Shutter Island

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: February 19, 2010

DVD Release Date: TBD

Plot 411: Two U.S. marshals go to Shutter Island, a facility that houses the criminally insane, to investigate a missing patient.

Review: Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his partner Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) are assigned to a case involving a missing woman who is believed to have escaped the mental ward. Dr. Crawley (Ben Kingsley) is the liaison at the island and tries to help them by giving them access to the buildings, grounds and patients. The facility is heavily guarded by armed officers as only the extremely violent or crazy people get sent to the island. The film uses dreams, hallucinations and visions to jump between the past and the present, creating doubt in the audience's mind as to what is real and what isn't. There have been movies like this in the past, but I think this one was carried out very well. While the twist is nothing new and almost too easy to figure out, I still felt that the film was able to take you on a ride. I wish that Ruffalo had a bigger, better part. However, he probably did the best that he could do with what he was given. All the juicy parts were given to DiCaprio, and I wouldn't be surprised if he was nominated for some awards. Also in this film are Max von Sydow, Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Jackie Earle Haley and Elias Koteas.

Watch It: For a throwback to film noir that keeps you at the edge of your seat.

Skip It: If an intense Leo is a turn off. He's pretty much the focus of the show and you can't escape him or his frown lines.

Losin' It

Rating: R

Movie Release Date: April 8, 1983

DVD Release Date: February 6, 2001

Plot 411: Four teens head down to Tijuana to get laid and pick up a distraught woman looking for a divorce along the way.

Review: A co-worker of mine recommended this one to me because it's one of his favorite movies. However, I gotta admit that I can't add it to my fave list. It was just an okay movie for me. The movie stars a young Tom Cruise as Woody, a shy guy looking to lose his virginity down in Mexico. He is accompanied by his friends Dave (Jackie Earle Haley), an overconfident Frank Sinatra wannabe, and Spider (John Stockwell), the bad boy of the group. Tagging along is Wendall (John P. Navin Jr.), Dave's entrepreneurial younger brother who supplies the funds for the quick trip across the border. On their way south, they meet Kathy (Shelley Long), a woman who has just broken up with her cheating husband and is looking for a quickie divorce. Together the group enters Tijuana and hijinks ensues. This is a fairly predictable coming-of-age comedy that follows the older teens around Tijuana as they get into all the stereotypical activities one can think of when going to Tijuana. The portrayal of Mexico and its culture is pretty standard, meaning it isn't especially flattering. There's sex for sale at every doorstep. Drugs and underaged drinking is common. The police are far from just and the jails are like the depths of hell. Despite this, I enjoyed some scenes, such as the one with the piano singer at the Tunga Lei club. His song is hilarious. I also thought the junk yard scene was funny.

Watch It: Because Tom Cruise comes across as very likable in this film as opposed to weird (especially during his couch jumping days).

Skip It: Because there are other flicks out there that are better representations of this genre like The Graduate (for quality) or American Pie (for gross out humor).