Welcome to the newly redesigned site. I'm still copying over archives from the old site...
NEW RELEASES:
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Kept Checking My Watch)
"It didn’t make a bit of sense to me, and with all the noise of machines fighting each other, I didn’t have time to figure it out. Looking back, that’s hard to believe since the movie runs to overkill length of nearly 2 ½ hours. The basic idea is that an evil robot called “The Fallen” has decided now is the time for his fellow evil Transformers – called “Decepticons” – to rise up and take over the planet. Why now? I don’t know. If they were living among us all along, what took ‘em so long?... When the mechanical arms start flying and the roar of machines blare through the speakers, I’ll be damned if I can figure out which one is the Autobot and which one is the Decepticon."
Full review at moviejungle.com
The Proposal (It Is What It Is)
The idea behind The Proposal’s been done a few hundred times, so if it’s going to work it has to have the right people and the right setting. And they got it half right. The right people are Sandra Bullock’s Margaret and Ryan Reynolds’ Andrew... Unfortunately, The Proposal makes the huge mistake of leaving the office environment and heading up to Alaska... Instead of a workplace romance between two people who know each other so well, what we end up with is a diluted Sweet Home Alabama."
Full review at moviejungle.com 
Year One (Tremendous)
"One of the best things about Year One is there’s barely a trace of Year 2009... The two primitive men wandering the Earth have a modern attitude for sure, but at no time in this new comedy do they wink at the camera and imply they’re really 2009 men in ancient times... It’s been a long time since we’ve had a good solid Biblical comedy. The last one I can think of is Mel Brooks’ History of the World Part I... We never got a History of the World Part II. So until Mel Brooks gets to it, I’d be up for Harold Ramis’ Year Two."
Full review at moviejungle.com
Easy Virtue (Tremendous)
"Jessica Biel takes her shot at respectability – not by actually going on stage and doing a play, but by doing a movie based on a classic play. And she pulls it off. It’s probably a back-handed compliment, but that’s the biggest surprise in Easy Virtue. Biel’s never been a bad actress, but her work would probably not be described as highfalutin’. She’s not who you’d expect in a comedy set in 1920s England, based on a play by Noel Coward and starring actors of the caliber of Kristin Scott Thomas and Colin Firth.
Full review at moviejungle.com
The Hangover (It Is What It Is)
There are guys who probably do have a raunchy decadent time on their Vegas vacations, and then there are guys who probably like to yell “Party!” and do a lot of fist pumping without really knowing how to pull it off. The Hangover’s promos make it seem like a fist pumping kind of movie, but it really isn’t that. That’s not necessarily a bad thing: watching guys yell “Party!” is only funny for so long, so you have to give The Hangover credit for being a more mature comedy than it advertises... it tries too hard to be a cult classic, when what it really is is an ok comedy with a neat idea. Personally, I found the solution to where the groom was and what really happened unsatisfying, but I will admit it’s an original solution, so you may feel differently.
Full review at moviejungle.com
The Brothers Bloom (Tremendous)
What we have in The Brothers Bloom is a familiar story to fans of heist movies: a couple of con men hoping to pull off one last job. And wouldn’t you know it? Their mark is a beautiful woman named Penelope who Bloom can’t help but feel drawn to. But writer/director Rian Johnson peppers the movie with all kinds of original touches that make it at times life-or-death dramatic or at other times pretty darn funny.
Full review at moviejungle.com
Tyson (Tremendous)
"The documentary is the story of a man who’s seen drama after drama, tragedy after tragedy, and who largely fails to accept responsibility for his role in it... Tyson’s story has been told many times by sports journalists, but not like this. With the exception of a few sound bites from news footage, the only voice you hear is that of Tyson himself... Boxing movies are almost always the best sports movies – there’s so much drama to be gleaned from a one-on-one fight between two souls. Mike Tyson is fighting his own soul – and doesn’t even know it.
Full review at moviejungle.com
Terminator Salvation (It Is What It Is)
"...There are spectacular chase scenes and plenty of fights – very loud fights. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard such loud metallic crashes... But while the fights are interesting, the story really isn’t. It’s a movie about destiny and keeping up the Terminator continuity – which means all the original ideas were spelled out for us in the first three movies... It’s too grim to be much fun."
Full review at moviejungle.com
Angels & Demons (It Is What It Is)
At the risk of sacrilege, let’s compare Dan Brown’s books and Ron Howard’s movie adaptations of them to a Sunday worship service. Sometimes you go and you’re inspired when you hear a wonderful speaker with fresh ideas. But sometimes, you listen to a sermon or a homily and you think your clergyman is just going through the motions...
The Da Vinci Code held our attention because it looked at the idea that there were secrets we never knew about right in plain sight. It’s not as fun to see a secret revealed that we never knew anything about anyway. Since he’s chasing kidnappers based on clues they leave behind in the present day, it’s less like Langdon is unlocking pivotal historical mysteries and more like we’re watching Batman’s chased the Riddler from Gotham City to Vatican City."
