BOWFINGER (1999)

 

Directed By: Frank Oz Written By: Steve Martin  Cinematography: Ueli Steiger  Editor: Richard Pearson 

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Steve Martin, Robert Downey Jr., Heather Graham, Christine Baranski, Jamie Kennedy, Terence Stamp, Claude Brooks, Marisol Nichols, Phill Lewis, John Cho

When a desperate movie producer fails to get a major star for his bargain basement film, he decides to shoot the film secretly around him.

DOWN TO EARTH (2001)

 

Directed By: Chris Weitz & Paul Weitz  Written By: Chris Rock, Ali LeRoi, Lance Crouther & Louis C.K.  Based on the original screenplay “HEAVEN CAN WAIT” By: Elaine May & Warren Beatty  Cinematography: Richard Crudo  Editor: Priscilla Nedd-Friendly 

Cast: Chris Rock, Regina King, Chazz Palmenteri, Eugene Levy, Frankie Faison, Mark Addy, Greg Germann, Jennifer Coolidge, Wanda Sykes, John Cho, Mario Joyner, Laz Alonzo 

After dying before his time, an aspiring black comic gets a second shot at life - by being placed in the body of a wealthy white businessman.

AMERICAN WEDDING (2003)

Directed By: Jesse Dylan 

Written By: Adam Herz 

Cinematography: Lloyd Ahern II

Editor: Stuart Pappe

Cast: Jason Biggs, Seann William Scott, Alyson Hannigan, Eugene Levy, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Eddie Kaye Thomas, January Jones, Molly Cheek, Fred Willard, Deborah Rush, Lawrence Pressman, Eric Allen Kramer, Nikki Ziering, John Cho, Jennifer Coolidge 

Jim Levenstein has finally found the courage to ask his girlfriend, Michelle Flaherty to marry him. She agrees to get married, but the problems don't stop there for Jim. Now along with Paul Finch and Kevin Myers, Jim must plan the wedding. Unfortunately, Steve Stifler is in town and won't let the wedding go past without having some fun himself, which includes setting up a secret bachelor party.

MIRAI (2018)

Written & Directed By: Mamoru Hosoda 
Editor: Shigeru Nishiyama 

Cast: Voice Actors: Rebecca Hall, Daniel Dae Kim, John Cho, Crispin Freeman, Koji Yakusho, Jaden Waldman, Victoria Grace, Kumiko Aso, Masaharu Fukuyama 

The movie follows a 4-year old boy who is struggling to cope with the arrival of a little sister in the family, until things turn magical. A mysterious garden in the backyard of the boy's home becomes a gateway allowing the child to travel back in time and encounter his mother as a little girl and his great-grandfather as a young man. These fantasy-filled adventures allow the child to change his perspective and help him become the big brother he was meant to be.

SEARCHING (2018)

Directed By: Aneesh Chaganty 
Written By: Aneesh Chaganty & Sev Ohanian 
Cinematography: Juan Sebastian Barron 
Director Of Virtual Photography & Editor: Nicholas D. Johnson & Will Merrick 


Cast: John Cho, Debra Messing, Michelle La, Joseph Lee, Dominic Hoffman, Briana McLean 

After David Kim's 16-year-old daughter goes missing, a local investigation is opened and a detective is assigned to the case. But 37 hours later and without a single lead, David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter's laptop. In a hyper-modern thriller told via the technology devices we use every day to communicate, David must trace his daughter's digital footprints before she disappears forever.

GEMINI (2018)

Written, Edited & Directed By: Aaron Katz 
Cinematography By: Andrew Reed 


Cast: Lola Kirke, Zoe Kravitz, John Cho, Greta Lee, Ricki Lake, Michelle Forbes, Reeve Carney, Jessica Parker Kennedy, James Ransone, Todd Louiso, Nelson Franklin 


A heinous crime tests the complex relationship between a tenacious personal assistant and her Hollywood starlet boss. As the assistant travels across Los Angeles to unravel the mystery, she must stay one step ahead of a determined policeman and confront her own understanding of friendship, truth and celebrity.

GRANDMA (2015)

Written & Directed By: Paul Weitz 
Cinematography By: Tobias Datum 
Editor: Jon Corn 


Cast: Lily Tomlin, Julia Garner, Judy Greer, Marcia Gay Harden, John Cho, Elizabeth Pena, Colleen Camp, Nat Wolff, Don McManus, Laverne Cox, Sam Elliott, Sarah Burns, Lauren Tom, Judy Geeson

TOTAL RECALL (2012)

Directed By: Len Wiseman 
 Written By: Kurt Wimmer & Mark Bomback 
Screen Story By: Ron Shusett, Dan O’Bannon, Jon Povill & Len Wiseman 
Based on The TOTALL RECALL Screenplay By: Ron Shusett, Dan O’Bannon & Gary Goldman Based on the Screen Story By: Ron Shusett &Dan O’Bannon & Jon Povill 
Cinematography By: Paul Cameron 
Editor: Christian Wagner 

