Movie Poster: Iron Man 2

Pretty snazzy.

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Movie Poster: Sherlock Holmes

Holmes For The Holiday? Really? Couldn't come up with anything better than that?

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Blu-Ray Review: The Soloist

The Soloist
Written by: Susannah Grant
Based on the book by Steve Lopez
Directed By: Joe Wright
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Jamie Foxx, Catherine Keener, Tom Hollander, Lisa Gay Hamilton, and Nelsan Ellis

Blu-Ray Specs:
1080p High Definition
English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD/French and Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English/English SDH/French/Spanish

Special Features: An Unlikely Friendship: Making The Soloist (HD), Deleted Scenes, and, Commentary from director Joe Wright

From the box:

Academy Award nominee Robert Downey Jr. and Academy Award Winner Jamie Foxx star in an extraordinary and inspiring true story of how a chance meeting can change a life. The Soloist tells the poignant and ultimately soaring tale of a Los Angeles newspaper reporter who discovers a brilliant street musician, with unsinkable passion, and the unique friendship and bond that transforms both their lives. The remarkable performances make for an unforgettable experience in what is being hailed as "a courageous and uncompromising film" (Gene Shalit, Today).

The blurb you just read is pretty misleading. Sure, it's a decent summary of the plot, but it uses adjectives like "unforgettable" and "soaring" to describe a film that is neither of those things.

Click the Rawr! for the complete review.

In fact, The Soloist is rather average. It never raises to the heights it could have and it really just plays by the numbers throughout.

I haven't read the book. I don't know what of this story was omitted or changed to make the film better for audiences. I do know that it sat unreleased for months and was the victim of a few date shifts.

It's not a bad movie by any means. It's just not that great. One major drawback for me is Jamie Foxx. I just do not believe him anymore. I feel like since he won an Oscar, (Undeserved btw) that he feels like he is better than everyone else and that cockiness seems to come out in his work.

As for the rest of the cast, well, the only real stand out is Robert Downey Jr. He elevates this film from hokey to watchable. Catherine Keener is wasted and is barely more than window dressing. Nelsan Ellis is pretty good for what he is given and it's vastly different character from his amazing turns on True Blood.

I was excited to see this movie from the trailers and my excitement was quickly deflated by a film that is neither powerful or emotional but a one-note flat line.

The disc is pretty much devoid of special features. There are some deleted scenes, a commentary, and a making of featurette. Nothing to interesting to be honest and certainly nothing to elevate it from its mediocrity.

The film looks great. The colors are vibrant and the picture is pristine. The sound is great but the music doesn't seem to be focuses on quite as much as it should be.

Overall, The Soloist is a decent film with good performances. It doesn't stand out as anything special though. It's worth a watch but won't stand out in your memory.

The Soloist is available on DVD and Blu-Ray now.

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Movie Trailer: Sherlock Holmes

This does look pretty good. I just wish it were in more capable hands than Guy Ritchie.

We'll see how it turns out this Christmas!

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Movie Photo: Iron Man 2

USA Today has scored the first photo from the upcoming Iron Man 2.

Is it just me or does it looks like a shot from the first film?

There should be plenty of Iron Man action at comic con this year so keep an eye out for that.

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BluRay Review: Zodiac - The Director's Cut

Zodiac
Written by: James Vanderbilt
Based on the book by: Robert Graysmith
Directed by: David Fincher
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Brian Cox, Chloe Sevigny, and Robert Downey Jr.

I've reviewed a few BluRay releases so far and unfortunately, none of them have been exactly glowing. I am proud to say that mediocre streak has ended with the recent BluRay release of the David Fincher masterpiece, Zodiac.

The story revolves around reporters and police tracking the notorious California serial killer who sends cryptic puzzles and letters to newspapers.

What we have here is a marvelously acted film that is flawless in its execution. There is not a single thing wrong with this movie. It's gorgeously shot, every scene just leaps off the screen.

David Fincher has crafted a brilliant film here and it is presented wonderfully on BluRay. It looks stunning. The picture is so clear at times I thought I was watching a 3-D film. This is by far the best looking film I have seen on the format yet.

The sound is presented in 5.1 True HD and puts my speakers to work in the best ways possible.

Disc one of the set features the Director's Cut of the film that only makes a great movie even greater. It's called one of the greatest films of the decade for a reason and watching the film again only confirms it. We also get two commentaries here. One with director David Fincher, the other with Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr, Robert Graysmith, James Vanderbilt, and James Ellroy.

Disc two features some fantastic special features including the behind the scenes documentary,"Zodiac Deciphered", Split Screen comparisons with animatics for the three murder scenes, and two fascinating features "His Name Was Arthur Leigh Allen" which discusses the prime suspect, and David Prior's feature length documentary, "This Is The Zodiac Speaking". Definitely required watching for anyone interested in the subject as it leaves no stone unturned. It's nearly as good as the film itself.

I can't recommend this movie enough, especially on BluRay. It showcases this film in a whole new light and makes it even better to watch than it was in the theaters.

The 2 Disc Director's Cut of Zodiac is available on BluRay now.

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DVD Review: Tropic Thunder

Tropic Thunder
Directed by: Ben Still
Written by: Justin Theroux, Ben Stiller, and Etan Cohen
Starring: Ben Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr, Brandon T. Jackson, Jay Baruchel, Nick Nolte, and Tom Cruise.

I'm going to make this a quick review only because there isn't much to say other than this is probably the funniest movie of the year and everyone should buy it.

Tropic Thunder is the hilarious movie directed by Ben Stiller about a group of actors dropped into the jungle to film a movie about Vietnam only to find out that the events happening around them aren't a movie at all.

The cast is beyond brilliant. Robert Downey Jr. is simply hysterical. Every word out of his mouth is laugh worthy. He is certainly the stand out here playing an Australian actor who has treated his skin so that he can play a black character. With heavyweights like Stiller, Black, and Downey Jr. it must have been nerve wracking for relative newcomers Brandon T. Jackson and Jay Baruchel but they handled their own quite well. They both go toe to toe with the big boys and handle themselves well, providing a lot of laughs of their own.

I hesitate to talk about Tom Cruise here. You'll just have to see him in action for yourself.

The unrated director's cut just adds more laughs to the mix with a few scenes that just improve a near perfect movie. The movie is extremely smart with a first class script and great directed from Stiller.

The DVD is packed with extra features. Extended takes, alternate scenes, deleted scenes, extended scenes, numerous featurettes, commentary, the works.

I do have a couple complaints though. First no gag reel. The outtakes from this shoot must have been the stuff gag reel dreams are made of but we weren't treated to one for some reason. Second, no Simple Jack trailer. It seems like the studio just gave in to the protests and quietly just dropped the clip. The other faux trailers still appear at the beginning of the film but no Simple Jack. Those two minor quips aren't enough to keep me from telling you to buy this DVD though.

So do that. Buy it. You'll laugh till you hurt and then laugh some more.

Tropic Thunder is in stores now.

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The Soloist Trailer

I love Robert Downey Jr. and am really looking forward to this movie.

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Tropic Thunder Trailer

Robert Downey Jr is going to own this movie.



Tropic Thunder stars Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Nick Nolte, and Brandon T. Jackson (who incidentally I shared a flight with from Detroit to LA).

The movie opens August 15.

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Iron Man Trailer

It seems to be trailer day today.

Here is the new Iron Man trailer...not to crazy about the music they're using but Robert Downey Jr. has me sold for sure.

Iron Man Exclusive Trailer

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