Movies I Have Seen

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Dogboys (1998)

[Bryan Brown, Dean Cain, Tia Carrere]

Prison movie, where certain prisoners are used to not only train and care for tracking dogs, but be the prey the dogs hunt. Cain plays the newest prisoner suddenly involved in this dangerous world.

Sounds great, doesn't it? It's not, however. The "bad" prison guards/trainers are inept. It is amazing that they would have been able to keep a scheme like this going on so long. Carrere, as the D.A. suddenly onto the goings-on, is blah.

I just didn't care for it. This was a made-for-cable movie, I believe, and it shows. Seems like NO ONE brought their A-game to this movie, except maybe the dogs.

I would not watch it again.

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10,000 B.C. (2008)

[Steve Strait, Camilla Belle, Cliff Curtis]

I had this movie on DVR for about 3 weeks. I was unsure of what to expect from it and kept putting off watching it.

I have to say, I liked it. Yes, I know there are a plethora of historical inaccuracies, but I wasn't watching it for a history lesson. Think of it as a fantasy tale, and you will enjoy it more. The film itself was fun, exciting and beautifully shot.

I waited until I was done watching to check out the rank it had on IMDb, and I have to say I was shocked that it is at only 4.9 out of 10. Seems to me it should rank higher.

I liked it and I would watch it again.

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Beverly Hills Chihuahua (2008)

[Drew Barrymore, Piper Perabo, Andy Garcia]

Watched this Disney film with my family, and we got a few laughs out of it. It's a simple story of a lost dog trying to get home. My kids said it was "okay". Enough said.

I have to mention: This movie has the second dog-flashback scene I have ever seen, when the German Shepherd dog recalls a crucial moment from his past. This is probably the ONE time where a scene like this can work, whereas the other scene like this, in the original "The Hills Have Eyes 2", a dog has a flashback to part 1. It is horrible and makes no sense, much like the rest of that movie.

While this film isn't an award-winner, it is okay for kids.

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Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)

[Reese Witherspoon, Seth Rogen, Hugh Laurie, Will Arnett]

Saw this with the family on Easter day and we all liked it. The 3D adds to the fun of it all, but the story itself is enough to keep you interested.

Susan is a normal woman who soon becomes a "monster". Upon meeting other monsters, she is soon tasked with helping to stop an alien invasion.

Fun and funny movie that has some good chuckles. We all would see it again.

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Funny Games (2007)

[Naomi Watts, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, Brady Corbet]

Never heard of this movie until this past week. It is a shot-by-shot remake of a 1997 Austrian film, with the same director helming both versions.

Basically, a well-off family, arriving at their summer home, is taken hostage by two oddly polite young men. Too say anything else about the plot would be giving too much away. Suffice to say, if you don't like horror films or super-intense thrillers, then avoid this movie.

I was initially unnerved and unsettled by this movie, it was truly a scary film. But I call shenanigans: I have issues with something towards the end, and I can't really say more about it. If you have seen it, you know what I am talking about. This scene completely changed the feel of the movie for me, and not in a good way. It was just too much.

Wouldn't bother to watch it again.

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MST3K "Santa Claus Conquers the Martians (1991; original film 1964)

[John Call, Leonard Hicks, Bill McCutcheon, Pia Zadora]

What can I say? Another great episode of MST3K! The original film is bad, really bad. I don't think I could stand to watch it on it's own. Really cheesy.

But the crew from MST3K does an awesome job riffing on the whole production.

Definitely recommended!

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