Product: Philips DVP3980/37

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I decided to buy a new DVD player when my old XBOX refused to play one of my discs. Thought about Blu-Ray, but the price and lousy user ratings turned me off. For folks like me, who have an HDTV and not a lot of dough, this is a solid option. It makes about a minute to hook up (buy a HDMI cable first!)The picture quality is great, especially with you fiddle with the settings via the menu. As others have mentioned, the remote is kinda cheap, but it works and that downside shouldn’t stop anyone from buying this player.

Although the unit produces a good picture and generally works well, it has one fatal flaw. Every so often (maybe once a week wiith light use) it will not read any disc. This can be rectified by unplugging the unit from the electrical power and then plugging it back in. Shutting off the unit will not do, as this puts it in “standby”. This is a real pain if your power cord is plugged in behind a cabinet, as is mine. I’m in the process of leaving the unit on at all times (by disabling the automatic standby mode) to see if this will solve the problem, although it would waste a little electricity. The unit is probably to0 inexpensive to return for this problem, but I would recommend customers spend a little more for something else.

So far, very satisfied. Good picture quality through HDMI cables and good sound. Remote control is only OK as far as setup. But, for $45 it works for me.

Product: Nextop-2 Packs Nikon EN-EL9 Brand New 1800mAh COMPATIBLE Battery for Nikon D40, D40x, D60

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Compare Prices on Nextop-2 Packs Nikon EN-EL9 Brand New 1800mAh COMPATIBLE Battery for Nikon D40, D40x, D60

I almost purchased the pleasant Nikon batteries for panic that these wouldn’t work well. Boy was I evil, these are ample and they last quite a while longer than the factory battery. They also own their charge well. I left one in my bag for two weeks in 100+ temperatures, and when I loaded it into the camera it quiet had a fat charge. Occupy these with confidence.

I purchased two of these 1800 mAh batteries for the Opteka Grip, replacing the single Nikon factory supplied 1000 mAh D40 battery. Although I have not had the current running system up long enough, I anticipate that the power boost will about triple the capacity of the single stock unit. Notice that these EN-EL9 replacements only work in Nikon D40, D40X, and D60 camera bodies! Other styles (fragment numbers) are available from Nextop for almost any common Nikon or Canon DSLR.

Manufactured with a made-in-Japan Li-ion cell (probably Toshiba), I question they are top quality, long lasting alternatives. For a <$20 select (for two), I am not alarmed great about longevity nor power. Even if they exaggerate somewhat, the get is serene in the expansive category. I can now station my LCD timeout higher, without worrying about early power fail. Heed that these batteries were delivered in 2 business days, fully charged and ready rock 'n' roll! I like 'em.

Product: Sony Lithium Coin Battery CR2025

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Battery arrived brand new and is still running my watch after a year or so.

It’s a Polar running watch with heart rate monitor and distance and graphs and stuff…and battery expectancy is ~1yr as per watch manufacturer.

It arrived brand new!

Product: Flip UltraHD Camcorder, 120 Minutes (Black)

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I previously owned the Flip MinoHD so this review is based on a comparison between the Flip MinoHD and the new Flip UltraHD.

After reading about the Flip UltraHD’s addition of an HDMI output, larger screen, and longer battery life I decided to sell my 4 month old Flip MinoHD and purchase the Flip UltraHD. Since the MinoHD is very sleek and diminutive in size, my first reaction to the UltraHD was that it was quite a bit larger and bulkier to hold, and has taken some time to get used to. However, unless you’ve used a MinoHD the larger size of the UlraHD will probably be less noticeable. I found the camera controls on the UltraHD to be slightly easier to operate vs. the touch sensitive buttons on the MinoHD. As far as video quality between the two, I compared two different videos and both are about the same, however, the colors appear to be slightly more vibrant with the UltraHD.

If you are trying to decide which one to purchase, if maximum portability is important to you than the MinoHD is the better choice. Otherwise, if you’re looking compact camcorder with more features (HDMI output, replaceable batteries, longer record time) then you can’t go wrong with the UltraHD.

My ultimate wish is for Pure Digital/Cisco to introduce a MinoHD with all of same functionality as the UltraHD. Until then, the UltraHD is the all-around better choice.

