Season 2  of Pretender  was good, but I can't really say it was a whole lot better than season 1 . There were definitely a few episodes that were quite interesting, tho. I liked how they delved into some of the characters a bit more. I am excited to see how that continues in the next season .

If you liked Pretender, I'd suggest Profiler .

Superman III  had a better storyline than the first  two , but that's not to say it was outstanding. I didn't really like what they did in the movie with the kryptonite. The villains observed the composition of kryptonite in the galaxy and attempted to recreate it, only there was a very tiny percentage of unknown material. In an attempt to fill in the blank, something new was created. To the viewer, it looked like kryptonite (at least, it was green); but there was no direct connection to the malformed kryptonite and Superman's reaction to it until one of the villains explicitly said it. All Superman did was shake his head a couple of times like he got dizzy. Honestly, I'm not sure how they should've gone about it, and maybe I'm the only one who didn't like their approach, but I think Smallville  did a lot better of a job at doing this. In Smallville, they used red kryptonite, to show the viewer there was something different. Expecting a reaction, Tom Welling , who plays Clark in Smallville, does a lot better of a job showing how the red kryptonite affects him. I don't know how it was in the comic books, but I am curious.

One thing I thought was interesting was the person who played Lana Lang, Clark's high school love interest, Annette O'Toole . The reason I found this interesting is because she now plays Martha Kent, Clark's mother, in Smallville. Not a big deal, but interesting.

Oh, and one last thing: it was nice to see Superman not attempt to reverse time for the third time. I thought that was a bit strange the first time and I had to roll my eyes at the second -- besides the fact that it also means General Zod and his minions are still out there. Anyway, I was glad Superman didn't go for a third.

I just finished Superman II  and I have to say both thise movie and Superman: The Movie  don't play the story very well. I guess my problem is how they portray Lex Luthor and try to jam everything into each movie. They each tried to cover a lot of ground, but didn't quite develop the characters as well as I'd like them to. I'm sure some of this has to do with production changes which map to societal "growth;" but then again, I might just be pulling that out of my butt.

One thing I didn't reallize -- or remember, I guess -- is that Lois figured out Clark was Superman. This was one of the questions I had regarding Superman Returns  -- did Lois know? I'm sure the vast majority of people out there have seen Superman II, so I guess I can ruin it... At the end of the movie, Superman makes the world turn in reverse to go back in time, making Lois forget about Clark's secret. Right before he reversed time, tho, Lois was starting to write a story about how Superman saved the world. From what I remember about Superman Returns, Lois won two awards for Superman stories -- one for and one somewhat against Superman. I'm wondering what the name of that first article was and whether or not this was that article -- or at least a hint towards it.

Maybe it's just me, but the fact that The Exorcism of Emily Rose  was based on a true story seemed to add to the story. I can think of a number of exorcism movies, but this one is probably the best. I don't think too many others feel the same, but I definitely liked the movie. The movie centers around a courtroom, where the priest who performed the exorcism is being held for murder. As you might assume, this is basically a trial between science and religion. Winners and losers in this courtroom aren't as you might expect, as is the real world, but it's definitely not a bad ending. If you're into religious/exorcism movies or religion vs. science debates, you'll probably find this movie intriguing. Give it a shot, if you have a chance.

If you liked The Exorcism of Emily Rose for the exorcism aspect, I'd suggest The Exorcist ; otherwise, if you liked it for the debate, I'd suggest Contact .

I was very interested in Ghost Rider  when I saw the first trailer. I was also somewhat stunned to see Nicholas Cage  playing the part of Johnny Blaze/Ghost Rider. At the same time, I had doubts about it's quality and success and above-all, the possibility for a sequel. This obviously has to be a very effects-driven movie because of the nature of the character, so effects had to be top-notch. I don't think I can honestly say they achieved that. They did a great job, but there were times I thought Ghost Rider looked kind of odd. One scene I didn't like was when he changed for the first time. His transformation was perfect, but the explosions were pointless and stupid, in my opinion. I did like having Sam Elliott  in it -- I like him. The only complaint I have regarding his character is that he seemed kind of pointless in the story. I liked the character, but I expected more. I don't really know much about the Ghost Rider story, but I'd like to see more. Unfortunately, like Daredevil , the character isn't the most popular one, so I doubt there'll be a sequel. Both of these stories have plenty room for more, tho.

If you liked Ghost Rider, I'd suggest Daredevil.

After watching Superman Returns  and feeling like I was missing something, I decided to go back and watch the other movies, starting with Superman: The Movie , obviously. After re-watching it, I have to say I feel like the movie was rushed. In the end, a lot of information was covered, but not a whole lot of time was spent in the various parts of Superman's life. Based on today's standards, the movie would probably be considered long, tho. Then again, I did see a version that added 8 or so scenes. None of them were all that special, tho. One thing I noticed was that the movie was setup to support a sequel or two. Then again, anyone who knows any comic book character's storyline knows they go thru countless twists and turns throughout the years. This is one reason why I was very excited after seeing Superman Returns. The prospect of a sequel  is great and I look forward to what it might entail. If they really want to make a movie that'll draw some attention, they'll cover the death of Superman. I don't know all the details surrounding it, but it was a big deal and I don't think most people know about it.

