KNIGHT AND DAY

Plot:

When June Haven (Diaz) an average everyday girl just trying to pick up an auto part for her car has an un-expectant run in with the mysterious Roy Miller (Cruise) at the airport, little did she know that her life would be changed forever. From hijacks, plane crashes, kidnappings and shoot outs, she doesn’t know what is going on until Miller tells her that he is a spy and that she helped transport some type of never draining battery. Soon she encounters his superiors who tell her that he has become a rogue agent and that she should help them take him down. Confused and in the middle she doesn’t know who or what to believe, but realizes that as long as she is with Miller she has a good chance at staying alive.

Reel Talk:

This movie should have been called Mission Impossible IV, because Cruise pretty much emulates his character from the Impossible series, only with a touch more of a humorous side. The chemistry between Cruise and Diaz was fairly good, not great but not bad either. Plenty of action even if most of it was quite unbelievable, but still made for a good entertaining movie. With all of Cruises whacky antics, he needed this jolt to get him back on his acting track.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Cameron Diaz, Peter Sarsgaar, Viola Davis and Jordi Molla
Directed by: James Mangold
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 corn dogs

By: Corndog – The Reel Hustler

StreetVision.com acquires Shop Talk Magazine

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

StreetVision.com acquires Shop Talk Magazine

DETROIT – StreetVision.com, today announces the acquisition of Shop Talk Magazine a new tabloid publication.

StreetVision.com is a new urban lifestyle and experiential marketing company that produces immersive, interactive brand experiences that physically engage, and influence consumers where they live, work and play.
This acquisition allows Shop Talk to immediately provide StreetVision.com existing client base with a competitive advantage as a citywide resource to execute highly sophisticated experiential marketing programs. Reciprocally, Shop Talk will be able to offer their clients access to creative and enhanced program development and the additional resources to grow their business in partnership with their clients.

Shop Talk was founded by Miles Dixon this year, with the aim of filling the void within the urban community by highlighting beauty salons, barbershop shops, nail salons, massage parlors & spas, clothiers and restaurants. The Printed Magazine is produced monthly and available throughout Metro Detroit with distribution of 60,000. The online magazine features articles on a variety of topics, Q&A’s, book reviews, blogs and much more, relying on contributions from the founding editors and experienced writers across the world.

"We're thrilled to be joining the StreetVision.com family," says Shop Talk co-founder and co-editor Miles Dixon. “StreetVision.com is committed to developing marketing opportunities, celebrating the various urban lifestyles and the journey. What's more, they like our editorial vision, and we are pleased that they are dedicated to our approach and direction for Shop Talk moving forward. It's a perfect fit."

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THE KARATE KID

Plot:

In this remake of the 1984 classic The Karate Kid, Jaden Smith plays Dre Parker who because of his mom’s new job position must relocate from Detroit to China. Immediately while trying to adjust to his new environment Dre is the target of the local bully Cheng (Wang) and his gang who began to pummel him because he befriends the beautiful Mei Ying (Han). After several beatings Dre manages to enlist the aid of the apartment handyman Mr. Han (Chan) who will teach him the art of kung fu so that he can enter a tournament to compete against the bad boy bully Cheng and his crew.

Reel Talk:

Ok like I have said before, remakes can be hairy. Let me just say that this movie has all the makings for a great movie, good plot and awesome fight scenes but it falls short in the dialog department. The acting between Smith and Chan was pretty weak with them both seeming as if they were read off a cue card. But overall this was an entertaining film, but the original still holds the title as being a classic.

Starring: Jackie Chan, Jaden Smith, Taraji P. Henson, Wenwen Han and Zhenwei Wang
Directed by: Harald Zwart
Rated: PG

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs

By: Corndog – The Reel Hustler

THE A-TEAM

Plot:

Hannibal Smith (Neeson) heads up a Special Forces team consisting of Lt. Peck aka Faceman (Cooper), BA Baracus (Jackson) and the psychologically challenged Murdock (Copley) and while their methods are a bit unorthodox, they have the highest success rate in their division. But when the team is set up and convicted of a crime that they did not commit, Hannibal must put a plan together to free his team and seek out the brains behind the scam so that they can be cleared of the bogus crime. Hot in pursuit of the team is the mysterious CIA Agent Lynch (Wilson) and military policewoman Charisa Sosa (Biel) who is a former jilted lover of Faceman who are determined to recapture the foursome by any means necessary.

