When In Rome

In an imaginary world where coins become lucky when you throw them in a fountain, we find ourselves with a love story that includes magical love potions sending men chasing down Beth (Bell),our young "unlucky in love" event planner who unknowingly changed fate by pulling some coins out of the fountain. Soon after she is nearly hunted down by the likes of 4 suitors willing to do anything for her love. Unfortunately, the guys she has chasing her are not your typical "hunks" and their bizarre acts to show their love end up pushing her further into a strange magical world where the flip of a coin into a fountain REALLY meant something.
I went into this film expecting another "cookie-cutter" romantic comedy. Throw your plot, location, and actors in the mix and you get what we have been seeing the last 10 years or so. Same old story between a boy and a girl and same old happy ending. But don't forget that one final twist and you have yourself a romantic comedy. Fortunately I felt this film did have its own element of originality. They used a MAGIC SPELL to make the love story their own. Kristen Bell was the lead actress along with Josh Duhamel as her love interest and there was a surprisingly great cast of actors their to support the cause. Danny Devito, Anjelica Huston, Will Arnett, Dax Sheperd. I want to say Jon Heder but after the movie Napoleon Dynamite he can NOT get out of that role in any movie he plays. We all know him as this guy and he has been forever type cast in all films that will ever be. So, in my opinion, he was a little bit annoying. I think that the cast overall though, can pick up the slack of the cheesy story-line and still entertain.

My Elementary Grading Scale: Progressing Satisfactorily
1-10: 7

The Wolfman

If you think that YOU have a problem once-a-month that makes you irritable, upset, and bloated then you might wanna re-evaluate just how bad you really think it is...The Wolfman, starring Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving creates an enchanting world of gypsy folklore, legendary creatures and a misunderstanding English village. After returning to investigate his brothers mysterious death, Lawrence Talbot (Del Toro) is attacked by a beast as he was at a Gypsy camp looking for clues. Upon his survival, he realizes that now that he has been bitten and recovered from his attack, he must take on a whole new set of problems. One being his ability to turn into a blood-thirsty maniacal "wolf-man" who uncontrollably goes after anyone and everyone during a full moon. Secondly, his new-found ability/struggle strengthens what the family had already believed about their family's curse as Anthony Hopkins, as his father, fills in the gory details

Taylor Lautner has a lot to learn from Benicio Del Toro about what a B.A. Werewolf is SUPPOSED to be. No over-sized, "almost cute" wolves running around shirtless trying to win the love of cute teens over here. This Wolfman is a straight-up killer who cant do anything but destroy people. I know not a single woman will fall for THIS wolf and begin wearing "Team Del Toro" T-shirts anytime soon. This film holds firm to the original monster movie and does the story justice. Kudos to you Wolfman.

My Elementary Grading Scale: Exceeding Expectations

1-10: 8.5

Shutter Island

It's crazy to think that the first time I saw Leo DiCaprio was on Growing Pains as he played a homeless rebellious teen. He has come a LOOOONG way! Shutter Island stars a very talented Leo along with Ben Kingsley and Mark Ruffalo, and I can only imagine the praise he is about to receive for his role as World War II Veteran/Federal Marshall, Teddy Daniels. Martin Scorsese's new mystery/suspense/thriller at an almost forgotten island holding America's criminally insane had me on the edge of my seat as the plot slowly unfolded into a beautifully sad story that took me in and made me feel for the characters throughout. As Daniels (DiCaprio) investigated a bizarre abduction at the facility, twists and turns unveil to lead to an unexpected outcome. It is one of those type of movies that you have to see again after you have seen it the first time. I think it will be a different, just as good, experience watching it again knowing what you know in the end..... no spoilers here! I actually WANT you to go see this.

Eye-opening moments of realization and eerie scenes of suspense made this film a "must-see" in my opinion. Terrific performances by all the actors and a soundtrack of classical music that truly enhances the story and builds the emotions to develop those characters and moments made it so, when the movie was over, I wanted to see it again.

My Elementary Grading Scale: Exceeding Expectations

1-10: 9

Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever

When the cartoony opening credits are the most interesting part of your movie, you know you are in for a rough ride. I swear I saw the same EXACT plot line in a zombie movie not too long ago about a High School that was quarantined because of a zombie outbreak and were being killed off....maybe it was called Zombie High School???? If you are reading this, have seen that movie, please comment and let me know. Anyway, this time, instead of zombies, it was infected teens. Kind of like The Hills or Laguna Beach (for those of you who like to reminisce about the good old days of MTV reality before Flava Flav, New York, or the Jersey Shore hit the screen).
Cabin Fever 1 had left Rider Strong half alive on the banks of a river dying of poisoning from a bizarre rash that killed everyone and that is where part 2 picked up as we find him demented, grotesque, oozing, and running through the woods. Spoiler Alert: He was in the movie for 20 seconds yet found his way on to the opening credit cast list....maybe because he was the only actor anyone had heard of in the sequel so they felt it would beef up the "street cred". LionsGate films produced this which was a surprise to me, but it only means one thing. Actual money behind the film to spend on special effects. Maybe too much money which you will see if you indulge in this film. Let's just say maybe, too many things are oozing and gooey and bloody for me.

My Elementary Grading Scale: Progressing Satisfactorily
1-10: 5.5/6

YouTube - osubuckeyes54's Channel

YouTube
- osubuckeyes54's Channel

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's: Sherlock Holmes (2010)

Unfortunately this version of Sherlock Holmes not only lacked the firepower that Guy Ritchie's film had, it also lacked the sense of timing as it came out only a couple months after the star-studded, action-packed, high budget film did. This version was made by a company called Asylum films and I went into the film knowing that it was not going to be a "bigger than life" film. It started out great by making itself more of the original Sherlock Holmes with the "elementary my dear watson" and "the game is afoot" lines and I really was getting excited to see an old school Holmes. Enter the boat eating squid and Tyrannosaurus Rex. Slowly slipping into the Sci-Fi genre I found myself fighting to keep my eyes open. What it lacked in special effects (due to funding I am sure) it could not make up for it in the storyline. If I wanted to go see a horrible movie with cheesy characters being chased by dinosaurs I would have rented Land of the Lost..... Thats what this was. Land of the Lost in 19th century London. Don't let the beginning of the film fool you. Its all a ruse.

My Elementary Grading Scale: Needs Improvement
1-10: 3.5/4