2006 - 5 Movies

Last year I watched over 200 films and less than a dozen were seen in a theater. I used to go to the movies on a weekly basis, but I've found that as I've gotten older and dvds hit the market sooner, I will quite often wait to watch a movie in the comfort of my home. This has both advantages and disadvantages, but instead of discussing them, I thought we'd instead look at five of my favorite movies from last year.

5. "Running Scared" has more twists and turns than a rollercoaster. The movie starts in the middle of a drug deal that suddenly goes bad. An insane shootout takes place and we're off an running. Along the way we're going to meet drug dealers, pimps, crooked cops, child molesters, Russian mobsters, and other upright citizens. The movie constantly maintains a forward momentum as Joey Gazelle [Paul Walker] first attempts to retrieve a stolen gun used in a mob killing and then finds himself on a mission to save a kid. The supporting cast is first rate and writer/director Wayne Kramer is a talent to keep an eye on. This movie is not for kids. "Running Scared" rates an A

4. "The Salton Sea" was actually released in 2002 but qualifies for my list since I saw it for the first time last year. Like "Running Scared," "The Salton Sea" is full of crazy characters and plot twists abound. I hesitate to say anything about the movie, because the journey and discovery of who everyone is and what is going on is so much fun. Of course when I say "fun" I don't mean as in comedy fun. "The Salton Sea" is not for kids. The people in the movie are the kind that you'd want to avoid in real life [drug dealers, thieves, crooked cops and killers] but adults who don't mind gritty dramas won't mind spending some reel life with them. "The Salton Sea" rates an A+

3. "A History of Violence" was first released in 2005, but again because I didn't see it until 2006, qualifies for my "Best of" list. Here's what I had to say after seeing it. "A History of Violence" rates an A+.

2. I absolutely loved "Casino Royale." In fact I saw it twice during it's intial release and can't wait to put the dvd in my movie collection. Tom Richmond, best known for his art, perfectly summarized my thoughts on "Casino Royale," so if you want to know what I thought about it, click HERE and see what Tom had to say. "Casino Royale" rates an A+

1. I've been a Stallone fan since before the original "Rocky," but it was "Rocky" that sealed the deal and made me the Stallone mega-fan[atic] that I am today. When I heard that "Rocky II" was going to be made, I can remember thinking, "there's no way it can be as good." I was right, but "Rocky II" was a worthy continuation of the story. "Rocky III" was even better, but still not on the level of the orginal. Then came "Rocky IV" which was fun, and in turn was followed by Sly's mistep with the character in "Rocky V" and with each of these sequels we moved a bit farther from the original.

"Rocky Balboa" is a return to the spirit, the feel, and the essence of "Rocky." Sly's acting is some of his best work ever. The screenplay has the wit and charm of the original. "Rocky Balboa" was the perfect way to end the "Rocky" series.

"Rocky Balboa" rates an A+