Batman Begins

***SPOILER ALERT***

Batman is a franchise that has been around for a long time and has seen many different incarnations.  Christopher Nolan's "Dark Knight" series is the current depiction of the legendary Batman and without a doubt, the best depiction.

Although "Batman Begins" is weaker than it's successor, "The Dark Knight," this film is by no means a bad film.  It's far from it.  I really appreciate the way Nolan set up Bruce Wayne's descent into Batman as a form of tragedy after the death of his parents.  I'd never heard of the villain Ra's al Ghul until this film but I really appreciated the use of the character as an aide to Bruce Wayne's journey into Batman.  Scarecrow is a villain that I was familiar with but he'd never been used in a live-action Batman before, at least to the best of my knowledge.

The main focus of this film was Ra's al Ghul teaming with Scarecrow to take over Gotham by using a gas that caused the residents to become crazy.  I think this could have been done a little better than it was because I think the Scarecrow could have played a bigger part because I felt that he was just one of Ra's al Ghul's henchmen as opposed to his own villain.

A majority of this film was spent telling the story of how Bruce became Batman.  I definitely appreciated that storytelling but I do believe it left the last third of the film a little weak.  However it is nice to see a movie that favors storytelling over action for a change.

Out of all the greats to come from this film my favorite is the relationship between Bruce Wayne and Lucius Fox.  Of course Morgan Freeman definitely added to that in his infinite awesomeness.  The way the relationship was written so that we knew that Fox knew that Bruce was Batman was masterful.  It was even written in a way that was comical.  That relationship is writing at it's best, in my opinion.  It makes me look forward to the sequel so that I can see more of their "innuendos," if you will.

Beside the stupid title, "Batman Begins" is a great and incredibly darker direction for the Batman franchise that is worthy of it's name.  I recommend you own it.

Pokemon Movies Update

I have nine Pokemon movies left to review.  I am notifying you because I am going to be working at a slower pace of about one a week.  I watched a lot recently anticipating my trip to the Nintendo World Store in New York City and I am going to watch the other nine in the ten remaining weeks until Pokemon Black and White 2 release on October 7.  As such I am going to be reviewing some other films in the mean time.  When I do review a Pokemon film it will use the same rating style as the other Pokemon movies have and the other films I review will use the default rating system which can be found at the top of the page.

Pokemon - Giratina and the Sky Warrior

***SPOILER ALERT***

I've always enjoyed when a Pokemon movie tries to tie the video game into it's plot.  Thus is the case with "Giratina and the Sky Warrior," the second in generation four's time and space trilogy.


Although called the Distortion World in Pokemon Platinum, this film follows Ash and friends into the Reverse World where they encounter Giratina in it's origin forme.  I definitely  feel that the whole "Pokemon Platinum Version The Movie" idea was a great idea for this film.  The distortion world is awesome as is Giratina.  Shaymin is another legendary Pokemon introduced in this film.  The main con to this movie is that Shaymin was quite cocky at the beginning.  Regigigas even made a brief appearance toward the end of the film.

The villain of this film, Zero, tries to take control of the Reverse World but is challenged when Giratina is troubled.  A matter that even causes Giratina to bring Dialga into the Reverse World at the beginning of the film.  As is to be expected, the Reverse World is saved thanks to Shaymin and it's super awesome sky-forme, known by fans of the game as Skymin.

When measured up against the other Pokemon films, "Giratina and the Sky Warrior" is definitely an awesome addition to the series.

Competitive Moment

I've never trained a Giratina before in either of it's formes.  It's dragon- and ghost-typing seems really awesome.   I don't see it too often so it's definitely not a popular pick amongst competitive battlers but I'm sure it can hold it's own.


I covered Dialga in my review for "The Rise of Darkrai" so I'll skip right to Shaymin.  Shaymin's real threat is its sky forme.  If not  for any other reason than it's dangerous in even a novice trainer's hands.  It does have a 4x weakness to ice which totally sucks because it'll die if you even throw an ice cube at it but not before it gets a hit in.  Of course ice shard can put an end to that strategy.

Regigigas sucks.  I'm not going to waste too much time on it.  It's stupid ability Slow Start halves it's power and speed for the first five turns so unless you can suppress it's ability or make it a special attacker or wall don't waste your time.  Even if you succeed at making it work good luck dealing with it's speed.

Pokemon - The Rise of Darkrai

***SPOILER ALERT***

"The Rise of Darkrai" is an important film to me because it was the first film released after I started collecting the Pokemon movies.  This film really laid the roots that not only got me back into the movies but into the games as well.

This film was the first released for generation four.  It is the first of what has become commonly known as Pokemon's time and space trilogy.  There is little thread between them but enough to merit them as a trilogy.

This film's plot is real simple.  Darkrai is feared by the town's people but ends up just being the middle guy trying to quell the fighting between Dialga, the Pokemon of time and Palkia, the Pokemon of space.  Both of which are considered to be deities.

