Alien (1979)

Reviewed by: Zack

Rating: 7.2

Alien, I can say, was a very interesting movie. The kind of movie that needs a certain taste to appreciate.

Alien was a movie that was meant to change the world's view of sci-fi movies forever. It did. Sci-fi films used to be all about aliens coming to us. Now we come to them. Alien not only is a sci-fi movie but also has a horror touch to it. The crew is a great cast and the Alien was well done, especially for the time.

The Alien didn't come and we just keep trying to shoot it up, but when you try to shoot it up it'll bleed through the hull killing everyone. The beginning was somewhat slow and the ending was slightly lacking. The suspense is nice but the camera was kinda annoying at times.

The movie really finds its merit in the first original sci-fi movie of all time. The movie is interesting and kind of creepy. The Alien is a "perfect life-form" and is a very scary adversary.

Alien was interesting, cool, and original. Besides lacking a few areas such as camera and the stupidity of some of the crew members, Alien is a must see movie that defined the genre as we know it forever.

Ace Ventura (1994)

Reviewed by: Zack

Rating: 7

Ace Ventura was not a great movie in itself. It is a GREAT character played by the only person that could have achieved that state of utter pointless stupidity: Jim Carrey.

The movie had a very stupid and predictable plot and the acting (besides Carry) was all crap. The story, if not done by Carry, would have put me to sleep giving this movie about a 2. But Jim Saves the day by adding a whole 5 points to the rating. Jim is so funny and his expressions and tone of voice will kill you. I cried and rolled on the floor from his movements and gestures. If anyone else said the same jokes and lines then they wouldn't of been even half as funny. He is the comedy master and this is definitely one of his best works.

This is a movie full of laughs and more laughs that will make an excellent addition to your comedy library. It fits your shelf, "like a glove."

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Reviewed by: Zack

Rating: 10.1

This is the best quality movie ever made and that will ever be made. No exceptions. I believe that no movie, not even Forrest Gump, can ever top this masterpiece.

The Shawshank Redemption is a movie with an amazing plot filled with all kinds of genres. The powerful story will not move you but rather throw you about in every way possible as it deals with huge topics that other movies have tried to tackle and failed. The story is not only awe inspiring but is portrayed with astounding acting and narrated by the best narrator of all time and forever, Morgan Freeman. If that's not enough, it's super believable, anything but predictable, and won't bore you. The characters are all developed and loved and the theme of the movie is so powerful that you can't go wrong.

This is hands-down the best movie ever made and needs no redeeming as it is beyond perfect. The Shawshank Redemption is the umbrella that all other films have to huddle under. It is without blemish, fault, or mistake and will always be remembered for its undying theme, "Fear can hold you prisoner, hope can set you free."

The Usual Suspects (1995)

Reviewed by: Zack Short

Rating: 9.8

This movie is one you're going to have to watch more than once. The entire movie is shrouded in a thick fog and when the ending is revealed you have to go back and see just how amazingly the movie was done. I also believe that it is disgraced by not being nominated for best picture.

The Usual Suspects is the best criminal story ever created by an extreme long shot. The incredible creativity of the plot is so well done that Lord of the Rings might even be challenged. The story goes straight forward and is like any other criminal movie until the end when the plot line twists, contorts, and even backtracks to create the most stunning and intricate story made by man. If that's not enough, watch Kevin Spacey make his mark in time as Verbal Kint.

In all honesty, I can find no beef with this movie except that the first run through of the film is a little slow, however, is mostly needed.

This impacting film will make its mark on time forever as one of the best movies to ever be created and far exceeding even my expectations, which were extremely high. If you want a movie with everything you could possibly want or need then this movie will only start there and give you the ride of your life.

Gladiator (2000)

Reviewed by: Oliver
Rating: 10
I'm not really sure where to start with this review, how about by saying that this is my favorite movie of all time! It deals with revenge, emperors, lust, love, death, and some unmatched, smooth flowing action scenes that will keep you moving out of your seat and closer to the television in suspense. The cinematography in this film is amazingly beautiful, and the score to the film is the icing on the cake. The story plays out perfectly and the characters, yes even the bad guys, are so well developed that they seem real. And the acting is superb and could only have been tackled by Russell Crowe and Joaquin Pheonix. I think the best part of this movie is how perfectly it combines the coolest "man movie" fight scenes ever with a heart breaking story that will put you to tears at parts, and inspire you in others. This film shocked me and introduced me to what a real movie should look, sound, and feel like. A monumental achievement for Ridley Scott and a magnum opus for Crowe! A MUST own in any household.

