I'm all about action and adventure, bad acting is something that bothers me. I was very interested when I heard that they were making Battleship into a movie. First off I was very confused because how were they going to do and would they be able to pull it off. I am happy to say yes they did pull it off. The movie brings fantastic special effects and beautiful settings into a modern art or war type story. The film takes it's young stars and pulls them into situations where they will either grow and survive or be selfish and parish. The film stars Taylor Kitsch as our young and rebellious Lt. Alex Hoper who can not figure out what to do with his life. His borhter Commander Stone Haopper is played by the charming and loyal Alexander Skarsgard. Liam Neeson stars as the brave and strong Admiral Shane and his daughter and Alex's girlfriend is Sam, played by the lovely Brooklyn Decker.We also have Rihanna in her acting debut as Petty Officer Cora Raikes.
The film starts with the Hopper brothers trying to find purpose and meaning. Stone uses the Navy to find his place and Alex tries to gain the heart of Sam. We also see the the government is sending out a radio signal to outer space to a planet that has a similar environment to ours. A few years later we see the Hopper boys are at the anual Navy training games with ships from all over the world. That same day ships fall from the sky and Hawii is locked into a shield and is invaded from an enemy out of this world.
I was shocked that the movie made a big effort to show the dark and forgotten sides of war. Sam works at a military rehabillitation center and we see all these amazing men and woman who have lost parts of their body for their country. As an audience we feel the pain of a fallen soldier and the fear of what to do now that they are not one. There is also a poitn in the movie of remembering those that have fought before us. At one point the modern Navy must as the help of former Navy vets in order to fight back for their planet. It shows this respect of your elders, past, and those that have given so much for our freedoms. I was not expecting such a heartfelt and obvisous message from the filmmaker.
The special effects are fantastic and so believible. I honestly thought that there were real spaceships flying around at sea. You are not sure what is real and what is not. Even the Aliens themselves seem so real that you are not sure what is CGI and what is real. I was very impressed with the action and the way it was tied into the batteship game. I was on the edge of my seating waiting for the next attack or the next moment I would jump out of my seat. Bravo for action.
There were only two things that I didn't like in this movie....product placement was TERRIBLE. Everywhere you looked there was a Coke Zero sign or someone was drinking it. There were a few others that actually made me roll my eyes because it was not even suttle! I also thought that the acting by the main cast was great but the smaller roles the acting was comical! I mean seriously funny and I coulf not believe they could not get a better actor in there! I found myself laughing at the smaller roles because you could tell they were reading a script. Rihanna did an ok job in the movie. Most of her lines were simple and her yelling. She did an ok job at that....she should probably stick to singing. She was not terrible but you could tell it was out of her comfort zone.
Over all it was an entertaining movie that will keep you guessing. Looking for something fun and you have already seen Avengers....go check this one out. you have been warned about the terrible acting but other than that the action was pretty sweet!
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
The Count Of Monte Cristo
You all know how much I like to throw in a random movie that challenges my few readers to go out and experience something new and awesome! Well the movie of the week is The Count of Monte Cristo the 2002 version. The film is based on the classic story by Alexandre Dumas Pere and has had many interpretations over the years. This is my favorite because of the combination of cast, setting, and script. I also love this film because it shows that a story can be a few hundred years old and still hold value in today's world.
The movie stars Jim Caviezel as Edmond Dantes a second mate of a small ship. His fiance is Dagmara Dominczyk as Mercedes and she is lovely and enchanting. Their best friend is Guy Pearce as Fernand Mondego, the son of a count. The film begins with Edmond being accussed of a crime he is not commit. He was sent away to prison by J.F. Villefort, played by James Frain. We learn that he is sent away because has information on Villfort's family and wants no one to know about it. While in prison for 4 years Edmond one day meets a man who pops up out of the floor. He is Abbe Faria or Priest, played by the talented and dearly departed Richard Harris. Priest tells Edmond that he will teach him everything he knows if he will assist him in digging out of prison. Edmond agrees and a friendship is born out of pure chance.
Priest tells Edmond that he knows the location of a massive treasure and he gives Edmond a map. I won't tell you how but Edmond ends up out and able to find this treasure with the help of his new friend Jacopo played by Luis Guzman. Edmond makes it his life's goal to destroy all of those that have made him suffer all of these years. He makes himself The Count of Monte Cristo and slowly starts to ruin the lives of all those that betrayed him.