So when I was 17 (and convinced that I would someday be famous) I really wanted a video camcorder to try my hand at making movies, or to film myself to see whether I had what it took to be a TV reporter, but never could justifying spending $500+ on one. Over the years I moved onto other tech cravings and ambitions. Then last year a friend showed me the Flip Mino – and I had to have one. It was super easy to use and fun, and I started getting great videos of my own kids – and captured moments that otherwise would have been fleeting, including my youngest child’s first steps. I wish this had been around when I was a kid. Anyway, the Mino is great, but it’s tiny tiny tiny. That’s convenient when it comes to having a camcorder on you at all times, or when trying to get into events that prohibit cameras, and the screen is really small. So I just picked up this new Flip – the Ultra HD. The screen is wonderfully large. It comes with a rechargeable AA battery back, which works through the USB, but it looks like you can throw in regular AA batteries in a pinch. Sound quality is great, video seems even better than the Mino. Only drawback with both the Mino and Ultra is you have to keep your hand steady when filming – but I find that easier to do with the Ultra than the Mino. Also, it’s not ideal for filming kids’ concerts, because the zoom is only 2x. But for capturing otherwise fleeting moments in great quality, the Ultra HD is now my standby. The software that comes with it makes it easy to email videos to family and friends, or to upload a video to Flickr or wherever. Bottom line is I’ve been carrying this thing around nonstop since I got it. Hasn’t made me famous yet, but I love my Ultra.

Product: 2-pack Color Hp 97 C9363wn Remanufactured Ink Cartridges for Hp

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These printer cartridges are pretty darned good – they hold the same amount of ink as their full priced counterparts, the nozzles work well, the colors print clearly. I have only one reservation about using them: they do not feed back ink level information to the printer driver on my computer, so at any given time I have no way of knowing how much ink is left. Otherwise, good product!

Product: Canon PSC-1050 Deluxe Leather Case (Black)

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Excellent quality, perfect fit and great price. I looked at the offerings in retail stores and didn’t see anything nearly as nice this case.

Reading the other review, I was skeptical if it would fit my new SD940 IS – which I really love for it’s size and handling. Anyway: I can confirm that PSC-1050 fits SD940 IS like a glove. Yes, the handle-string needs to be pulled all through – on the way in&out – which is normal and no big deal from my point of view. Then the flap closes perfectly = nice and snug. It’s quality leather will protect the camera perfectly w/o making it bulky. A bonus would have been a small pocket in the front or whereever for an extra battery. With storage cards in the range of 16 GB which I usually can’t “fill” in a month of vacation photos, there is no need to constantly carry another card arround. But, the battery is a different issue. Mine are usually drained after a couple days – and I really like to drain them fully to keep their life up. Therefore, yes, I have been running out of “battery power” from one day to the next and therefore a small clever pocket for a spare battery would be A BIG PLUS on every camera case. … other than that PSC-1050 is perfect also for Canon SD 940.

Download & Watch Vexille at Amazon.com. Click Here Now to Download & Watch Vexille Online Now!

As a fan of Asian cinema, I’ve often wondered why I haven’t reviewed more Japanese anime. Traditional anime has very complex storylines that can put most movies to shame. “VEXILLE” (a.k.a. Vexille 2077 Nihon Sakaku, Isolation) is from the same folks responsible for Appleseed and Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C.. Director Fumihiko Sori and writer Haruka Handa’s latest is a blend of traditional 2 dimensional animation and 3-D effects that gives us a vision of a futuristic world. People who saw Appleseed may notice the similarities to Masamune Shirow’s futuristic designs since they both worked on the 2004 hit animated film.

The story in “Vexille” begins as Daiwa Industries leads Japan in technological advancements as an attempt for Imperial Aspirations (recalls Japan in WWII). Daiwa began experimenting in extreme cloning, bio-engineering human tissue to combine with machine parts. Enraged with these experiments, the U.N. orders Japan to cease all activities. In retaliation, Japan sanctions a rule of total isolation from the rest of the world, and the country even goes as far as generating a magnetic force field around its borders.

After 10 years, American intelligence intercepts information that Japan has developed a procedure that can turn humans into cyborgs. A black ops group called “S.W.O.R.D.” is sent to infiltrate isolated Japan to find the truth of this matter and stop it if necessary. Vexille, one of the commando units sent to Japan soon finds herself the lone survivor who may be able to stop Daiwa with its sinister plans. She hooks up with Maria and her gang of renegades to infiltrate Daiwa. But is Maria more than what she seems? The shocking secret may be more than they bargained for….

I’ve read that “Vexille” wasn’t such a huge hit when it came out in Japan. Perhaps, anime fans experienced some “cyberpunk” overload because there are quite a lot of features that show a futuristic world with “mechas” involved; or maybe because the plot in “Vexille” portrays the country as a “rogue” government in the world’s eyes. I wouldn’t know the true reason. But this original work by Sori and Handa seemed too similar to Shirow’s past works. It incorporates familiar themes of the usual corporate entity that wants to play God, a strong-willed, gutsy but beautiful heroine, futuristic military weaponry and the premise of man vs. machine or the morality of man and machine. The film may actually be homage to Masamune Shirow.

