Mike Vilensky's Mini-Movie Reviews

Superbad
"Arrested Development"'s Michael Cera (George Michael) keeps the laughs coming playing, again, a nerdy high school boy in this hilarious and honest (warning: honest and high school might unsettle some of older crowds) account of uncool high school seniors who want to party before graduation. Super good.

Halloween
Rob Zombie's re-make of John Carpenter's horror classic has crazy man Michael Myers mistakenly released from a mental institution and ready to release his anger on his family and small home-town. Zombie's surprising focus on Myer's psyche and gruesome destiny makes this slasher flick-killer.

Balls of Fury
A championship ping-pong player gets recruited by the FBI to infiltrate an underground tournament run by a crime boss, or something, in this weird moneymaker that needs Will Ferrell's help.

Death Sentence
A pseudo-sequel to the 1974 cult classic "Death Wish," the film depicts a father with a mission to murder each thug involved with the crime that killed his son. Who better to do justice to Charles Bronson's famous ruthlessness than the current cult director of "Saw"? Perhaps a few people, but this guy's doing it and with Kevin Bacon starring it's six degrees from not that bad.

The Nines
A troubled actor, a TV producer and a maverick video game producer, all played by Ryan Reynolds, find their lives intertwining in mysterious and unsettling ways in this metaphysical and intriguing indie.

The Invasion
German filmmaker Hirschbiegel and V For Vendetta director collaborated on this thriller about a Washington psychiatrist who uncovers the truth about a secret alien epidemic that her own son might be able to stop. Accidentally campy in execution, this Invasion of the Bodysnatchers - esque film is, at least, a fun way to unwind this August. Oh, and Nicole Kidman stars. Wow, with all that industry power this one is sure to pack a punch - but whether it's a knockout or just painful might vary from viewer to viewer.

Death at a Funeral
This dark comedy from England depicts brothers who must stop a blackmailer from exposing their deceased father's secret as their family gathers to mourn him. Death at a funeral is expected, but fun at a funeral - that's relatively original.

The Last Legion
A soldier escapes the crumbling Roman Empire as barbarians take over and embarks on an adventure with rebels to save the emperor. Color me epic! But a legion of studio problems and a far pushed back release date (into the wastebin of August movies) are foreboding. Expect a "500" rather than a "Gladiator."

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