Reviewed by: Zack

Rating: 9.4

This movie was winner of the year 2000's best picture and took the night with many other awards. Gladiator is a critically acclaimed masterpiece. But we often disagree with the critics, don't we? Well let me state that I couldn't agree with them any more. This movie is a masterpiece and deserved all it was awarded.

The movie gained its publicity by using the fame of Russel Crowe as well as the genius of Ridley Scott. Many people saw it and many people loved it.

The movie's plot of revenge and the reasons why a man should keep living is powerful enough by itself. They also throw in great fight scenes that keep you away from boredom every second. The acting portrays the hard to live through emotions better than many movies I've seen. The screenplay is one of the most effective ever created.

My only beef with this movie is affection between Maximus and Lucilla. It is pointless, unneeded, and takes away from the more important parts of the story.

This movie is possibly the best action film ever and is a must-have. To this movie, "all else is dust and air."

The Bourne Trilogy

Reviewed by: Zack

Trilogy Rating: 9.5

Bourne Identity(2

002): 8.9

Bourne Supremacy (2004): 7.2

Bourne Ultimatum (2007): 8.1

Robert Ludlum's series put Tom Clancy out of business for a while when his stories hit the shelves. The movies were anticipated by fans and they flipped from pure excitement when Matt Damon was going to play the infamous Jason Bourne.

The story is the powerhouse that made the movies so renowned and adored. Flashbacks and memory loss make it a confusing and intriguing t

(2

ale of action, drama, and suspense. Jason Bourne is the perfect action hero and Matt Damon is the perfect Jason Bourne. The mystery continues through all three movies revealing only a little at a time throughout all three.

The beginning of the trilogy is the kick-start to the mystery that winds its way through the trilogy. Jason knows almost nothing and his journey to find himself is greatest in this installment.

The ending is so filled with goosebumps that you can barely blink. He is so close to finding his goal that the suspense will knock you over. It doesn't have the mystery of the first film but the readiness to find answers will nearly kill you all the way through.

The middle loses a little of its touch in where it doesn't attain as much of an unknowing felling as the first and not as much suspense to know the answers as the last. However the film is still cool and will need to be seen anyway.

The films all contain action, mystery, suspense, and, as Bourne is known for, cool car chases(yes in every one). The trilogy is worth owning as it is the defining movie for all action trilogys and I know that the beautifully woven tale of Jason Bourne will never die.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly (1966)

Reviewed by: Zack

Rating: 8

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is the most classic western flick ever made. Clint Eastwood stars in this "spaghetti western" and makes his mark on history again.

The movie is full of twists and the plot is so simple but the movie itself is still so interesting. The three main players in the story are always teaming up and double crossing each other till you can't trust anyone with anything and you never know what's going to happen next. The end scene drags out for such a long time but is the most intense and intriguing scene in the entire movie.

The only big letdown is the incredible length of the film due to some parts that seem to just not be needed. Also the language difference (all the characters except the good, bad, and ugly speak in Italian and are dubbed over in English) makes the lip to voice unsynchronized and very annoying.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly is a classic western tale and most likely the best. The movie is suspenseful, even for the length, and is a good watch over, and over, and over again. Compared to other westerns, this is the one with the gun, and they are the ones who dig.

The Matrix Reloaded (2003)

Reviewed by: Zack

Rating: 6.7

The Matrix was such a hit and left a hanging ending so, why not make a sequel? Well all I can say is, there have been worse.

The Matrix Reloaded is cool. That's about it. The story is lacking in some areas but cool in others. Its a real drift from the first film. The sequel is more focused on how awesome Neo is and the extreme strangeness and coolness of Mr.Smith.

To sum up, this movie really could have been done away with but its still cool and dives deeper into the matrix's universe.