Life Itself: Boyhood.

You can watch my youtube review HERE!

To me there are three different types of movies:
1) Movies - made for entertainment.
2) Films - have weight, importance and quality.
3) Experiences - go beyond being something you watch and become something you experience.
Now a movie can be any combination of these but Boyhood is something else...Boyhood is life.

Written and directed by Texan auteur Richard Linklater, Boyhood was filmed across twelve years (2002-2013) making it a truly unique production for a non-documentary film. Linklater has dabbled in filming over years with his Before trilogy (Before Sunrise, Before Sunset and Before Midnight) which filmed each movie at nine year intervals but with Boyhood he filmed for one week every year for twelve years. The film stars Ethan Hawke, Patricia Arquette, Lorelie Linklater (the director's daughter) and Ellar Coltrane as Mason, the boy of Boyhood.

Boyhood follows Mason (Coltrane) as he goes from the first grade to the start of college and with it comes a representation of life that we can all relate to even if you haven't experienced the exact situations. Though it has no plot what Boyhood is able to recreate perfectly are the feelings and experiences we have through out life and I have to say that I felt all their love, pain, laughs, hopes, dreams and doubts; several moments I have actually experienced especially having grown up as a child with separated parents. It is impossible to experience this movie and not be taken back to memories of your life; even moments you forgot you even had.

Linklater comes to film with all his mastery of the medium and makes his greatest film yet (closely followed by the fantastic Before trilogy). The performances are fantastic with Patricia Arquette being the stand out and of the film. The kids a good but once Ellar Coltrane turns fifteen his performance does dip in quality; though this can be seen as a negative it is in no way false because even though it's not a great performance it rings true (I know several people that are just like how he is). I also know someone who looks very similar to Coltrane and Lorelie Linklter.

The cinematography is absolutely beautiful and incredibly intimate; so many frames are works of art and beautifully realised though several shots are slightly out of focus (it happens to the best of us). The score and soundtrack are also important pieces of the puzzle, hitting all the right notes while also being markers for the timeline of the film. It's also perfectly edited with the pacing and three hour length being no problem at all as it is constantly engaging and I never wanted this film to end.

Now with all the praise I'm throwing at this is doesn't mean it's perfect. The are several moments when the dialogue is ungracefully heavy-handed to the point of being cringe-worthy. I also feel that is should have ended just a few minutes before it did because though it ended on a nice moment just a few seconds before that moment was one of the most jarring and weakest part of the film. Like I said Coltrane's performance feels a lot weaker once he's older; my reasoning being that he was probably more conscious of his performance whilst when he was younger he was more honest and didn't over think things. I also feel there will definitely be people that won't like this film, understand or embrace what it's all about but to those who are willing they will find it a incredibly rewarding three hours of their life.

I wasn't expecting to talk about myself, what I feel or my experiences at all in this review but that is the effect of this film. After watching it I wasn't really sure how to rate it or if I should; I thought it was incredibly well made and thought out but it wasn't at all how I felt after watching other movies I absolutely loved. But, when I got home and processed everything something happened...I broke down, tears filled up in my eyes and started pouring out. I began to think about how little of a life I had lived but then also realised how much of one I had. It shook me as a person but also showed me how much of one I was. It both was and wasn't my life and now the experience of this film has become a part of my life.

 This is a film so earnest, so honest and so beautifully crafted that even its flaws aren't really flaws, they're just a part of life. I don't feel I need to rate this film because I don't believe it needs to be rated; can we really rate someone's life? And I know some of you reading this are probably saying "Are you seriously getting this worked up and effected by a movie?" My answer is yes. At times people go to the movies to escape life, but they can also go to the movies to experience life and that is what I experienced with this film. Just because a situation isn't real doesn't mean the emotions you feel aren't real (just paraphrasing something from the movie 'Her'). Boyhood is a masterpiece and one I look forward to revisiting in the many, many years to come and just because the movie has the word 'Boy' in the title doesn't mean women won't get the same experience I did.

Because people need scores to help them decide I will give this movie a score.

5 out of 5 stars (my first 5 stars for this year).

Ps - The past two years my first 5 stars of the year have been in August, go figure.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared: Yes, that's the length of the movie's title.

