Starring: Kevin James, Salma Hayek, Henry Winkler & Greg Germann
Written by Allan Loeb & Kevin James
Directed by Frank Coraci
A high school teacher turns to mixed martial arts to help fund his school’s music program.
Boom lands with a thud,
much like the crap P.O.D.
song it’s named after.
Grade: C
c2013
By Daniel J. Hoag
Here Comes the Boom is available on Blu-ray and DVD tomorrow.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1648179/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo & Evangeline Lilly
Screenplay by John Gatins
Directed by Shawn Levy
A washed-up fighter and his estranged son build and train a championship contender in the competitive sport of robot boxing.
Suck it, Michael Bay.
This robot kicks Transformers
shiny metal ass.
Grade: B-
c2012
By Daniel J. Hoag
Real Steel is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 1/24/12.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0433035/
Starring: Joel Edgerton, Tom Hardy, Jennifer Morrison & Nick Nolte
Screenplay by Gavin O’Connor & Anthony Tambakis & Cliff Dorfman
Directed by Gavin O’Connor
Two estranged brothers must battle each other in a winner-take-all mixed martial arts competition.
Been-there, slugged-that. Still,
this MMA Rocky packs
a powerful punch.
Grade: B+
c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Warrior is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 12/20/11.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1291584/
Starring: Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Robin Wright & Chris Pratt
Screenplay by Steven Zaillian and Aaron Sorkin
Directed by Bennett Miller
The true story of how the Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane built a winning team for the financially-strapped baseball club by using a revolutionary method of statistical analysis to place value on players.
Here’s some simple math:
(Pitt + Hoffman) x Sorkin
= a home run.
Grade: A-
c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Moneyball is now playing in theaters nationwide.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1210166/
Starring: Sandrine Bonnaire, Kevin Kline & Jennifer Beals
Written by Caroline Bottaro with Caroline Maly
Directed by Caroline Bottaro
A French maid develops a passion for the game of chess and, with the tutelage of a reclusive American widower, undergoes an emotional reawakening.
Only the French could
make playing chess seem sexy.
A surprise charmer.
Grade: B+
c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
Queen to Play is available on DVD today.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1082009/
Starring: Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd, Owen Wilson & Jack Nicholson
Written & directed by James L. Brooks
…when you’re really bored?
…when you’ve seen this crap before?
…when to turn it off?
Grade: C
c2011
By Daniel J. Hoag
How Do You Know is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 3/22/11.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1341188/
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Amy Adams & Melissa Leo
Screenplay by Scott Silver and Paul Tamasy & Eric Johnson
Directed by David O. Russell
The true story of Micky Ward, a stuggling boxer, and his explosive relationships with his drug addict brother and over-controlling mother.
Heavyweight actors
pack the proverbial punch,
and you’ll be knocked out.
Grade: A-
c2010
By Daniel J. Hoag
The Fighter is available on Blu-ray and DVD on 3/15/11.
It was the winner of the Academy Awards for Best Supporting Actor (Christian Bale) and Best Supporting Actress (Melissa Leo), 2010. It was also nominated for Best Picture, Best Director (David O. Russell), Best Editing, Best Supporting Actress (Amy Adams), and Best Original Screenplay.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0964517/
By Daniel J. Hoag
The 83rd Academy Awards have come and gone and the Haiku Review has some final thoughts and reactions to the festivities.
So many movies
were more deserving of Best
Pic than The King’s Speech.
I hope Tom Hooper
has trouble sleeping at night
cause FINCHER GOT ROBBED!
Continue reading
By Daniel J. Hoag
Hits from Billy Joel
Hits (and errors) from the Mets
This ode to Shea scores
Grade: B+
c2011
Last Play at Shea is now available on Blu-ray and DVD.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1262986/
By Daniel J. Hoag
The second in the Haiku Review’s Oscar Spotlight series focuses on the category of Best Supporting Actress, which is likely to be the closest acting race this season.
Amy Adams, The Fighter
This is Adams’ third time competing in the Best Supporting Actress category; she was previously nominated for 2005’s Junebug and 2008’s Doubt. As Charlene Fleming, thick-skinned girlfriend to Mark Wahlberg’s titular pugilist, Adams goes head-to-head with some heavy-hitting actors. Charlene finds herself at odds with her beau’s drug-addled brother and manipulative mother (played by fellow nominees Christian Bale and Melissa Leo); she even gets into a front-porch smackdown with several of his scrappy sisters. Continue reading
The Haiku Review 