The movie is beautiful with amazing scenes and settings. Even in the dark and gloomy prison the colors are vivid orange and brown. Once in Paris the colors turn much warmer than the beach and sea colors we are so use to. As the Count, he covers himself with Red and blue as where Edmond wore browns and grays. Even Jacopo dresses in vivid lively colors. Fernand tends to stay with the simple white and black but do not let that fool you, he is anything but simple. Mercedes is so beautiful is does not matter what color she is in. When she is with Edmond she wear simple blues and yellow....simple clothes for a simple happy life. When she is with Fernand she wears deeper red and purples but she is in pain and torn from the life she knew.
The actors in this film are so real and human. They are flawed as much as the rest of us. Richard Harris plays a memorable and deeply torn man. He is ashamed of his past and tries to dedicate his life to God and retribution. Jim as Edmond shows some much growth from the innocent second mate, to the lonely prisoner, to the bitter trouble man filled with revenge. By the end of the film you do not even remember the old Edmond because The Count has changed him so much. Guy Pearce is the man you love to hate. He is charming but sneaky and you are sure if you can believe anything he says. Plus Guy plays the odd man out so well. I really enjoyed Dagmara because she was in so much pain and suffering but still managed to be strong and stand up for what she believed in. She is a modern woman trapped in a traditional world.
If you need a great movie to watch...go get this one! One of my all time favorites!
Action: Yes
Adventure: Some
Romance: Sort of
Over All: A
The movie stars Jim Caviezel as Edmond Dantes a second mate of a small ship. His fiance is Dagmara Dominczyk as Mercedes and she is lovely and enchanting. Their best friend is Guy Pearce as Fernand Mondego, the son of a count. The film begins with Edmond being accussed of a crime he is not commit. He was sent away to prison by J.F. Villefort, played by James Frain. We learn that he is sent away because has information on Villfort's family and wants no one to know about it. While in prison for 4 years Edmond one day meets a man who pops up out of the floor. He is Abbe Faria or Priest, played by the talented and dearly departed Richard Harris. Priest tells Edmond that he will teach him everything he knows if he will assist him in digging out of prison. Edmond agrees and a friendship is born out of pure chance.
Priest tells Edmond that he knows the location of a massive treasure and he gives Edmond a map. I won't tell you how but Edmond ends up out and able to find this treasure with the help of his new friend Jacopo played by Luis Guzman. Edmond makes it his life's goal to destroy all of those that have made him suffer all of these years. He makes himself The Count of Monte Cristo and slowly starts to ruin the lives of all those that betrayed him.
The movie is beautiful with amazing scenes and settings. Even in the dark and gloomy prison the colors are vivid orange and brown. Once in Paris the colors turn much warmer than the beach and sea colors we are so use to. As the Count, he covers himself with Red and blue as where Edmond wore browns and grays. Even Jacopo dresses in vivid lively colors. Fernand tends to stay with the simple white and black but do not let that fool you, he is anything but simple. Mercedes is so beautiful is does not matter what color she is in. When she is with Edmond she wear simple blues and yellow....simple clothes for a simple happy life. When she is with Fernand she wears deeper red and purples but she is in pain and torn from the life she knew.
The actors in this film are so real and human. They are flawed as much as the rest of us. Richard Harris plays a memorable and deeply torn man. He is ashamed of his past and tries to dedicate his life to God and retribution. Jim as Edmond shows some much growth from the innocent second mate, to the lonely prisoner, to the bitter trouble man filled with revenge. By the end of the film you do not even remember the old Edmond because The Count has changed him so much. Guy Pearce is the man you love to hate. He is charming but sneaky and you are sure if you can believe anything he says. Plus Guy plays the odd man out so well. I really enjoyed Dagmara because she was in so much pain and suffering but still managed to be strong and stand up for what she believed in. She is a modern woman trapped in a traditional world.
If you need a great movie to watch...go get this one! One of my all time favorites!
Action: Yes
Adventure: Some
Romance: Sort of
Over All: A
SAFE
It's hardly a shocker when you hear of another action movie starring...you guessed it Jason Statham. Now don't get me wrong, he is very good at what he does. He is a great piece of eye candy and he is amazing at his skill. The movie Safe was no different...there is action, a bit of drama, some one liners, and blood. The movie starts of with Statham winning a fight and some Russians that lost money on him ruin his life. They tell him he will never be able to have contact with people again or they will kill them...and they do. So Statham wanders the street of New York as a homeless man. During this time we see a little girl wonder name Mei who can remember any number or code you tell her. She is taken by the Chinese drug lords and forced to memorize all of their numbers....no paper trails. She is sent to New York to keep an eye on ChinaTown and their holdings.
