POINT BREAK [1991]

Director Kathryn Bigelow pumps up the philosophical adrenaline in the silly but wildly entertaining crime-thriller Point Break.
Keanu Reeves does his best to play a broody FBI agent that goes undercover to try a nab a gang of notorious bank robbers that may or may not be surfers.  Elevated by some beautifully photographed surf scenes and perfect pacing, Point Break doesn't speak to the viewer like most action films like this would.  Instead it tries to get into the minds of why folks like this do the things they do...still, the film isn't without it's numerous 80's & 90's action movie clichés and mind-numbing dialogue.
It could have heavily benefited from going in the direction I suspect Bigelow was striving for but was held back from the studio and instead comes off as silly action flick with a few hints of being something more.

3 Ex-Presidents out of 5

11:14 [2003]

5 different stories literally collide into each other which results in the darkly comedic 2003 thriller 11:14.  Each featured character is an idiot and every choice they make leads into bad, bad things for themselves and anybody that crosses their paths.  It's fast-paced and well acted with help from flashy dialogue and non-linear storytelling which all make for a jewel in the rough.  A "what you see is what you get" type of film but still bloody good fun.

3 gunfire n' church bells out of 5 

Donnie Darko (2001)

"28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes, 12 seconds...that is when the world will end."

Richard Kelly came out of nowhere to bring us this truly terrifying vision that combines horror, sci-fi, time travel, and a dream-like state of consciousness into a satisfying and enriching experience. This story of nihilism, teen angst, depression, misanthropy, mystery and a giant rabbit (story of my life) blew me away the first time I saw it. Like Mulholland Dr, it doesn't quite make sense on the surface, but requires you to delve down deeper. Repeated viewings are a must towards different levels of understanding. I still prefer the original release to the director's cut.

5 cellar doors out of 5