The animation in “Vexille” is kind of a mixed bag. I loved the fact that the characters don’t have the usual over-expressive “bulging” eyes, odd colored hair and perfect complexion. Vexille and Maria (as well the entire supporting cast) looked almost realistic in their features, it sidestepped the usual anime conventions that we’re used to in the past. Their movements are also very fluid and smooth that outshines the motion capture in “Beowulf” but comes a lot short of the quality of the fantastic animation in “Final Fantasy: Advent Children”. I also found it a bit amusing that Americans looked like they’re mixed and still looked a tad Asian. (Not complaining, just stating an observation) Also, I saw this film in its original Japanese language; voice actors Yasuko Matsuyuri as sexy rebel, Maria (This character makes me want to become a cartoon) and Meisa Kuroki as Vexille do a very decent job in expressing emotions.

The film totally looks enchanting with the execution of CGI and traditional cell animation. The effects work by Oxybot is perfect for this type of movie. “Vexille” seems to borrow elements from Ghost in the Shell, Blade Runner and even Dune. (You’ll be impressed once you see the “Jags”) The one fault that the film has, that somewhat lost its effectiveness is the lack of dramatic impact. The story is deep enough to keep experienced viewers interested but the execution seemed a bit lackluster. It opted to settle for the usual histrionics and missed a fantastic opportunity for emotional content by exploring the dramatic repercussions of the film’s main premise. Graphics can only carry an animated feature so far.

Overall, I did enjoy “Vexille” more than I did “Appleseed Ex Machina”. I guess I’m so used to Anime with all the dramatic elements explored that I was somewhat disappointed. The film had all the dynamic potential with its deep premise that wasn’t fully realized.

Recommended! For Japanese Anime or Sci-Fi films FANS! [3 ½ Stars]

After reading a short synopsis and the Japanese version trailer of this movie (when looking for something to go see one evening), I figured I’d check it out. I’m not a huge fan of a lot of Japanese anime, though some of it is cool, and I’m not normally a big fan of animated drama/action in general, but WOW was Vexille a pleasant surprise! If I had to compare it to something, I would say it’s Final Fantasy meets Titan A.E. and maybe a little bit of the Matrix.

The animation style was just beautiful! The mix of cartoon with computer-generated animation was a brilliant sight to behold. The scenes in this movie had fantastic dimension, color, style, and a totally mesmerizing quality. It definitely made it very easy to find myself drawn into this futuristic world.

The story is great too! Good character development and a sci-fi element that is at least partially believable (and certainly, if nothing else, entertaining). Set in the year 2077, the technology is slick, clever, and cool – yet not so far fetched that you can’t imagine the possibilities suggested. Unplug and buy into the fantasy and you’ll have a great time. The movie has a bit of a Matrix quality in that (aside from its obvious political elements) there is the strong sense of an underlying (almost spiritual) theme driving the story but it’s just far enough removed from the surface story that you can dig for messages if you want to or just enjoy the ride without getting into the philosophy of the film. I like movies that have multi-faceted elements like this. It made me want to see it again to try and draw more out of it.

In short, the movie is great! It’s more of a drama than out and out action (so it might strike some viewers as a little slow-paced in places), but the action is fun and the story is good. The characters are such that you care about them and that draws you even further into the story. There is also some cool music in the film, well placed with the various scenes and unique enough so that it doesn’t strike as typical. My favorite songs are “Target Practice” by Asian Dub Foundation, “Bird Flu” by M.I.A. and “The Virus” by Paul Oakenfold. Again, the artwork and C.G. effects are beautiful and really fun to watch.

I loved the movie and would see it again (and will) because I’m ordering it today! Parents who are curious about the content will be happy to know that there are no sexual themes in this film. There is a light sub context of a love story present, but it’s not the main focus of the film. There is sci-fi action and violence but nothing bloody or grotesque. There is a little bit of language, thus earning it its PG-13 rating.

If you like anime or just good sci-fi, both elements should please. I recommend it.

I’m not a huge Anime fan, I used to be during the first real big boom here in the States, but quickly got tired of it as alot of it all kinda seems the same to me. Don’t get me wrong, I still love the classics such as “Ghost In The Shell”, “Ninja Scroll”, “Fist Of The Northstar”, “Guyver”, “Neon Genesis”, “Gundam”, “Robotech”, anything from Miyazaki/”Studio Ghibli” & (of course, my very favorite of them all) “Macross Plus”, but I don’t know. It just kinda seems that production started going downhill & people were just eating up anything so long as it was a cartoon with characters with big eyes & spikey hair coming out of Japan. There just wasn’t anything impressive or exciting anymore for me to oogle at.

I’ll be honest & start by saying the main problem I have with most Anime is that they’re almost all always soooooooooooooooooo over dramatic. I wind up getting put to sleep by the 1st 20 minutes of lovey-dovey crap before they get to the 5 minutes of big cool robot eye candy action part. Otherwise they’re usually way to kiddie/cutesy/cuddley for me. The other thing that winds up bothering me is that the voice acting doesn’t always transfer over well when done in English. The other option there is to watch it with the original Japanese language & then just read the subtitles, but it kinda takes you out of the movie having to read everything. In some case it’s worth it (for me at least), but that’s not always the case. Well, “Vexille” doesn’t suffer from any of this at all, in fact it’s AMAZING!!!

