Reviews by Matt

What does it take to get me to go see a movie when I do not have to? The truth is, not much. If I am even remotely interested in a movie, I will go see it. That is how it was with “Speed Racer” I wanted to see it, but could have easily waited for it to come out on DVD. The mere fact that it looked visually stunning was the sole reason I went to see it in the theater.

Speed (Emile Hirsch) was born to race. His family owns their own racing company and he has wanted to race since he was a young boy. He is one of the best in the world and has offers from many of the biggest racing companies to come race for them. Instead he stays with his parents Mom (Susan Sarandon) and Pops (John Goodman) at their small, independent race care building company.

When he refuses a huge offer from E.P Arnold Royalton (Rodger Allam) of Royalton Industries, Royalton tells Speed that he will never finish another race if he walks away from the offer. With the Racer family facing lawsuit after lawsuit, Speed decides to enter The Crucible, the same race that took the life of his brother Rex, and help his family get out for trouble. With the help of the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox) he will stop at nothing to bring Royalton to justice.

Visually it was stunning. The colors were vibrant, the computer animation was slick and advanced. It was simply the best part of the movie.

From a story stand point, however, it lacked substance. How things unfolded was shaky at best, even for a movie. The odds were so stacked against Speed that you knew it was going to turn out for the better in the end. Yes, Speed is the underdog and in a movie the underdog usually wins, but this was just way too much. Every modification made to the car ended up saving Speeds life and helped him win.

I cannot say I expected a strong story from the Larry and Andy Wachowski, the directors of “The Matrix” Trilogy. The two sequels to “The Matrix” were all flash, no story. The same can be said of “Speed Racer”
Unless you really are in to the visual elements, this is not a must see. Just wait for the DVD, which based on the poor box office performance, will be sooner rather than later.

7 out of 10
Rated PG for sequences of action, some violence and language
135 min

Summer starts in mid-June right? Not if you are the movie industry. The first weekend in May is when the summer movie season starts. For the past few years this weekend has been huge. Last summer the third “Spider Man” movie had the biggest opening in the history of the industry.

This year’s summer opener was the eagerly anticipated “Iron Man”

Billionaire Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) has made his money by manufacturing weapons for the army. One day while in Afghanistan showing off his newest missile, the convoy he is with is attacked and Stark is captured. He is told that he must build a missile for the terrorists or he will be killed. Instead he builds an iron suit that he uses to escape from the compound and eventually is rescued and brought back to the States.


He has a change of heart and no longer wants to make weapons and instead wants to use his company’s wealth to do good. Obadiah Stane (Jeff Bridges) tells him because of this the board of directors has decided to temporarily remove him from the company. Stark uses his free time to develop another suite of iron and uses it to fight off those who are using his weapons for evil.


If there has been a more perfect casting than Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark then I have not heard about it. He embodies the character better than anyone else could. Downey Jr. has the same reputation as Stark. He had a partying reputation early in his career and was disliked for it. Stark is a jackass. He makes weapons and has made millions off of war. He has no qualms about what he does until he sees that his products are being used to kill innocent people. He is a jerk who redeems himself and become a hero.

This is one of the best comic book movies ever made. The action sequences and character development worked to make the movie work as well as it does. Director Jon Favreau, despite never having directed a movie of this scale, did a fantastic job finding the balance of awesome action sequences and great character development. The movie opens with Stark getting captured and then moves to before he went to Afghanistan. The entire movie is paced just like this and it works really well to keep the viewer involved and interested.

This is not going to make “Spider-Man” money. Iron Man is a peripheral comic book character. He is not the big name and does not have the audience that Batman or Superman has. It is still a great movie that is well worth the trip to the theater.

Stay after the credits to see “Iron Man 2” get set up for its release in 2010.

9 out of 10
Rated PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content.
126 min

There are some movies that beg for a sequel. These are those with an amazing story and a cast that you cannot get enough of. They are those movies that, when the credits roll, leave the audience wanting more.

“Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle” was not one of those movies. It ended as it should have and nothing needed to be added. The story felt finished and while there was more that could have been said, but did not need to be.

Sadly I am not making the decisions in Hollywood and we have “Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay”


This picks up where “White Castle” left off. Harold (John Cho) and Kumar (Kal Penn) were on their way to Amsterdam to so Harold and profess his love for Maria (Paula Garcés). After a mishap on the airplane where Kumar’s smokeless bong is mistaken for a bomb and the two are thrown in Guantanamo Bay. They are there for about five minutes before they escape and make their way back to the States.

When they return they are on the run from the government but still make their way to Texas to stop the marriage of Kumar’s former girlfriend, Vanessa (Danneel Harris).

