Robin Hood (2010)

High budgets and huge stars lead to high expectations. If you are a fan of "Hood-lore" then this is a must see. For the rest, it totally depends on what you are in the mood for and which stars you like to watch.

Russel Crowe plays Robin in this "prequel", with Kate Blanchett as a very strong Marion Loxley. Max von Sydow is brilliant as Sir Walter Loxley and Mark Addy is wonderful as Friar Tuck. Little John is played by so well by Kevin Durand that I totally forgive him for his role in Lost. HA! He's not proportionate. Best line in the movie.

The bad guys are perfect - Mark Strong as Godfrey and Oscar Isaac as Prince John.

Bottom line this is a version of the story leading up to Robin Longstribe being declared an outlaw and becoming Robin Hood. It is NOT the Gladiator of Hood-lore as Director Ridley Scott wanted. It is however a worthy addition to the collection of stories around this theme.

Watch this movie with expectations lower than the $200M budget would suggest, and you won't be disappointed.

Shutter Island

This movie is not nearly as scary and the previews would lead you to believe. But it is much weirder than you might expect. Without giving too much away, this is another one of those stories where you think you know who the good guys and bad guys are until the end of the movie when you are surprised by who really is whom.

Leonardo DiCaprio does another great job playing a Boston-based cop. The range of emotions on display here are wonderful. Mark Ruffalo plays a very cool opposite to DiCaprio's overwrought character. Nice pairing of contrasts.

The supporting cast is very impressive and deserves much of the credit for the thrill in this crime thriller. Ben Kingsley and Max von Sydow are the biggest but by no means the best. I loved Ted Levine in the one scene he had with lines. Powerful stuff. Patricia Clarkson, Michelle Williams, John Carol Lynch, Elias Koteas, and Jackie Earle Haley all had pivotal roles played well.

The r-rating is for disturbing violent scenes although you never actually see much violence. What is implied however is very disturbing. Director Martin Scorsese does an amazing job of letting the audience's mind think it's knows whats going on. His continuity team really let him down however. The list of goofs is long and does not appear to include my favorite. A female patient who is given a glass of water to drink while being interviewed, raises an obviously empty right hand to drink and sets an empty glass down on the table with her left. What?

Watch this movie with someone who enjoys a good psycho-thriller with more psychos than thrillers.