This film is one that I commonly rewatch.  It's fun and I enjoy the action after a hard day when I'm in the mood for Pokemon.  When I compare it to the other film's in the franchise it's pretty good.

Competitive Moment

Darkrai is definitely the quintessential Pokemon that could take Mewtwo down.  In matter of fact, if you don't get rid of it right away it's going to become quite the headache.  It puts you to sleep and takes damage from you while you are sleeping through both it's ability and dream eater.

Dialga is one of my favorite legendary Pokemon.  It is a great dragon-type Pokemon because it is not weak to either dragon or ice-type Pokemon.  It is definitely a special attacker and can be great when utilized correctly.

I don't know too much about Palkia.  I've never trained one and I've always seen it to be inferior to Dialga.  I've never really battled a Palkia.  It isn't weak to ice which is great, but it is weak to dragon so that definitely gives Dialga the edge over it.

Pokemon 4Ever - Celebi: Voice of the Forest

***SPOILER ALERT***

"Pokemon 4Ever" came around when the Pokemon phenomenon of the 90's was calming.  It was the first to be released in a limited theatrical capacity.  Generation two was in full swing so it came time to introduce the world to Celebi, a Pokemon that was unannounced at that point in time.  Celebi remains to be one of the rarest Pokemon to date being available only twice since it was first announced making it rarer than Mew.

"Pokemon 4Ever" is a much more subtle Pokemon movie as it stars a higher-up in Team Rocket trying to catch and control Celebi so he can take over Team Rocket.  The deeper storyline was Professor Oak's back story.  Although unknown until the end of the movie; Professor Oak, known as Sammy, traveled through time with Celebi and befriended Ash while trying to save Celebi with the help of Suicune.

As I said earlier, this film is subtle and therefore falls somewhere in the middle for me.  I'd say it was alright when compared to the other Pokemon films.  There have been better, there have also been worse.

Competitive Moment

Celebi is exceedingly rare.  Since the current games are only compatible with games in generations three, four and five Celebi has only been available in early 2011.  It was released once before when gold, silver and crystal were out, but that Celebi cannot be forwarded to the games of today.

Suicune was the mascot of Pokemon Crystal, the third generation two game.  He had a more important role in the story of the game and that story carried over to the remakes Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver.

Pokemon the Movie Black - Victini and Reshiram

***SPOILER ALERT***

Shortly after the start of generation five it was time to get moving on a new movie to show off the new Pokemon.  The result was actually two movies.  I like to call this movie, along with it's partner movie, "Pokemon the Movie White - Victini and Zekrom" mirror movies.  They're basically the same thing with a few tweaks.  I'll get to that when I review White.

This film is probably the closest the anime has ever gotten to the plot of the video games with the two stones that resurrect themselves when a trainer worthy of them discovers them.  Inside the dark stone is Zekrom, Pokemon of ideals and Reshiram, Pokemon of truth.  In this movie, Ash controls Reshiram while Damon controls Zekrom.  A lot mirrors the video games here even so much as the floating castle that the battle commences on.

Victini is generation five's resident "fairy" legendary, meant to be both cute and strong.  Victini had been trapped in Eindoak Town for 1,000 years and the plot pretty much covered trying to free Victini from Eindoak Town.  Of course there is success.

I enjoyed this film more the second time around and when compared to the other Pokemon films, it's quite good.  Besides, I've always enjoyed when these films add a fantasy element to the mix and this one definitely covered that.

Competitive Moment

Being that Reshiram is the starring legend in this film I'm going to save Zekrom for my White review.  In many ways Reshiram is Zekrom's opposite.  Reshiram is a great special attacker.  A Pokemon that definitely can hold it's own in competitive battling.  As much as I love Zekrom I feel Reshiram definitely deserves it's place as mascot of Pokemon Black Version.

As for Victini, it's meant for double and triple battles, neither of which I am particularly fond of.  I prefer to go with either singles or rotations.  Of course Victini is pretty good there too thanks to it's unique typing and good move pool.  Victini can be a complete headache if you're not ready for it, of course it can die real easy too.

Pokemon - Zoroark: Master of Illusions

***SPOILER ALERT***

About a month before Pokemon Black and White were released in the United States, Cartoon Network aired the final generation four movie, "Zoroark: Master of Illusions."  As is tradition with Pokemon, this film introduced the first generation five Pokemon, Zoroark and Zorua.

A lot of people assume that because Zoroark is the the title Pokemon that it is a legendary.  This is not true.  Both Zoroark and Zorua are hard to come by but are by no means legendary and both can be bred.

