New out on DVD/Blu-ray for Tuesday May 22.

Photo: Contributed - E1 Films

     The Grey

In The Grey, Liam Neeson leads an unruly group of oil-rig roughnecks when their plane crashes into the remote Alaskan wilderness. Battling mortal injuries and merciless weather, the survivors have only a few days to escape the icy elements - and a vicious pack of rogue wolves on the hunt - before their time runs out.

This wasn't quite what I expected. I thought it would be a little more action oriented, but it's in fact a more psychological and philosophical film about survival and the nature of life and death. Sure it has some exciting and intense moments but if you are looking for non-stop action you won't find it here. The performances are really solid though, especially Neeson, and I would recommend it if you're in the mood for a powerful drama rather than an action film.

     The Woman in Black

A young lawyer, struggling with work after the death of his wife, is sent to a remote village to settle the estate of a deceased eccentric woman who owns an English manor. The village residents want him to leave as they are trying to conceal a deadly secret. But he refuses, and soon discovers that the house of his client is haunted by the vengeful ghost of a woman dressed in black.

Starring a post- Harry Potter Daniel Radcliffe, The Woman in Black is an old- fashioned haunted house tale full of spooky and creepy atmosphere, and plenty of make-you-jump scares to keep you on the edge of your seat. I love these kind of throwback Gothic horror films that take their time to build and provide you with eerie imagery to creep you out.

It's much better than most of the crappy horrors that come out now that are all about gore rather than creating a sense of foreboding. I highly recommend this one if you want the pants scared off of you.

     This Means War

In this rom-com actioner, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy play the world's deadliest CIA operatives who are inseparable partners and best friends, until they fall in love with the same woman (Reese Witherspoon). Having once helped bring down entire enemy nations, they are now employing their incomparable skills and an endless array of high-tech gadgetry against their greatest nemesis ever - each other.

I am going to keep this short and sweet. This movie is an absolute piece of trash. Clearly just a paycheck for the talented cast involved, it's predictable, formulaic, loud and just plain stupid.

Easily one of the worst movies of the year so far. Rent this at your own risk.

     Red Tails

Italy, 1944. As the war takes its toll on Allied forces in Europe, a squadron of black pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen are finally given the chance to prove themselves in the sky - even as they battle discrimination on the ground. Starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard and produced by George Lucas, Red Tails has some spectacular aerial battle sequences but the plot and character development are thin and we're not given much insight into the plight of the Tuskegee Airmen.

It's not a terrible movie at all, just could have been much better. Check out HBO's 1995 film The Tuskegee Airmen with Laurence Fishburne for a much better take on this subject matter.

     Blast From the Past

Continuing where I left off last week, I now present you with my top 10 films of 1979.

10. Phantasm - A low-budget horror that's totally bizarre and scary, it introduced one of the more creepy villains in the Tall Man who could kill you with a silver spiky sphere.

9. The Muppet Movie - I was always a huge Muppet Show fan so to have a feature length film come out was great when I was a kid. It's a lot of fun.

8. The Warriors - This cult classic directed by Walter Hill is still cool to watch. The story of gang warfare in New York might be a bit dated today but it has memorable characters and action. Plus, who can forget the line "Waaaaarriors, come out to plaaaay"

7. Escape from Alcatraz - Clint Eastwood stars in this great movie that dramatizes possibly the only successful escape attempt from Alcatraz prison. If you are an Eastwood fan or a fan of prison break films then you need to check this one out.

6. Mad Max - The film that introduced us to Mel Gibson long before he found religion and went bat%&*# insane. Set in a dystopian future, this Australian film has become a cult classic and spawned two sequels. It's a super action packed film with Mel playing one of his most memorable characters ever.

5. Manhattan - This open love letter to New York City and Gershwin music is funny and charming, and easily one of Woody Allen's best films of his amazing career. I know not everyone likes Woody Allen, but I'm a huge fan - especially of his earlier work. It's brilliant.

4. The China Syndrome - Starring Jack Lemmon, Jane Fonda and Michael Douglas this film tells the story of a reporter and her cameraman who discover safety coverups at a nuclear power plant. It is a really taut thriller that features some great performances, especially by Jack Lemmon. It's very scary to think that something like this could actually happen. Amazing film!

3. Monty Python's Life of Brian - I absolutely love Monty Python's zany brand of humour and this hilarious film is religious satire at its best. It ranks up there with The Holy Grail as Python's best work, and is one of the funniest movies I've ever seen. You either love Python or you don't. Which side do you fall on?