Have you ever wanted to see Forest Gump directed by the Coen Brother's if they were Swedish? If you said yes then Felix Herngren has just the film for you! Based on the Jonas Jonasson novel of the same name (actually the name is in Swedish but you get the point) and starring Robert Gustafsson as the hundred-year-old man himself Allan Karlsson. Now I actually came across this film because a friend of mine had a pass to a press screening and couldn't make it so they gave it to me so I was coming into this movie completely blind which hasn't happened for quite a while.

The film follows Allan Karlsson as he decides to leave his retirement home on his 100th birthday and go for an adventure. In the process he accidentally comes into the possession of a suitcase full of money and must run away from a rather incompetent biker gang while making new friends in the process. This is all paralleled by his life before getting old which involved dynamite, the Spanish revolution, working on The Manhattan project, accidentally becoming a spy and much more. Like I said it's a rather absurd Forrest Gump with the schmaltz replaced with heaps of black comedy.

Robert Gustaffsson gives quite a fantastic performance as Allan Karlsson especially since half of the time he's playing twice his age. Now the reason for having a younger actor is because Gustaffon plays Allan at various stages of his life; make up is used to make him younger and older and it's actually pretty good though the digital cinematography makes it easier to tell then if it was shot on film. The rest of the cast is solid ad quite amusing though quite a few of them are just playing stereotypes. The script is rather smart and witty and though on the surface it seems rather slight, when I thought about it it actually had a few more layers.

The character of Allan Karlsson is incredibly passive and neutral with his interactions with people; he doesn't really think for himself or aims to get into conflict. Allan can be seen as a metaphor for Sweden, especially when you consider the historical events in the film. Sweden has been a rather neutral country regarding the events the film covers and is shown through Allan's interactions with the situations. I didn't think about this after seeing it at first but after reading more about it, it became a lot more apparent.

The film itself is very well made. The cinematography is quite nice though I think it would have been even better if shot on film (though I'm sure budget was a factor). The score is really playful and almost ironic especially regarding the situations and tone of the film. It's also just a whole lot of fun; I really had no idea what to expect with this film but I'm really glad that I saw it because I had really good time. If you don't mind foreign films and enjoy black comedies then I'd definitely recommend this film for you.

3 1/2 (almost 4) out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts below.

Cliches aren't all bad: Begin Again.

Begin Again was previously titled 'Can A Song Save Your Life,' (a name rather pretentious for the type of movie it is) but the new name is a lot more appropriate. Directed by John Carney who has dabbled in a music based film before with Once (I have not seen it but have heard good things) brings us a film that contains every cliché in the book but actually handles them quite well especially with the charismatic cast he has brought together. It stars Mark Ruffalo, Keira Knightley, James Corden, Hailee Steinfeld, Adam Levine, Mos Def and Catherine Keener.

Begin Again follows Dan Mulligan (Ruffalo) a struggling record label executive who is tired of the way his business partner has been talking their company. Unfortunately Dan hasn't been doing much for the company other than being a face and after making a scene he is fired. After getting drunk (a state he is constantly in) he stumbles across Gretta (Knightley) who is singing in a bar he rediscovers his passion for music and embarks on a journey to make her an uncompromising musical artist.

Along with that you have marital problems, a rebellious and misunderstood daughter, a heart breaker rock star boyfriend and music movie cliché after music movie cliché. But clichés aren't always bad things, there's a reason why they became clichés in the first place; they work. Though it isn't inspired the cast make the well known beats compelling and if you're an artistic type (I'm a filmmaker) you can't help but be inspired to get out there and create your art. It also helps when you have really good music by Gregg Alexander.

Ruffalo and Knightley are extremely charismatic and the whole cast is solid. Even Maroon 5 front man Adam Levine gives a compelling performance. I also like how the film doesn't go the conventional routes with it's romantic relationships and is able to to something different with them. It's an earnest and well intentioned film and even though it goes down familiar roads it still manages to be engaging. The film also features lovely cinematography though there are times when the handheld does get a bit distracting.