 Cast: Colin Farrell, Jessica Biel, Kate Beckinsale, Bryan Cranston, Bokeem Woodbine, Bill Nighy, John Cho

STAR TREK (2009)

Directed By: J.J. Abrams
Written By: Roberto Orci & Alex Kurtzman
Cinematography By: Daniel Mindel
Editor: Maryann Brandon & Mary Jo Markey

Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Winona Ryder, Leonard Nimoy, Bruce Greenwood, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Eric Bana, Tyler Perry, Anton Yelchin, Simon Pegg, Ben Cross, Jennifer Morrison, Rachel Nichols, Lisa Vidal, Oz Perkins




There is a certain gloss and openness that separates this film from the others that maybe because this s a resurrection of the series with a cast that wasn’t started from the television series. making the cast for this film more big screen ready then previous casts.

This is a restart for the series it is grander even though it takes place before the series and films the technology and effects are way better plus ahead of there time.

The film shows how the enterprise crew came together and gives each member of the crew and cast a scene in which to shine to show how vital they are to the crew. The ymake each cast member essential even the lovely Uhura. The filmmakers also implant a genius idea as to how this and if there are any future sequels don’t necessarily have to follow the adventures we have already seen or have past knowledge of the history of the characters opening it up to novice audiences

The film is well cast especially Simon Pegg as Scotty he is a particular standout he brings energy and much needed humor to the Preceedings. Karl Urban also makes things lively as Dr. McCoy but it still feels mostly like a comedic performance with a dramatic scene here or there. At least he gets a chance to show some range since he is commonly associated with action roles. The give Eric Bana the villain role and while he is scary he doesn’t make a impression on me as a memorable villain.

I have always bee a mild star trek fan I still am a bigger star wars fan but this film instilled a interest in the series for me.

The film still keeps up the philosophy of decisions and technical talk but also adds what most of the movies lacked, general tension and full blown exciting action sequences. Which may have been not as big in the other films due to the age of the cast and the fact the TV episodes were low when it came to action .

J.J. Abrams makes a noticeable improvement in his directing style, Since his last film. There are some scenes of silent comedy, Drama, Physical Comedy, Special effects and action all handled admirably. Though I still feel his direction is still too boxy and Televison styled. Which makes sense, Since that is the medium he has garnered the greatest success in. He still has room to improve but this is his first big screen endeavor that I thoroughly enjoyed .

This is a film well worth seeing and adding to your film library even if you are not a big fan of the series or previous films.

GRADE: B

AMERICAN PIE 2 (2001)

Directed By: J.B. Rogers
Written By: Adam Herz; Story By: Adam Herz & David H. Steinberg
Cinematography By: Mark Irwin
Editor: Larry Madaras & Stuart Pappe


CAST: Jason Biggs, Alyson Hannigan, Eugene Levy, Thomas Ian Nicholas, Seann William Scott, Chris Klein, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Tara Reid, Shannon Elizabeth, Chris Owen, Natasha Lyonne, Joanna Garcia, John Cho, Lisa Arturo, Mena Suvari, Denise Faye, Eli Marienthal, Bree Tuner, Larry Drake, Tsianina Joelson, Adam Brody, Kevin Kilner, Luke Edwards, Jennifer Coolidge

The plot this time is set around after the first year of college the guys decide to reunite to hang out for the summer and get reacquainted at Stifler’s dad’s lake house where they noticed how there life’s have changed and how some things remain the same and jim’s quest to get another chance with nadiya.

This movie is all about the money as it seems the film tries hard to live up to or surpass the first movie to no avail it doesn’t even seem to really have anything for the characters to do as far as storylines go. The women of the first film seem here for just cameos except for Alyson Hannigan. So it just seems like a bunch of supposedly gross out funny scenes stitched together that are not very inspired toe original movie took you by surprise. Here you can see the scenes coming. Shannon Elizabeth looks good in the film but there is nothing for her to do and of course everyone has there happy ending. But I can’t say the film was very enjoyable.


Chris Penn was originally in the movie playing Stifler’s dad until he was completely cut from the film. Seann William Scott really is the only saving grace of this film as well as the series as the filmmakers seem to realize that after the first one he is the most entertaining character and the mascot for the series where as in this movie he is still on the fringes of supporting his character is beefed up more then in the original.

Some characters make a return that really are not needed. Chris Klein just seems to just be in the background there really is no story for him and Mena Suvari. The same can be said of Tara Reid, But I am happy to see the return of Chris Owen’s character Sherman.

This should be called the real revenge of the nerds as they seem to get all that they have ever dreamed of and never knew they wanted.

For a film that is supposed to be a hard r it is rather tame there is nudity in like two scenes but the film seems more about sex talking then actual action.

At first I thought maybe I didn’t give it a fair shake maybe I was disappointed due to the fact that the build up for the film was high but upon watching it a second time I was right the first timethe film is very weak and obviously rushed out.

Skip it not worth the time

GRADE: D