"Lean on Me" is a Great Film with Morgan Freeman

"Lean on Me" is a great film with Morgan Freeman. It has appointed Principal Joe Clark, played by Morgan Freeman, trying to improve the inner city of high school he leads. The school is filled with violence, drugs, and urban despair that urban schools go through every year. With the help of Ms. Levias, played by Beverly Todd, Principal Clark can really make a difference.

This film is very well written and directed. It really showed the troubles some urban schools go through. Constant violence incidents, drugs being distributed, and unexpected teenage pregnancies. It really is a great to watch even if you are out of school. It might be a little cheesy, but it still gets the message across. Morgan Freeman and Beverly Todd really steal the show in this film. Morgan Freeman is not just a narrator, he can really act very well and can play almost any role. Beverly Todd is very good in this film. She is an actress that was a hidden gem in this film but she did a fantastic job in this job. This whole film was a great film about an issue that is apparent even today. It is a great film to see.


Grade = 83/100 = B

"Blue Jasmine" is One of the Best Woody Allen's Films in Years

"Blue Jasmine" is one of the best Woody Allen's films in years. It has Jasmine, played by Cate Blanchett. She is moving in with her sister, Ginger, played by Sally Hawkins, in San Francisco. Jasmine was the wife of a billionaire, who spoiled her but he did not treat her right in the end. Jasmine tries to pick herself back up in San Francisco but she starts to become the same person she was that did not work in the first place.

The actor, writing, and directing in this film is phenomenal. Woody Allen is amazing at everything he does. He was not in this film, but he uses his craziness and neurotic behavior through his characters especially the main character. In this film, Jasmine is a crazy character. She talks to herself, but she is trying to better herself and fix the problems she has in her life. And Cate Blanchett does a fantastic job because of it. Sally Hawkins and Bobby Cannavale are perfect in this film. They are both becoming well known actors and they are great in this film. Regardless that Alec Baldwin is the villain he is great in this film. Louis C.K. and Peter Sarsgaard also make great appearances in this film. This film is beautifully casted, acted, written, and it comes to together beautifully also. It shows that sometimes having a large amount of money is not always the best way to live and living a simple quaint life is almost as good. Go see another great Woody Allen film.


Grade = 91/100 = A-

"Office Space" is a Great Comedy

"Office Space" is a great comedy. It has Peter, played by Ron Livingston, working at a company called Initech. He hates his job. he hates his boss, Bill Lumbergh, played by Gary Cole, his cubicle, and most of the people he works with. he has two good friends that work there named Michael and Samir. The three of them devise a plan to take down the dreaded company and obtain a fortune from the company. Along the way, we meet Joanna, played by Jennifer Aniston. She is a waitress at the guys' hangouts. Eventually Peter gets the courage to ask her on a date. They develop a relationship and he really starts to like her. they try to work everything out in their lives that they do not love.

This is one of the best dark comedies I have ever seen. It has so many great lines, that are just relatable to anyone who does not like their jobs which could be most people. Also, a great cast to go along with this hilarious film. Ron Livingston was brilliant in this film as the protagonist that really wants to do right. Gary Cole, is the villain and he does a great job as the boss nobody wants. Stephen Root was really great also as Milton. He probably had one of the hardest roles as an employee with a stutter. This film is so great and it is not extremely popular and it should. Go see this hilarious film, and you will be satisfied.

Grade = 82/100 = B-

"To Rome With Love" is a Hilarious Woody Allen Film

"To Rome With Love" is a hilarious Woody Allen film. It has Woody Allen at his usual best with laughs and crazy antics. In this film, there are a few story lines going on all revolving love, and cheating all in the beautiful city of Rome. It shows how much a person could want to cheat, it is always better to be with the person you love.

This film has many great actors and with the help of Allen's writing makes this film great. Alec Baldwin is very good in this film. He plays essentially Jesse Eisenberg's conscious and he is very funny and plays the voice of reason character really well. Jesse Eisenberg also is very good at what he does. Every movie he is in is golden. Ellen Page was also very good for this film. She is becoming a very well known actor and is extremely good at all her roles. Not many actors or actresses have said that their first movie was extremely successful, and also get nominated for Best Actress. Penelope Cruz also extremely well in this film. She is a very talented, beautiful, bilingual actress that is very good at any role with any language she speaks. This film is very good, but obviously not Woody Allen's best. This is a funny, quirky and at times brilliantly funny movie just like Woody Allen. He is a fantastic director/writer/producer/actor and he will always be considered one of the best.


