The Chipster's Mini Reviews

Fido – Touching story of your boy growing up in 1950s America and his love for his dog. Only the dog is actually a zombie played by Billy Connolly. Very funny, equally as smart, but very dark. Excellent.
The Host – disappointing Korean horror. Despite some excellent vignettes, typically good music, there’s little else to recommend it.
Surf’s Up – CGI pseudo-documentary about surfing penguins. Sassy. I enjoyed it.
3.10 to Yuma – classic western, now remade, based on Elmore Leonard story, full of the subtle nuances that make Westerns one of the most flexible and undervalued genres.
The Shining (TV Series) – less good as a film but better as a story, characters engage in a totally different way. Worthwhile.
Frequency – woefully underrated, time-twist story despite cheesy power ballad in the last minute and credits.
Planet Terror – spectacularly gory, cheap, tacky, often dire, but entertaining example of what Grindhouse could have been if Tarantino had tried less hard to be Tarantino.
Convoy – Sam Pekinpah film, generally lambasted but Kris Kristoffesen saves it and some touches where you might think it could have been so much better.
Cars – somewhat overlooked Pixar film, smart, sweet, and enjoyably funny.
Pirates of the Caribbean 3: too much story, too much story, and just when you think it’s over, too much story. Did I mention that there’s too much story? A slightly more deranged that usual Depp just manages to save it from too much story.