Iliana said:

For Game of Thrones I think the violence is balanced to what the book shows, but yeah it has a lot of sexposition so to speak.

I don't mind much about the ending of ME3, but they're ammending some things with an April patch, so things might feel different then.

Sexposition, ha! You're right though. I never really thought about it, but whenever there's bland characterization going on, there are naked women on screen. =P

They used it as a device to basically say stuff that otherwise would be sort of boring. That's needed to be said to know the characters as well as the book exposes. Although they could be more creative. I'm going to guess they'll reduce it a bit on the 2nd season.

Also, you should play the MP. It's a really fun mode and very addictive. Being a coop mode the game feels really relaxing.

The Hunger Games: In the wake of a failed rebellion, each of twelve districts must offer up two children every year to participate in the Hunger Games, a nationally televised competition with only one survivor. When her frail younger sister is selected at random to represent district 12, Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) volunteers to take her place. To win the tournament, Katniss must not only demonstrate her formidable hunting and foresting skills, but also navigate the decadent and corrupt society that created the "game." If you think The Lottery meets The Running Man, you've got a pretty good idea of what to expect from the Hunger Games. It's well executed for the most part, and there are enough twists and turns along the way (and foreshadowing of things to come) to keep things interesting. My only complaint is that the shaky cam is way over-done, frequently obscuring the action. When all's said and done, The Hunger Games has my hearty approval.

The Magic Thief: Found: The source of Wellmet city's magic is in danger, and only Conn, former thief and wizard's apprentice, can save it! This final book in the Magic Thief trilogy brings the series to a satisfying close. As with the other books in the series, Found's greatest strength is its young protagonist's unique, and surprisingly fresh perspective (from which the story is told). I though the second book in the series floundered a little, but now that I see how all the pieces connect, I may have to reevaluate that opinion. The Magic Thief is a children's series, so it's a pretty easy read. What's more, if you have kids, it strikes me as something that would be incredibly fun to read out loud. The Magic Thief: Found is a fast, fun read.

Iron Man 2: Following Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr.) revelation, "I am Iron Man," at the end of the first movie, the United States government is pressing Stark to hand over plans for "the Iron Man weapon." Meanwhile, Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke), son of the man who co-developed the arc-reactor (Iron Man's power source) with Tony's father, is out to revenge his family's disgrace. I guess. Iron Man 2 is actually made up of 3-5 sub-plots that all fit together to form the central narrative. This is the second time I've seen Iron Man 2, and I was better able to connect the disparate pieces this time than I was when I first saw it in theaters. It holds together, but only tenuously. As you might expect from a blockbuster sequel, the action is amped up this time around, and it's often pretty spectacular. If you enjoyed the first Iron Man, or even if you're just looking for a good action flick, Iron Man 2 is for you.

The American: After a botched assignment, American assassin, Jack (George Clooney), is instructed to lie low in a rural Italian town. Despite himself, he ends up befriending some of the locals, and ultimately decides he wants out of the business. But things are never that easy. The American is an old-fashioned pot-boiler of a movie. The pacing is slow, and the tension builds throughout. The action sequences, if they can be called that, are extremely muted, but also very real. One definite perk for me was that George Clooney's eventual love interest (Violante Placido) is just ridiculously gorgeous, and frequently nude. =P I have a feeling The American is just the kind of movie some people are looking for, but it wasn't what I was looking for.

Ironclad: After being forced to sign the Magna Carta in 1215, King John (Paul Giamatti) embarks on a campaign to take back the lands controlled by the rebel Barons. To stymie John's efforts, Baron Albany (Brian Cox) and a small group of men including the Templar, Thomas Marshal (James Purefoy) must hold Rochester castle until reinforcements can arrive. Ironclad was billed as a sort of medieval Magnificent Seven, and that's a reasonable way to think of it. The sets and costumes all look great, and though they've taken significant liberties with the actual history, the plot is serviceable enough. Where they've really succeeded is in capturing essence of siege warfare, both the brutal and terrifying assaults and the despondent months of attrition. If you're the sort who likes swords and castles and things of that nature, Ironclad is worth a look.