Well the Russian try to steal the girl because of a code she has in her head and the Chinese want her back. Well then we find out that the NYPD dirty cops want in on the money too so all these groups are after this one little girl. As she is trying to run and hide from them, Jason Statham sees her and saves her. He then makes it is mission/purpose to save this girl and keep her safe...hint hint from the title. So he tears apart New York and we learn all about his secret past.
The movie is not bad....it has alot of one liners that are funny. The action is awesome and very intense. Statham is beautiful and memorizing to watch.....I now understand why men drool over hot women because I was swooning over him! The story is not the best thing I have ever seen but far from the worse. It lacked depth but it was entertaining and engaging.
The little girl Mei was adorable and spunky as the girl who didn't know who to trust. It is very hard to remember who any of the other characters are, they kind of all blend into one. Most of them are killed off right away so it really doesn't matter.
If you are in the mood for action and mindless entertainment, this is your film. It is the typical guy muscle man movie but it's Statham and he's awesome. I would not buy it, you don't have to see it in theater, but rent it if you are looking for entertainment!
Action: yes
Adventure: Yeah
Drama: eh?
Over All: C+
Well the Russian try to steal the girl because of a code she has in her head and the Chinese want her back. Well then we find out that the NYPD dirty cops want in on the money too so all these groups are after this one little girl. As she is trying to run and hide from them, Jason Statham sees her and saves her. He then makes it is mission/purpose to save this girl and keep her safe...hint hint from the title. So he tears apart New York and we learn all about his secret past.
The movie is not bad....it has alot of one liners that are funny. The action is awesome and very intense. Statham is beautiful and memorizing to watch.....I now understand why men drool over hot women because I was swooning over him! The story is not the best thing I have ever seen but far from the worse. It lacked depth but it was entertaining and engaging.
The little girl Mei was adorable and spunky as the girl who didn't know who to trust. It is very hard to remember who any of the other characters are, they kind of all blend into one. Most of them are killed off right away so it really doesn't matter.
If you are in the mood for action and mindless entertainment, this is your film. It is the typical guy muscle man movie but it's Statham and he's awesome. I would not buy it, you don't have to see it in theater, but rent it if you are looking for entertainment!
Action: yes
Adventure: Yeah
Drama: eh?
Over All: C+
Friday, May 4, 2012
The Avengers
FINALLY!!!! I have been waiting years and years to see The Avengers! I am a big comic book movie fan and this was like the icing on the cake! We have 5 amazing individual movies coming together to form one huge mega movie. Those five movies would be Captain America, Ironman, Ironman2, The Incredible Huld, and Thor, all of which were fantastic stand alone films. Marvel put all of these characters into the same universe and showed us how it would work. A film like this has never been done! It was one of those films where it would either work and be brilliant or fail and suck. Now the line has been drawn and some critics have not liked the movie...well I loved it!
The film starts off with Director Fury, Hawkeye, Agent Maria Hill, Agent Coulson, and Dr. Eric Selvig (Played by Samuel L Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Cobie Smulder, Clark Gregg, and Stellan Skargard) working with the energy source they found during World War II. Now those of you that know your films know this was an endless energy source discovered by The Red Skull and it was brought to Earth from Asgaurd (Loki and Thor's home planet). This is interrupted by a doorway opening and Loki appearing. Loki has come to Earth to take over and crown himself king. Now there is alot that happens but I'm not going to tell you....no spoilers from me!
So The Avengers must come together for the good of mankind! We must bring together some very large egos and see what will happen. We have Tony Stark/Iron Man, Steve Rogers/Captain America, Bruce Banner/Hulk, Natasha Romanoff/BlackWidow, and Thor (Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Hemsworth) coming together. They are all very strong personalities so the trouble is can they stop their petty bickering and keep it together long enough to save the world!!??
The special effects in this movie are AMAZING. I could not tell what was real and what was not. They all made sense within this larger than life film. When there was action there was a ton of action. You are on the edge of your seat waiting for something else to go wrong or for someone else to show up! The other world moments were so fantastic and The Hulk looked so real, I thought he was real. It did not look CGI at all!
