Looney Tunes: Back in Action (2003)

The Looney tunes are still funny and “Back in Action” has that sparkle of what made the Looney tunes hours of fun. Right away, we do get a glimpse of the tunes during a brief skit in which Bugs and Daffy interact in their Duck Season Rabbit Season routine, not to mention we get a lot of fun cameos. While the plot has been done before it sure is a lot of fun to see an interesting Looney Tunes movie that not only has fun but really points out a lot of great pop culture references.

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The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Roland Emmerich can pretend “The Day After Tomorrow” is more than a movie but also an attempt to show the government what may happen and all that jazz, but in the end it’s really just a creepy science fiction tale with a lot of special effects and that’s all, not to mention it’s really good popcorn cinema. If one went to the theaters during its run for a good time, they may have gotten just that, because I had a good time. In “The Day After Tomorrow”, Emmerich this time focuses on the apocalypse through an array of characters as is always the formula with him. Jake Gyllenhaal takes a leap into the mainstream as Sam Hall, a high school student coming to New York with his two friends to compete in a school competition; Sam isn’t close with his father Jack because he’s barely ever around due to his scientific work, but Jack, while in the Antarctic discovers a massive decrease in polar ice caps melting and discovers that the worlds temperatures are dropping thus causing cataclysmic results and will bring the world to a new ice age.

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Hellboy (2004)

Prolific director Guillermo Del Toro who penned the previous comic film “Blade 2” and the cult psychological horror film “The Devil’s Backbone” gives some competent direction in this adaptation of the hit comic book. A young agent John T. Meyers is recruited into the ranks of Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense Facility, he’s signed on to mentor their primary weapon of choice. Given a tour of the facilities gazing on to Abe Sapien a very intelligent reptilian sea creature, he’s assigned to take care of Hellboy. Discovered as a child during World War 2 during a raid on the Nazis, he was summoned to Earth to become the evil Rasputin’s child and eventual ruler of Earth, but when US soldiers discovered him, professor Broom took him in to reform him and he became Earth’s greatest protector using his powers for evil to protect humanity.

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The Hunted (2003)

the-hunted-28Tommy Lee Jones plays Lt. Bonham, an ex agent who is now a guard for a nature society tracking animals and stopping poachers and illegal hunters. After two hunters are found gutted, Bonham is called back into duty by an old colleague who needs his help to track the killer, Aaron Hallman, an ex-agent who has begun killing hunters in the forest, brutally gutting them without mercy. Bonham instantly goes into action and begins tracking Hallman making way for a really cool fight scene at the top of the film as the two duke it out in the forest. Director Friedkin manages to direct a very dark and interesting thriller with some good camera work and smooth editing, plus he knows how to create tension and surprises.

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Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003)

spy_kids_3_d_game_overWell, it’s clear by this series that Robert Rodriguez has had his influences. The first film was a throwback to the old spy movies, the second was a throwback to Ray Harryhausen and Indiana Jones, while this is more of a throwback to that amusing science fiction yarn “Tron”, that other yarn “Running Man”, and the unknown gem “Star Wars” (har har). This has been just an adorable exciting fun series with adorable stories and adorable kid actors, and this is no exception.

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Duplex (2003)

gal-zoom-7-jpgI don’t mind dark comedies, I’ve seen a lot of them, some of them have been really good (Serial Mom, War of the Roses), and then there are the dark comedies that just shouldn’t be made (Death to Smoochy). “Duplex” is another one of them. With a plot right off of a sitcom, and with a script written with such a mean spirit and sense of disgust, we meet young couple Alex Rose (Ben Stiller) and Nancy Kendricks (Drew Barrymore). The two up and comers are nitpicking looking for a house. After a really cheesy set-up from director Danny Devito, the two finally stumble upon a really old but beautiful house which they discover has two floors and the second floor is being lived in by a little old woman Mrs. Connelly (Eileen Essel) who is a seemingly sweet lady but cannot be kicked out because she’s on rent control.

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Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde (2003)

legally_blonde_2I liked “Legally Blonde”. I thought it was a very cute, very fluffy piece of comedy, I thought Reese Witherspoon was adorable for the most part and the characters were cute including Selma Blair whom played the resident villain, but “Legally Blonde” was based on a true story, and I really doubt this ever happened. The opening recalls the events of the first film through the three supporting female characters, Elle Wood’s friends, looking through a photo album, it’s sort of a sub-conscious message to the audience from the writers and director: “You liked the first film, right? well, this isn’t as good… but the first one was cute.”

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