2. Apocalypse Now - Francis Ford Coppola's nightmarish vision of the Vietnam War is an incredible masterpiece. There are so many haunting and unforgettable scenes in the film and if you are any kind of true cinema junkie then this is mandatory viewing. It is a descent into hell that is truly epic.

1. Alien - "In space no one can hear you scream". This is one of my all-time favorite science fiction/horror films. Directed by Ridley Scott, Alien kicked off what would end up being a massive franchise consisting not only of sequels but of novels, comic books, toys and video games. It's scary, exciting and just flat out awesome. I can't wait to see the upcoming film Prometheus which is reportedly a prequel to this film. I guess it will soon be time for another Alien marathon to get ready for it.

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Upon seeing the opening scene of Sacha Baron Cohen's latest comedy romp, The Dictator, I chuckled knowing that I was in for a very politically incorrect time at the movies.

The film opens with a dedication in loving memory to Kim Jong-il and thus sets the tone for what's to follow. The subsequent 80 minutes or so are often times hilarious, rude and offensive to pretty much any race or religion, but also quite uneven. Not every joke works, but the ones that do are quite memorable and will either repulse you, or if you're not overly sensitive, make you laugh your ass off.

The Dictator is Cohen's follow up to Borat and Brüno, but whereby those other two films were done in a documentary format, tossing his character into real-life situations, he changes course by making this film simply plot driven.

Cohen plays General Admiral Haffaz Aladeen, dictator of the fictional North African nation of Wadiya. He is insecure and just wants to be seen as a nice guy who also happens to hate Jews and wish destruction on the west. He rules from the comfort of his opulent palace and sleeps with famous celebrities whom he pays just so he can have his picture taken with them in order to add to his massive wall-of-fame collage that he has created. He orders people executed for the silliest of offences and has gone as far as to replace certain words in his country's language to the word Aladeen which tends to cause mass confusion at times.

When he travels to New York to make a speech before the United Nations, he ends up getting kidnapped and having his trademark thick beard shaved off rendering him almost unrecognizable. You see, he's been betrayed by his right-hand man (Ben Kingsley) who wants to make Wadiya into a democracy in order to allow the massive oil companies the rights to the land. Forced now to live as a commoner, Aladeen meets hippie Zoey (Anna Faris) and ends up working at her organic grocery store. The rest of the film involves Aladeen plotting a way to reclaim his rightful place as Wadiya's leader and along the way finding true love with Zoey.

Directed by Larry Charles - who also made Borat and Brüno - The Dictator is a somewhat scattershot film that contains many funny moments and some really silly ones that fall flat. There was never a scene in it that made me laugh as hard as the naked fight scene in Borat, but I found myself chuckling throughout and I was entertained enough to recommend this to anyone who does not get offended easily. If you have delicate sensibilities then steer clear -  but if you enjoy a good, clever political satire then you should have some fun with The Dictator.

I give The Dictator 6.5 out of 10.

Greetings fellow movie goers, it's time to take a look at what's being featured at the theatres this weekend.

Photo: Contributed - Paramount Pictures

     The Dictator

In Sacha Baron Cohen's latest comic misadventure he plays a North African dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.

     My Take

I'm not an enormous fan of Sacha Baron Cohen so I am approaching this film with some trepidation to say the least. I found some of Ali G amusing, I laughed my butt off during Borat and I absolutely loathed Brüno.

In The Dictator, Cohen is once again playing an over-the-top foreigner who doesn't understand the ways of the west and is totally politically incorrect. I'm sure he will try to offend as many minority groups as he can possibly get away with all in the name of satirical comedy.

This one looks to be a more straight forward plot driven film rather than the pseudo documentary style he employed with Borat and Brüno, and like those other two films it's directed by Larry Charles, who is best known for having worked on Seinfeld and Curb Your Enthusiasm. He's assembled an interesting supporting cast which includes Ben Kingsley, Anna Faris, John C. Reilly and Jason Mantzoukas.

I am keeping my fingers crossed that this will be more than just another dumb, slapstick comedy. We'll see.

     Battleship

Based on the classic Hasbro naval combat game, Battleship is the story of an international fleet of ships who come across an alien armada whilst on a Naval war games exercise. An intense battle ensues over sea, land and air. What do the aliens - known as "The Regents" - want?

     My Take

Wow, so Hollywood is really becoming so creatively bankrupt that they have to start making movies based on board games now. What's next - Monopoly: The Legend of the Community Chest starring Wilford Brimley as Rich "Uncle" Pennybags?

