The Kite Runner

I had to read this book for school, then we had to watch the movie. I actually enjoyed the movie much more then the book, and while it's good, it's just sort of... meh. The characters are VERY good and the relationships really complex, but it's just not that... exciting. It's an interesting journey though. There also some GREAT lines.

Shoot Em' Up

If there was a third feature in "Grindhouse" it would be this. It's gung-ho, gun blazing, outragously over the top from start to finish. It's profoundly graphic in all shapes and sizes and is thouroughly enjoyable for anyone that finds entertainment in people being killed via carrots. That being said, if this movie doesn't interest you in the slightest, avoid it all all costs.
Giamatti plays the quintessential bad guy in this movie, and it's probably the most enjoyable potrayel of a villian I've ever seen, but only because it's such and over-the-top presentation.

oh, and the opening of the movie is amazing.

We Own the Night

This is another great soundtrack movie, and i'm pleased to say that I knew (and love) every single of the songs played in the film.
I really really liked this movie. The twists, characters, story, writing, music, direction and lessons are absolutally fantastic. Pheonix has proven he's one of the best actors ever, ever, while Walhburg continues to prove he's in a lot of good movies where he plays the same character.
At the very least, I think anyone that sees this movie will be engaged and entertained.

The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys

Let me begin by saying this is not a movie about evil child-molesting preachers. The stumbled upon this movie through the recommendation of a teacher *shhh*.
This is a "coming of age" story about two boys growing up as alter boys in a strict catholic system. I really liked the relationship of the two boys, but I feel the movie was damaged whenever it strayed from their relationship and focused on the love interest of one of the two boys. Also, there's a twist involving the love interest that I feel was really uneeded and rather repulsive. It was one of those "ooh that's horrible but this is an indie film so it's ok for that to happen" twists. The ending was also the ending I feared from the start, and it wasn't good and felt more unreal then the animimated sequences that are peppered throughout the mostly live-action movie.
This movie is just a less good version of stand by me. Think "Stand by Me" meets "The Girl Next Door" and that's what you've got.

American Gangster

I really liked the story and i'm glad that I own this, but as a movie I was a little dissapointed. I have yet to watch the "extended" cut, but from what i've seen it's much better. It's possible that my expectations were too high but I don't think that's likely. I did really enjoy this movie, but it's not gladiator. If you want to watch I really good new york gangster movie I'd really recommend "We Own the Night" which features equally talented acting and direction. Come to think of it, I was little dissapointed in the direction of American Gangster, however Ridley Scott did a great job of capturing the "gritty look" of the era.

Eastern Promises

It was between this movie and "We Own the Night". My friend wanted to see this movie and because we couldn't find the later we settled on this film by the same creator of the horrid "History of Violence".
The thing I HATE about the director of this movie, is that I can just see him telling himself how brilliant he is. He is an "artistic" director, and I hate it. His movies are the kind of movies that have very few scenes of violence, but the the violent scenes that are present are appallingly graphic, and the director calls it art.
I hated this movie, I really really hated it. I didn't think things could get worse then this director's last film, but I'd rather honestly watch Doomsday 3 more times then watch another one of his movies.

also, I'd like to take this time to express my irritation with blockbuster. I bought this film because they were closing and it was in the "2 for 20$" bin so it was a quick buy. However, after seeing the film and being monumentally unsatisfied with it, blockbuster did NOT allow me to exchange it for another movie in the same bin. I find that irritating, because for what I know they would have lost nothing in pleasing me. Now i'm stuck with a sh***y movie.

Wow

the past week was one of the fullest i've ever had, and on top of doing many a fun things, I watched around a billion movies, which I'll try to write (consise) reviews for. Those movies (many of which I bought) include

American Gangster
Run Fatboy Run
We Own The Night
Shoot Em' Up
Eastern Promises
The Dangerous Lives of Alter Boys

and I also bought across the universe and death sentence. good stuff.

Run Fatboy Run

I enjoyed this more then "Be Kind Rewind" which is slightly similar. In essence this is a romantic comedy about a man that tries to win the girl he ran away from on their wedding day 5 years previous.
This isn't a brilliant film, and the humor is mid to low brow only, but I did enjoy it a lot and it also hosts some fantastic messages.