Celluloid Film Review - The Taking Of Pelham 123

Title: The Taking Of Pelham 123

Year Of Release: 2009

Review Date: March 31, 2010

Rating: R

Running time: 106 minutes

Box Office Gross: $150,000,000

"The Taking Of Pelham 123" is a disturbing film. One thought it would be cinematic, along the lines of hostage dramas, such as "Air Force One" and with an actor such as Oscar winner, Denzel Washington, starring as one of the leads, one expected big things.

Instead, one got approximately 100 minutes of gory gratuitous violence and non-stop profanity, grating on one's ears. The film had a good synopsis, but the screenwriter and director miserably failed in bringing it to the big screen.

Washington stars as a mass transit worker in New York, placed in a brutal hostage crisis, opposite Scientologist actor, John Travolta, as a kidnapper that hijacks a train named "Pelham 123."

Once again, the storyline went to a lot of violent, dark and profane places it did not need to go, rendering it jarring and nauseating, rather than entertaining.

Celluloid Film Review - Law Abiding Citizen

Title: Law Abiding Citizen

Year Of Release: 2009

Review Date: March 31, 2010

Rating: R

Running time: 109 minutes

Box Office Gross: $114, 247, 522

"Law Abiding Citizen" is a crazy, macabre, infringing movie, starring Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx. The Celluloid Film Review never gets films like this one. The unnecessary gore and gratuitous violence that could not have a positive impact on moviegoers' psyche, is stupid and superfluous. The film is also grizzly, when it is not even classified as a horror film.

The movie is about a man who is attacked in his home, his wife brutally murdered and his preteen daughter sexually assaulted and killed in his presence, enraging him so, he hunts down the perpetrators, viciously killing them one by one. He also murderously targets law enforcement and court officials that failed him.

This was not a pleasant movie. It was very sick and twisted. As such, it gets no love from the Celluloid Film Review and is not recommended.

"Sarah's Choice" Film Review

Title: Sarah's Choice

Year Of Release: 2009

Review Date: February 28, 2010

Rating: PG

Running time: 93 minutes

Box Office Gross: N/A (TV and DVD)

"Sarah's Choice" is a film starring singer, Rebecca St. James, as a corporate executive, who unexpectedly becomes pregnant and faces a decision between her burgeoning post at an agency, via having an abortion or having her baby and losing a career making promotion.

Through a series of events, God guide's Sarah into making the right decision, regarding not having an abortion. The film also offers hope to women who have had an abortion and are plagued with emotional torment, via exploring the life of Sarah's friend who did.

This movie explores the lamentable hostility towards pregnant women in some work environments. Pregnant women should be treated well and equally in the workplace. It is also important to take care of oneself and limit work hours, especially standing for long periods of time, in the latter stages of pregnancy.

"12 Rounds" Film Review

Title: 12 Rounds

Year Of Release: 2009

Review Date: February 28, 2010

Rating: R

Running time: 108 minutes

Box Office Gross: $17,037,910

"12 Rounds" is an action film about a cop and his wife, who are subjected to the psychotic schemes and ramblings, of a hardened criminal that targets the pair, due to the accidental death of his girlfriend, at the police officer’s hands.

Bent on revenge, he breaks out of prison, stalks, kidnaps and terrorizes the police officer’s wife, while demanding the cop accomplishes a number of deadly, deranged tasks in 12 rounds of sadistic play, lest he kills her.

This film stars WWE wrestler, John Cena, who is a modern day, Arnold Schwarzenegger in looks and physique. It is uncanny how much he recalls Arnold in his hay day as an action star.

Wrestling is very popular in America, often selling out arenas on tour. However, "12 Rounds" is another WWE production, packed with very violent, questionable scenes and language that limits the audience it garners, resulting in a lower box office. It was the same story with its predecessor "The Marine." The production quality and acting are fine - it's the content that's the problem.

"Big FAT Liar" Movie Review

Title: Big FAT Liar

Year Of Release: 2002

Review Date: February 28, 2010

Rating: PG

Running time: 88 minutes

Box Office Gross: $47,000,000

"Big Fat Liar" is a comedy about the common Hollywood practice of stealing other people‘s works and ideas and passing them off as one’s own, which is unlawful under the Copyright Act and Berne Convention.

Teenager, Jason Shepherd, writes a school essay about being a liar and through a chance meeting with a Hollywood executive, Marty Wolf, on the way to school, it is stolen.

Wolf is a lazy, shiftless, not so bright Hollywood degenerate that reads the essay and takes credit for it by turning it into a film. The movie goes into production, with his name deceitfully on it as writer.

The teenager finds out about it and goes Home Alone on him, via terrorizing him through a series of pranks and mishaps, until the truth comes out to the world about the true authorship of the story used to make the film.