All of the actors were fantastic in this film. Chis Evans was the fantastic down to Earth one that is just trying to keep the peace. Robery Downey Jr is FANTASTIC with his one liners and his chemistry with our dear Pepper Potts, played by Gwyenth Paltrow. He also has the energy to push the other Avengers beyond what they want to do. Thor is still torn between what he should do and what is right. He loves his brother and you believe he is so torn between fighting his brother and trying to save him. You can tell he still loves Loki and it is his brother no matter what he does. Tom Hiddleston as Loki is always raw pain and talent. He is filled with so much rage and bitterness but he is still really likable. Jeremy Renner makes me swoon when I see Hawkeye....perfect down to his bow welding kick butt self. I found myself wanting to know more about his back story and his connection with the bas A$$ Black Window. She was very enjoyable this film because we saw she had heart and was not just a SHIELD agent. Mark as The Hulk was the best portrayal I have EVER seen of that character. I believed in his confused state and that inner rage just fighting to break out. I wanted more of The Hulk, which shocked me because I'm not a big Hulk fan...but this movie made me one! All the SHIELD agents were great, fighting soldiers for a planet they loved and heroes they prayed for.
I really enjoyed the film and it connected all of the other films together. I hope they make another group Avenger movie but until then we have Iron Man 3, Thor 2 and Captain America 2 coming out! Fingers crossed for another group party film! If the numbers are what they say they are.....I bet there will be an Avengers 2!!
Action: Yes
Adventure: Yes
Humor: Stark....hello yes!
Over all: A!!!
The film starts off with Director Fury, Hawkeye, Agent Maria Hill, Agent Coulson, and Dr. Eric Selvig (Played by Samuel L Jackson, Jeremy Renner, Cobie Smulder, Clark Gregg, and Stellan Skargard) working with the energy source they found during World War II. Now those of you that know your films know this was an endless energy source discovered by The Red Skull and it was brought to Earth from Asgaurd (Loki and Thor's home planet). This is interrupted by a doorway opening and Loki appearing. Loki has come to Earth to take over and crown himself king. Now there is alot that happens but I'm not going to tell you....no spoilers from me!
So The Avengers must come together for the good of mankind! We must bring together some very large egos and see what will happen. We have Tony Stark/Iron Man, Steve Rogers/Captain America, Bruce Banner/Hulk, Natasha Romanoff/BlackWidow, and Thor (Robert Downey Jr, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Scarlett Johansson, and Chris Hemsworth) coming together. They are all very strong personalities so the trouble is can they stop their petty bickering and keep it together long enough to save the world!!??
The special effects in this movie are AMAZING. I could not tell what was real and what was not. They all made sense within this larger than life film. When there was action there was a ton of action. You are on the edge of your seat waiting for something else to go wrong or for someone else to show up! The other world moments were so fantastic and The Hulk looked so real, I thought he was real. It did not look CGI at all!
All of the actors were fantastic in this film. Chis Evans was the fantastic down to Earth one that is just trying to keep the peace. Robery Downey Jr is FANTASTIC with his one liners and his chemistry with our dear Pepper Potts, played by Gwyenth Paltrow. He also has the energy to push the other Avengers beyond what they want to do. Thor is still torn between what he should do and what is right. He loves his brother and you believe he is so torn between fighting his brother and trying to save him. You can tell he still loves Loki and it is his brother no matter what he does. Tom Hiddleston as Loki is always raw pain and talent. He is filled with so much rage and bitterness but he is still really likable. Jeremy Renner makes me swoon when I see Hawkeye....perfect down to his bow welding kick butt self. I found myself wanting to know more about his back story and his connection with the bas A$$ Black Window. She was very enjoyable this film because we saw she had heart and was not just a SHIELD agent. Mark as The Hulk was the best portrayal I have EVER seen of that character. I believed in his confused state and that inner rage just fighting to break out. I wanted more of The Hulk, which shocked me because I'm not a big Hulk fan...but this movie made me one! All the SHIELD agents were great, fighting soldiers for a planet they loved and heroes they prayed for.
I really enjoyed the film and it connected all of the other films together. I hope they make another group Avenger movie but until then we have Iron Man 3, Thor 2 and Captain America 2 coming out! Fingers crossed for another group party film! If the numbers are what they say they are.....I bet there will be an Avengers 2!!