The film takes place in Crown City where Ash and his friends had come to watch the Pokemon Baccer World Cup.  Competing in this tournament was Kodai and his "Nimbasa Legends" team.  Kodai interrupted the tournament by capturing Zoroark and making it create an illusion that Crown City was under attack.  Zorua spent the movie with Ash trying to get back to it's mother, Zoroark.  Celebi and the shiny Crown Beasts; Suicine, Entei and Raikou helped chase Kodai out of Crown City.  In the end, Ash and his friends were successful and Kodai failed at his plan and Zorua was reunited with Zoroark.

The Pokemon film franchise had it's ups and downs.  With this film it's clear that it was made to generate hype for generation five.  It successfully did so.  I found it entertaining and when compared to the other ones, it's quite good.

Competitive Moment

There are quite a few Pokemon to talk about this time.  The first is Zoroark who is quite a good Pokemon if you know how to use it.  It has an ability that has it come out disguised as the last Pokemon in your party and will revert to it's original form when hit.  I found myself confused once or twice when I would choose Zoroark and it would come out disguised as another one but when utilized correctly it could be a great form of deception to help you get the edge in battle.

Celebi is a good Pokemon in my opinion.  However, it suffers because a lot of the Pokemon on it's level and above it are Pokemon that Celebi is weak to.  If it didn't have this obstacle Celebi could be a great Pokemon.  In many ways it still is, if I could ever find a way to utilize it.

Suicune is probably the best of it's trio.  It is a good support Pokemon that can be quite the headache when used properly.  Entei and Raikou are, unfortunately, just alright. 

Pokemon the First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back

***SPOILER ALERT***

Back in 1999, Kid's WB brought 'Pokemon' to the big screen for the first time with "Pokemon the First Movie."  The movie brought a lot to the table for the then ravenous crown of kids who loved Pokemon.  This movie featured Mewtwo.  In 1999 Mewtwo was the king of all Pokemon.  Everyone wanted to get their hands on one this ultra rare Pokemon.  Therefore there was no better option to base a film.

The movie starts with Mewtwo being created by scientists in a laboratory.  As he gains consciousness, Mewtwo begins to question his purpose.  Thus beginning a reign of terror on New Island and the world that would bring the greatest Pokemon trainers to battle it out to stop Mewtwo before it was too late.

Although thoroughly predictable, "Mewtwo Strikes Back" was an incredible story for a children's anime series.  The film brought Pokemon to the screen that made even teenagers salivate.  The elusive Mew, still as rare today as it was back then, brought a shroud of mystery to the film.

I can't compare "Mewtwo Strikes Back" to most films released to today's standard because it has a very specific fan base.  When stacked up to the other films in it's franchise "Mewtwo Strikes Back" is really awesome although not the best the franchise has delivered.

Competitive Moment

Mewtwo is a Pokemon that was in a league of it's own when generation one was at it's peak.  However that was short lived as generation two brought dark-type Pokemon into the mix.  Not only is Mewtwo frail but it needs to be pretty fast to be the special sweeper that it needs to be.

Mew is another story.  He has one thing major going for him, he can learn any move.  Although he isn't invincible he can definitely hold his own in competitive play, the problem would be trying to get your hands on one.  Nintendo doesn't spend a lot of time offering this rare gem on the table. 

Pokemon Movies

In anticipation for the release of Pokemon Black and White 2, I am going to be rating all fifteen Pokemon movies between now and October.  I am going to be using a slightly different format for these movies.  Because none of them are what I call blockbuster films and are very much niche films, I am going to rate them on the following scale.  Terrible, Bad, Alright, Good and Awesome.  When I choose where it's going to rate it's going to be in comparison to other films in the series.  I am also going to take a moment at the end of each review, which I will call the "competitive moment" where I will go through some of the Pokemon in the film and how they fare in competitive play and, for the older films, how they have held up through the generations.  The films that are included are the following:

1. Pokemon the First Movie - Mewtwo Strikes Back (featuring Mew and Mewtwo)
2. Pokemon the Movie 2000 - The Power of One (featuring Lugia, Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres)
3. Pokemon 3: The Movie - Spell of the Unown (featuring Unown and Entei)
4. Pokemon 4Ever - Celebi: Voice of the Forest (Featuring Suicune and Celebi)
5. Pokemon Heroes (Featuring Latias and Latios)
6. Pokemon - Jirachi: Wish Maker (Featuring Jirachi and Groudon)
7. Pokemon - Destiny Deoxys (Featuring Deoxys and Rayquaza)
8. Pokemon - Lucario and the Mystery of Mew (featuring Lucario, Mew, Regice, Registeel and Regirock)
9. Pokemon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea (Featuring Manaphy and Kyogre)
10. Pokemon - The Rise of Darkrai (Featuring Darkrai, Dialga and Palkia)
11. Pokemon - Giratina and the Sky Warrior (Featuring Giratina, Dialga, Regigigas and Shaymin)
12. Pokemon - Arceus and the Jewel of Life (Featuring Arceus, Heatran, Dialga, Palkia and Giratina)
13. Pokemon - Zoroark: Master of Illusions (Featuring Zoroark, Celebi, Entei, Suicune and Raikou)
14. Pokemon the Movie Black - Victini and Reshiram (Featuring Victini, Reshiram and Zekrom)
15. Pokemon the Movie White - Victini and Zekrom (Featuring Victini, Zekrom and Reshiram)

Spider-Man 3

***SPOILER ALERT***

"Spider-Man 3" gets a lot of negative criticism from fans of the series.  However, every time I watch it I gain a higher appreciation for it.  Even though no films have succeeded this one besides a reboot, I don't think it was half the train wreck people make it out to be.