Reel Talk:

I have to be honest and admit that going to see remakes is like gambling to me, you just don’t know how it’s going to turn out because some of them are downright horrible. So I was really on the fence about this remake about the early 80’s TV series about The A-Team, but to my surprise this was a good movie. Action packed from beginning to end, lacking any dullness at all. One of my biggest concerns was how were the newer cast going to compare to the charismatic crew from the series and the replacements rose to the occasion with flying colors, with the surprising performances from Jackson and Copley who had the harder roles to portray. This is a great must see movie.

Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, Sharlto Copley, Jessica Biel, Patrick Wilson, Gerald McRaney and Brian Bloom.
Directed by: Joe Carnahan
Rated: PG-13

I give it 5 corn dogs

By: Corndog – The Reel Hustler

GET HIM TO THE GREEK

Plot:


Looking for ways to turn things around from the decline at his record company, music mogul Sergio Roma (Combs) decides to take the advice of one of his young employee Aaron (Hill) and set up a multi-million dollar tour based on British rocker Aldous Snow who is try to get his career back on track after the release of his latest CD bombs. The only thing is that Aaron is assigned to go to London and transport the drugged out, sex addicted rocker to L.A. so he can kick off his tour at the Greek Theatre. But Aaron soon finds out that this is not an easy task like he thought as Aldous takes him on one wild adventure after another, while he is being constantly harassed by Sergio to complete the assignment.


Reel Talk:

So far this is the funniest movie that I have seen this year, from beginning to end just one hilarious movie. Brand who also moonlights as a host for some of the video awards and is pretty terrible at it, should just stick to acting where he has shown he is quite talented in the few movies he has starred in. Add Jonah Hill in as the geeky transporter who gets sucked into the crazy rocker world by his rocker idol continues to show why he is a rising star. At first when you see P. Diddy , you think that he is basically portraying himself as a record mogul but as the film picks up he shows that he a crazy side to him, because he was hilariously funny. A must see movie, especially if you need a good laugh.

Starring: Russell Brand, Jonah Hill, Rose Byrne, Sean ‘P. Diddy’ Combs and Colm Meany
Directed by: Nicholas Stoller
Rated: R

I give it 4 corn dogs and a soda on the side

By: Corndog – The Reel Hustler

MACGRUBER

Plot:


When Washington D.C. becomes the threat of a nuclear attack at the hands of the evil Dieter Von Cunth (Kilmer), Col. James Faith (Boothe) tries to enlist the services of the retired but highly decorated Macgruber (Forte) who happens to be Cunth’s arch rival. After a little convincing he commits to the mission, but when he fails to put a team together to combat his nemesis of evil, he must rely on his ex-teammate Vicki St. Elmo (Wiig) and Lt. Piper (Phillippe), who Macgruber can’t stand but needs to complete the assignment. With the clock ticking on the nuclear warhead, the clumsy Macgruber must do whatever it takes to foil the devastating attempt of the evil Cunth.


Reel Talk:

In this Saturday Night Live comedy skit (which I never seen before, because I don’t watch SNL anymore) turned into a movie, Macgruber who is a parody of the MacGyver character who used odd household products instead of weapons to foil his adversaries’ evil plots. Well this movie starts out with some very funny skits, but they begin to fade fast during the course of the movie. His appearance, the car and the music starts out funny but soon you just want to know when will it end. Not a must see movie, really a I can wait for the DVD version or when it comes to cable.


Starring: Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, Val Kilmer and Powers Boothe
Directed by: Jorma Taccone
Rated: R

I give it 2 corn dogs

By: Corndog – The Reel Hustler

JUST WRIGHT

Plot:

Leslie Wright (Latifah) is a physical therapist, who is good at her job but has no success when it comes to dating. Leslie is also a die hard New Jersey Nets fan who after one game gets a chance encounter with their star player Scott McKnight (Common) who happens to invite her to his upcoming birthday party. Morgan Alexander (Patton), (Leslie’s god-sister who is a gold digger looking for a NBA star to wife her up) who accompanies her to the party and catches the eye of the basketball star. Things seem to being great for Scott until a career ending knee injury sidelines him and causes Morgan to leave him. The only thing he has going is Leslie who comes on board as his physical therapist and his friend who works to get back into the game, but eventually the two begin to see that they have a lot more in common than just the love of basketball.


Reel Talk:

This is what I call a good ole love story movie, nothing new about the story line, just a new cast of players. The chemistry between Latifah and Common was pretty charming, with the Queen pretty much acting like, pretty much the Queen and Common on a few occasions appeared that he was reading off a cue card or something. The sexy Paula Patton as the gold digging girlfriend was hilarious. Not the greatest movie but a good worthy date movie.