Action: Yes
Adventure: Yes
Humor: Stark....hello yes!
Over all: A!!!
The Raven
Quoth the raven....nevermore. A fantastic and chilling line from Edgar Allan Poe's timeless haunting classic The Raven. Edgar Allan Poe was a poet who was not afraid to show his dark outlook on life. He would write the horrors that the people dreamt of and the fears we all have inside us. The film The Raven starring John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe puts a modern spin on this classic writers life. Now my readers should remember this is a work of fiction with some true facts about Poe's life mixed in. The Raven takes place during the later years of Poe's life after he ha written most of his famous works. The film starts with a down in his luck Edgar Allan Poe wandering the streets of Baltimore alone and drunk. Hardly anyone knows who he is and no one will publish him because he is not writing stories but reviews of other people's work.
One night a murder is committed in Baltimore and Detective Fields, played by Luke Evans, is called on the case. This murder seems familiar and creates a sense of Duja Vu with Fields. He realises that it is a gruesome killing right out of one of the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Fields calls on Edgar for his unholy knowledge in the tale and in turn the case. More murders start to turn up and the city of Baltimore is in chaos as the killer uses Poe as inspiration.
The film is by far Bloody, disturbing and gruesome. At one point I even had to look away because the blood was so intense...but still well done. I never pictured Poe's stories as clean and fluffy but this movies brings their true darkness to form. The costuming of this film is beautiful and haunting. The masks in the ball scene are amazing and I seriously want to now have a masked ball around Halloween. The coats in this movie fly about like capes and like the wings of a raven.
The colors of the movie are so drastic from one another. The film itself is very dark tones, lots of blacks and greys. Even scene during the day have a heavy fog that suffocate the characters. The character of Emily, played by the stunning Alice Eve, wears alot of lite blue and white. Poe and Fields wear black coats with white shirts, very dark with their dark features. I think the reason the death scenes are also to effective is the use of the color red. It stands out so much and is disturbing in this world of blue and black. The vivid red of blood splattered across the screen intensifies the feeling of terror and dread.
The acting in this film was very real and disturbed, I mean that in the best possible way. Cusack is disturbing, witty, and emotional as the torn and lost Poe. He is a man that life has treated so cruelly and he managed to continue on. He is finally allowing himself to love again and all hell breaks loose. Cusack goes from angry drunk to lost lover at the spill of a drop of blood. I enjoyed his performance very much and I feel like he will not get the recognition he deserves.
Luke Evans is stunning and charming as the lovely Detective Fields. He is trying so hard to prove himself but has the passion of a normal man. I wish he would have been on screen more, his acting is so real that you forget he is acting. You think that Luke Evans IS Detective Fields! I am very excited to see how far his career will go because the man just drips with pure raw talent.
I really enjoyed the film but I was a very big fan of the ending....not the end....I thought it ended rather well but the build up to the end was disappointing. I think part of that was my own personal desire for the film not to end. The film is action packed and if you are a Poe fan you will be very entertained. The movie slides in little hints about the short stories written by Poe and if you know his stories you will not be disappointed. You will also never read The Pit and The Pendulum the same way again!
Action: yes
Adventre: A little
Puzzles....YES
Over all: B+
One night a murder is committed in Baltimore and Detective Fields, played by Luke Evans, is called on the case. This murder seems familiar and creates a sense of Duja Vu with Fields. He realises that it is a gruesome killing right out of one of the stories of Edgar Allan Poe. Fields calls on Edgar for his unholy knowledge in the tale and in turn the case. More murders start to turn up and the city of Baltimore is in chaos as the killer uses Poe as inspiration.
The film is by far Bloody, disturbing and gruesome. At one point I even had to look away because the blood was so intense...but still well done. I never pictured Poe's stories as clean and fluffy but this movies brings their true darkness to form. The costuming of this film is beautiful and haunting. The masks in the ball scene are amazing and I seriously want to now have a masked ball around Halloween. The coats in this movie fly about like capes and like the wings of a raven.
The colors of the movie are so drastic from one another. The film itself is very dark tones, lots of blacks and greys. Even scene during the day have a heavy fog that suffocate the characters. The character of Emily, played by the stunning Alice Eve, wears alot of lite blue and white. Poe and Fields wear black coats with white shirts, very dark with their dark features. I think the reason the death scenes are also to effective is the use of the color red. It stands out so much and is disturbing in this world of blue and black. The vivid red of blood splattered across the screen intensifies the feeling of terror and dread.
