactions are classic Cera. It was like it was written for Cera, which it may have been. Though Wiig's character seemed to be an extension of her character in "Knocked Up" and Martin Starr seems to be playing...Martin Starr, it works for them, they aren't the central character. I just felt Eisenberg couldn've carved his own niche.

Recommendation:
Buy it

WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY:
Greg Mottola

MAIN CAST:
Jesse Eisenberg ("The Village", "The Education of Charlie Banks")
Kristen Stewart ("Jumper", "Twilight")
Marin Starr ("Knocked Up", "Superbad")
Bill Hader ("Kncoked Up", "Tropic Thunder")
Kristen Wiig ("Knocked Up", "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story")
Ryan Reynolds ("Waiting...", "Just Friends")
Wendie Malick ("Waiting...", "Confessions of a Shopaholic")
Mary Birdsong ("Reno 911!:Miami", "Made of Honor")

Similar Titles:
Dazed and Confused, Nick and Nora's Infinite Playlist

Movie Review- Last House on the Left

So reader(s), if you don't like horror movies with blood, gore, pointless violence and an uncomfortable rape scene, then "The Last House on the Left" is not the movie for you.

This 2009 remake of the 1972 Wes Craven classic is unapologetically the most grotuestly violent, sadistic, and graphic movie I ever seen.

The movie opens with the Collinwood family (Father John (Tony Goldwyn) Mother Emma(Monica Potter) and swimmer Daughter Mari (Sara Paxton)) family preparing to go to vacation spot to spend a part of the summer. The family seems reletively happy though still mourning the loss of the eldest son earlier that year. After arriving at the house Mari visits her friend Paige (Martha MacIssac) who works at a local gas station. There they meet a quick teenager named Justin (Spencer Treat Clark). The two girls go to with Justin to his hotel room after Justin promises them good weed. After a nice smoke session in comes Justin's father Krug (Garrett Dillahunt), Krug's girlfriend Sadie (Riki Lindhome) and Krug's brother Francis (Aaron Paul). Turns out the three are wanted for murder and have no plans on allowing Mari and Paige to jeoparadize their freedom. After Paige's attempt to escape the girls are kidnapped. On the way to a highway, Mari manages to trick the suspects into driving near her home. She causes an accident when she attempts to escape and the crew ends up in the middle of the woods. After another escape attempt by Paige she is murdered. Soon after Mari is raped. She does manage to run away and tries to swim across the lake that leads to her house. She is shot on her way across. The three crooks now rendered car-less, decide to find the nearest house to get out of the approaching storm. They end up at the Collinwood residence. After a tense and awkward meeting the Collinwoods decide to let the crew stay to wait out the storm. After everyone is settled in, the Collinwoods discover a beatened and battered and shot Mari on their front porch. Dr. Collinwood discovers she is raped. Through the help of nice kid Justin, the peices come together and the usually nice quiet Collinwood clan decide to take action.

PROS:
The movie does stir up several emotions. You may get angry, sad, and joyous as i did. I will say i am out of my element with this movie because i am not really a fan of horror or slasher flicks. But as for horror and slasher flicks go, this is high ranking.

CONS:
Where do i start? Ok, fine i'll be nice. Anybody coming into this movie knows what it's about. So why take so long to get to the motherfreakin point? Instead of getting there they give you at least 20 or more minutes of uncomfortable violence mainly agaisnt the 2 young women and a very realistic rape scene that gave me shivers. The pace of the movie is purposefully fast and slow, but that can be uncomfortable during boring scenes.

Recommendation:
Wait til it comes on HBO.

Writers:
Adam Alleca
Carl Ellsworth

Director:
Dennis Lliadis

MAIN CAST:
Tony Goldwyn ("The 6th Day","Bounce")
Monica Potter ("Con Air, "Saw")
Sara Paxton ("Sydney White", "Aquamarine")
Garrett Dillahunt ("No Country for Old Men", "The Assassination of Jesse James by...")
Aaron Paul ("K-Pax", "Mission Impossible III")
Riki Lindhome ("Million Dollar Baby", "Changeling")
Spencer Treat Clark ("Gladiator", "Mystic River")
Martha MacIssac ("Superbad")

Similar Titles:
Last House on the Left (1972), Haunting in Connecticut

Movie Review- Fighting

So i get it, UFC and underground fighting is a big deal. Movies like "Never Back Down" and "Never Surrender" are staples with fighting fans. Thus the movie Fighting is born.

"Fighting" is a movie about a young tortured soul named Sean (Channing Tatum) . Sean has fallen on hard times and is now homeless and selling DVDs and books on the street. After a tussle with other territorial hustlers Sean catches the eye of Harvey Boarden (Terrence Howard), another tortured soul tried to work his way up the ranks in the underground fighting world. Harvey recruits Sean with promises of money to join the underworld. As Sean success grows he's is lured into the biggest fight of both he and Harvey's life when he is persuaded to fight the big dog on the block.

PROS:
Any fighting fan will love the fight scenes. The scenes are very realistic and of course you gotta love anything that makes you yell "OH" more than 3 times in a 2 minute scene has to be good, right?

CONS:
It seems that the writers and other powers that be decided that as long as you have decent fight scenes the acting and the plot don't really matter. The cast as a whole seemed to phone it in. Tatum stayed primarily one note 3/4 of the movie. Instead of letting his mysterious character Sean reveal things through his acting he didn't react accordingly until it was revealed in the dialogue. Terrence Howard flounders in yet another questionable film choice since his Oscar nomination. Unlike Tatum's character, Howard's Harvey Boarden's motivation and purpose was never revealed fully.

RECOMMENDATION:
Wait til it comes on HBO.

WRITER:
ROBERT MUNIC
DITO MONTIEL

DIRECTOR:
DITO MONTIEL

MAIN CAST:
Channing Tatum ("Step Up", "G.I. Joe")
Terrence Howard ("Hustle and Flow", "Crash")
Zulay Henao ("Illegal Tender", "S.Darko")
Luis Guzman ("Waiting...", "Boogie Nights")
Roger Gueneveur Smith ("He Got Game, "American Gangster")
Brian J. White ("Mr. 3000", "Stomp the Yard")

Similar Titles:
Never Back Down, Never Surrender, RedBelt