John Carney hasn't made anything ground breaking or even that unique with Begin Again but he has created a well made and endearing film with a pretty sweet soundtrack and engaging cast. Those of you just looking for something, sweet, inspiring and uplifting will find this film to your liking; I liked it too though it doesn't do anything that hasn't been done before (lets face nothing these days has) and it doesn't put a unique enough spin on it either or create it's own voice (sorry couldn't help but use the pun). In the end I found it to be a good film, not one I'd be likely to re-watch any time soon but definitely one I can recommend to people looking for a break from the current blockbusters or just looking for some good music.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Time for Round 3: The Expendables 3

If you'd like a more visual experience watch my youtube review HERE!

Here we are, The Expendables 3 has come out. Now I wasn't really a fan of the first one; I thought it was too serious, badly written and rather boring though it did has some good actions scenes. I actually enjoyed the second one; it was a lot more fun, funnier, had good actions scenes and of course it wasn't exactly well written but we're not expecting Oscar worthy writing from these films are we? And with the third Expendables the franchise kind of finds itself in the middle of the previous films.

The Expendables 3 is directed by Patrick Hughes and written by Sylvester Stallone and Dave Callaham. After a mission gone wrong and a member of the team in coma, Barney Ross (Stallone) decides to seeks revenge and assembles a new and younger team so that his usual team mates won't be put in harms way. The antagonist of this film is former Expendable and co-founder Conrad Stonebanks (Mel Gibson) who is now a big arms dealer as he prefers to profit and give orders rather than work under people.

Like I said this is not Oscar calibre work in any way and this trilogy isn't anywhere in the league of the the trilogies featured in this post's picture but it's not terrible either. The Expendables 3 isn't as serious as the first one nor is it as fun as the second and because of that the tone of the film is constantly uneven. The plot is rather dumb and the film could have been half an hour shooter but the action is rather exciting and there's actually some character development for a handful of the characters though most the cast is still underdeveloped and playing stereotypes.

The real bright spot of this film is Mel Gibson and it could have used a lot more of him (also a whole lot more Terry Crews as well). No matter where you stand regarding Mel Gibson (love him, hate him, don't really care) the man is incredibly charismatic and because of him there's a scene
which if the rest of film followed suit it actually would have been pretty damn good. Now the film was originally meant to be MA15+ (R in the US rating system) but they ended up editing it to be M (PG13+) which is rather unfortunate as it causes the editing to be rather disjointed at times and also makes the actions scenes less exciting (blood is fun sometimes). Overall it's a well made film but it just isn't great or fun enough to really enjoy.

Now before I end my review I just wanted to address something that this movie (and countless others) is guilty of and that is false gender equality. Ronda Rousey plays one of the new recruits and is tough woman who is probably capable of killing me in one blow. A tough woman as strong as the guys, feminism right? Not really; when your film is constantly referencing that your tough female character is a woman and she is constantly complaining about the men being...well men, this is not gender equality in any sense. For a film to actually portray gender equality it has to forget about gender and actually treat everybody the same, everybody just as people not men or women. A great example of this was Edge of Tomorrow; Emily Blunt's character was tough and considered the best soldier (not female soldier) and not once did anyone say 'because she's a woman' or 'for a woman,' she was just a soldier like everyone else.

Sorry for the little spiel but it's just something that always bothers me and nothing seems to be changing it.

Now back to the review; The Expendables 3 isn't great but it's not terrible either. What it is, is a decently made film that should entertain those looking for exciting action scenes and one-liners from their favourite action stars. As for people like me, it'll be a film that we'll be unlikely revisit though we won't loathe the time spent watching it just one time; though it could have been shorter. I can't say I liked it but I didn't hate it either.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comment below.

Another way to get hungry: The Hundred-Foot Journey.

If you would like to have a more visual experience you can watch my youtube review HERE!

The Hundred-Foot Journey is the new film from Lasse Hallstrom (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Chocolat) based on the novel of the same name. With The Hundred-Foot Journey Lasse Hallstrom creates a lovely film with strong performances and a very predictable and safe screenplay full of clichés, schmaltz but also earnestness and heart. The film follows Kadam family as they search for a fresh start after a tragedy in their homeland. Their search brings them to a small French town where they decide to open an Indian restaurant across the road from a renowned French restaurant.