Yes, I know they made a movie based on Clue back in the eighties, but at least that game had developed characters already established so it wasn't as much of a stretch. This looks like another over budget, epic-scaled excuse to blow stuff up and numb the filmgoers senses.

Despite the fact that Liam Neeson is in the film in order to lend some gravitas, the rest of the cast looks about as shallow as can be. I mean, come on, pop star Rihanna, swimsuit model Brooklyn Decker and pretty boy Taylor Kitsch (yes, I know he's from Kelowna) don't exactly scream quality now, do they?

Hey, I hope I'm wrong but to me this looks like another loud, formulaic, popcorn muncher meant for people with less than discriminating tastes.

     What to Expect When You're Expecting

A look at love through the eyes of five interconnected couples experiencing the thrills and surprises of having a baby, and ultimately coming to understand the universal truth that no matter what you plan for, life doesn't always deliver what's expected.

     My Take

Well, the title of this film is a mouthful and to be honest I'm not expecting much from it. This romantic comedy/drama is definitely not targeted towards single males such as myself, but rather to young couples who are going through the trials and tribulations of starting a family.

Director Kirk Jones - who made the charming Waking Ned Devine in 1998 - gathers an all-star cast for this one, including Cameron Diaz, Jennifer Lopez, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Chris Rock, Dennis Quaid, Matthew Morrison and Chace Crawford. Of course the films Valentine's Day and New Year's Eve also used the gimmick of an all-star cast and those movies were atrocious, so draw your own conclusions.

This doesn't look like my cup-of-tea but for those of you who like these thinly plotted rom-coms, have at it. I hope it's enjoyable for you.

Also starting this weekend is The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel which is about British retirees who travel to India to take up residence in what they believe is a newly restored hotel, only to find that it is less luxurious than its advertisements. Nevertheless, the Marigold Hotel slowly begins to charm them in unexpected ways. It features a top-notch cast of veteran actors like Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy and Maggie Smith and is directed by Shakespeare in Love's John Madden. This will most likely be a nice one for the geriatric set out there.

A Little Bit Zombie is a low budget Canadian comedy/horror film that is getting a limited screening here in town. Infected by a virus during his bachelor party, a mild mannered HR manager attempts to fulfill his overwhelming desire for brains and avoid Max, the obsessed Zombie Hunter hot on his trail. All while keeping it together so as not to incur the wrath of his Bridezilla-to-be. I loved Shaun of the Dead so if this is at all similar it could be some campy, cheesy fun.

Six Degrees of Chuck Norris

Sacha Baron Cohen from The Dictator was in Hugo (2011) with Christopher Lee, who was in An Eye for an Eye (1981) with Chuck Norris.

Liam Neeson from Battleship was in Les Misérables (1998) with Uma Thurman, who was in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 with David Carradine, who was in Lone Wolf McQuade (1983) with Chuck Norris.

Cameron Diaz from What to Expect When You're Expecting was in Vanilla Sky (2001) with Kurt Russell, who was in Silkwood (1983) with Ron Silver, who was in Silent Rage (1982) with Chuck Norris.

Chuck Norris Fun Fact:

Why did the terrorist cross the street? To get hit by a car before Chuck Norris could get him.

New out on DVD/Blu-ray for Tuesday May 15.

Chronicle

Chronicle tells the tale of three high school students, Andrew, Matt and Steve, who make an incredible discovery, leading to their developing uncanny powers beyond their understanding. As they learn to control their abilities and use them to their advantage, their lives start to spin out of control, and their darker sides begin to take over.

This is yet another entry in the pantheon of "found footage" films like Cloverfield, Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch Project; however where those films were full of annoying shaky cam, this one approaches the sub-genre with a little telekinesis-inspired creativity by having the main character Andrew control the camera with his mind so that it's not shaking all over the place constantly.

It's a fresh, energetic spin on the superhero origin story and I had a blast with this film as the action built steadily throughout, culminating in an all out ass-kicking barrage of mayhem and destruction towards the end, as the city of Seattle - where the film is set - is obliterated.

If you are going to rent anything this week make it Chronicle. The blu-ray contains extra footage not shown in the theatrical release so it's definitely worth checking out.

     Albert Nobbs

Albert Nobbs struggles to survive in the late 19th century Ireland, where women aren't encouraged to be independent. Posing as a man, so she can work as a waiter in Dublin's most posh hotel, Albert meets a painter with a similar secret and looks to escape the lie she has been living.

Glenn Close, who was nominated for an Academy Award for her work here, gives a very subdued and understated performance as Albert Nobbs. Sadly however, the film is also very subdued and at times I found it quite boring.

