NekoHomey Purely Joyful Movie!

Afouotos Although it has its amusing moments, in eneral the plot does not convince.

Allison Davies The film never slows down or bores, plunging from one harrowing sequence to the next.

Janis One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Gordon-11 This film tells the story of a magician who is put under witness protection because he is going to be a witness against big time mafia bosses. A big hunt for the magician by many bounty hunters begin, and the authorities have a hard time keeping the magician safe.There are so many characters in the story, that it takes thirty minutes to even introduce all of them! I find the story a bit confusing as a result, sometimes I don't know who is who. The pace is fast, and is filled with action packed scenes. There are so many gory scenes, some of which are very disturbing, while some of them are so maniacal that they become funny. Overall, I'm still quite shaken by the scale of the battles, it seems that everyone has to die!

Python Hyena Smokin' Aces (2006): Dir: Joe Carnahan / Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Alicia Keys, Ray Liotta, Andy Garcia, Jeremy Piven: Fast moving action film about "Aces" Isreal whom everyone wants dead. The F.B.I. tracks him down at a high Vegas suite. Director Joe Carnahan does a terrific job at maintaining story lines with graphic violence populating the third act. He previously made Narc, which is another well crafted action thriller surrounding the rights and wrongs of the law. This is not as great a film as Narc, but it's entertaining to boot. Ryan Reynolds plays an F.B.I. officer who learns hard truths about Aces and his relation to an older mobster. It is a great serious performance from Reynolds who witnesses the dishonesty around him but his solution is questionable when he locks himself into a certain room. Alicia Keys is superb as a female hit-man posing as a prostitute to gain access to Isreal's suite. Ray Liotta plays Reynolds partner who enters the building with Reynolds yet meets tragedy. Andy Garcia is strong in key scenes when he arranges the whole assault then attempts to cover up guilty parties. Jeremy Piven plays Buddy "Aces", which is the Ace being smokin' out. The action is fast and fierce but the violence is extreme and too excessive. The film is well crafted and visually appealing for the genre. It regards the reality of one's evil deeds catching up and presenting its penalty. Score: 8 / 10

NateWatchesCoolMovies Joe Carnahan's Smokin Aces. Violent. Hilarious. Eclectic. Colourful. Brilliantly written. This film is one of many I bring up when I meet a film snob who turns their noses up at any kind of pulpy, below the belt, cubist action comedy that isn't a profound statement on the human condition blah blah. While I love discerning the ephemeral themes that high minded films have to offer, I live in the real world where films are there to entertain, first and foremost, and entertaining is an understatement for this movie. Carnahan reaches into his magicians hat and pulls out a loud, lovable, obnoxious bunch of cops, feds, femmes Fatale, assassin's, Vegas lowlifes and assorted psychos that would make a circus ringmaster blush. I won't get too much into the intricate plot, but it involves a whole bunch of seedy weirdos out to get an even seedier Vegas showman and small time thug who's about to turn states evidence. That's all you need. From there the film takes off into orbit from shootout to ridiculous wordplay to unconventional romance to surprising emotional hurt and everything in between. Ryan Reynolds is fantastic as an idealistic FBI agent who very quickly becomes disillusioned and jaded by his superior (Andy Garcia), and Ray Liotta is brilliant as his partner. Jeremy Piven is hilarious, Common gives his role an uncanny depth, and there are really memorable, star making supporting turns from Jason Bateman, Martin Henderson, Tommy Flanagan and Nestor Carbonell. Chris Pine is hilarious in a role so demented it's amazing he managed to top it in weirdness with his turn in Carnahan's excellent recent film Stretch. Ben Affleck shows up long enough to play pool and get ventilated by an MP5, and watch for Matthew Fox in an unrecognizable cameo. I love a good action film noir comic book style thriller. I hate when people get on their high horse, call it a Tarantino ripoff, call it brainless and void of any serious meaning. They seem to forget that movies, although apt to bring us serious brain food and existential weight, are there to make sure we have fun as well. That's something I never want to lose or forget in my film watching adventures.

SnoopyStyle FBI Deputy Director Stanley Locke (Andy Garcia), agents Richard Messner (Ryan Reynolds) and Donald Carruthers (Ray Liotta) are using Las Vegas magician wannabe gangster Buddy "Aces" Israel (Jeremy Piven) to bring down the last mob boss Primo Sparazza (Joseph Ruskin). Sparazza has issued a $1 million bounty on Israel. This brings in contract killers Lazlo Soot (Tommy Flanagan), Sharice Watters (Taraji P. Henson) and Georgia Sykes (Alicia Keys), Pasquale Acosta (Nestor Carbonell), and neo-Nazis Darwin (Chris Pine), Jeeves (Kevin Durand) and Lester (Maury Sterling). Bail bondsmen Jack Dupree (Ben Affleck), Pete Deeks (Peter Berg) and Hollis Elmore (Martin Henderson) hired by sleazy lawyer Rip Reed (Jason Bateman) who wants him back.This is a massive mess of crazy characters in a stylized gangster movie. It's nearly impossible to connect with any of the characters. The writing is all style and nothing too sharp. There are some crazy fun action as long as one can maintain attention long enough to see them.