What I loved about the first one was it was, funny and original. This one pushed it too far. It took what made the first good and tried too hard to be funny. Don’t get me wrong, I still thought the movie was funny, but it was just too much. The same running joke can only be told so many times.

One of the best parts of the first was the surprise appearance of Neil Patrick Harris as a drugged-up, sex-crazed version of himself. In this one the surprise is gone and he is drastically less funny than he was in part one.

The movie was not bad. It was still funny, but there was nothing of real substance. There was something missing in the new adventure of America’s favorite stoners. There were still plenty of funny moments, some attempts at political satire, but in the end it just ends up as a middle of the pack comedy.

7 out of 10
Rated R for strong crude and sexual content, graphic nudity, pervasive language and drug use
100 min

By the time you read this, the summer movie season will be officially started. So to prepare you for a summer full of movies, I present initial opinions on each of the big movies coming to the theater.

May 2


“Iron Man”
Robert Downey Jr. was cast perfectly for Tony Stark and if the trailers are any indication, this is just the movie to kick off the summer.

“Made of Honor”
Interesting concept. You know that in the end he is going to get the girl, just like every other romantic comedy.

May 9

“Speed Racer”
I was never a real big fan of the show when I was a kid, but the movie looks visually stunning and that is enough to get me into the theater

“What Happens in Vegas…”
This could be funny, if it were not for Ashton Kutcher. I would see this were it not for Ashton Kutcher. I would probably love it were it not for Ashton Kutcher. Seeing a pattern here?

May 16

“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian”
Loved the first one, will be in line to see the second one. This one looks amazing and, hopefully will live up to the hype.

May 23

“Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull”
Indy returns to the big screen after almost 20 years. How can you not be excited to see it?

May 30

“Sex and the City: The Movie”
Were it not for my XY chromosomes, I might be excited to see this. As it stands I blame this show for all the shallow self-absorbed women in the world.

June 6

“Kung Fu Panda”
At first I was not that excited for this movie, but after watching the trailer a few times, I have to admit that it is growing on me.

“You Don’t Mess With the Zohan”
Why do people still think Adam Sandler is funny?

June 13

“The Incredible Hulk”
Hated the first, but as a huge Ed Norton fan, I will see this. Who knows, it might help revitalize the franchise.

“The Happening”
My hatred of M.Night is well known, but I cannot help but be intrigued by this movie. I like the cast so this will be on my list to check out on DVD or “rent”

June 20

“Get Smart”
Steve Carrell as Maxwell Smart was just perfect casting. This looks absolutely hilarious.

“The Love Guru”
Mike Myers kind of peaked with “Austin Powers” didn’t he?

June 27

“WALL•E”
I love everything Pixar has made with Disney so what are the odds I do not see this?

“Wanted”
When did Angelina Jolie become an action star? Not that I am complaining, she is beautiful and has done a great job in the action heroine roles. This looks like “The Matrix” of assassin movies.

July 4

“Handcock”
Will Smith rules this weekend, this will be a huge movie. It is basiclly a new take on a superhero: a drunken, bum who does not care about the consequences of his actions. Have you ever wondered how much damage a superhero does? This movie is going to do just that.

July 11

“Hellboy II: The Golden Army”
I do not know if this movie needed to be made. “Hellboy” was just alright and was nothing special.

July 18


“The Dark Knight”
I do not need to say anything about this. The name alone should have you wetting your pants with excitement.

“Mamma Mia”
Yes, I like musicals. No I will not be seeing this in the theater.

July 25

“Step Brothers”
I am a big fan of John C. Riley. After “Semi-Pro” I am sick of Will Ferrell. IF I see this ever, it will be because of Riley

“The X-Files: I Want to Believe”
I’ll bet you did not even know this was coming out this summer, did you? I am looking forward to it. I was a fan of the series and the movie so this one cannot be bad in my eyes

August 1

“The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor”
This is not needed, but I still want to see it. I liked the first, tolerated the second and this could be good. Except the absence of Rachel Wiez makes me think this is a horrible mistake.

August 7

“Pineapple Express”
This was the first “red band” trailer I saw in a theater. (Note. A red band trailer is one where there is more cussing, violence, blood and nudity). It looks really funny and could be another hit for the Apatow clan

“The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2”
What? Why? I am all for the girly movies, but this is just going to suck.

August 15

“Tropic Thunder”
Robert Downey Jr playing an actor who gets cosmetic surgery to be a black guy so he can play a black guy in a movie. It looks like it could be funny, but still not sure if it is worth a trip to the theater

August 22

“Bangkok Dangerous”
After watching the trailer I really cannot tell what this is about. Looks like Nick Cage is some kind of assissan who gets involved with someone he has to kill. I will pass.