Earlier this year we got another food focused film in Jon Favreau's Chef which was a feel good movie with many servings of delicious food porn. Favreau handled his film with a slightly irreverent touch while Hallstrom's film is executed like the Disney production that it is; this of course means that it is more likely to please the sentimental but it also leaves it without much of a personality to separate it from other films of the type. This all comes down to the source material and the screenplay; though I haven't read the book it's safe to say that the screenplay is very similar in plot and tone. The script hits all the expected beats and though there are two moments where it takes a different path it all leads to the same destination.

Now, this isn't necessarily a bad thing. Though it is entirely unoriginal, full of schmaltz and fluff sometimes you need that. I am very passionate at movies and because of that I want movies to strive for something more; of course I like to have fun but I can also tend to be rather pretentious and as a filmmaker I look at films differently as well. But, sometimes it alright for a film just to make you smile and feel good; not everything has to be serious, revelatory or revolutionary. Sometimes a film can just please and that is enough...and if that film happens to have Helen Mirren being as marvellous as she always is that's a plus.

The cast is solid and also rather charming, especially up and comer Charlotte Le Bon who is currently in production of Robert Zemeckis's next film with Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Now this isn't a movie looking to have Oscar calibre performances and it doesn't but the actors help this film to be more engaging than your usual fluff piece and their are a handful of moments that are actually quite emotionally moving. The film features lovely anamorphic cinematography from Linus Sandgren and is very well made with the food really being a highlight (though that could be because I came into this film with an empty stomach). Like I said this isn't anything fantastic but if your looking for something that can make you smile and fell good then this is a movie for you.

3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

The future is always bleak: Snowpiercer.

Now I had actually seen Snowpiercer earlier on VOD but I felt I didn't really experience the film and when I finally got to see it in cinemas it was a much more rewarding experience.

Snowpiercer is the latest film from Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho (The Host, Mother) based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige. With Snowpiercer comes a very ambitious film on an epic scale but with a much lower budget than it would seem. It stars Chris Evans, Jamie Bell, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Octavia Spencer, Ewen Bremner, Alison Pill, Korean actors Song Kang-ho and Ko A-sung (who were also father and daughter in The Host) and another actor who I don't want to spoil but plays a very crucial role in the film.

The film follows a team of lower-class citizens on a constantly moving train sheltering the last of the human race after the world was thrown into a new ice age. This ragtag team of revolutionaries attempt to make their way from the back of the train to the front in an attempt to take control of the engine and change the dynamics of class system in place. With Snowpiercer comes a film filled with social commentary, focused on themes and embracing genre. It is a very smartly plotted film full of intense emotions and thought-provoking ideas anchored by committed performances and empathetic characters.

Bong Joon-ho crafts this film with all his mastery of the medium and it is a stunning film. His usual cinematographer Kyung-pyo Hong moves the camera with purpose and creates stunning compositions with each frame. The production design fully realises a very unique future almost like a world that Terry Gilliam would visualise except lot darker. The score from Marco Beltrami is quite fantastic and helps the film hit all of it's beats while also driving it forward and giving it time to breathe. This film manages to balance black comedy, social commentary, sci-fi concepts, exhilarating action, tender moments and personal reflection with ease and not once does it feel tonally jarring.

Now this film may be ambitious and fantastically executed but that doesn't come without its flaws. The script is far from perfect and with its focus on themes and ideas it throws a fair bit of logic out the window in order to say what it's trying to. Several of the characters are rather cliché or underdeveloped and though the film itself is quite original especially in execution a lot of the plot is rather predictable and doesn't always have revelations that it thinks it does. But you've got to admire this film for its daring ambition, desire to be more than just spectacle (though it does spectacle well) and it defiance of blockbuster expectations.

Snowpiercer is something rather special when it comes to the types of movie we've been getting lately. It manages to be just as exciting as a blockbuster but also has something to say and something different to bring to the table. Though I don't think it's a masterpiece it's definitely a film I want to breakdown and discuss with people and I think it'll be a very underrated sci-fi gem that I can surprise my friends with. Bong Joon-ho is a very exciting filmmaker full of ambition and boldness; and when you take note of the fact that this film was made for less that a third of the price of most Hollywood blockbusters and manages to surpass most of them in scale and spectacle that is something to admire.