Grade = 84/100 = B

"Slumdog Millionaire" is a Winner.

"Slumdog Millionaire" is a Winner. It has Jamal, played by Dev Patel, growing up in India trying to make way in the slums of India. The movie has him on India's version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire" and with his childhood, and adolescence he is able to answer the questions for him to finally be wealthy. After a day of shooting, he is arrested for a suspicion of cheating. To prove his innocence he tells the story of his life, his older brother, played by Madhur Mittal, that was with him for a large portion of his life, and his lost love, Latika, played by Freida Pinto.

This film is so great because it is great to see his story. It is beautifully acted, and beautifully made. This film is filmed all in India, a beautiful country. And the story really is compelling, and kept the audience on the edge of their seats. The Bollywood nation really came alive for this movie with the dancing, and singing throughout the film. This film is great to see, mainly because of the love story between Jamal and Latika. This film did win Best Picture for a reason.

Grade = 90/100 = A-

"42" is a Great Story About Hope

"42" is a great story about hope. It tells the true story of how Jackie Robinson became a major league baseball player. Jackie, played by Chadwick Boseman, gets a call from the Brooklyn Dodgers team executive Branch Rickey, played by Harrison Ford, about being a pro baseball player. Rickey wants to stir things up, and bring a Black man into baseball. In 1947 there were no African American players in Baseball, and Jackie Robinson became the first one to play in the majors.

This film is so great because we clearly saw how hard it was for Jackie to play, and for African Americans in general. Chadwick Boseman is very good in this film, mainly we can clearly see how terrible it was for him in the beginning of his career. His emotion came out on screen. This role was great for him. Also, Harrison Ford was great in this film. This is one of the best roles he has had in the past few years and he nailed it. He is a great actor that has not been in the best films but I think he bounced back with this film. Furthermore, Nicole Beharie, played as Jackie's wife, and she was great. This was a great film for her to break out into this business. This film is great to watch even if you are not a baseball fan. It is a great story about determination.

Grade = 82/100 = B-

"The Butler" is a Contender for the Oscars this Year

"The Butler" is a contender for the Oscars this year. It tells the story of Cecil Gaines, played by Forest Whitaker, and how he becomes this great butler for the Presidents in the White House. He tries to deal with the racism, and civil rights movement, that occurred during he middle of the 20th century. His job pays pretty well for an African American during the that time, so it he keeps the job for his family. His wife, Gloria, played by Oprah Winfrey, is a housewife trying to take care of their two boys, Louis and  Charles. The film has a distinct view on each Presidency through the eyes of both sides, the civil rights activists and the Politicians trying to fix the fighting that went along with it.

This film is so great because of the authenticity and the amazing cast. David Oyelowo was extremely good as Louis because of his constant struggle to have civil rights. Each President was fantastic in this film. Robin Williams, John Cusack, James Marsden, Liev Schreiber, and Alan Rickman were all equally great. The first ladies that were shown, Minka Kelly, and Jane Fonda, were also great for their parts. Also, the other butlers were great also, Cuba Gooding Jr. and Lenny Kravitz. Also Terrence Howard was great as their neighbor. The best part of this film was how great Oprah Winfrey and Forest Whitaker were both spectacular in this film. Oprah Winfrey actually went back to acting school for this film, and it worked out because she was amazing and it was nice to see her in a film because she was as good as she was almost thirty years ago in "The Color Purple." Furthermore, Forest Whitaker had the role of his lifetime, and he did a great job for this film. This film included the main contributors for the civil rights movement, and it clearly showed how horrible the African American community was treated at that time. This film was extremely good and it deserved to be recognized.