The only thing I would change about this film is Venom.  I would have kept the whole black Spider-Man idea and played it out just as it was.  I would have even introduce Eddie Brock.  The gothic feel of the black Spider-Man was the strongest attribute of this film in my mind.

I would have ended the film with the conclusion of Harry Osborn's story as well as the defeat of Sandman.  However, I would have the last scene in the film being Venom latching onto Eddie Brock.  I grew up loving the character and I think he would've been a great villain for a fourth "Spider-Man" film.  Of course it's not going to happen that way.

I still didn't like Mary Jane in this film but I do like how her personal conflicts were opposing Peter's.  I think the character development was far superior than the other two films.  My only issue is Peter's friendship with Harry.  Harry had become vindictive and deceptive, and although he did receive redemption, there's no way I would have allowed my friendship with him to continue if he tried to kill me.

Eddie Brock was a character I felt that did this film a great justice.  It gave Peter Parker a nemesis.  We have seen Spider-Man have nemeses, but not Peter.  The competition for the staff position at the Daily Bugle was probably the most I felt for Peter in the three films.  I believe he was right in exposing Eddie, even though he was "possessed" by Venom at that point.

After watching this film again I need to retract saying that "Spider-Man 2" was the best in the series.  I now believe this film is the superior one and I proudly induct it into the Essential Collection.  Although something tells me I'm going to get a lot of flack for it.  You should watch it and make your own opinion, but I loved it.  Very much so.

Beetlejuice

***SPOILER ALERT***

Tim Burton is known for cranking out movies that are bizarre.  "Beetlejuice" is no exception.  In matter of fact, I found myself questioning what kind of drugs Burton was on when he created this film.  It was macabre, strange, weird and not even an ounce funny.

"Beetlejuice" follows the story of a young couple that dies on a bridge.  Their house is inhabited by a family of humans that they want to see leave.  Therefore they hire the help of bio-exorcist Betelgeuse to help get rid of the humans.

Even though the film aimed at humor, I didn't see it.  Most of the sets looked fake and unbelievable.  I think this story could have really benefited from a darker storyline that wasn't based around humor.  In ways it felt like it was supposed to be a family film, but there's no way I would let my kids watch this if I had any.

Winona Ryder's character, Lydia, was a really awkward character for me.  For some reason she could see the ghosts.  I get the whole "goth child who wants to die" thing.  I just see it all as a form of attention seeking and teen angst.  I didn't care for her character and wish they could have utilized her story to explain why she could see the ghosts.

I didn't realize how old this film was.  It used stop-motion instead of CGI so my guess is that it was made right around the beginning of the 1990s.  I only wonder if the special effects weren't supposed to be corny.  In ways it felt like Burton was going for a cornier feel.

Tim Burton has made a lot of films that I believe are great ones.  I can't help but feel that "Beetlejuice" isn't one of them.  I can't even figure out why the film spells Beetlejuice and Beetle Juice as the title, but in the film spells his name as Betelgeuse.  My advice, skip it.

Corpse Bride

***SPOILER ALERT***

Whenever I put a Tim Burton film into my player I know to expect something a little different.  Such is the case with "Corpse Bride."  Made as a spiritual sequel to "The Nightmare Before Christmas," "Corpse Bride" uses a lot of the same themes and plot devices.  The film may be inferior to "Nightmare," but I still found it to be a good film, albeit incredibly short running a shy hour and seventeen minutes including end credits.

The film takes place in an incredibly subdued Victorian London.  We first see Victor Van Dort on his way to a rehearsal for an arranged marriage with a woman named Victoria.  The rehearsal doesn't go well and Victor stumbles over his vows.  The priest tells him  to practice his vows and he leaves the church going through them in his head.  Thus, he accidentally marries the corpse bride.  The film then goes to the much livelier underworld where this corpse bride lives as the two struggle with their marriage and it's many complications.

My favorite part of the movie is the way Burton illustrated the two worlds.  The world of the living is very drab, dark and, in a way, dead.  Whereas the world of the dead is exciting, colorful and lively.  It's an interesting oxymoron that really brought a lot of thought in this film for me.  Having gone through death, the dead are no longer held down to fear.