Starring: Queen Latifah, Common, Paula Patton, Pam Grier, Phylicia Rashad and James Pickens Jr.
Directed by: Sanaa Hamri
Rated: PG

I give it 3 and a half eaten corn dogs

By: Corndog – The Reel Hustler

IRON MAN 2

Plot:

Robert Downey Jr. reprises his role as the egotistical billionaire Tony Starks who double duties as Iron Man in this sequel to the 2008 blockbuster Iron Man movie. This time around Starks has several fights on his hands as the Senate is trying to seize control of his iron suit so that the Army can mass produce the suit as a weapon for the U.S. military to be spearheaded by his competitor Justin Hammer (Rockwell). Then there is the revenge stricken Ivan Vanko (Rourke) who believes that the Stark empire was built from ideas stolen from his dad, so he sets out to destroy Iron Man by creating his own powerful weapon. With all this going on he is trying to cope with the idea that he is on the verge of dying from the same power source that saved his life which is now poisoning his body. His friends Pepper Pots (Paltrow) and Lt. Col. James Rhodes (Cheadle), unaware of what is going on in Stark’s life, attempt to take steps to try keeping him from having a complete breakdown, even to the point of Rhodes taking his spare iron suit only to become his future sidekick War Machine.


Reel Talk:

The two year wait is over and the highly anticipated Iron Man sequel is here. With mostly all the original players with the exception of Cheadle replacing Terrence Howard as the sidekick Rhodes, everyone picked up where they left off in the 1st film. Downey as the spoiled and ego driven Starks, still put in a good performance, although it did become tiresome watching him being a self centered prick the whole movie. Rourke as the menacing Vanko, continues to show that he still got some acting life left in him and Rockwell was great as the conniving Hammer. Strange that this film is 2 minutes shorter than the original but appears a lot longer. There are a few scenes that could have hit the editing floor easily. The special effects and action has been impressively increased, which is what the comic book gluttons want. Overall, not the best sequel movie but it is a very good entertaining film worthy of the admission. Be sure to stay through the credits if you are interested in the hint for the next installment in the Iron Man adventures.

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Gwyneth Paltrow, Scarlett Johansson, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Jon Favreau and Samuel L. Jackson
Directed by: Jon Favreau
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 corn dogs

By: Corndog – The Reel Hustler

A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET

Plot:


In this remake of the 1984 classic horror movie Jackie Earle Haley takes on the role of Freddy Krueger (the burnt face, sweater wearing and knives for fingernails killer) who stalks a group of teenagers in their dreams, seeking out revenge on them because of the horrific way their parents murdered him because of the kid’s accusation that he was a pedophile. So when they start dying mysteriously, Nancy (Mara) who appears to be the primary target along with Quentin (Gallner) set out to find a way of staying awake so that they can stop this nightmarish murderer.



Reel Talk:

This was a pure dud! Some movies should just stay a classic and this is one of them. This remake lacked any real zip from any of the characters to even compare to its predecessor. After seeing Haley’s attempt at portraying Freddy Krueger it helps you realize and appreciate Robert Englund’s performance which there is no comparision. Haley lack the humorous charm that Englund brought to the murdering Krueger persona which is why he had several movies reprising his role. See it at your own risk.

Starring: Jackie Earle Haley, Kyle Gallner, Rooney Mara, Katie Cassidy, Thomas Dekker and Clancy Brown
Directed by: Samuel Bayer
Rated: R

I give it 2 corn dogs

By: Corndog – The Reel Hustler

THE LOSERS

Plot:

When a ragtag group of military specialist, consisting of Clay (Morgan) who is their captain, Roque (Elba), Jensen (Evans), Pooch (Short) and Cougar (Jaenada) are sent into a jungle in South America to terminate a high powered drug kingpin, the mission gets messy when there intended target is surrounded by children and Clay wants to pull out. But the person who assigned them for the mission who is just a voice over the microphone intends to carry on with the plan with intentions of including Clay and his team to the extermination list. But when the team manage to elude their demise and must go in to hiding (because they are believed to be dead), they are presented with a proposal from the strange but sexy Aisha (Saldana) who can get them close to the man behind the voice so that they can get their revenge.

Reel Talk:

This movie doesn’t pack the dynamic punch that I expected from it, but it still was a worthwhile movie. Very predictable story with very few surprises, but with likable characters that keeps you interested. Even Jason Patric as the villain Max was witty and wicked which brought about a few laughs. This seems to be the first movie released out of the military buddies cliché movies due out this year with The Expendables and The A Team to follow. Still this is a film that is worth seeing, good for a few laughs and decent action.

Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, Jason Patric and Oscar Jaenada
Directed by: Sylvain White
Rated: PG-13

I give it 3 corn dogs

By: Corndog – The Reel Hustler