4 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

The late and great Philip Seymour Hoffman: A Most Wanted Man.

A Most Wanted Man is the new film from director Anton Corbijn and the latest adaptation of a John Le Carre novel. Now I really dug Corbijn's previous film The American which starred George Clooney and I absolutely loved Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy which was based on another John Le Carre novel (I also really like the book). This film also marks the last lead performance from Philip Seymour Hoffman before his untimely death and shows why his presence will be missed in the film world. The film also stars Rachel McAdams (sporting a German accent), Robin Wright, Willem Dafoe, Grigoriy Dobrygin, Daniel Bruhl, Nina Hoss and Homayoun Ershadi.

The film follows Gunther Bachmann (Hoffman) as he tries to strategically expose the higher ups of Islamic terrorist cells by infiltrating and manipulating the smaller players. Like all John Le Carre spy stories A Most Wanted Man is very much a realistic portrayal of the business. This ain't no James Bond film; this a film that goes through all the boring paperwork and not-so-exciting forms of espionage. In fact this is a spy movie where the set pieces are people waiting for people to make choices and it's all the better for it as this is a film where every choice counts and it adds a lot more weight to the film then having our hero getting shot at.

Now because it's not an action oriented it needs something else to keep the audience's attention and this film does so with fantastic performances from it's cast. Philip Seymour Hoffman is absolutely marvellous and shows why he was one of the greatest character actors in the business. Rachel McAdams disappears into her role with a very convincing accent and Willem Dafoe also delivers fine vocal work. The rest of the cast is great though there isn't as much to talk about and a few of them are quite underused.

The film is all anchored by a very taut and thoughtful screenplay that is full of suspense, tension, smarts and care. Even though it doesn't have any real surprises regarding plot the way it is handled really makes the film work. Though the film does take a rather clinical and observational approach in it's execution it doesn't alienate you and is a very immersive experience much like Corbijn's previous film. The cinematography is gorgeous but the handheld shots don't always cut together well and can be rather disjointed. The film is very well paced, the music very atmospheric and Anton Corbijn brings it all together quite well.

A Most Wanted Man is a movie for those who like there films a little bit more complex, carefully paced, thoughtful and methodical. If your looking for gun play and explosions I'd recommend Guardians of the Galaxy instead but if you're looking for a palate cleanser from all the blockbusters we've been getting lately I'd very much recommend seeking this film out. It's a well made piece of film-making from a director not afraid to focus on moments of reflection rather than spectacle and it's something to admire. Not a masterpiece like Tinker Tailor but streets ahead of your generic spy film. *cough* Jack Ryan *cough* (honestly forgot that film came out at the start of this year)...

4 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

One Big Weird Family: Guardians of the Galaxy

If you'd like a more visual experience you can watch my youtube review HERE!

Here we are, the latest film from Marvel Studios except this time instead of another superhero movie we're presented with a space opera. Guardians of the Galaxy is one of their lesser known properties regarding mainstream audiences and Marvel chose off beat Director James Gunn as the man to bring it to the masses. With a star studded cast that includes Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, David Bautista, Bradley Cooper, Lee Pace, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Benicio Del Toro, Vin Diesel, Glenn Close, John C. Reilly, Peter Serafinowicz and Josh Brolin, Guardians is a film to grab your attention.

Guardians of the Galaxy follows a band of very different people who are forced to come together to stop Ronan the Accuser and save the galaxy. This unlikely band of misfits is always at odds with each other but their brand of chaos just works for them, making them one big weird family. Like all families there's a lot of arguing, joking, fighting and a whole lot of love and there's an earnestness that rings true through out the entire film. Guardians combines the sensibilities of Hellboy and Star Wars especially with it's band of misfits and production design; I just wanted to pause every frame and explore the world with this characters.

Like all James Gunn films Guardians has a very witty, funny and off beat script that critiques it's genre just as much as it embraces it and the banter between the characters is fantastic. The cast is pretty damn fantastic with Chris Pratt, David Bautista and Bradley Cooper standing out of the crowd of heavy hitters. Unfortunately Lee Pace, Karen Gillan and Zoe Saldana are underutilised though I feel that a lot of their moments were probably left on the cutting room floor. Overall it's well paced, energetically shot, with the production design beautifully realised and the soundtrack pretty damn rocking.

