Highlander  season 4  tried to answer a question I've had for a while: if you absorb the energy of the other person in their quickening, wouldn't too much negative energy make you evil? There are two episodes dedicated to this which -- surprise, surprise -- bring us from the US back to Paris. You've gotta be kidding me, right? I mean, at least there was one episode that went to Scotland. Methos was much more prevalent this season and another long-anticipated question is being addressed: how is Joe Dawson going to be "reprimanded" for conspiring with an immortal? Well, here's your answer. I don't know if I could've seen it go any other way, but there was a knock-down, drag-out between immortals and watchers. Of course, that was the cliff-hanger. How will that resolution sit over time? With two seasons left, there's no telling.

Life as a House  was recommended to me based on a group of other movies I liked. Perhaps the most notable of these being Pay it Forward . I was very surprised by the movie. I had never heard about it, but it turned out to be a fantastic movie. This one is a drama among dramas with a splash of comedy throughout; so if you're not a big fan of dramas, you probably won't like it. If you are, on the other hand, I'd suggest you run out and rent it the next time you're in the mood for a good drama. The story is based on a father who is diagnosed with terminal cancer and makes one final effort to connect with his son, who lives with his ex-wife. That should set the scene enough to give you a basic idea of what to expect.

If you liked Life as a House, I'd suggest Pay it Forward.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning  was ok, but nothing all that special. If you're into blood and guts movies, this is most definitely one of them. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for one of these movies, but I don't think I'd really suggest anyone run out and grab it. If you liked any of the previous movies on the subject and/or liked Hostel  or The Hills Have Eyes , you'll probably want to see this one. Either way, I'd say borrow it from a friend instead of going out of your way to rent it.

If you liked Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning, I'd suggest The Hills Have Eyes.

The Prestige  came out about the same time The Illusionist  came out and, while I half-expected one to trump the other in the theaters, they both seemingly had a decent viewing. Apparently, my opinions aren't quite typical, tho. I found The Prestige to be fairly boring until the end. Perhaps it was how the story was told. I'm not really sure. All I do know is that I didn't really get as involved with it as I did with The Illusionist, which I thought was much better. The best part of The Prestige was the last 10 minutes of it. Outside of that, the rest was just about average. Perhaps this is the difference between a battle for love and a battle for... well, prestige. One obviously tugs at the strings a bit more than the other. They both had similar a-ha moments, which was nice -- and the main reason I liked the last bit of The Prestige -- but the last 10 minutes doesn't make a movie. Nonetheless, if you liked one, I'd definitely suggest checking out the other. Chances are you'll like both at some level. I am curious what others thought.

If you liked The Prestige, I'd suggest The Illusionist.

Three years before Premonition  came out, Yogen  was released in Japan. After I saw Premonition, I figured I'd check out the original movie. While the premise is the same, the story is a lot different. Usually, re-makes are just that -- a veritable do-over. That's not the case here. If you liked Premonition and can stand reading thru a movie, I highly suggest you check out Yogen. The movie is a bit slower, but that's somewhat typical of Japanese movies, from what I've seen. One other note is that this movie had horror undertones, but I wouldn't really say it was a horror movie. Yogen was also a bit more supernatural than Premonition. Perhaps that's why I liked it more -- I tend to like sci-fi and horror movies a lot. Either way, the scifi/horror spin is minimal, so don't let that push you away.

While I've wanted to see Premonition  since I first saw the trailer, I didn't expect a whole lot. I'm glad I saw it, but I don't necessarily think it was one of those great movies you have to see. I did notice there was a Japanese movie by the same name, tho, so I'm definitely interested in that. There's a science fiction feel to the trailer, but that's not quite how the movie played out. Of course, this will probably make the movie a bit easier for the mainstream movie watcher to enjoy the movie. Breaking it down, if a friend rents the movie, borrow it; but I don't think this is one you'll want to run out and rent immediately.

From the writer/director of Office Space  comes Idiocracy . I'm definitely not a fan of movies that are just big piss and shit jokes, which is what I was afraid this was when I saw the "Ow! My Balls!" trailer on the DVD's main menu. Luckily, that's not what the movie was about... directly. I was very surprised by the casting on this one. There weren't any top-level A-list names, but there were some from the lower rungs of the A-list -- or, maybe it is just the B-list. Luke Wilson  led the cast and was supported by Dax Shepard . Heck, even Justin "The Mac" Long  got a scene in --  and you know I'm fighting a Mac comment with the character he played . I definitely suggest this one for anyone who liked Office Space.

If you liked Idiocracy, I'd suggest Office Space and South Park .