Grade = 93/100 = A

"Nowhere Boy" is a Great Film that Tells the Beginning of the Beatles

"Nowhere Boy" is a great film that tells the beginning of the Beatles. It tells the story of John Lennon's adolescence. His childhood, his teenage years, and the years where he formed the Beatles. Aaron Johnson plays John, and Kristin Scott Thomas plays his aunt. They are both great together and they really make this film amazing.

The authenticity of this made it so good. The accents, filming locations, and the cast in general made this film so great. Kristin Scott Thomas is always great.She has been in this business for awhile and she is very talented. Thomas Brodie-Sangster played Paul very well and Johnson and him worked very well together. But Aaron Johnson was fantastic. He is a great actor and he is really becoming popular especially in his new film "Kick-Ass 2." Johnson is awesome in this film, and I hope he really becomes a household name because he is extremely good. This film is great for the Beatles fan also much like "Across the Universe." Go see it!

Grade = 80/100 = B-

"Across the Universe" is a Great Love Story

"Across the Universe" is a great film with the music of the Beatles. This movie is about a love story between a rich American girl named Lucy, played by Evan Rachel Wood, and a poor English artist named Jude, played by Jim Sturgess. There long lost love is put to the test.

This film is so great because of the mixture of art and the music of Beatles. With the animation, and the singing this film is just great to watch. Also, Jim Sturgess and Evan Rachel Wood are great together. Jim Sturgess is great at what he does. He is a great actor for his time. Evan Rachel Wood, is also great. She is beautiful and she has had such a great talent even when she a teenager in "Thirteen." The singing is also great. I don't know how much singing the actors did, but some of the covers were almost as good as the originals. If you're a fan of the Beatles go check out this movie. It is a great love story that has a happy ending.

"The Conjuring" is the Scariest Movie You Will See All Summer

"The Conjuring" is the scariest movie you will see all summer. It has a family of seven moving into an old house and starting a new life in Rhode Island. The family realizes there are many things in the house that can only assume to make the house haunted. They turn out to be right and they have to try to deal with the haunted spirits of their house.

This movie is so thrilling because it keeps you on the edge of your seat. The cast was also really great. Usually in horror films, the acting is the part where we are drawn away. However, Ron Livingston, of "Office Space" and Lilli Taylor, of "Say Anything" played the parents and did a great job. Also, the paranormal investigators, played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga did a great job. This movie is worth mentioning if you are a horror, it is worth seeing if you are a fan. It completely scares every moviegoer, and even if you are usually tough during horror flicks, I am sure you will be a little shaken up after this one.

Grade = 78/100 = C+

"Breaking Bad" is One of the Best T.V. Dramas

Today marks the premiere of the last episodes of Breaking Bad. This show is one of the best drama ever to put on the T.V. screen. It has Walter White, played by Bryan Cranston, trying to cope with his life after being diagnosed with cancer. He plans to still work at his job as a chemistry teacher, and try to make some money to treat his illness, and take care of his family. With the help of an old student, Jesse Pinkman, played by Aaron Paul, he cooks methamphetamine, and sells it. When the power gets to his head, he becomes this power hungry drug dealer called Heisenberg.

This show is awesome. The story is so captivating, and it epitomizes every show before because it just so beautifully written, and each week, is so exciting. The cast is spectacular also. The main characters are nominated for Emmys this year. Aaron Paul is so great and he was supposed to be killed off in the first season. He is so great for his age, and he is one of my favorite characters on the show. Anna Gunn plays as Bryan Cranston's wife, and at times she can be overbearing but she is also great on this show. The best part of this show, is Bryan Cranston. This show put him on the map as one of the best actors of all time. He was in some movies and was a huge hit, and he was hilarious on "Malcolm in the Middle." But this show, really proved that he can do it all, and he deserves every bit of recognition. Catch up on this show, and watch it.


Grade = 93/100 = A

"Searching for Sugar Man" is an Amazing Documentary.

"Searching for Sugar Man" is an amazing documentary. It tells the story of the talented story of the singer, Rodriguez. Rodriguez came out with two albums in the 70s but he did not have much success in in the United States. It actually was a giant success in South Africa. Actually South Africans consider him as successful as Elvis Presley. In this film, two South Africans set out a journey to find him and get him to tour again.