The performances by the strong supporting cast, which includes Janet McTeer, Mia Wasikowska, Brendan Gleeson and Aaron Johnson are solid but the languid pace of the film tends to drag on. There is some fine work on display here but overall I couldn't really connect with the story or the characters and I would only recommend this to fans of stuffy, turn-of-the-century British fare.

     Rampart

Los Angeles, 1999 - Officer Dave Brown (Woody Harrelson) is a Vietnam vet and a Rampart Precinct cop, dedicated to doing "the people's dirty work" and asserting his own code of justice, often blurring the lines between right and wrong to maintain his action-hero state of mind. When he gets caught on tape beating a suspect, he finds himself in a personal and emotional downward spiral as the consequences of his past sins and his refusal to change his ways in light of a department-wide corruption scandal seal his fate.

Rampart is a dark, twisted tale of police corruption and one man's descent into a self imposed hell. Woody Harrelson gives a searing performance as Officer Brown and he creates a character that is wholly unlikable yet someone who you feel sorry for at times.

The film is written by noted crime-fiction author James Ellroy and the dialogue crackles with intensity. Even though I would have wanted more from the resolution of the film, it's a powerful drama that is worth watching for the strong performances alone. Also featured in the cast are Sigourney Weaver, Robin Wright, Ned Beatty, Anne Heche, Cynthia Nixon, Ben Foster and Ice Cube.

Also out this week: the latest dumb comedy starring Katherine Heigl called One for the Money, the atrociously bad horror film The Devil Inside and the foreign films Norwegian Wood from Japan and Miss Bala from Mexico.

     Blast From the Past

The first time that I ever set foot inside of a movie theatre was in the summer of 1978. I was 4 years old and what I was about to see would forever influence my interests and spawn my love of film and the overall fun experience of going to the movies. Since that day I've seen thousands upon thousands of films and I plan on watching many more, but I will always remember that first one. With that said, I thought over the next 35 weeks or so I would provide you with a top ten list of my favourite films of each year that I have been going to the movies.

Along the way you'll get some great rental ideas and maybe a sense of nostalgia, depending on your age of course.

Without further ado, here's my top ten films of 1978.

10. Every Which Way but Loose - Clint Eastwood plays a brawling trucker with a pet orangutan named Clyde. I know it's not a great movie but Clyde was absolutely hilarious and steals the show.

9. The Last Waltz - Directed by Martin Scorsese, this documentary showcases The Band's farewell concert and has so many amazing musical performances in it by the likes of Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Van Morrison, Neil Diamond and Neil Young just to name a few. A must see if you are a fan of The Band.

8. Revenge of the Pink Panther - This was the sixth film in the popular comedy series featuring Peter Sellers as the bumbling and hilarious Inspector Clouseau. This stuff was like gold when I was a kid, however the best film in the series still remains 1964's A Shot in the Dark.

7. National Lampoon's Animal House - This frat-house comedy starring John Belushi is an all-time classic and basically launched the gross-out genre of comedies that we have today.

6. Midnight Express - A powerful, hard hitting drama about a young American man that is sent to a Turkish prison for trying to smuggle drugs out of Turkey. Based on a true story, Oliver Stone won an Oscar for the screenplay. A great film well worth checking out.

5. The Boys from Brazil - Featuring screen legends Sir Laurence Olivier and Gregory Peck this scary thriller is about Dr. Josef Mengele's nefarious plot to clone Hitler. It's a taut, suspense filled film that kind of freaked me out when I first watched it.

4. Dawn of the Dead - George A. Romero's follow up to Night of the Living Dead is a horror classic and my all time favourite zombie film. It's a gore filled, bloody masterpiece.

3. The Deer Hunter - One of the best films ever about the Vietnam war and its after-effects. This Academy Award winning film features incredible performances from Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, John Savage and Meryl Streep. What an emotionally jarring and powerful film this is.

2. Halloween - I can never get tired of watching this amazing John Carpenter classic. I've lost count how many times I've seen it and every time it's still scary and spooky as hell. This is easily one of the best horror thrillers ever made.

1. Superman - The one that started it all. My first movie going experience was magical to say the least and watching a man flying on the screen made my 4-year-old imagination soar along with him. Christopher Reeve will always be Superman to me. This was the first truly great superhero film ever made and paved the way for all that have come since. I cherish this film.

What are some of your favourites? Let me know what some of your fondest movie going memories are. E-mail me at mrpnk@shaw.ca or hit me up on Twitter @ReneGross16.

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