War Horse: When his drunken father buys a thoroughbred at auction instead of a plow horse, young Albert Narracott (Jeremy Irvine) promises to train and look after him. Later, when Joey (as Albert has named the horse) is sold to a cavalry officer to pay the elder Narracott's debts, Albert vows that they will meet again. Warhorse follows Joey's epic journey across the war-torn European landscape of World War I. War Horse is akin to an old fashioned war movie. The characters are all two-dimensional, good or evil sorts (though to be fair, good and evil isn't strictly determined by nationality), and it's cloyingly sentimental. It just so happens that the main character is a horse. The visuals, however, are distinctly modern; everything looks great. Animal lovers, or fans of old movies may enjoy War Horse. I didn't much care for it.

Tucker and Dale vs. Evil: Redneck duo Tucker (Alan Tudyk) and Dale (Tyler Labine) are visiting their new summer home in the mountains of West Virginia, but when a group of attractive young college kids mistakes them for psychotic hillbilly killers, their vacation plans are ruined. Tucker and Dale is supposed to be a horror genre spoof, but doesn't entirely work. While it's fun to see how each of the college kids meet their inevitable demise, the movie's premise is pretty much its one and only joke. Horror genre fans may find Tucker and Dale to be an amusing diversion, but everyone else can safely avoid it.

Monsters: Six years after a NASA mission returning with extra-terrestrial life-samples crashed in Mexico, most of the country is "infected" by alien life forms. Sent in to photograph the expanding chaos, Andrew Kaulder (Scoot McNairy) is re-tasked to bring his employer's daughter (Whitney Able) safely home to the United States. When their travel plans are unexpectedly thwarted, the pair is forced to travel through the infected zone. Monsters is intended not only as a sci-fi genre flick, but also as a metaphor for Mexican immigration into the United States. When it was released, it was criticized for being too heavy handed, and that's true in a few scenes. Overall though, I felt like it worked. There is some shenanigans at the beginning and again at the end, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the piece as a whole. If the premise piques your interest, Monsters is worth a look.

Attack the Block: When Moses (John Boyega), a gang banger from the South side of London, is attacked by an alien that falls out of the sky, his pride is wounded; he and his gang kill the alien. When more aliens arrive, the boys discover that the new arrivals aren't like the first. They're bigger, meaner and after something inside the block! This was a foreign release that came out about the same time as Cowboys and Aliens, and was compared favorably to that surprisingly uninteresting Hollywood blockbuster by many reviewers. I can't help but agree. Moses and his gang may not be the most respectable protagonists, but they're scrappy and honorable in their own way. They'll prove it as they face down the invaders to defend their home! If you're down for a little sci-fi action, check out Attack the Block.

Lockout: In the near future, the worst of the worst criminals are held in cryogenic stasis on an orbital station called MS1. Following rumors that stasis causes degenerative neural disorders, the president's daughter (Maggie Grace) is on a humanitarian mission to the station when a massive escape is staged. Her only hope is Snow (Guy Pearce), an ex-secret agent imprisoned for a crime that he didn't commit. If the setup sounds to you like half a dozen sci-fi/action cliches all smashed together, it is. And it doesn't get much better from there. An unoriginal premise isn't always a bad thing, but Lockout never really delivers on the execution either. Both of the leads do a fine job given what they have to work with, but there isn't a memorable action sequence or set-piece in the entire film. If you're jonesing for an action flick, Lockout is mostly inoffensive, but you could definitely do better.

Toccata said:

Lockout: In the near future, the worst of the worst criminals are held in cryogenic stasis on an orbital station called MS1. Following rumors that stasis causes degenerative neural disorders, the president's daughter (Maggie Grace) is on a humanitarian mission to the station when a massive escape is staged.