I didn't really like that rich guy that married Victoria toward the end of the film.  I didn't feel like he fit into the plot too much.  He did have an interesting death scene though and he did further the corpse bride's story.  I just didn't feel like he fit at the beginning half of the film and I think the writer's could have done something to make him seem more foreboding and giving him a nature that would make us think that he was the one responsible for the corpse bride's death.

"Corpse Bride" is a very casual movie that works well for the casual viewer.  When compared to Tim Burton's other films, it falls in the middle somewhere.  I recommend you rent it.

Spider-Man 2

***SPOILER ALERT***

After the success of the first film, a sequel to "Spider-Man" was in very high demand.  The internet was buzzing on plot details and all.  The villain of choice, Doctor Octopus, one of Spider-Man's biggest adversaries, created an even bigger anticipation and raised expectation high, but not high enough as audiences all across the country watched and were amazed at what is now described as a 'perfect comic book movie.'  I both agree and disagree with that title.

'Spider-Man 2' finds Peter Parker two years after the events of the first film, his life is in ruins.  He's failing classes, missing rent payments and even getting fired from his job.  All the while, Oscorp and Dr. Otto Octavius are creating a fusion reactor that would eventually turn Otto into Dr. Octopus.

I found this film to be incredibly deep and it created a new emotional demand for movies of it's genre.  Popcorn action wasn't enough anymore.  Going through the struggle with Peter as he tried to straighten his life out really got me involved in his welfare and I cared about him and wanted him to get his life back on track.

The strongest element of this film, in my opinion, are Doctor Octopus's arms.  The writer's crafted the arms as their own entity.  They thought on their own accord and, at a certain point, began controlling Otto.

With all the praise  'Spider-Man 2' received I had two major issues with it.  The first was the cameo appearances.  The cameos were too many and they were all corny.  All those cameo appearances also greatly affected my second issue which was the humor.  It all fell flat on me.  There was a lengthy talk between Spider-Man and Hal Sparks in an elevator that just seemed overkill.  The only character that I felt needed to be eccentric was J. Jonah Jameson.  All the other cameos even interrupted the flow for me.

If you're in the mood to see a movie that revolutionized it's genre and help make comic book movies what they are today, "Spider-Man 2" is a must see.  For me, the humor distracted me so much that I'm on the border with my recommendation.  But I will say own it even though I want to give it a lesser recommendation.  After all, it is better than the first.

The Importance of Character Development, "One Tree Hill"

***SPOILER ALERT***

 

Beginning with this column, I'm going to be starting a bi-weekly essay entitled "The Importance Of Character Development" The idea of this column is to focus on television and the importance of creating loveable characters.  My first essay is going to be about the importance of character development in the CW's "One Tree Hill."

I've always felt that the most important aspect of a television series is it's character development.  Earlier today, I laid in my room and was thinking about the characters in different shows and how they affected how I felt about those shows.  Those close to me know that I hold "One Tree Hill" near and dear to my heart.  The main contributing reason is the characters.

For those unfamiliar, "One Tree Hill" ran for nine seasons beginning on the WB network in 2003.  After the WB and UPN merged to form the CW, beginning with the series' fourth season, it ran for an additional six seasons airing it's series finale in 2012.

The story of "One Tree Hill" starts with two brothers, Lucas and Nathan Scott, living two very different lives.  Lucas lives with his mother, Karen, while Nathan lives with their father, Dan, and his mother.  The two clash in many different ways living two completely opposite lives.  Of course that changes through the course of the series.

The characters that the two brothers interact with in their hometown of Tree Hill, North Carolina send the plot soaring from the first moment until the last second.  Whenever I really involve myself in a show the most important question I ask myself is, "What relationship do I consider to be the heart and soul of this show?"  Most commonly it's a romantic relationship, as is the case in "One Tree Hill."

From the very first season Nathan Scott and Haley James began an unorthodox relationship.  Haley was a bookworm as well as close friends with Nathan's arch nemesis, Lucas.  Nathan began going after Haley as a way of tormenting Lucas but the feelings grew to be real.  As the series progressed, Nathan and Haley developed a relationship that withstood many tests.  The two of them never cheated on each other and through better or worse, always believed in the other.  Their relationship grew into a teenage marriage which, over the years, grew into a family when they welcomed their children Jamie Lucas and Lydia Bob into the family.

Jamie became a character beginning in the show's fifth season.  He was approximately 5 years old at that point and was developing his own childhood being guided by his parents.  Jamie was never really a character I grew to appreciate but saw his importance as a staple holding Nathan and Haley together.  There were times when the two argued to a point where I didn't know they would make it, but they stuck it out for their love of Jamie.

Another relationship that grew from the beginning was the relationship between Lucas Scott and Peyton Sawyer.  Although Lucas had been in a love triangle with Brooke Davis, his feelings for Peyton won out and the two eventually got married.