Full review at moviejungle.com
Ghosts of Girlfriends Past (Tremendous)
"It’s got to be hard to write a romantic comedy that’s original – whatever twists in life you hand your leads, the audience pretty much knows how it’s going to turn out. Ghosts of Girlfriends Past gives itself an inventive twist, although it makes the writer’s dilemma worse. It’s the umpteenth movie to employ the theme of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol... again, the audience pretty much knows how the movie about a bitter individual visited by three ghosts who want him to change his ways is going to turn out. So I give Ghosts of Girlfriends Past credit: it’s actually pretty enjoyable."
Full review at moviejungle.com
Battle For Terra (Kept Checking My Watch)
"Conservative groups or anyone with an ax to grind against the environmental movement should stay away from—and not talk about -- the animated 3-D adventure Battle for Terra. Bringing attention to this movie could generate publicity and encourage people to see it, and that will hurt your cause. I won’t reveal where I stand on environmental issues, but I will reveal where I stand on bad movies: I’m against them."
Full review at moviejungle.com
Star Trek (Tremendous)
J.J. Abrams has succesfully restarted the franchise by violating the prime directive -- he reset history. You need not have seen a single thing with the words "Star Trek" in the title to enjoy this, yet with green chicks and red shirts, there is plenty here to keep the longtime fans happy. The cast are wonderful -- they each play the part just right without ever becoming mimics, which had to be especially hard for those playing Scotsmen, Russians and Vulcans. 
Obsessed (It Is What It Is)
"Give Obsessed credit -- it knows it’s a rip-off of Fatal Attraction and other stalker-themed suspense thrillers, so it doesn’t waste any time setting things up for us. In fact, within the first minute, I literally figured out exactly how the movie would end... But you know what? I kind of enjoyed Obsessed. I laughed a lot. I don’t know if that was the idea, so Beyonce and her staff may not be thrilled with this review."
Full review at moviejungle.com
17 Again (It Is What It Is)
"It’s also not exactly the most original idea for a movie either, but Hollywood is “doing it all over again” with 17 Again. But to be fair, “Hollywood” is not one big entity responsible for every movie – it’s a number of competing studios trying to outdo each other. Back in the 80s, there was a quick succession of movies about men trapped in boys’ bodies, and if we’d written them all off, we never would have gone to see the last one in that set – Big. And to continue to be fair, every movie like this is somebody’s first movie like this... So, if you saw 18 Again and go to 17 Again, then you’re seeing 18 Again again. But if you’re seeing 17 Again with young eyes, you may be entertained.
Full review at moviejungle.com
Observe and Report (Kept Checking My Watch)
"If I may, I’ll quote myself from my Paul Blart: Mall Cop review referencing one of the few things I liked: “It’s kind of funny that Paul took an oath as a security guard to ‘observe and report’ and he works a Segway very well – we needed more of that kind of law enforcement parody earlier on.” ... Boy, not only did writer/director Jody Hill and the usually likeable Seth Rogen give us a movie that sucks just as bad as Paul Blart, but one that’s kind of unsettling... if you feel like you’ve seen this before – you have and you haven’t. But do yourself a favor and pretend you have.
Full review at moviejungle.com
Adventureland (Kept Checking My Watch)
"Had Adventureland come out when I was still a teenager in the 80s, I would have thought this was a classic. It has sex, loud music, parties and a story about young adults trying to make it in the real world. But with my adult perspective, I can’t help but think Adventureland is bland and a little sad... When all is said and done, Adventureland is probably pretty accurate portraying coming of age in the 80s, but it can’t hold up to a coming-of-age movie from the 80s.
Full review at moviejungle.com
(Oh -- and Rochester readers -- look not just for Kristen Wiig but for a Foreigner tribute band!)
NEW ON DVD:
The Pink Panther 2 (Steve Martin, John Cleese)
"If I told you there’d be a movie starring a comedy dream team of Steve Martin, John Cleese and Lily Tomlin – and that it would be based on a concept by Blake Edwards and performed by Peter Sellers – you would have a right to be excited... It’s amazing that the movie makers had the audacity to remake the classic to begin with and the arrogance to start the counter back at one." (Kept Checking My Watch)
Gran Torino (Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang)
"You can’t honestly expect Clint Eastwood to go quietly. The auteur can’t make his last appearance without making some kind of statement... Eastwood the director makes violent movies, but he always manages to say something about the violence – whether it’s in the boxing ring or on the battlefield. Still, even if you’ve never heard of Clint Eastwood or know nothing about his movie history, Gran Torino stands on its own as a movie about a guy trying to change his environment and do one last decent thing before he goes away." (Tremendous)
Fired Up (Shawn Colfax, Nick Brady)
"What were the Wedding Crashers like in high school? That is basically what we have here – two fast-talking, quick-thinking charmers – one brunette, one blonde – who scam their way into a place they shouldn’t be – all so they can hook up with as many females as possible... But you know what? It’s not like they’re ripping off Citizen Kane here... I’m not ready to necessarily cheer “F.U!!” repeatedly after seeing the movie, but I’m far from wanting to scream “F.U.!” at the movie either." (It Is What It Is)
The International (Clive Owen, Naomi Watts)
What could have been a dull procedural drama is livened up by great international photography and an absolutely classic shootout inside the Guggenheim Museum that ranks with the best shootout scenes of all time. (Tremendous)
Revolutionary Road (Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Winslet)
You hate to use their Titanic history as a comparison, but the movie does ask a good question: what if a dream couple like Jack and Rose both survived? Can a storybook romance always last? This is a dark suburban drama with two great leads, especially Kate Winslet as the too tired to care wife. (Tremendous)
Paul Blart: Mall Cop (Kevin James, Jayma Mays)
"The title makes you hopeful you’ll get a movie with some big, dumb laughs. You want to see a guy who’s over-confident and takes his job way too seriously.. I can’t laugh at this guy. I’d be as big a jerk as the sales clerks who make fun of him.. I can’t laugh with him either because the movie isn’t very funny... This could have been the first movie about Black Friday to open on Black Friday. Why not take advantage of the symmetry and the marketing opportunities and open then? Oh yeah: because it stinks. And the good movies released at the same time would have Paul Blart: Mall Cop escorted from the building."
