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Antique shop owner Jesus Gris is shocked when he finds a strange metal object hidden in one of his statues. As he is examining the small device it latches on and stabs into his hand. After he takes it off he begins to feel the urge to let it grab hold of him once more. The more Jesus uses it the more he realizes that there is much more to this machine than meets the eye. He's not the only one who knows of it's power though. Mr. De La Guardia, a dying millionaire, will stop at nothing to get it, even if that means getting rid of Jesus once and for all.

Cronos is Guillermo Del Toro's first film and may very well be his best. Del Toro masterfully blends elements of horror, comedy and mythology to create a magnificent fairy tale concoction. He creates a film that can be scary, funny and touching all in the same scene. Cronos also has a uniquely spooky tone that's much more like a classical ghost stories than a modern horror movie.

All the actors are excellent; specifically Federico Luppi whose performance makes me want to search out more of his films. Ron Perlman also gives an excellent and hilarious performance as Angel De La Guardia, the carefree nephew of Mr. De La Guardia, who can't wait for his uncle to croak and leave him his fortune.

Every element of Cronos is expertly carried off, but what really stands out are the small touches. Gris sneaking to the bathroom to use the device like some perversion of drug addiction. His granddaughter trying to hide it from him as she is afraid of what he is becoming. Angel's sheer disgust every time he has to deal with his dying uncle and be part of this seemingly pointless quest.

Cronos is proof positive that Del Toro is a true master of his art and one of the best directors working today. Cronos is a masterpiece and a film not to be missed by anyone. It's also easily one of the most overlooked and underrated movies of the 90s.

A cruel bandit named Tom Chaney has recently murdered the father of a young girl named Mattie Ross. Chaney escaped the law and Mattie feels that he needs to be brought to justice. On her quest to find a bounty hunter she finds an aging drunkard named Rooster Cogburn who may be just what she needs.

True Grit is not a bad movie by any means, it's actually a good movie, it's just a severely underachieving one. Considering that it was directed by the Coens, who are the best directors working today, and starred Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon it should have been an instant classic. What it turns out to be is an often touching sometimes exciting film that completely fizzles before it's over.

All the acting is exceptional, especially the young Hailee Steinfeld who should have a bright cinematic future ahead of her. Many of the characters are quite endearing as well and you genuinely care what happens to them. And, as to be expected from the Coens, it is expertly directed, until the end at least.

Now the bad news. A large portion of the movie is shown in the trailer and so many of the events, in an already somewhat predictable storyline, are known going in. The pace is out of whack. Most of the comedy is too silly for my taste and I found Jeff Bridges' character to be used as comedy relief a bit too often. The ending is also a major disappointment as it seems to happen far too quickly and it feels like there must be a missing reel somewhere.

True Grit is an enjoyable movie that will likely please many audiences. I just find it to be very disappointing being such a huge Coen Brothers fan. They usually have a knack for making you think even if you don't particularly enjoy the subject matter or the movie itself. True Grit fails to make you think, but provides you with a mostly fun time at the theater.

Prince Nuada is the last of a dying race and he has grown tired of watching his kind wither and die in a world that humans continue to tear apart. In order to gain back control and eliminate humans once and for all he will attempt to revive the ancient Golden Army, even if that means breaking the truce between humans and his father. As Hellboy attempts to prevent him from what would surely be the end of humanity as we know it he comes to the realization that he has much more in common with Prince Nuada than the humans he protects.

Hellboy 2 is a truly amazing piece of cinema. Guillermo Del Toro manages to not only make what may be the best comic book movie ever, but also make a fantasy story for the ages. On a visual and set design level, Hellboy 2 is absolutely stunning. The world he creates in Hellboy and the creatures that populate it are complete creative bliss.

The Troll Market scene is one of the happier moments I have ever had in sitting in a theater seat and it is packed to the brim with creatures that only Del Toro could think of, all the while not relying on CGI to get the job done. When every aspect of a movie is created using CGI it's hard to feel any connection to it (the Star Wars prequels anyone). I find prosthetics and makeup a much more impressive and effective method of bringing a character to life than CGI.

Aside from the visual splendor and eye popping action scenes, Hellboy 2 has a huge heart buried under its thrills. At the core there's Hellboy, brought to life by the underrated Ron Pearlman, who struggles with his place in a world that fears him. Then there's Liz Sherman, his damaged pyrotechnic girlfriend who may be more lost and confused than Hellboy himself. Their confused and tragic nature is what makes the characters in Hellboy 2 so great. They are super heroes who are freaks that would be cast out if they weren't useful in protecting the world from others like them.

Prince Nuada is one of the greatest villains in movie history; mainly because it would be easy to say that he wasn't a villain at all. His struggle to save his people is a true moral quandary that is very understandable given the circumstances. He believes that humans are the problem and he will stop them no matter what the cost. Is he right or is Hellboy, it's up to you to decide.

Another amazing addition from the original Hellboy is Johann Krauss; the new BPRD agent whose gaseous form is contained within a special suit. He is hilariously voiced by Seth McFarlane and the applications of his amazing powers are truly endless.

What I think brings down Hellboy 2's rating and consideration is that some of the humor is very silly and childish. Is that a big deal? You tell me. I agree that some scenes can be overly silly but that adds to the fun atmosphere and tone of the film.

Hellboy 2 is an absolute classic. It's filled with thrills to put you on the edge of your seat, it packs a much greater emotional punch than almost any movie of its type, and it has a ton of laughs as well. I can't smile without it.