Peyton was the show's 'troubled teen.' She lived in a parentless house in her infamous red bedroom.  She had an extreme interest in music.  She would often turn to her favorite bands when she was having emotional times.  In season five she grew to own her own her own music label, Red Bedroom Records.  The label's office was located right behind Tric, the club Peyton grew very fond of and invested a lot of herself into.  After having daughter Sawyer in season six, Peyton and Lucas left the show.

Enter Clay Evans and Quinn James.  Quinn was Haley's sister, reunited when their mother, Lydia, passed away in the show's seventh season.  Quinn was very fond of photography, a hobby that united her with Clay.  Clay was Nathan's agent when he was in the NBA.  Clay had a rather unique story for a teen drama.  He had come from a previous marriage that ended in his wife's death.  His wife had died a few years earlier of a brain aneurism.  He became traumatized over the events and created a wall in his mind that caused him to forget a lot of the events that happened in his previous marriage.  With Quinn at his side he began to unlock what had happened in his marriage and even led him back to his child.

Perhaps one of the shows most energetic characters is Brooke Davis.  During the high school years, Brooke really got around with the guys of Tree Hill.  Even going so hard as to enter Clean Teens, a group where teens pledge abstinence, to get a guy she wanted to be with.  Her part in the love triangle with Lucas created a lot of friction in another one of my favorite Tree Hill relationships, the friendship between Brooke and Peyton.  The two went through so many trials and tribulations together, most of which ended up with Peyton getting the guy and Brooke ending up alone.  I found Brooke's quest for both love and children to be the most endearing story lines for her character.  At first, Brooke always dreamed of her wedding day.  With every failed date, that day seemed to be further and further off.  Enter Julian Baker, filmmaker from Los Angeles.  At first he came into the show as Peyton's ex-boyfriend but soon fell head over heels for Brooke.  He often said in the series that the moment he fell in love with Brooke was when he walked in on her dancing to "Don't You Forget About Me" in her clothing store "Clothes Over Bros."

One of the stronger elements to "One Tree Hill" was it's resident villain, Dan Scott.  A character who was so well developed in the series that you felt emotions going from cringing every time he came on screen to wishing him dead to rolling your eyes at his redemption attempts to actually believing those redemption attempts to wanting to see him redeemed to crying at his death after he gets his redemption.  To see a character go from being hated so much to being an unsung hero is the most poignant storytelling device in "One Tree Hill," in my opinion.  If you were to ask who I believe was the greatest fictitious villain of all-time, I would answer with Dan Scott.  Boy, was he a good villain.  In the end, he was a really good hero too.  From the moment he killed his brother in cold blood to the moment he breathed his last breath after taking a bullet for his son, Nathan, Dan was a character that made "One Tree Hill" the show it was.

Along with an ensemble cast that each had their own storyline, "One Tree Hill" was a show that grew into it's own and was steered by it's characters.  Love them or hate them one thing remains true, there is only one Tree Hill.

Aliens Vs. Predator - Requiem

***SPOILER ALERT***

From the very beginning to the very end "Aliens Vs. Predator - Requiem" was just plain terrible.  There was so much wrong with this movie that it is hard to find anything right about it.  It didn't even find a way to further the story of either "Alien" or "Predator."

The movie did introduce a character that could have been a real good turn for the franchises and that was the alien/predator hybrid.  What could have been a great addition to the saga was wasted by making it unbelievable and brainless.  It would have been great to see it with the mindset of a Predator.  An alien that thinks.  The storyline of this movie could have been so much greater if they tackled it from that stand point.  Instead they made it so it could lay multiple embryos in you by sticking it's 'tongue' down your throat.  The idea was just silly.

The characters were younger, two-dimensional and full of b-horror movie cliches.  I didn't care for any of the characters and don't really remember any of their names.  Of course that leads to my biggest problem.

The lighting on this film was terrible.  It was a good thing I didn't care about any of the characters because I couldn't see what was happening to any of them.  A lot of the movie took place in sewers and during a power outage, but come on we can do something to make it easier to see.  Whenever there was a battle there was no way to distinguish who was winning, losing or who was even landing a hit.

A movie that could have been a wonderful addition to the "Alien vs Predator" franchise just ended up being a load of crap to be tossed in the trash can.

Alien Vs. Predator

***SPOILER ALERT***

The idea of combining the "Alien" and "Predator" franchises had been circulating Hollywood for well over a decade.  Ever since the two franchises combined in a comic book and video game franchise, many people wanted to see them together on the big screen.  In 2004, it finally came to be.

The idea is an interesting one.  A group of explorers are sent to Antarctica by Weyland Industries to explore an underground pyramid built in the style of the Mayans and Aztecs.  While there they find themselves in the middle of a 'coming-of-age' battle between the Predators and the Aliens.

It's hard to make a "Predator" film without the game mentality because Predators are hunters.  Therefore, this film is about three Predator 'teenagers' who are sent to earth to survive a battle with the Aliens to prove their manhood.  These battles had been going on for centuries.

