Either Josh Smith was really committed to the joke or...oh, never mind...

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Movie Review: Repo Men

Repo Men, Miguel Sapochnik's directorial debut starring Jude Law and Forest Whitaker, is not your typical action movie. And that is putting it lightly. I expected a popcorn flick with good action sequences. I left the theater contemplating the future on a frightening, narcissistic scale. Was that the filmmakers intent? Who knows.

While many viewers of the trailer found the parallels between the film and "Repo! The Generic Opera", the movie transcends many of the ideas presented in the rock-opera film, mixing in elements of George Orwell's "1984". In a world where organs can now be manufactured, a company known as "The Union" offers people the option of spending thousands in order to bypass organ donation. However, most choose monthly payment options, and if one misses 3 monthly payments (96 days), a repo man will arrive unannounced at your door and will remove The Union's property from you involuntarily. Plain and simple.

As seen in the trailer, this causes a problem for Remy (Jude Law), who has a manufactured heart placed in his body after a routine repossession goes awry. While I'll spare you the details for spoiler purposes, the plot is much thicker than it appears in the trailer and has more twists than you'd expect. However, it likely will not be everyone's cup of tea. It's a very interesting movie, the acting is top notch, the story is surprisingly good and the action is superb, though the result of this combination is one many might not be expecting from what appears to be a typical, high speed thriller.

a_con's grade: B-
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Movie Review: Kick-Ass

The title of this movie is not just attention grabbing, it describes the film pretty damn accurately. Matthew Vaugn's film about a nerd turned superhero is truly one of a kind, offering the comedic take on real life superheros, much like 2009's "Zombieland", a very humorous take on post-apocalyptic zombie films. From the action to its very dry humor, Vaugn finds the perfect balance that will easily draw in movie-goers and allow for it to spread through word of mouth after its April 16 release date.

The cast is fantastic and really brought the movie together. Aaron Johnson plays the title character perfectly, a nerd turned superhero after being inspired by comic books, though the true scene stealers are "Greeks" Clark Duke and Chloe Moretz of "500 Days of Summer" fame, each bringing comedy to every seen they appear in. Christopher Mintz-Plasse is also very good, showing slow but steady departure from his typical "McLovin" roles. Nicholas Cage was surprisingly good as well, in a role that has the potential to bring him back in popularity amongst movie fans.

I honestly can't wait to see this movie again. While I'll refrain from giving away plot points and spoilers, I have high expectations for this movie when it is released next month and hope that it becomes a franchise (it's that good).

a_con's grade: A-
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