A few weeks ago, Batman: The Dark Knight Returns Part 1 was released on Blu-ray and DVD. If you're a serious comic book fan, you've probably already read or at least heard of the original graphic novel by Frank Miller. Along with Alan Moore's Watchmen, The Dark Knight Returns was one of the most influential comic books of the 80's, and gets much of the credit for the launch of the "gritty era" of comic books, which continued through much of the 90's and still leaves traces today. This animated movie attempts to adapt and condense the original story into a two-part movie series. The story takes place 10 years after Bruce Wayne has retired from being Batman. There are suggestions that his retirement has something to do with a tragedy that befell Robin. Wayne is now at least in his 50s, although he remains in great shape for his age and busies himself with dangerous hobbies, such as automobile racing. He is clearly unsettled and still haunted by the d...

I'm a huge fan of the Matrix Trilogy. I love the way the Wachowsky Brothers combined crazy cool sci-fi action with rich symbolism and philosophy. Even though I find myself often at odds with some of the philosophies expressed in those films, I appreciate their presence in a genre that is too often based on mindless explosions and bad one-liners. Cloud Atlas was completely off my radar until I saw the first trailer a few months ago. Since then I've been waiting to see this movie with great curiosity, and as it turns out "curiosity" is a great word with which to describe this film. Andy Wachowski, his sibling Lana (formerly Larry before undergoing gender reassignment) and Tom Tykwer ( Run Lola Run, The International ) share the director's chair for this multi-story experience. I say "multi-story" intentionally, rather than "multi-thread". Although the film regularly cuts back and forth between multiple stories, it never connects them ...

Review by Ken From Honolulu Made in 2010 Synopsis: A group of students investigates a series of mysterious bear killings. But they learn there are much more dangerous things going on. They start following a mysterious hunter, but learn he is actually a troll hunter. Review:  This movie is a Norwegian film and is filmed in Norwegian. It is subtitled so you need to read the movie. There isn’t much dialogue, so it is easy to follow. You have to really watch, though, because there is a lot of visual stuff going on. This is one of those "found footage" type documentary films, like the Blair Witch Project. Generally I’m not a fan of this type of film, but this one is really good. Whoever did the casting for the film did a great job. The troll hunter is an older grizzled guy who is not very good looking. He is tired of his job and looks it. The younger people are supposed to be college students and they look it as well. This movie takes place over several we...

Review by Ken From Honolulu Made in 1998 Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson Starring: Kurt Russell as Sgt. Todd Jason Scott Lee as Cain Synopsis: After being defeated and left for dead by his genetically engineered replacement, Sgt. for life Todd must save a peaceful community from destruction by the same soldiers. Review: This movie is an extremely violent film. There is no sex and no real cussing, but it is very bloody and very violent. So if that bothers you don’t bother. This movie takes place in the distant future. Where the soldiers are soldiers for life. Where the children are raised to be soldiers. The children are taught not to have any emotion. The soldiers are shown in certain situations where they attack towns and villages. It shows them growing older as they go along. This is great because it shows just because you are older doesn’t mean you are stupid. Because you are older and have more experience you are able to think things out in a more ratio...

Long before I ever attempted to combine music and sci-fi storytelling to develop the Spirit Blade Trilogy, I was captivated by the 1986 movie, "Little Shop Of Horrors". Based on the stage musical (which itself was based on a Roger Corman flick), the story is set roughly in the 1950s and centers on Seymour Krelborn (Rick Moranis), an overlooked, under appreciated nerd who has a heart of gold, a spine of jelly and thinks he is completely unlovable. Seymour works at a failing flower shop and secretly pines for his beautiful co-worker, Audrey, the victim of poor self-image (and an abusive boyfriend portrayed sadistically and hilariously by Steve Martin). Everything changes for Seymour and the flower shop when he discovers a strange plant which attracts numerous customers and business for the store. Soon Seymour is finding amazing success in every area of life because of this plant. The only problem? The plant's unusual diet: Human flesh and blood. I've never s...

IMDB.com's synopsis reads: In 2072, when the mob wants to get rid of someone, the target is sent 30 years into the past, where a hired gun awaits. Someone like Joe, who one day learns the mob wants to 'close the loop' by transporting back Joe's future self. I don't dare say much more about the plot, because a key part of enjoying this movie is watching the story unfold as new information is revealed. However, I can at least say that the plot is about much more than this basic premise. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the young Joe, while Bruce Willis plays the older Joe from the future. In many movies with this kind of plot device, directors are content to cast actors that look a bit the same and leave it at that. But in Looper, Gordon-Levitt is given an incredible make-up and prosthetic makeover to look, not like a young Bruce Willis necessarily, but like a young version of Bruce Willis as he looks today. Sound confusing? It may not be the only thing that conf...