There were a few inconsistencies with Lance Henriksen's Bishop character but other than that I found this film to be very entertaining.  By now all horror aspects of the "Alien" franchise are gone which cause this film to be a sci-fi action thriller.

Although nowhere near as good as both "Alien" and "Aliens," I do find this film to be superior to both "Alien 3" and the mess that was "Alien Resurrection."  I was moved by the female protagonist teaming with the sole remaining Predator to make sure the Aliens don't reach the surface over fear that they could inherit the earth.

This film is by no means a perfect film, but it's a great popcorn film that successfully combines the creatures from both franchises without sacrificing the integrity of either creature.  My recommendation is to own it.

Hostel Part III

***SPOILER ALERT***

It's hard to go into a direct-to-video sequel and expect a film that is in any way superior to it's predecessors.  Most of these sequels are done half-heartedly and do little to nothing to advance the franchise.  "Hostel Part III" is one of those rare exceptions.  I would even go so far as to say this film far surpassed both of the films that came before it.

Scott is about to get married in a week and his best man is taking him to his bachelor party in Palm Springs, or so Scott thinks.  Once he drives away with his friends he discovers that they are taking him to Las Vegas.  Once there the group meet two girls who, unlike the other two films, are not conspiring to kill the travelers.

The film knows that people who watch this are going to have seen the previous films and rely a lot of the early horror on fake outs.  It seems they've been dragged into a 'death chamber' several times only to find they've been brought back to their bedroom or something.

When the Elite Hunting Club does come into the picture it is in a different form than we've seen before.  This time there are spectators.  Of course this film ditched the German setting of the previous two films for Las Vegas in this one, so why not take advantage of what 'the strip' has to offer?

This film sacrifices extreme blood, guts, gore and nudity for three-dimensional characters, plot development, viewer intrigue as well as many twists and turns along the way.

Scott's Best Man, brings the group to Las Vegas as a form of revenge on Scott as a member of the Elite Hunting Club, he lures Scott into his trap to kill him.  He claims to need more of a rush, only to have the table turned on him several times in a definite twist ending.

As the film progressed I liked it more and more.  At the beginning I was prepared to tell you guys to skip it.  Then I grew to think of it as a rental.  When the film ended, I was both pleasantly surprised and satisfied that my best recommendation is to own it.

Alien Resurrection

***SPOILER ALERT***

After the mixed reviews of "Alien 3," 20th Century Fox set out to make a film that would reinvigorate the "Alien" franchise.  The result was "Alien Resurrection," an epic fail at any attempt to restore dignity to this dying franchise.

Ellen Ripley sacrificed herself at the end of the previous film in hopes of ending the horror the aliens have created.  Through some miracle, Weyland-Yutani found DNA of Ripley and cloned her.  I don't know how they found the DNA considering she tossed herself into a tub of molten metal.

To put it simply, this movie was just plain weird.  There was no character development and little was done to advance the plot of the series.  In fact, the only advance I can think of is returning Ripley to earth.

It was very clear that there was a link between the Alien queen and Ripley in this film.  Through the genetic experimentation even Ripley showed some attributes of Alien DNA such as acid blood.  I felt Ripley was extremely unlikeable in this film and I was confused with the 'erotic' relationship she shared with the alien queen and her newborn alien/human hybrid baby.

I found the film to be unnecessarily gory.  I felt they threw it in there to get the gross factor which is all this film had to offer.

I can't really tell you too much about the plot because I don't really know where it was going.  I know Weyland-Yutani was trying to train the aliens and domesticate them.  I know they failed.

My greatest advice is to ignore this movie.  It belongs in the trash can.  With all it's attempt at action, it's incredibly uncaptivating and boring.

Alien 3

***SPOILER ALERT***

The "Alien" series had been a series that had become a great financial success for 20th Century Fox.  After the success of "Aliens," the studio was eager to get a third film in the works.  Thus they hired David Fincher to direct the third installment that found Ellen Ripley on the prison planet Fury 161.

There are a lot of mixed emotions toward this sequel and I even find my own opinion to be quite mixed.  This film, like it's predecessors, is different. 

"Alien 3" does return to the single alien that the first film became known for.  The twist this time is the extremely rustic planet Ripley is on.  There are no weapons or any means of self-defense.  Ripley has trouble finding even fire.

There are several plot points I appreciated about this film.  The first is the 'post-apocalyptic' feel that this film had.  There was a sense of mistrust and the need for survival that made even other people a threat to each other as well as the alien.  I liked that the alien came from an ox instead of a human host.  It made the alien different, such as being a quadriped and extrememly quick on it's feet.  My favorite aspect of this film was the queen dwelling in Ripley's chest. 

Earlier on in the film Ripley had an encounter with the alien but was not killed.  It was soon discovered that the alien knew that a queen was inside of her.  This gave Ripley a sense of immunity from the alien that she used to her advantage.  On the flip side, we knew this could end only one way: Ripley's death.

