Bullets and Bouquets

Despite what online reviews say, I actually really liked Brooklyn's Finest. This movie shows how far, although implausible, cops can potentially fall when in duty. The story basically follows three main "protagonists" if you can call them that. There's Don Cheadle who plays an undercover cop who just wants a desk job but is torn between loyalties to his badge and to the criminal who saved his life (Wesley Snipes). There's Richard Gere who is a cop who is mere days away from retirement, but the job has worn him down to the point of surrender. And then there's Ethan Hawke's character who has hit hard times with his family in which he has twins on the way and has no money to support them while they rot away in a home falling apart cause of wood mold. These three story lines run parallel to one another until they culminate in one central location all together. The movie definitely has a feel of oldschool 70's style dirty cop movies and it seems refreshing when compared to the usual movies that come out nowadays. Each individual here has their own demons and they just want to get out of their predicament whether it be for a desk job, retirement, or a secure family life. My main gripe about the movie is that it's hard for me to see this actually happening on actual streets. I'm not saying it's impossible, but it's fairly improbable; seriously, do cops really sit around a poker table and talk about the crimes that they commit on the job? I doubt it. It's good that the cast in the film is very strong because it's what holds the movie together. If you're in the mood for a fairly serious movie then check this one out.

Ah, Valentine's Day. This movie has everyone in it, and by everyone, I actually mean EVERYONE. The cast is overflowing with big name, but do they come together to create a romantic masterpiece? The answer is a definite no. This movie tries to be Love Actually without the development of characters. Valentine's Day is a collection of interconnecting story lines that cross paths during Valentine's Day. Simple concept that didn't fully pan out the way that they wanted. This movie relies more on quantity than on quality. The are some good stories to behold here though. I liked Bradley Cooper's mini story even though it was barely in the movie and I also liked the one of the quarterback (even before they intersected). Basically all of the other arcs were just shallow and did nothing to captivate the audience outside of eye candy and star power. Seriously, anyone that things Taylor Swift can act should be tortured and shot. I was hoping that this movie would be an American equivalent to Love Actually but instead it ended up being a simple rip-off of a great movie. I say skip this movie and watch Love Actually instead. If you really want a movie for Valentine's Day, watch Definitely, Maybe as that came out for Valentine's Day several years ago and was better than this shallow movie.