Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jackie Earle Haley, Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman, Matthew Goode
Released: March 6, 2009

When it comes to comic book royalty, nothing can surpass Alan Moore & David Gibbons’ 1986 masterpiece Watchmen. As the quintessential graphic novel to fans and critics worldwide, it’s been in print for more than 20 years, and is the only comic book to appear on Time Magazine’s list of “the 100 best English-language novels from 1923 to the present”. Watchmen fans are hardcore. The are dedicated, bordering on obsessed. And when they heard that Zack Snyder, the man behind the 2004 ‘Dawn of the Dead’ remake and 2006′s grandiose ’300′, was going to make a film based on their beloved classic, there was an almost equal mix of intense excitement and apprehension. Could Snyder take Moore & Gibbon’s dark, twisted tale of murder, suspense & humanity and translate it to the big screen?

On March 6th, we all found out… continue reading to see my enormously long take on the issue.

Directed by: Marcus Nispel
Starring: Jared Padalecki, Danielle Panabaker, Amanda Righetti, Derek Mears
Released: February 13, 2009

I may not be as huge a Friday the 13th fan as some people I know (yeah I’m looking at you Gerry), but I sure as hell know a good teen slasher film when I see it. With the number of horror remakes hitting the big screen these last few years that have come as a disappointment to the majority of fans of the originals, I’m glad to say that this reimagined adaptation of the classic “Friday the 13th” series is just about everything you’d want in a return weekend excursion to the iconic Crystal Lake.

Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Aaron Eckhart, Gary Oldman, tons more
Released: July 18, 2008

I’m a bit hesitant to do a review of ‘The Dark Knight‘, seeing as there are already thousands of them published at the moment, the vast majority saying the exact same thing: that it’s absolutely amazing. And let’s just say that I wouldn’t have seen it 4 times in 6 days if I didn’t think the same thing as well. I’ll do my best to keep this short and sweet, so you’ll have time to sprint directly to your nearest IMAX theater and see this outstanding film once you’re done reading.

‘The Dark Knight’ really is the best movie of the Summer… hell, the last 10 Summers. This movie takes the usual standard comic book material and raises it to a polished, gritty, gut-kicking level very few movies from more reputable sources are able to manage. There are so many excellent moments in this movie that picking any out as particularly better than any other is nearly impossible. The plot, pace and build-up of the overall story was expertly fine-tuned and streamlined to flawlessness… every point in this movie is leading to an astoundingly memorable, “holy shit” moment… I guarantee it (and George Zimmer would too).

Directed by: Timur Bekmambetov
Starring: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Thomas Kretschmann
Released: June 27, 2008

As many have said previously, Wanted is a movie that should suck. When I first saw the trailer, I thought it looked absolutely ridiculous… something of a revamped Transporter starring Angelina Jolie, Morgan Freeman, and that guy from Last King of Scotland. But after taking my seat in the theater and watching the first 10 minutes or so of the movie I realized something. Yes, this movie is ridiculous. It’s outrageous and unbelievable. But you know what? It’s a damn fun movie.