Another thing I didn't like about the movie was how information about Superman was brought to light. Lex discovering kryptonite's affect on Superman, for instance. He just thought it out and deduced that some substance from his home planet would hurt him. Unless I missed something, it just didn't make sense. If that's not enough, Superman should've been a little more surprised and confused when he saw the kryptonite and realized its effects. Another thing I thought was odd was that Jonathan Kent died. I honestly didn't think he did, which is why I thought it was odd when the same character died in Smallville .

If you liked Superman, I'd suggest Superman Returns and Smallville.

I'm not really sure why I decided to rent Lucky Number Slevin . Not that I thought it'd be bad, but I didn't think it would be all that great, either. In the end, it wasn't what I thought and turned out better than I expected. I don't want to give too much away, but the ending had an intriguing twist that made up for it being kind of slow in the beginning. I still would've hoped for more with the cast it had. If you get the opportunity, watch it; but I wouldn't suggest rushing out to grab it.

If you liked Lucky Number Slevin, I'd suggest Confidence .

When I saw the WWE credited on See No Evil , I immediately questioned its quality. In the end, the story wasn't all that, but it was decent. I have to compare the movie with Hostel  due to some of the torturous scenes. Hostel had a much better back-story and was a bit more gruesome, tho. Don't let the WWE byline disuade you, tho, the movie's not too shabby. Acting is admittedly second-rate, so if you like horror movies and happen onto the DVD, give it a shot; otherwise, don't rush out to grab it.

If you liked See No Evil, I'd suggest Saw  and Hostel.

If you were going to die in the next month or two, what would you wish for? That's the premise of One Last Thing . Dylan originally asks for something that reminded him of his fater, but switches it up when he gets on TV to make his last request. I'm not going to say what his request was, but I will say he instantly became a celebrity, in his own way. His request was unconventional, but he was honest, which is what made it so great. In the end, even he saved someone. I definitely suggest you check it out, if it piques your interest.

I remember wanting to see Dead Presidents  when it came out, but, after watching it, I have to admit that it wasn't what I expected. I'm not really sure what I was thinking, but I guess I thought it would have more robberies. While I guess the movie might have wanted to make you ask yourself what you'd do for money, I just don't see myself siding with Anthony, the main character. The story does flow together well, but I'm not sure I understand what the point was. If I remember correctly, there were a surge of urban movies out around this time and a number of them were pretty good. Perhaps that's why I expected this one to be better. All-in-all, it was ok. If you like Lorenz Tate , you'll probably enjoy it. Chris Tucker  was in it, but not in his typical comedic role. There were a number of others that I recognized, but I won't get into the casting.

If you liked Dead Presidents, I'd suggest Mennace II Society , Boyz n the Hood , and Set it Off , in that order.

Because I Said So  was cute, but I don't think there's much else to really say about it. For the most part, the movie was very typical and somewhat predictable. I will say the movie was funny, so if you have the opportunity to watch it and you typically like movies like this, give it a shot -- I don't think you'll be disappointed.

I'm not sure how I came across Flight of the Phoenix , but I'm glad I did. The movie's about a plane crash and what the crew and passengers decide to do in an effort to get back to civilization. Nobody really takes complete control of the situation, which is the first mistake. Beyond that, I have to say that, after a plane crash, like it or not, the best decision is to stay as close to the crash site as possible. I'm not going to get into where I feel these guys were right or wrong, but I will say I don't think I'd have lasted too long with Elliott, played by Giovanni Ribisi . Speaking of which, he did a damn good job in that character. I wasn't thinking about it at the time, but I knew he looked somewhat familiar. He took on a new voice and look for this character and it worked out very well. I've always been a big fan of Ribisi and, along with Dennis Quaid  and Jared Padalecki  of Supernatural  among others, the cast was pretty good.

After watching the trailer, I wasn't overly excited about The Messengers , but I was interested in seeing it. There was definitely a hint of directorial inspiration from The Grudge  and The Ring  movies, as one might expect. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this is bad, but I am curious where the style started from. Considering the basis for The Grudge and The Ring, my initial impression was that it came from the original Japanese versions of the movies. No matter where the style originated from, I do like it. The movie wasn't really as scary as I'd hoped. I tend to like dark movies and this one just didn't have what I was looking for. I don't remember what the movie was rated, but I'd go as far as to say it was positioned to house a younger audience -- not necessarily focused on children, but with a goal of targetting the widest audience possible. Then again, I'm probably only saying that because I do like the darker macabre.

If you liked The Messengers, I'd suggest The Grudge and The Ring.

I can't say that Winona Ryder  has really come out with anything I've been too big a fan of and Lost Souls  is no different. I'm not saying I didn't like the movie or that she's a bad actress; just that she probably doesn't get into too many "good" movies. If anyone knows of one she was in that was really good, I'd be interested to hear about it. Heck, thinking about it, I can only come up with a few she was in that I've actually seen. She was just in A Scanner Darkly , but you can see how I felt about that. I guess her biggest movie was probably Beetlejuice .