“Vexille” is from the creators of Anime classic “Appleseed”, so right away you should know you’re getting into something of quality. It’s done in the same style as “Karas” from 2007 & the newer “Appleseed” titles with equal parts of both CGI & traditional animation. Let me tell ya, I’m being wowed again with the abundance of eye-candy through out this film. While “Karas” suffered in story (I didn’t know what was going on through out that entire movie), “Vexille” doesn’t.

I’m not gonna go into the plot of the movie (I hate it when reviewers do that & then ruin the entire film for anyone reading), as I’m sure there’ll be plenty of other reviews that’ll do that if you’re interested. Just know that you’re getting, some seriously epic sci-fi, action packed, animation just as good as any big budget summer flic in the theatre (why this wasn’t in theatres is beyond me). Also, the score/soundtrack is done by electronic music legend Paul Oakenfold. It’s a fast paced futuristic sound that only adds to the feel of the film.

Bottom line, check this movie out whether you’re an Anime junky or are just plane looking for a great action movie, I’m sure glad I did!!

P.S. Where’s the Blu-Ray?!?!?!

Download & Watch X-Men Origins: Wolverine at Amazon.com. Click Here Now to Download & Watch X-Men Origins: Wolverine Online Now!

I want to get this out first, I love the comics. I think none of these movies are anywhere close to represent the X-men as they are in the comics. That said, I think these movies exist in a different world that has nothing to do with the 616, except for the characters names and most their powers. I have no problems with these movies; X-men 1 and 2 were very entertaining action movies. But even those movies should have been called, “Wolverine ‘N Pals”, because they didn’t focus on the X-men, but on Wolverine’s interaction with the other characters. My expectations of this movie were not based on the comics themselves, but on the previous movie storylines. I knew in my heart that Hollywood would somehow find a way to rape the image of one of my favorite characters in the Marvel Universe, Deadpool. So when “Weapool 11″ popped up at the end I wasn’t even surprised they would do something that silly. I read an interview a long time ago that about X-men 1 that the producers had to fight to have Cyclops wear the visor because the director didn’t like it. So, I am not surprised nor bothered by the fact that these Hollywood interpretations don’t have a clue about how these characters should be handled. I did like the previous movies (except 3), and understand that this is merely a diferent interpretation of these characters.

Wolverine Origins or, “Wolverine ‘N Pals 4; how this mess began”, is a very entertaining movie. But it fails to deliver a comprehensible story line. A lot of the story doesn’t make any sense. The movie,( as you might be have been clued to know), is about Wolverines origins, its shows you where he came from and how his powers manifested, leading to spending a long part of his life with his half brother Sabertooth, whom we were introduced to in the 1st X-men. After many adventures and wars, the pair ends up joining a military group of people with superpowers led by Stryker. On one of the missions, Wolverine angered by Sabertooth’s actions leaves the group to pursue a nicer lifestyle. This is when he falls in love with Silverfox and the pair lives happily for a while. Many years later Sabertooth comes back in a killing rampage taking out some old members of Stryker’s group, and Wolverine’s love is killed during this. To get his revenge, Wolverine agrees to have done on him an experimental procedure that with give him metal plated bones.

Not bad right? Love, family, betrayal and revenge. All the stuff to make a great story. This is where it doesn’t add up. For those of you that don’t want “Spoilers” please don’t read, as I might give away some plot details.

-After wolverine finds Silverfox dead, Wolverine a veteran of many wars, doesn’t check to make sure she is in fact dead? Why did he leave her body there in the field? Couldnt’t his enhanced smell detect the fake blood? Was it her manipulation power that convinced him to just move on instead of taking her to a medic.

-If she can manipulate people by touch, how the hell didn’t she manipulate Stryker in letting her sister or any of the other kids go? She spends 7 years of her life with Wolvie and doesn’t manipulate him, and indestructible man, to kill Stryker? Was she having to much fun maybe?

-After Wolverine has adamantium put on his bones and escapes to visit the “Kents”, why on earth would Stryker send Maverick with a rifle to shoot a man that can’t die with metal bones? Was he going to shoot through an eyeball from a helicopter? He missed pretty badly by the way, twice. Superman gonna be angry when he goes home to visit.

-Its revealed that Silverfox wasn’t killed by Sabertooth yet after Sabertooth saves Wolverine from falling off the cooling tower, Wolverine tells him “this doesn’t change anything”. Why? She’s not dead. She fooled you. He saves you from falling and having your butt kicked but Weapon 11, why the hell are you still mad at him?

-Stryker failed to wipe Wolverine’s memories so the solution is to shoot a guy with metal on his skull on his head? How the hell does that work? How did he know it would work?