Does not compute

Cabin in the Woods: When Curt (Chris Hemsworth) and friends decide to spend the weekend at his cousin's cabin in the woods, they have no idea they're being manipulated by a mysterious organization for reasons unknown. And that's about all I can say without spoiling it. Scribed by Joss Whedon (Firefly, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Cabin in the Woods is a horror genre spoof that succeeds on every possible level. Its characters are fleshed out and interesting, unlike the human fodder offered up in most slasher flicks, even while maintaining all the classic horror tropes ("let's split up"). It plays with many some of the same themes as Tucker and Dale, but much more adeptly. It is, at times, hilarious, and like only the best spoofs, it also completely succeeds as a film of the genre it's lampooning. Horror fans need to see Cabin in the Woods. Anyone who's seen a horror flick and didn't completely hate it will also be well served by this exceptional, fun film.

Bridesmaids: Annie (Kristen Wiig) is elated when her life-long best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), gets engaged and asks her to be the maid of honor. She's less pleased to meet Helen (Rose Bryne), Lillian's new, rich friend and fellow bridesmaid who's vying for Lillian's affection and trying to steal the show! Bridesmaids was produced by Judd Apatow (The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up), and features the sort of raunchy humor common to his previous work, but this time aimed squarely at a female audience. I have a hard time watching this sort of comedy because I just feel mortified for the main character the entire time. Bridesmaids wasn't for me, but it wasn't intended for me. I suspect that for the target demographic, it was a direct hit.

Mushi-Shi: Mushi are organisms of pure life energy. There are many kinds of mushi, and not everyone can see them, but they affect the world around them nonetheless, often in very bizarre ways for good or ill. Mushi-Shi follows the travels of Ginko, a so called mushi master, who attempts to help people with their mushi related problems. Mushi-Shi is not your typical anime. You won't find any school aged children saving the world, no fan-service, no fighters shouting philosophy at each other. Heck, you'll hardly find any action at all, or even the interconnected episodes that are a hallmark of the format. Mushi-Shi walks its own path and does it with aplomb. I found this series to be extremely relaxing. From the mellow opening theme, to the deliberately paced plotting, to the often biter-sweet tales told in each episode, it was almost soothing. I highly recommend it. Even if you're not typically an anime fan, try an episode or two and see if it doesn't suit you.

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol: When a botched mission induces the president to invoke a ghost protocol, a total disavowal of the Impossible Missions Force (IMF, I was very confused as to how the International Monetary Fund had anything to do with anything through the whole movie =P), Ethan Hunt and his team must go to ground and continue their mission without official sanction or support to avert nuclear war. Personally, I think it's about time to hang up the "to avert nuclear war" plot. It's worn itself a little thin. With a 93% on Rotten tomatoes, I was expecting a lot more from this movie than the generic action flick that I got. Mission Impossible has always been about meticulous planning, and finding clever solutions to seemingly impossible problems. Sure something always goes wrong in the end and they have to hustle to get themselves out of a bind, but in Ghost Protocol, that's all that happens. By the end it's almost laughable. If you're looking for an action flick, you could do worse than Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Just don't believe the hype.

Pirates: Band of Misfits: The Pirate Captain (yes, that's his name) dreams of being pirate of the year, but the other pirate captains all laugh at him and have far more booty. A chance encounter with Charles Darwin could turn everything around though. As it turns out, The Pirate Captain's giant, fat parrot is not actually a parrot at all, but the last living Dodo, and worth a fortune! Pirates was made by the same folks that made Wallace and Grommit and Chicken Run, and it shares the same claymation style as well as the same sense of humor. Even so, or perhaps for that very reason, I have to admit to being a little disappointed. Pirates is good natured and fun, but the laughs are few and far between. If you've enjoyed the creators' previous work, Pirates is worth seeing. Just don't expect the world.

Maximusrex said:

Does not compute

Apparently thawing a whole, living person takes less time than it takes me to thaw a pound of hamburger in my microwave. Who knew?