Seven

Actors:  Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gweneth Paltrow, Kevin Spacey

Rating: 9 out of 10, great detective story with supremely strong cast and a great twist. Really grim plot follows the stalwart efforts of a young buck and his talented but tired partner.  The use of the deadly sins as the motive is great and Spacey at his spooky best as the finally revealed killer.  Paltrow is also strong in an underused character.

MVP:  Freeman as the wise, world weary detective Somerset

Shaft

Actors:  Samuel L Jackson, Jeffrey Wright, Christian Bale, Busta Ryhmes, Toni Collette

Rating: 6 out of 10, some cool action but too much posturing between action.  Bale is out of his depth here as a bad guy – trying to be too bad – no nuance to his part.  Jackson is great but they don’t let him do enough to establish his “coolness” – if that makes any sense. 

MVP:  Jackson as usual is supremely cool as Shaft

Shaun of the Dead

Actors:  Simon Pegg, Kate Ashfield, Nick Frost, Bill Nighy 

Rating: 8 out of 10, hilarious take on zombies with great English humor.  This movie is just so funny with the characters playing it straight in so many hilarious scenes involving zombies.  The chemistry between Frost and Pegg is fun to watch – just a hoot to see the insanely crazy decisions made in the face of impending death.

MVP:  Frost as the slacker supreme Ed

Shoot Em Up

Actors:  Clive Owen, Monica Belucci, Paul Giamatti

Rating: 9 out of 10, mindless quirky action movie but supremely enjoyable with a totally unbelievable plot that is one of the strengths as this really is more of a comic book that straight action movie.  Owen is coolly efficient as the hero but its hard to think of Giamatti as a dangerous foe. 

MVP:  Belucci is extremely hot as hooker side kick

Shooter

Actors:  Mark Wahlberg, Danny Glover, Kate Mara, Elias Koteas, Rhona Mitra

Rating: 10 out of 10, superb action movie with engaging cast and story.  I loved the pace of this movie which never lets up and doesn’t try to do too much while accomplishing a lot. Wahlberg carries this movie with ease and a lot of maturity – I think he’ll be an interesting actor as he ages.  There is real chemistry between him and Mara – I wish she would do more. 

MVP:  Mara is hot and sweet as the love interest

Sideways

Actors:  Thomas Haden Church, Paul Giamatti, Sandra Oh, Virginia Madsen

Rating: 7 out of 10, a wordy movie about wine that somehow works and is almost sweet as you cringe with the decisions these two guys make throughout the movie.  Giamatti is perfect for this part and you end up rooting for him so much by the end of the movie.

MVP:  Church as the worthless abusive actor friend

Sin City

Actors:  Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Jaime King, Michael Madsen, Carla Gugino, Josh Hartnett, Alexis Bledsoe, Clive Owen, Brittany Murphy, Rosario Dawson, Elijah Wood,

Rating:  10 out of 10, movie that takes chances and is awesomely violent with a fantastic use of CGI, live action, and color.  The first time I saw this movie I was mesmerized and although this is not one of those movies that is better every time you see it – it is still a revelation.  This is, by far, the most effective transition from graphic novel to the movie medium.  The stories involving Willis and especially Rourke really stand out.  I especially liked how the stories are intertwined but only tangentially.

MVP:  Rourke is transcendent as Marv the kind hearted but very dangerous killer