-Why did the most powerful telepath (Professor X) not control someone inside the 3 mile island release the kids? Why wait 7 years and then help. Why didn’t he do that stop time thing from the previous movies so he can save the kids? Where was Magneto? Doesnt he care about abused mutant kids? (One of the restrained kids looked like Quicksilver, who is Magnetos son in the comics)

-How come those kids couldn’t get away on their own? What was that chain link fence cage they were in made of? Adamantium?

-Why was Gambit hanging out in a casino, when he knew he was being looked for by Stryker? How was it that Stryker can’t find him in a long time and yet Wolverine finds him in a day? Maybe Stryker didn’t want him anymore. Maybe they couldn’t persuade the Blob to talk?

-Why add the scene in the end where Stryker is going to be arrested for his crimes, when we well know that he was a high ranking military official in X-men 2?

Well these are most of the plot points from the movie that just don’t make any sense. It’s ok for an action movie to be extremely silly and self referential in that way. For example in Transformers when they have the teen kid take the cube and the alien so they can hide in the populated city, one of the characters mentions how dumb that idea is. They make no excuses in this movie, and just because it’s “supposed” to be a dumb action movie, there is no justification for the producers of this movie to assume their viewers are idiots, and won’t care about a story plot that doesn’t make any sense. Which, apparently they are correct because this movie made a boatload of cash. I will not act like there is nothing wrong with this movie just because it’s flashy and has lost of explosions.

In my arrogant opinion, it’s a onetime watcher. This is not a boring movie by far, yes, it’s a lot of fun and tons of action and the movie’s cast was really great. But the story is convoluted and nonsensical, it seems to take the audience for granted. So, if you want to enjoy this mess, just ignore the entire story and watch the shiny stuff happening on screen.

Awesome movie, does most of wolverine’s history justice, only part that kinda stunk was…SPOILERS AHEAD!!!!!….what they did with deadpool/ryan reynolds character, he could have been so much more in the movie, but it was a very enjoyable movie, watched it twice allready!!! blue ray is awesome!!!

Over the course of the “X-Men” trilogy there has been one constant story thread that has been touched upon, yet it’s never been fully explored. For those of you that have watched the series, then you most likely know exactly what I’m referring to… the origin of the most popular mutant of all, Logan/Wolverine. Finally, after three highly successful films chronicling the adventures of the X-Men team, 20th Century Fox has chosen to spin-off Wolverine into his own movie and potential franchise by providing his official origin story with “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” presents many key events in Wolverine’s (Hugh Jackman) life prior to his fateful arrival at the X-Mansion in the original “X-Men” film. Beginning with his initial discovery as a youth that he possessed the ability to unsheathe claws from beneath his skin, to his complicated friendship and eventual hatred of his former best friend Victor Creed (Liev Schreiber), his time spent working for the government as part of an elite team of mutant trackers, and all of this culminating in a senses-shattering showdown that will leave no one unscathed.

The mystery behind Wolverine’s origin has been a long-standing plotline, not just in the film trilogy, but in the various comic books in which the character has appeared. In 2001, Marvel Comics began a six-issue limited series aptly titled “Origin” that would establish the official backstory for the berserker mutant once and for all. Obviously, so long as interest in the onscreen version of the character remained alive, it would only be a matter of time before his origin, or at least some semblance of it, made it to the big screen as well.

Many times with spin-offs, the story tends to be weaker than those utilized for the main franchise; however, this film appears to be one of those very rare exceptions where the quality actually remains intact. Written by David Benioff (”Troy”) and Skip Woods (”Swordfish”), with some elements loosely based upon the mini-series “Origin”, the story focuses upon some of the various influences, circumstances, and powerful outside forces that shaped Logan into becoming one of the most dangerous mutants on the face of the Earth.

The story spends ample time showcasing the extremely visceral nature of the film’s two primary characters, Wolverine and Sabretooth, and how they deal with their inner beasts in drastically different ways. Along with this complicated relationship, the film delves into the almost constant, yet subtle, manipulation that eventually led to Logan’s decision to participate in the excruciatingly painful Weapon X program, which bonded liquid Adamantium to his bones. It’s during these moments of manipulation, mostly at the hands of William Stryker (Danny Huston), that the film’s story really shines.

Another strong aspect of the film is the sharply written, and often times witty, dialogue. The interactions between the characters felt believable and completely natural within the scenes. Some spin-offs suffer from an over-abundance of clichés or merely recycled lines and moments from the original franchise on which they are based; however, “Wolverine” easily side-steps these issues in every respect. In the hands of less capable writers that didn’t feel some responsibility to keep the quality of the franchise intact, the dialogue, and the rest of the story for that matter, could have potentially gone the way of so many other spin-offs and failed miserably, thus hurting the main franchise in the process. As a fan of the series, I am very pleased by the fact that even though this is the fourth film in the franchise, the creative minds behind the series continually try to surpass what has come before.

