No Country For Old Men - 2.5 out of 5 stars

Yeah..Yeah..Yeah..I get it, it's from The Coen Brother's, it's brilliant...Blah..Blah Blah.
The camera work is great.
The performances are all great.
The dialog is mostly great.

The theatre was packed, I arrived in the middle of the previews and had to sit in row # 3.
When the film ended, there was a collective groan. The film for all of its strong points, left the audience wanting something else...not more, just SOMETHING.

Tommy Lee Jones, plays the last in a long line of lawmen, and it's obvious that he should have ended his run a few years earlier. He is about the laziest lawman to ever hit the screen. The ending of this film just drives home that point. (and maybe that IS the point)

The final confrontation between the two main characters is left up to the imagination.

With all of its good points, I really cannot recommend that you plunk down your $$ to see this film at your local multiplex. A DVD/Netflix rental, that is surely the way to go.

And finally, there is no way 2 million $ fits in that black case.

That really is a pet peeve of mine. In all movies involving large amounts of cash...the production rarely if ever gets the volume of cash correct. "I want 4 million dollars...unmarked, nothing higher than a $20. Leave it in a brief case in the trash can on the corner".....yeah, ok.

Hitman - a shaky 3 out of 5 stars

On the NEtflix sliding scale of stars (*=hated it, **=did not like it, ***=liked it, ****=really liked it, *****=loved it. I'll have to give Hitman a shaky ***. You should know what to expect going in...a movie based on a video game. Put aside the fact that all of these "Hitmen" look like they just finished their last round of chemotherapy with their big bald heads and the stupid bar code that sticks out like a beacon suddenly turned on from a long abandoned lighthouse...put all of that aside.

There is enough action to keep you engaged...some of which, I'm guessing is being pulled from the actual game play. (I've never payed the game)

Timothy Olyphant is perfectly cast as the Hitman, I loved him in Deadwood and I've seen him do menacing comedy in The Girl Next Door

Olga Hurylenko is engaging, attractive (and naked) as the Hooker who knows too much. She also has the best line in the film.

Dougray Scott is fine, fresh off of his stay on Desperate Housewives.

Robert Kneper cannot be over looked playing a Russian Detective. I first noticed his fine work in the Fox series Prision Break. He seems to have a knack for accents, the same knack that has always eluded Kevin Costner.

Even though I liked Hitman, I'd recommend waiting the 2 months for the DVD to arrive.

Head into The Mist 4 out of 5 stars

Ya know, I usually agree with Roger Ebert's reviews. I have to say, I think he really missed the boat (**.5)with his review of The Mist. In fact, he missed a plot point, which has me thinking that maybe...just maybe, he was preoccupied writing a "catch-up" review while watching The Mist.

While not nearly as good as The Shawshank Redemption or as good as the Green Mile, this third collaboration between Steven King's words and Frank Darabont's screenplay and direction, stands on its own. It is both edge of your seat and shocking.

I saw the movie with about 20 other people, I only wish the house had been filled. Feeling a full houses reaction to the movie as it unfolded would have been great.

Solid performances from all the principals.

If you have a strong heart, bring your best girl, buy some popcorn and I'll bet some of it lands in your lap.:-)