GRITZ Movie Reviews: Saw V, Pride & Glory, W., Max Payne

Posted: Oct 25, 2008

SAW V

OUR STORY SO FAR: After four films, the psycho king of torture devices known as Jigsaw is dead, but he has left behind an heir in the form of -gasp- a cop. As usual, people are being judged for their crimes and must pass tests in order to walk away with all limbs still intact.

SOUTHERN CONNECTOR: Absolutely none. The only saws down south are in the sawmill.

BOTTOM LINE: I don’t know what draws me into these gore fests each Halloween. Maybe I just keep hoping for another Saw 1. That one was brilliant. This one may be the best entry since the original, but it still seems like more of the same.

THREE STARS

PRIDE AND GLORY
OUR STORY SO FAR: We look in on the personal and professional lives of NYPD officers told through the interwoven lives of a three generation family of cops. Their moral codes are tested when Ray Farrell (Edward Norton), one of three sons on the job, investigates a case that reveals an incendiary police corruption scandal involving his own brother.

SOUTHERN CONNECTOR: It’s New York City. Duh.

BOTTOM LINE: Colin Farell is excellent as a seedy cop, as is Edward Norton as the honest brother in law. Good acting all around and a darn good cop show. The only drawback is the over abundance of cursing. They have to hold the record for number of F-bombs dropped in one film. Seemed to be overkill.

FOUR STARS

OUR STORY SO FAR: Bush is President. The movie jumps between his college days and his time in then Oval Office.

SOUTHERN CONNECTOR: Lots and lots of pretty Texas scenery and good ol' Southern hospitality.

BOTTOM LINE: Josh Brolin does a great Bush, and the supporting actors are all great, especially Richard Dreyfus as Cheney. Oliver Stone paints a sympathetic portrait of a President who many call the worst president in history. It's not what I expected, which may or may not be a good thing.

THREE STARS

MAX PAYNE

OUR STORY SO FAR: Max Payne is a maverick cop determined to track down those responsible for the brutal murders of his family and partner.

SOUTHERN CONNECTOR: Nada.

BOTTOM LINE: Mark Wahlberg is angry and hallucinating, seeing demons and angels and shooting everybody. I expected more, but hey, what do you expect from a movie based on a video game? At least Tomb Raider had Angelina Jolie.

TWO STARS

Reviews by Michael Buffalo Smith