For all you action fans out there do not worry. This series hasn’t lost sight of one of its key elements. Throughout the film’s story the action scenes never take a backseat to the drama unfolding within the characters’ lives. The fights are much more violent and at times graphic in comparison to the previous three films of the “X-Men” franchise; not to mention, even more up close and personal due to fewer mutants with projectile-like abilities. The decision to make the fights even more brutal worked very well alongside the animalistic overtones of the story; although it may have resulted in some parents not wishing their children to see the film, despite the fact that they may have seen the other three in the series.

Of course, what would a comic book movie be without the use of visual effects? Well, obviously it would be quite boring, but that almost goes without saying. For the most part, the CGI-intensive sequences were well executed; however, there were some surprising scenes in which the effects looked a bit shoddy. Oddly, enough these scenes involved the use of Wolverine’s claws, which by this point should have been mastered and no longer a cause for concern. I’m not sure what caused the problem, if it was a lack of texture on the CGI claws or what, but something was definitely off about them during a couple of scenes. Please note, that these are not pivotal scenes and that the problem was not all that detrimental to the end result of the movie, it’s just something that I found frustrating and thought honestly shouldn’t have occurred within the film. Otherwise, like I said, the visual effects were very good, and at times numerous sequences were truly awesome to watch and easily overshadowed any of the weaker moments in this area.

Lastly, the acting for the film, just as it was in the original three movies, remains consistently high throughout. Despite having played the role of Wolverine three times already, Hugh Jackman is still able to bring a fresh new approach to the character that is crucial to the continued success of the series. No doubt the ability for Jackman to convey such enthusiasm for the role was assisted by the fact that he was so passionate about finally getting to tell the official origin for this beloved comic book icon. Another neat aspect of the character that was explored a little further in this film than in the previous movies was Wolverine’s famed “Berserker Rage” (comic book fans know what I’m talking about). Although, we don’t necessarily get to see an all-out fully realized rage, we are given a much closer look at what he would be like if he succumbed to his unbridled fury, and it was obvious that Hugh enjoyed this new side to the character being explored.

Supporting Hugh are some extremely talented actors beginning with Liev Schreiber (”The Sum of All Fears”). Liev takes a role that was relatively wordless in the original film, and was tasked with creating a character that was dramatically rich, incredibly feral, and ultimately could become the nemesis to Wolverine we saw in the first movie. Not necessarily an easy job, but Liev pulled it off perfectly. He delivered a multi-layered villain that was a prime example of what Wolverine could have become if given a couple of different choices along the way, and Liev is clearly relishing every evil moment he gets onscreen. Next is actor Danny Huston (”30 Days of Night”) taking over the role of William Stryker from Brian Cox (”X2: X-Men United”). Danny played Stryker with the perfect blend of subtle manipulation and malice. At times he would be fatherly, especially towards Logan (albeit only to further his own agenda), but then he would snap and show his true colors by unveiling an obviously twisted, sadistic, and potentially unstable man who wanted nothing more than unlimited power to quell the surging mutant problem.

Rounding out the supporting cast is actor Ryan Reynolds (”The Proposal”) and singer turned actor Will.i.am (”Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa”). I’ve become a fan of Ryan’s work over the last few years, and I enjoy his unfettered sarcasm that he seems to imbue into almost every single character he portrays, but never in a way that feels unnatural or tired within in the role, mind you. In this film, Ryan isn’t given all that much screen time, but what he does get he definitely makes the most of by making his character of Wade Wilson (comic book fans know him as the Merc with the Mouth, Deadpool) an enjoyable addition to the group of rogues that Stryker has assembled. Sadly, his role was intended as an introduction to the character in hopes of getting an eventual spin-off for him as well, a tactic that most likely worked given the film’s success; however, I for one wish there could have been a little more of the character in this story, not to mention fewer major tweaks to the character’s origin that don’t line-up with the comic books. But, I digress. Last, but not least, is Will.i.am as John Wraith, a mutant teleporter. Will shows that he definitely has potential, displaying some good comedic timing in a few scenes, and a natural charisma that makes for a more interesting character than I believe he would have been if played by another actor.

Directed by Gavin Hood (”Rendition”), “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is an incredibly fast-paced action film that delivers on all counts. Granted there are some gripes with the movie, but overall it’s a very solid addition to a terrific franchise. This is a must-see for fans of the original trilogy and a perfect jumping on point for newcomers to the series.

“X-Men Origins: Wolverine” is rated PG-13 for violence, language, and brief nudity.

