Definitely in my Top 10 all-time favorites (I’ve also seen this film on a “worst films of all time” list before, so go figure). For thousands of years, people have killed other human beings and felt justified by the perceived affirmations of their respective deities. In The Boondock Saints, two Irishmen from Boston feel called by God to gun down tons of people in a bloodbath on the most grand scale imaginable. This is a fun movie for those who enjoy films with a fairly straightforward plot and lots of violence.

One of those films that relies on a certain element of magic to tell its story. None of the characters in the film itself really know whether this magic actually exists, so it’s left up to the imagination of the viewer. Incidentally, it was on the set of this film that Susan Sarandon met Tim Robbins, who would later become her real-life husband. Sarandon plays what essentially amounts to a “groupie” of a local minor league baseball team called the Durham Bulls. Since players ship in and ship out frequently in the minors, Annie Savoy (Sarandon) has made a habit of choosing one of the players on the team each season as her lover. During this season in particular, she finds herself torn between rookie Ebby “Nuke” LaRoosh (Robbins) and veteran player “Crash” Davis (Kevin Costner). A unique storyline with engaging characters makes this a decent romance flick to watch. I gave it a demotion to 2.5 on the scale of flames though, because Susan Sarandon plays the biggest slut-bag in the world in this movie.

Two of the most talented and successful actors of our time come together in this film to form a lovable duo of old codgers who have both been pronounced dying by their doctors. They set out to make the most of their last days on earth by creating a master to-do list and checking off each item as they complete it.

A very unique story that stars Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, The Bucket List makes you laugh, it makes you cry (I did get a little misty there for a second) and most of all, it makes you appreciate the life you’ve been given. No matter how bad you may think you have it there’s someone out there who’s got it worse, and this film does a good job of making you realize that.

It makes me sad when I think about the steaming pile of slag that Eddie Murphy’s career has become. Not really, just kidding. He’s made enough money from movies like the Beverly Hills Cop series and The Nutty Professors to be set for lifetimes over. Still, one of his most important and successful works remains the first BHC, which I finally got a chance to watch the other day.

I’ve come to the conclusion that all cop movies are fundamentally the same. No matter what you do, your lieutenant is about to be pissed at you for it. Rookies are dumb as rocks, and seasoned veteran cops are all uptight jerks. Even with all the stereotypes, Murphy still manages to make you laugh with his sarcastic brand of humor, so if you’re in the mood for a movie that you don’t have to take seriously, here’s one that’s worth your while.

They could’ve cut out a huge section from the middle of this mystery thriller and made it so much better than it was. If you have ever found yourself dreaming about fields of marijuana or a hidden paradise among the forbidden islands of Asia, like I do every single day of my life, you’ll really love this movie. The plot and imagery are somewhat dark, and the story is filled with intrigue, which gives it major flame points. But the early novelty somehow gets drowned out when Richard (Leonardo Di Caprio) wanders into the jungle and goes a little crazy. Without giving away too much, I gave this a 3 on our scale mostly due to originality. The idea is very unique and I’ve never seen a film like it. But with the middle of the film dragging out for awhile before picking up again toward the end, its 2-hour length is overkill.

A look into the seedy underground of chop stock trading, Boiler Room is a dark, tense drama about a guy who gets caught up in one of the biggest and most unethical scams in our country today. Some of the terminology can be a bit hard to follow unless you’ve had experience with the stock market, but nonetheless it’s a fantastic thriller that does an unbelievable job of building tension from the start. Giovanni Ribisi plays the part to a tee as usual, and his solid and slightly eccentric demeanor is a great fit for his role as the main character of the film. Vin Diesel is also a much better actor than I would’ve given him credit for before seeing this one. A well-earned four.

Oh my sweet mama pajamas. I have never seen a film that was simultaneously as offensive and hilarious as Borat. I wouldn’t recommend this movie to anyone who doesn’t like racism, sexism, male nudity, and crude humor to the nth degree. Actually I take that back. I’d recommend this to everyone I know except members of my family. It’s so unbelievably vile and yet I would go so far as to say that I have never laughed out loud or cringed during any movie as much as I did during this one. I’m giving it a 3 since I think a lot of it could have been done more tastefully, believe it or not.

You’ve got to stay on your toes to follow along with this fast-paced thriller mystery. Dialog is quick and punchy, with characters speaking in code nearly the whole time. It takes awhile before you can adjust your mindset into sequence with their language, but once you do and the story begins to thicken, the plot is already coming at you like a speeding train. This is not your typical Hollywood flick. The pacing and cinematography are completely different. My goodness, how refreshing! I’ve been looking forward to seeing this low-budget Noir film ever since I saw previews for it. Usually when I psyche myself up for a good movie, I get disappointed. Not so much this time. Watch it, it’s good. 4 out of 5 flames on the scale.

I’m not so sure it was a good thing that in the ads for this movie they mentioned it was from the same people who made “Super Troopers.” If you’ve seen that movie, you’ll know what to expect: plenty of lame, overused sex jokes, none of which were funny, and a plot that had little to do with anything except ripping off every other horror movie that’s ever been made. Take a comedy that’s not funny and a horror film that’s not scary, put them together, and here’s what you get: a crappy movie called Club Dread.

Just when I thought Jim Carrey was gone for good, Bruce Almighty came out. Not only was this movie hilarious, it had a worthwhile message and Jennifer Aniston. For those of you who haven’t seen it because you think it’s sacreligious, don’t worry. It is, but not as much as you probably think it is. The point is, Carrey is still making the hits. He’s done comedies, dramas, and some other strange stuff and has finally proved with the Almighty that he’s still got it. Starring anyone else, this movie would have been simply mediocre. It’s a good quality, tasteful film. On the rating scale, I’m giving Bruce Almighty a 4.5 because although it was really good, Dumb and Dumber was better.