This film is so great because it clearly explains the true story of Rodriguez. It is a great story of determination and courage, to find him, and for Rodriguez to start playing again. What made me love this film so much, we listen to his music while the movie is playing, and it is very good. He is a great singer/songwriter it is too bad he did not have enough success because he is very talented. Here is a song by him, I hope you listen and watch the film.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u_VsFWPEkQ

Grade = 88/100 = B+

"The King's Speech" is a Great One

"The King's Speech" is a great film about determination. It tells the story of King George VI, played by Colin Firth, and his journey to become a well-spoken speaker, and leader. He has had a stutter for almost his whole life, and he thinks that having a stutter, will make him be looked as less powerful. With the support of his wife, played by Helena Bonham Carter, and his speaking coach Lionel, played by Geoffrey Rush. With their help and support, he works extremely hard to address his nation when he becomes King.

This film is so fantastic mainly because of the authenticity and the great cast that was apart of it. Everything about this film made me think that I was in early 1900 England. The wardrobe, the cars, everything that went along with this movie were just greatly done. Helena Bonham Carter was fantastic in this film. She is great at what she does and she has made some great films even better. Geoffrey Rush was my favorite character in this film because he was not afraid to speak his mind, especially to the King. And obviously, Colin Firth was spectacular. His determination resinated on screen, and completely deserved his Oscar. Go check out this film.

Grade = 92/100 = A-

"Inside Man" is What Action Movies Should Be

"Inside Man" is an awesome thriller. It has Dalton Russell, played by Clive Owen, taking down a bank, in a highly complicated heist. Dalton is a very skilled heist man and he is relentless in becoming successful in this robbery. The person that might be able to take him down is Detective Frazier, played by Denzel Washington. Detective Frazier is also relentless, in taking down Russell.

This film is great because of the nonstop thrill that went along with this movie. You will be on the edge of your seat the whole film, wanting to know what happens. This film is a great action film. I do not love action movies but this movie did what it was supposed to do as an action movie. It kept me interested, there was not dumb plot twists that came out of nowhere. The change in pace and plot, made sense. And also it did not last six movies to tell the story. Furthermore, Clive Owen and Denzel Washington were spectacular together in this film. Usually I do not like Clive Owen, but he was a great villain in this film. Jodie Foster and Christopher Plummer also added to the great cast in this film. Lastly, Denzel is spectacular in any role he plays, enough said. Go see this movie.

Grade = 83/100 = B

"The Town" is a Thrill Ride

"The Town" is a great action film. It has Doug, played by Ben Affleck, and James, played by Jeremy Renner as bank robbers. They are skilled heist men that know how to steal the city of Boston away. This movie has many great action scenes, and it is just a high-paced thrill ride throughout.

The cast is incredible in this film. It stars Ben Affleck and Jeremy Renner. Ben Affleck has come along way from his early career, and he has really made some great films in the past few years. And Jeremy Renner is great in any role he is given. Some other great cast members are Jon Hamm, Rebecca Hall, and Blake Lively. Jon Hamm is great and his show, Mad Men, is spectacular. Rebecca Hall is also extremely great and she was great in this film, in her torn relationship with Ben Affleck. Furthermore, Blake Lively was really great because she played the crazy ex-girlfriend really well. This film is great and it was very exciting to see what happened next.

Grade = 89/100 = B+

"Taxi Driver" is one of Robert De Niro's Best

"Taxi Driver" is one of Robert De Niro's best. It has Travis, played by Robert De Niro, looking to make some cash. He decides to become a taxi driver in New York City. The city life gets to him and he turns into something he has never become for.

This film also brought out some great actors and directors in the business. Cybil Shepherd and Jodie Foster really did a great job as supporting roles in this film. These two actresses became two well-known actresses and it was mostly because of the success of this film. Also, deserving recognition is the great Martin Scorsese. He is one of the best writers and directors of our time. Everything he puts on screen is magic because of the authenticity of each scene he makes. Furthermore, Robert De Niro did an amazing job for this film. This was after his Oscar win in "The Godfather Part II" and he was nominated for this role. He is still one of the best actors of our time and he is still being recognized. He was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting role in "Silver Linings Playbook." This film brought out so many great things for Hollywood.

Grade = 93/100 = A