Attack of the killer... vegetation?!

I've seen some suspect horror movies in my day - we did, after all, spend excessive amounts of time in college debating the merits of Carnosaur - but The Ruins might be a new low. A journey to ancient Mayan ruins produces a chilling encounter with killer... vegetation?! Yes, that's right - the malevolent force in The Ruins is a twisting mess of overgrown vines. The horror! I thank my lucky stars for 90-minute run times and the ability to watch DVDs on 2x or 4x speed.

Redefining what it means to be "Best Picture"

Some are calling Wall-E the best Pixar film ever and a dark horse candidate for Best Picture at next year's Oscars. Were they watching the same film I was? Visually, I would not think to question anything about the movie, as it is truly top-notch. As far as the story goes, however, I must say that it lags behind a number of prior efforts, most notably Toy Story. The movie tries to club its audience over the head with its environmental message, and the pacing can drag at points. Is the film entertaining? Certainly, and I am happy to have viewed it. I will not, however, urge others to run to the theater to see it as soon as possible. Only one film this year has brought out that kind of reaction in me, and, oddly enough, it was Iron Man. Maybe The Dark Knight can give me a second option...