(Kept Checking My Watch)
Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (Michael Sheen, Rhona Mitra)
"Maybe the worst part of Underworld: Rise of the Lycans is that it’s very, very dark. You can’t see much onscreen, and worse: there isn’t a moment of daylight to let you glance at your watch... With the corny overacting and the flowery speeches of main Lycan Lucian , it just comes off as goofy. It’s a war between an army of vampires and an army of werewolves – I kept wondering if an army of Frankenstein monsters would jump in and take sides." (Kept Checking My Watch)
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett)
"The new movie starring Brad Pitt faces some big competition at the box office on a very busy Christmas Day, and while it’s hard to say how this 2 hour and 45 minute movie will do on its opening weekend, it’s probably safe to say it will age better than any of those others... the story of a man who ages backward – is easily one of the best movies of the year. It is Forrest Gump-like in its scope, and like Forrest Gump, it is full of all kinds of sentimental moments and scenes that make you ponder the meaning of the world and your place in it. " (Tremendous)
Hotel For Dogs (Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin)
"OK, my stay at Hotel For Dogs didn’t have the most luxurious accommodations, but I’m none the worse for having been there. Sure, it’s not all that memorable, but checkout time was reasonable. Lame hotel analogies aside, parents won’t find much here to enjoy, but their kids will be ok with it. If you’re looking for anything more, you’re barking up the wrong tree... Oh yeah, the dogs. They’re the real stars. If you’re inclined to see the movie, it’s because you saw the word “dogs” in the title. And fans of cute dogs won’t be disappointed. Even the big ones are docile, well-trained charmers." (It Is What It Is)
The Wrestler (Mickey Rourke, Marissa Tomei)
"...the greatest movie ever made about pro wrestling. Granted, that wouldn’t be hard, as it’s never been captured right on film. It’s always portrayed as if it was a real sport and not scripted entertainment – and is almost always used for comic relief... It’s the first time pro wrestling has ever been photographed correctly on film – you hear the guys talk to each other, you hear the grunts, and you hear the hits. And you’ll wince while you see The Ram get pieces of glass picked out of his back. It looks both scripted and real." (Tremendous)
Yes Man (Jim Carrey, Zooey Deschanel)
"Jim, Jim, Jim… why, after saying “yes” to The Majestic, Fun With Dick and Jane, and The Number 23 would you say “yes” to starring in a bad movie about a guy who has to say “yes” to everything? You kind of asked for this, no? So allll-righty then…" (Kept Checking My Watch)
Slumdog Millionaire (Dev Patel, Freida Pinto)
"It sounds like it could be a Saturday Night Live skit – a poor man from the slums of India goes for it all on the Hindi version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?. Actually, I’m pretty sure it was one, called “Who Want To Eat?” It was funny to watch, but if you say the title out loud, you realize what’s being joked about. Slumdog Millionaire can make you smile, but it’s an intensely dramatic and well-layered story... This is the most suspenseful game of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? ever played." (Tremendous)
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Finally, some misspellings of my name that I'm putting here to try and ensure that this site shows up when you search for it:
mike digeorgio
mike digregorio
mike digronizio
mike digorgio
mike degiorgio
mike degorgio
mike degeorgeo
nick ditucci
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Hello, and welcome to the site. I'm proud to have kept at doing something I love: writing about movies, TV and pop culture. I admittedly never went to any kind of film school (and if you look at this site, it's pretty obvious I never went to web design school either), but I think through years on Rochester radio as the Go-To-Guy for "Who's that guy in that movie who did that thing...?", I developed a rapport with listeners. I'd like to think you knew me and trusted my opinion.
Some of my reviews are right here on the site, and some are at www.moviejungle.com, where I've joined up as a staff writer. You should be able to find the complete versions under "staff reviews." Thanks for your patience following the links. Still, I'll try to provide excerpts and other fresh content here. So please... click around! And offer your own opinions by writing mikedigiorgio@aol.com!
Regards....
Mike DiGiorgio
© mikedigiorgio.com