Though it's a good two hours I actually would not have minded if it was longer; in fact I think if would have benefited from a longer cut. The film suffers from rather rough tonal shifts that could of been a lot smoother if the film wasn't constantly trying to move on. The film is funny but several of the jokes are undermined by it's swift pacing and with it's loveable band of misfits you just want to stay with this film and never leave. Unfortunately it also suffers from cliché characters and a plot full of conveniences bringing up several inconsistencies and plot-holes that could have easily been avoided. It's definitely a flawed film but in the end it's just incredibly fun.

This is a type of film that has been missing lately, a film that is full of fun adventure but doesn't feel silly or stupid and doesn't feel the need to take itself seriously. This is a genuinely good film full of laughs, great action, fantastic visuals and a whole lot of heart. As far as Marvel films go I'd say this is my third favourite of their series; Iron Man being my number one and The Avengers my number two. I really enjoyed this movie and would be keen to see it again but I am slightly disappointed by the fact that I wasn't blown away by this film. Definitely check this film out especially because the last few films to come out in theatres have been rather forgettable but also because if it makes money we'll get more movies like it.

4 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.

Well at least it's original: Lucy

If you'd like a more visual experience you can watch my youtube review HERE!

Since the start of last year I've been watching at least one movie in theatres each week and reviewing them. There comes a point when reviewing movies that a score is almost informed by the movies that come before it and guide the grading scale that I use. Lucy is one of those movies whose reception is guided by the films that have come before it and I will dig into this further later in this review.

Lucy is the new film from French director Luc Besson (Nikita, Leon: The Professional) whose last memorable film was the very entertaining The Fifth Element (1997). Lucy stars Scarlett Johansson as the title character, Morgan Freeman, Choi Min-Sik (Oldboy), Amr Waked with small roles from Analeigh Tipton and Julian Rhind-Tutt. The film follows Lucy as she is forced to be a drug mule for a new experimental drug that is a lot more than your average narcotic. After the drug accidentally enters her system she begins to exceed the limits of her body's capacity and becomes more than human.

This movie is based on the idea that humans only use 10% of their brain capacity; a theory that has now been proven wrong, making the logic of this movie go completely out the window and requiring a huge amount of suspension of disbelief. But it doesn't end there...With Lucy comes a very silly script that is full of many logical flaws and treated very seriously. This doesn't mean it doesn't have fun but it holds onto it's premise with such conviction that it constantly took me out of the movie. Luc Besson executes the film with a straight face, treating it very seriously without much levity and making it harder to accept. Besson also uses a lot of stock footage as metaphoric symbolism with no subtlety at all, almost adding a pretentiousness to the film but in a way it is almost admirable regarding the type of movie it is supposed to be.

Now with that said it doesn't mean there aren't positive things to say about this film. It's a very well made movie with Besson's style being as slick as always. The cinematography is very nice with some great compositions and executed sequences. The art design pops with many colours as do the visual effects of the film which a very uniquely designed. The music hits the right beats and the film is well edited and swiftly paced, with the film being less than 90 minutes and a breeze to watch.

This is a film made purely as a piece of entertainment with no aim at social commentary or to be one of the greatest films of all time and that's not a bad thing. It can be very fun and exhilarating without ever being boring, sure it's very nonsensical but it gets the adrenaline pumping and has some pretty good moments of tension. Unfortunately it's missing the human element that movies really need to succeed. The character of Lucy starts of very relatable and empathetic but as soon as she is exposed to the drug she loses all of her humanity and becomes a Terminator-like being who seems just as robotic. The performances of all the actors are solid but in the end there is no one to root for, you're just sitting there in the cinema waiting for things to play out and not being invested in what is going on.

Lucy is the type of film you rent if you're looking for some fun action; it's nothing substantial but it's entertaining to an extent and far from the worse film to come out in cinemas lately. In fact it has to be one of the most original movies to come out this year; it is unique in both design and execution (not premise which is similar to Limitless). Would I watch this movie again? No. But I don't feel like I wasted my time or wanted to bang my head against a wall which is all I can ask of any movie. Much like Hercules last week I did not think this movie was great but it's far from terrible and can be rather entertaining.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.