Mark Wahlberg in "Shooter"
courtesy of Paramount Home entertainment
"Mark This Down"

Mark this down. Mark Wahlberg is the next big Hollywood star. With each film he makes he gets better and better and his fan base is growing by leaps and bounds. Plus this year he was Oscar nominated for his role in "The Departed." The hit HBO series "Entourage" is produced by him and based loosely on his fife. The man is on the short side of huge stardom.

Wahlberg stars in the new DVD action film "Shooter." As John Wayne did before him, he creates an on screen persona that is totally likeable and admirable. He stands for truth and justice and will go to any means to preserve and protect those qualities even if it means vanquishing those at the highest levels of government. He is a Mr. Right who will avenge every wrong done to him. And in doing this he brings out the audience's inner vigilante. 

In this movie Wahlberg plays Bob Lee Swagger, a military man who is an excellent sharpshooter. When his partner and spotter is killed in a military exercise Swagger returns home to America and becomes a recluse of sorts. He lives up in the mountains with only his faithful dog as company.

One day he is visited by a government official named Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover) and is asked to help prevent an assassination attempt on the life of the President. Since Swagger is such a good shot he can look at some places where shots could be taken at the President and tell how such an attempt could be avoided.

Swagger studies the possibilities and makes his report, but then there is an attempt on the President's life and Swagger is named as the most promising suspect. Now he must go on the run to try and clear his name. His only help comes from his former partner's wife, Sarah (Kate Mara) and a suspicious FBI Agent named Nick (Michael Pena).

This is the kind of movie that gets the adrenaline going and keeps it at a high level. Wahlberg creates an Everyman and makes the audience root for him from beginning to end. The suspense is in seeing how he goes about clearing his name and protecting those who have befriended him.

Wahlberg is low key and soft-spoken in the role. He is totally believable in the physical activity of the part and also in the painful shyness and reticence of the character. With each role he becomes a better and better actor and this movie shows he can carry a film completely on his own. In "Shooter" he is the star and there is no doubt about it.

Mara is cute and quirky as the love interest in the film. She is only a supporting player but she is a good one. Pena is also good as the FBI Agent. He is the perfect sidekick for a man like the one Wahlberg plays.

Everything about this movie is good but it is Wahlberg who makes it all work. He is becoming one of my favorite actors and I see a great future ahead for him. "Shooter" is a great showcase for his talent.

Another good film is "Black Snake Moan." This is the kind of movie that somehow plays better on DVD than it did in theaters. Samuel L Jackson and Christina Ricci are both good in the movie with Jackson playing the lonely man who finds redemption by caring for an emotionally bruised young woman (Ricci). 

There is also a solid performance by Justin Timberlake. His role is basically a cameo but he makes his brief screen time count. S Epatha Merkerson of "Law and Order" fame has a good role as Jackson's love interest.

Still it is Jackson and Ricci who dominate the film. Ricci is a unique looking actress who also has loads of talent. People forget about her but every once in a while she emerges on the Hollywood scene with an offbeat role that shows her substantial talent. This movie is a showcase for her in every way. So check out "Black Snake Moan."

John Stamos and Eric Dane star in the DVD movie "The Wedding Wars." In this movie the two popular actors play brothers, one gay and one straight. Shel (Stamos) is the gay one and he is a wedding planner. Ben (Dane) is getting married and asks his brother to plan his wedding.

The complications arise when the bride's father speaks out against gays and Ben sides with him. The brothers go to war and it looks like the wedding may be the first casualty as the bride sides with Shel.

There is a lot of comedy and heart in "The Wedding Wars" with Stamos and Dane doing a good job of acting.

It is getting closer and closer to the month of August and that is when "High School Musical 2" will appear on the Disney Channel. To hold you over until this event arrives there is a new DVD titled "Disney's High School Musical: The Concert Extreme Access Pass." This DVD features the talent of Corbin Bleu, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale, Lucas Gabreel and Monique Coleman. 

Only Zac Ephron is missing but in his place is Drew Seeley who is a singer songwriter and rumored to be the one who hit all the right notes for Ephron. He blends in perfectly with all the cast and adds greatly to the full list of songs from this hit musical. 

There are also some songs from the solo albums of the cast members and this is fun to hear too. Plus Kenny Ortega directed and choreographed the concert. So this DVD has it all. Get it and let it help you pass the time until "High School Musical 2."

Another popular Disney program is "Hannah Montana." This show stars Miley Cyrus as the girl who leads two lives. - one as a normal teenager and the other as a pop star. In the new DVD "Hannah Montana: Pop Star Profile" you get to see the real Miley Cyrus and also a concert by Hannah.

You also get four episodes of the "Hannah Montana" show, and these are the ones where Hannah gets a crush on new guy at her school named Jake. The shows feature Miley and her real life dad Billy Ray Cyrus and it is all loads of fun for the entire family.
 

 

 

 

 

©2007 Jackie K. Cooper

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