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Harry’s a burglar in New York who, to escape arrest, winds up auditioning for a part in a Joel Silver like film that’s destined for Colin Farrell. He’s whisked away to the phony world of LA, where every girl named “Jill” spells it “Jylle.” At a fabulous cocktail party he meets Harlan Dexter, once a B-movie actor and now a very rich enterpreneur whose daughter has only recently returned from a long sojourn to Paris. Harry also meets his high school sweetheart, a girl who never gave him a toss back then, but now she’s seeing him with new eyes. The two of them share an appreciation for the pulp novels of the 1950s and 1960s featuring a Mike Hammer type PI called “Jonny Gossamer.”

KISS KISS BANG BANG is a lot of fun. Walking into the theater you don’t expect such a rambunctious, talky, endlessly yakking movie. You have to be on your toes, narratologically speaking, the entire time, and don’t try leaing your seat to use the restroom, you’ll have missed probably the entire point of the movie. Does even Shane Black know the story he’s written, and why the three women who meet their maker got so confused that neither the police, the detectives, nor the gang that killed them seem to be able to piece them apart, like the old shell game.

The movie is stunning to look at besides. The credits are impeccable; we’ve seen numerous movie credits designed to resemble the old time look of the Bond films, but this one, in rusty shades of orange and black, is stylish and exciting. In general the designers of the movie deserve awards. The use of the hotel Standard is brilliant

Downey Jr and Kilmer are both pretty entertaining, but the excitement here is the performance of Michelle Monaghan as Harmony Faith Lane (a name that, oddly enough, strings together the names of two of Buffy’s betes noires).

As Harmony Miss Monaghan, a Denise Richards lookalike, shows a talent that can stand right up next to the fast talking dames of the thirties like Rosalind Russell or Carole Lombard, and plus she has a genuine American beauty tht makes it believable she could come from somewhere central, like Indiana. You root for her to succeed, even when she shows the more disagreeable sides to her personality.

I can imagine some people disliking the movie and its constant air of being in love with itself, and yet when the dust is cleared we are always searching for an American cinema with wit and flair, and here it is in this giant, heaping portion, and you would be a fool to turn away such bounty on account of its presumption. I hope it does well enough to merit numerous sequels, as THE THIN MAN did. It’s on that level if you ask my opinion.

PS, what happened to Shannyn Sossamon? Seems like just yesterday she was Hollywood’s it girl, enjoying leading lady parts in such films as A KNIGHT’S TALE or THE RULES OF ATTRACTION. Here she plays, get this, “Pink Hair Girl”? Are they trying to punish her for being beautiful and talented, or what?

“Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” is so full of energy and forward propulsion that it often trips over its own frenzied notions and plot machinations. This is screenwriter (”Lethal Weapon”) Shane Black’s first film as director and he is very keen on making the most of this opportunity: the 3rd wall is smashed and cleared away, the story is told both in flash backs and in flash forwards and Robert Downey Jr. as Harry Lockhart narrates in deadpan fashion that manages to be extremely witty and droll on the one hand and banal and silly at others.

“KKBB” opens with an explosion of activity in which Harry a petty thief, while in the process of a robbery and running from the police, accidentally bursts into a room in which actors are being auditioned for a movie dealing with private eyes. He is thrust into service as an auditionee and is asked to screen test…moving closer to actually nabbing the movie role. And so it goes: one incredible and often hilarious plot twist after another.

Downey, always a charming performer and who may be a bit too old for this part, in that he is supposed to be the same age as the smart, funny and adorable Michelle Monaghan who plays his childhood friend, Harmony Faith Lane…a great name, by-the-way. But be that as it may, the interplay between Monaghan and Downey as well as that with Val Kilmer as Gay Perry, a gay P.I. (I kid you not) is priceless: all are operating on the very highest level of their performing careers.

Not every thing works in “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang” but at least Black, by way of his throw in everything but the kitchen-sink style of directing, exhibits the cojones to play with the conventions of the detective story/thriller movie and make it work…most of the time: you must often risk the ridiculous in order to achieve the sublime is a lesson that Black has seemed to have learned very well.

Robert Downey Jr. has not been as quick-witted and riotously funny since he played in Chaplin. He and Val Kilmer turn out to be a comedy team as good as those in Mel Brooks’ early movies. There are scenes that cause uproarious laughter in the theater. Like when Downey sticks his severed finger into the ice bucket and the dog eats it. Or when Kilmer’s cell phone plays “I will survive” when it rings. Michelle Monaghan plays Downey’s old childhood friend, Harmony. They meet again in L.A. and team up with Kilmer to solve a murder. The trio charm the audience and keeps the laughter at a high volume. And finally, Downey’s asides to the audience in his role as Narator are hilarious. From stopping the film to explain something, to changing the typical noir ending by bringing back all the dead characters plus Elvis and Abe Lincoln. It was two hours of razor-sharp dialogue and brilliant comedy. Don’t miss this one.

