El_Guapo9

Manhattan Murder Mystery provides a strange combination of suspense and comedy and is able to blend the two very well. Even during the most tense of scenes Woody Allen is able to provide comic relief and take the edge off the situation.

With such a dark, twisted storyline it's hard to believe that some comedy could be successfully inserted, but the comedy is more than successful in this film. With all the laughs you can expect from a Woody Allen movie and a suspenseful twisting plot, this is a movie that really can successfully crossover the two genres quite easily.

The direction of Allen is superb in the dramatic scenes, putting the audience right where it needs to be to feel the full effect of the situation. There are great performances from Woody as his usual neurotic self and Diane Keaton as his nosy but quick-witted wife who get into believable scuffles over her inquisitive nature. Alan Alda is wonderful as Allen's friend who is just as intrigued as Keaton. Anjelica Huston also plays a great part as a nonchalant writer who gets involved in the chase.

Allen is able to provide a wonderful fusion of genres in this film, I highly recommend it.

8 out of 10.

Celebrated Thespian Mr. T comes to the screen as TS (Too Strong) Turner. The best thing I can say about this sorry excuse for a film is, well...stay far, far away. Mr. T's choice of clothing is comical and the use of his mohawk as an accessory is also fun. He wears it slicked back for special occasions and up for the rigors of every day life as TS Turner.

TS is faced with the dangerous gang that roams the streets doing terrifying things like yelling and throwing things during mayoral debates.

The acting is poor and the story is worse. The movie's pacing suffers and makes things drag out for way too long. It also has a very corny feel to it throughout.

I put this movie right up there in the list of the worst movies I have ever seen.

1 out of 10.

Side Effects is a movie that really suffers because of its budget. I think with more money there could have been more done to make this movie better. It basically ends up being an OK movie with a good heart and brain.

The movie plays up the ridiculousness of the American pharmaceutical business and does a good job of it. The story is really alright and I only have minor qualms with the script. The acting (aside from Heigl, who was great aside from her strange tantrum scene) is poor at best and some of the shots had me shaking my head. There seemed to be an inordinate amount of closeup shots of actor's faces in this film. I started realizing about halfway through the film how everything felt like it was zoomed in when it was just one person on screen.

The movie's got a good moral to it and I enjoyed the Madison backdrops, but with a little better funding and maybe some better editing and camera work, it really could have been a better film.

5 out of 10.