I really like that Ripley met her end in this movie.  The notion that she kept waking up at the beginning of each movie to a new terror was getting old albeit still believable.  It was about time to finish that idea.

On the negative side, I felt this film was a half hour too long.  I feel this film could have benefited from a shorter run time.  It could have also benefited from a smaller cast.  At times I even felt like there were more people than they knew how to kill.

This film was incredibly talky at times.  I found the first hour to be necessary explaining the deaths of Newt and Corporal Hicks as well as Ripley's grief that Newt died.  I found myself intrigued with Ripley's insistence that an autopsy be done on Newt due to her fear that an alien could be dwelling inside her.  After that autopsy the film took a religious turn.

A lot of the exposition was preachy and overly religious and I thought that the behavior of the inmates contradicted the religion they were practicing.

While this story did advance the plot of the "Alien" series, it was nowhere near as good as it's predecessors and therefore recommend you rent it.

Teen Wolf Season One

***SPOILER ALERT***

Before watching MTV's 'Teen Wolf' I thought to myself how good could an MTV show be?  I  expected absolute fodder.  To put it simply, I was pleasantly surprised.  What I saw was a show that competes, and in some cases is superior, with other shows in it's genre.

The show centers around Scott McCall, a high-schooler that got bit by a werewolf while exploring a forest with close friend Stiles.  At first I thought this was 'Twilight' for werewolves.  As the season grew I saw spectacular performances from the four main actors Tyler Posey, Tyler Hoechlin, Crystal Reed and Dylan O'Brien.  Even the school bully, Jackson, is a character that receives great development.  I was impressed most with Crystal Reed's character Allison.  Her family full of werewolf hunters creates a very interesting dilemma for the teen romance.

My biggest complaint toward the series is the first season is incredibly short, running at a shy ten episodes.  The midseason tentpole where Scott and Stiles are trapped in the school being hunted by the Alpha wolf could easily be one of the best television episodes I've seen in a long while.

Tyler Hoechlin's character, Derek Hale, was introduced into a shroud of mystery.  It's unclear whether he is friend or foe, an interesting role to give the mentor of the series.  I want to believe that Derek is looking out for Scott's best interest but I don't really know.

In a genre filled with "Supernatural," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "The Vampire Diairies;" "Teen Wolf" stands on it's own two feet.  I believe "Teen Wolf" is here to stay and I"ll be following behind it like a dog.  For this reason, among many others "Teen Wolf" season one is easily part of the Essential Collection.

Aliens

***SPOILER ALERT***

In 1986, 20th Century Fox finally released a sequel to the 1979 blockbuster "Alien."  Stuck in development hell for many years, the studio was undecided how a sequel to the original film should be made.  They took a risk on a young filmmaker named James Cameron to come up with the story.  This was a decision that the studio would never regret.

It's hard to imagine a sequel to the original film that wouldn't come off as a remake, so James Cameron decided to take the series in a whole new direction...war.  With this decision Cameron crafted a sequel that I feel was superior to the original.  The stakes were much higher in this film, as well as the number of Alien growing from one to what felt like a thousand.

This film took place on the planet where the crew from the Nostromo discovered the crashed space ship in the first film, however the planet had been terra formed and colonized in the 57 years between the two films.  A community named Hadley's Hope now housed a whole host of families.

After losing contact with Hadley's Hope, the military enlisted Ellen Ripley, who had recently been discovered and awakened from her 57-year hypersleep, and a group of Marines to investigate.  From then on out the film took a turn towards a balls-to-the-wall action film.

In many ways it's hard to compare this film to the original based solely on plot.  The first one was more of a psychological horror film whereas this one was more of an intense action thriller.  I do feel the horror aspect was lessened in this film.  A lot of the horror in the first film was due to the unknown which had become known for this film so it was a logical choice, in my opinion, to not try and copy the first film.

I really appreciated the queen.  I felt it answered the questions I had regarding the 'face huggers' and the eggs from the first film.  It also laid grounds for one heck of an action sequence at the end of the film.

Ellen Ripley's character also got positive character development.  Early in the film it had been revealed that she had a ten-year-old daughter at the time of the first movie, a daughter that had grown into her sixties and passed away in the time between "Alien" and "Aliens."  Enter Newt, a colonist living in Hadley's Hope that had witnessed her whole family being killed by the Aliens.  Ripley immediately grew fond of this child and developed a very maternal relationship and sense of protection for Newt.  I felt a lot of this relationship was strengthened, if not formed, due to Ripley's guilt from the death of her daughter.

One point that really stood out to me was the sound effect for the queen Alien.  I don't know what was used to create her snarl but she really sounded brassed off.  This is probably one of the best sound effects I've ever heard for a fictitious creature.

All in all, "Aliens" is a spectacular film that has aged very well in the past 26 years. This film is easily added into the Essential Collection.