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As a Japanese living in the United Staes, I can say totally, that this film is amazing. There’re some critics says Tom Cruise’s acting and so on, however, this film sucessfully depicts the history of Japan, and people’s traditional lives and the end of samurai era.

This is a spectacular movie with sweeping sword actions and it is based on the true history events in japan, I’ve seen a lot of samurai movies(made in japan for japanese) but i can say this one is GREAT as the other movies, plus this is not usual hollywood movies that awfully depicts samurais and even Yakuzas and brush off the truth.

I can say, however, without Tom Cruise, this movie could have also been great as well. But i would guess that it is because of him, this movie gained more attention among people and so typical americans can get the idea of what samurai really is and what they really think.

so overall i gave this movie 5 stars. I plan to go watch it again.

This film has been compared (a lot) to Dances with Wolves due to the fact that they both share similar themes. A Civil War era soldier who finds himself thrown in the middle of a different culture and ends up embracing it and becoming part of it.

However, Edward Zwick’s film differs from the Kevin Costner Oscar winner in that the principal character, Lt. Nathan Algren (Cruise) is down on his luck, having become a drunken caricature of his former self, deeply regretful of his actions, who accepts a job as an instructor for an incipient Japanese army that needs to be prepared to fight against the Samurai.

As he arrives to Tokyo he starts training a useless bunch of would-be soldiers who are sent to fight even if they’re not ready for it. As a result, the newly formed army gets butchered by the battle experienced Samurai. During that battle, Algren fights bravely and kills one of the highest ranking warriors, getting the interest of the famed Katsumoto, the last great Samurai leader, who orders him captured and brought to his son’s village as a prisoner.

Once there, Algren’s life is changed forever as he gets to know the real lifestyle of the Samurai and their people. They turn out not to be the savages that the Japanese government makes them out to be. After spending winter with them, Algren “changes sides” and joins the Samurai in fighting the Emperor’s army.

The title of the movie tells the final outcome. The Samurai lose the battle. Progress triumphs over tradition. New over old. But Algren’s past demons are redeemed by his courageous actions helping the Samurai.

The true worth of this movie is its look. You can definetely see where the budget went (other than Cruise’s salary). A whole village was built and the attention to detail is astonishing. The costumes are simply amazing, especially the battle armors. The costume designer is Ngila Dickson, who also worked in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy.

Also of notice are the battle scenes, which are breathtaking. Very violent, but not gratuitous, they serve the story very well.

As for the acting, Cruise does a fine job, and is slowly but consistently becoming a better actor (even if this particular performance was not nominated for an Academy Award), but the movie belongs to Ken Watanabe (who was indeed nominated) as Katsumoto. His presence demands attention. He is the center of every scene he’s in. Koyuki’s performance as Taka, Katsumoto’s sister and Algren’s love interest, should also be noticed.

It’s 1876. Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise) has been sent to Japan in order to help the Imperial Japanese Army become more ‘modern’ and less ‘traditional’ and ultimately prepare them to fight the legendary Samurai. Events occur that cause Tom Cruise to be a captive of the deadly but extremely polite Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) who is the leader of the Japanese Samurai. At this point, the viewer begins to learn why the Samurai are fighting to preserve their way of life against Western influences and Cruise’s character becomes emotionally bound to them and he integrates himself into their society after working hard to earn their trust. However, the film is not solely about the struggle for the Samurai to keep their way of life, another subplot includes the low key and shy love relationship between Algren and Taka, a quiet widow (played with subtlety by Koyuki). Though it isn’t a big part in the film, it highlights the emotional aspect of the film and shows that this is not a film about swords.

Positive Points:
In my view, Cruise has been a decent actor with fluctuating performances but in this current effort, he has shown that he is improving and learning how to adapt to different styles of acting. He plays the tormented captain with surprising intelligence and conviction. I was very impressed to see him speaking Japanese – I loved the way this film mixed both English and Japanese toghether because it gave it a strong edge. However, The real star of this film is Ken Watanabe (Tom who?). He played Katsumoto with such a commanding and intense presence that it was hard to concentrate on Cruise or any other actor in the film. Without doubt deserves the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.

Special mention should go to Koyuki and Ujio (played by Hiroyuki Sanada). As supporting roles, they both acted convincingly without saying much but succeeded in showing that there are many more interesting characters besides Algren and Katsumoto.

Great music score by Hans Zimmer and fantastic costume design that will not doubt trigger a trend in Samurai-influenced clothes.

Negative points: While the film was entertaining, it focused too much on Cruise. The supporting characters were great too and people like Taka and Ujio should have had more developed personalities.

What is Billy Connolly doing in this film? A Scottish man impersonating an Irish man? You didn’t fool me Braveheart!

But negativities cast aside, ‘The Last Samurai’ is an enjoyable, violent but immersing cinematic effort that shouldn’t be missed if you are interested in Japan, a Cruise fan or if you just love historical dramas.