Banlieue 13 (District 13)

Lovers of kung-fu, sci-fi, France, hot men and/or incredible action sequences, rejoice!

I thought that this movie would be good because it was made by the same people as Ong-Bak, one of my favourite movies. However, two things took me by surprise. 1) This movie was absolutely incredible. I loved every second of it. There really was nothing that I didn't like about it. 2) It was French.

Yeah, like most good kung-fu (ok, so there's no actual kung-fu in this movie, but that's just the best way to describe the fighting in this movie. Because honestly, the fighting in this movie in indescribable) movies you have to sit through sub-titles. 'Course being that I speak French, this really didn't bug me. Though it did amuse me just how much the French say 'merde' and how little Americans are willing to translate it.

Now, onto the actors.

I'm pretty sure that I want to marry and bear the children of David Belle (Leito - the main character). I really don't know what better way to put it. He's completely replaced my love-lust for Tony Jaa (Ong-Bak), though some of that may have to do with the fact that I could actually communicate with David Belle. Good actor, good looking, good hair, good god...

Cyril Raffaelli (Damien) looked like the French love-child of Jason Statham and Vin Diesel, which is amusing because I just found out that Raffaelli was Statham's stunt double in The Transporter. Anyway, he was incredible in the fights and not so bad on the acting plane.

Though really, this isn't an 'acting' kind of movie.

Dany Verissimo (Lola) was great for the 10 minutes she was actually in the movie. She was also the only woman in the ENTIRE movie. I didn't actually notice this until after seeing the movie, which I guess just goes to prove that the movie was so good one doesn't even notice such a grand imbalance in the sexes.

I could probably go on praising this movie for another thousand words, but really one thing needs to be said: GO SEE THIS MOVIE NOW!!!
-LS

The Omen

My first impression was something along the lines of: "Oh man, this is sooooo much better than I thought it would be!"

I never really liked the original. I bought it some time ago and was kinda bored with it, but I recognized the potential and understood why people would like it so much. This remake (and I'm sure people will disagree), took everything that was wrong with the original and made it far, far better.

The story and all the plot-points are the same, but things seem to fit better this time around. The look is better, the effects are better, the acting the same (as in very good in both versions) and those dreams were wicked!

I especially loved Liev Schreiber. I've never really cared about him before, but he was just awesome in this. I really felt for him (and he was really hot... but this is not important!). Julia Stiles was good, but I had a hard time buying her being old enough to have a child. That's not her fault though, that's mostly because I just re-watched 10 Things I Hate About You the other week. Pete Postlethwaite played a priest... again. He was incredible and all, but nothing special or different. Mia Farrow freaked the hell outta me, good work Mia.

David Thewlis is my god, 'nuff said.

Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick (Damien) was nothing special. He just kinda looked confused for the whole movie, but one can't except too much from a five-year-old.

Not to give too much away, but the ending of this movie really touched me. It was the same as the original, but Liev Schreiber was absolutely heart-wrenching to watch.

Go see this movie, now, NOW I SAY!!!
-LS