Author: Jason Zingale

Crime thrillers are a dime a dozen these days, which is why you’d be hard pressed to find a studio willing to sacrifice an important weekend slot for anything that doesn’t promise a big box office draw. This is where the early months of the year usually come into play, designed as a dumping ground for all of the genre-heavy films with low expectations. A majority of these films do what they’re told, and as a result, offer little more entertainment value than expected, but every so often, a seemingly average film manages to break out of the pack. One…

When writer/director Kurt Wimmer released the sci-fi thriller “Equilibrium” in 2002, I argued against numerous criticisms that the film was a clone of the original “Matrix.” Wimmer’s film, in fact, is actually a lot smarter than the blockbuster mega-hit, and his introduction of Gun Kata (basically martial arts with guns) set new standards for sci-fi action pieces to follow. Perhaps the biggest problem with “Equilibrium,” however, is that Wimmer was far too occupied with the film’s “1984”-esque storyline to realize that the audience wanted more gunplay. And if “Equilibrium” suffered from being too smart, then the director’s latest feature, “Ultraviolet,”…

In case you didn’t already know, soccer is the most popular sport in the world. Fans take the rise and fall of their teams quite seriously, and it’s even been rumored that some countries have executed players (*cough* Brazil *cough*) that performed badly in important matches. It hasn’t been until more recently that the American public has begun to show a genuine interest in soccer, thanks in part to the National team’s last performance at the 2002 World Cup, but sometimes it seems like they just don’t get the allure of the sport. One such example can be found in…

It’s been more than a month since the last Xbox 360 game was released for the system, and though a carload of new titles have been announced for the early Spring, fanboys have been itching for something new to get their greasy little hands on. Enter SEGA and their innovative arcade racer “Full Auto,” a game that looks great on paper, but fails to keep you entertained for more than a couple hours. In theory, “Full Auto” is the type of game that would have made the 360’s launch a much easier pill to swallow, but instead, it feels like…

Amidst a career defined by classic characters like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford is the type of man’s man who could easily be placed along with some of Hollywood’s greatest, like Sean Connery and Steve McQueen. Then again, he’s also a 63-year-old action hero in dire need of calling it quits for good. Emerging out of quasi-retirement after an embarrassing performance alongside Josh Hartnett (who could very well replace Ford without anybody being the wiser) in “Hollywood Homicide,” the veteran actor has decided to give it another go with “Firewall,” a by-the-numbers thriller where the bad guys get…

Japanese gaming giant Nintendo has been around for a hell of a lot longer than its bullying competitors Sony and Microsoft, and for good reason too. For the past two decades, Nintendo has continued to produce original and innovative software for all ages to enjoy, and while they haven’t necessarily maintained their popularity, they’re not about to throw in the towel either. Perhaps the best example of this is in the release of a little game called “Chibi-Robo!,” a seemingly quirky, kids-only title that most gamers would avoid if they passed by it in stores. In fact, this same thought…

The age-old mantra “don’t judge a book by its cover” is one that I’ve neglected to follow since childhood, so it’s not surprising that it took only one glimpse at the movie pass for “The World’s Fastest Indian” to make up my mind: this is going to be some boring shit. Luckily, the people who designed the movie poster weren’t the same ones in charge of making the film. Based on the real life events of New Zealander motorcyclist Burt Monroe, “The World’s Fastest Indian” has a Disney true-story charm to it, and while the cover may look aged and…

Never really being a fan of simulation racers, like the “Gran Turismo” series or Microsoft’s own “Forza Motorsport,” I went into “Project Gotham Racing 3” with a closed mind. Sure, the graphics would look pretty – heck, even the tiniest details can be made out in the reflection on the hood of the car – but could “PGR 3” really offer a gaming experience that would change my opinion of the genre? You bet. It took a little getting used to – driving a car with finesse, that is – but “PGR 3” is the closest most people will ever…

A recent article in Premiere Magazine attacked movie studios for failing to screen several films (eleven, to be exact, and far more than usual) during the opening months of 2006. “Big Momma’s House 2” is one such a film, and despite being condemned by just about every critic in the country, the movie still had a respectable box office take ($136 million worldwide). This is actually the point being argued in the aforementioned article, and Roger Ebert sums it all up perfectly when he says: “the studio doesn’t think this movie is good enough to be seen by critics, but…

While waiting for the screening of the new romantic comedy, “Imagine Me & You,” it suddenly came to my attention that I knew as much about the film as a virgin knows about sex; enough to get you excited, but nothing concrete. And then, about ten minutes into the film, it hit me: this isn’t just any romantic comedy; this is a lesbian romantic comedy. Of course, while the homosexual relationship plays a big role in the development of the story, it ain’t “Brokeback Mountain.” Still, it’s a nice addition to the ever-growing genre and is sure to be an…