Anyway, back to Lost Souls, the movie reminded me of a short-lived TV series I saw, Point Pleasant . Not that the similarities were abundant, but they shared the basic premise of the devil's child being born. I will say I didn't expect what happened in the movie. While the movie was kind of slow, if you have a chance to see it, it might be worth the watch. Don't bother going out of your way, tho.

Haven  was decent, but nothing special. I liked the fact that the story was told twice and you got the chance to see it from two angles. I find stories like that interesting because you get a chance to notice where the stories intertwine and why certain things happened. The ending was kind of lacking, tho. I wasn't really sure what to think of it. I understand why it happened, but what now? What's she going to do? And why is homeboy still around? By the way, I left names out for a reason

When Crush  first started, I have to admit that I was worried this was going to be a horribly slow and ultimately bad movie. Luckily, I was proven wrong -- and quite to my surprise, I might add. I'm about to ruin the the movie, so if you haven't seen it, skip to the 2nd paragraph. I know some people are going to disagree with me here, but I think the movie would've been slightly "better" if it would've ended directly after the scene where Jed was hit by the truck. Everything after that part was just useless filler. This ending would've made the movie very tragic and would've left a more significant impression on the audience. As is, the current ending tries to make the audience feel better about Kate and her coping with her loss. Think about City of Angels . Everyone I know who's seen this movie has a love-hate response -- they loved the movie, but hated the ending. I think Crush could've had the same effect. There aren't too many movies which strike at you like that and I think it's a very strong emotion to pull on.

I'm curious what others think about the movie and my suggested ending. I mentioned it to my girlfriend and she had thoughts of City of Angels, which definitely struck a chord with her. I think many would get this same reaction. Let's face it, most people remember City of Angels for its strong ending. It's a bold move, but one that can be very successful, if done right.

Hostel  was awesome. The first part threw me off quite a bit, but it all came back with a vengence in the end. Very exciting. Then again, I am somewhat twisted. This movie isn't for the squeemish, that's for sure. The fact that it's a Tarantino  movie should tell you that, tho. All-in-all, this is a guy movie. Anyone who watches it will see that in a heartbeat. I'm not saying women can't enjoy it, but with a movie about sex and torture, the list of women I know who'd enjoy it is somewhat small. Then again, some guys I know probably couldn't... well, wouldn't want to watch it. Oh well, my twisted self and I love it! As if this 3 1/2 year old movie wasn't enough, there seems to be a sequel  planned to release this year. Not sure if that's still on track, but I'm excited nonetheless.

I loved The Illusionist . Honestly, I wanted to see it in the theaters, but I'm not really sure why I never did. I also wanted to see The Prestige , which came out in the same time frame. I'm not sure which one did better in the theater, but if I had to guess, I'd say Illusionist overshadowed Prestige. This has happened before, which can suck because good movies don't seem to get the chance they deserve. One example is The Thirteenth Floor , which came out at the same time as Matrix . If you haven't seen that one, check it out.

Anyway, back to Illusionist. This is a definite must-see movie. If you like suspenseful movies, this is a great one. I'd recommend it to anyone.

Ok, I'm not one to watch too many reality shows, so don't expect me to create a category for them. Honestly, I try to avoid them as much as possible. Not because I don't like them, but because I get sucked into them when I don't want to be. Well, I guess it depends on what it is. Anyway, season 2  of Top Chef  just ended last night and all I have to say is: they done screwed the pooch. If you didn't watch the season, you probably want to move on since you won't know who/what I'm talking about; but for those who did, I'm sure you'd have to agree with me that the last two episodes were badly played. From here on out is a spoiler, if you don't know who won... I don't think it should've come down to Ilan  and Marcel  and I definitely don't think Ilan should've won!!! Ilan is a follower, not a leader. The main reason he won was because he played it safe with a complete line-up he knew and practiced. Another reason he won is because Marcel made a stupid move when he picked Mike . Not that Mike's a bad chef; but he's somewhat hard-headed and needs strong leadership, which is definitely not Marcel. Not to mention the fact that he doesn't even like Marcel. I would've had to go with one of the other chefs when picking who to work with. In the end, Marcel made a horribly stupid mistake by complaining about Sam . I think that made him look slightly petty. If anyone, he should've complained about Mike. Sam went above and beyond in trying to make the meal work and should've been commended for it. Honestly, as you can tell, I don't like either of these guys and don't think they should've made it this far. Well, maybe Marcel... maybe; but definitely not Ilan. Ilan's a punk-ass.

So, who would I have picked? Sam. First off, I think Sam was eliminated for a stupid reason, but I think the two female judges even regreted eliminating Sam over Ilan. If you watch the second-to-last episode, you'll see the female judges' non-verbally say, "I can't believe we're getting rid of Sam and leaving Ilan." Ok, maybe I'm adding names in there, but they each did it directly after saying Sam was out and Ilan was in. Sam has the leadership and culinary skill necessary to be the best. If that wasn't enough, he's more mature, more tactful, a lot more ethical, and... well, he's just more mature overall. I think that wraps it up, honestly -- his maturity level. Marcel's a strong chef while Ilan's a strong supporter, but neither have what I think it really takes like Sam does.