The acting in this film was very real and disturbed, I mean that in the best possible way. Cusack is disturbing, witty, and emotional as the torn and lost Poe. He is a man that life has treated so cruelly and he managed to continue on. He is finally allowing himself to love again and all hell breaks loose. Cusack goes from angry drunk to lost lover at the spill of a drop of blood. I enjoyed his performance very much and I feel like he will not get the recognition he deserves.
Luke Evans is stunning and charming as the lovely Detective Fields. He is trying so hard to prove himself but has the passion of a normal man. I wish he would have been on screen more, his acting is so real that you forget he is acting. You think that Luke Evans IS Detective Fields! I am very excited to see how far his career will go because the man just drips with pure raw talent.
I really enjoyed the film but I was a very big fan of the ending....not the end....I thought it ended rather well but the build up to the end was disappointing. I think part of that was my own personal desire for the film not to end. The film is action packed and if you are a Poe fan you will be very entertained. The movie slides in little hints about the short stories written by Poe and if you know his stories you will not be disappointed. You will also never read The Pit and The Pendulum the same way again!
Action: yes
Adventre: A little
Puzzles....YES
Over all: B+
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Easy Virtue
You know how much I love my readers to expand their horizons when it comes to film. I love finding a random movie that is a stroke of pure genius! As some of you know, I have been on a little...tiny....ok it's a big Colin Firth Kick. If he wasn't so brilliant I wouldn't have to write about him! Wow I think that is almost the exact same thing I said in my Dorian Gray review. Like I said the man is pure brilliance wrapped up in a fabulous web of Mr. Darcy, Mark Darcy, and British Charm....it can't be helped. Anyways....I digress!
So this week I got a hold of a little British film called Easy Virtue and what a fantastic film it was. The film takes place during the 1920's in the country side of England. The Whittaker family owns one of the biggest farms in the area. Young John Whittaker, played by Ben Barnes, went out into the world to sow his wild oats and came home with a racing wild woman wife Larita, played by Jessica Biel. Veronica Whittaker, played by Kristin Scott Thomas is less than thrilled and even more discouraged when she finds out Larita is American. John's father Jim Whittaker, played by Colin Firth, seems to adore Larita. Jim and Larita both seem like outsiders in this world of tradition and country living.
It becomes battle of the Mrs. Whittakers with Larita and Veronica butting heads right away. Larita is a race car driver and wants to leave the country as soon as she can. Veronica draws John back into family life and that is where the war begins. Larita seems to be failing at everything traditional and she becomes fast friends with Jim. We find that after World War I John took off to Paris and one day 'wandered home'. Ever since he keeps to himself and tries to support Larita and every possible gallant way.
The movie is filled with tons of dry British humor. I busted out laughing more than once, it is quick wit and timing. Colin Firth makes the film his own, every line he speaks is pure hilarity or true heart. He will having you laughing one minute and your heart breaking the next. Jessica Biel is beyond lovely and charming and this confused American trying to survive the British countryside. Ben Barnes is so innocent and sweet that you almost get a toothache! Kristen is so evil and manipulative you wonder how her children have not turned out more insane. The family does have little quirks that are on the verge of ridiculous.
There are so many amazing moments in this film. There is a fox hunt of epic proportions, modern music that makes you smile, and a tango between Biel and Firth that will make you drool. I say if you enjoy dry British humor with a bit of heart, check this movie out ASAP!
Action: Not Really
Humor: Tons
Heart: Yeah
Swoon Moments: Tons!
Over All: A-/B+
So this week I got a hold of a little British film called Easy Virtue and what a fantastic film it was. The film takes place during the 1920's in the country side of England. The Whittaker family owns one of the biggest farms in the area. Young John Whittaker, played by Ben Barnes, went out into the world to sow his wild oats and came home with a racing wild woman wife Larita, played by Jessica Biel. Veronica Whittaker, played by Kristin Scott Thomas is less than thrilled and even more discouraged when she finds out Larita is American. John's father Jim Whittaker, played by Colin Firth, seems to adore Larita. Jim and Larita both seem like outsiders in this world of tradition and country living.
It becomes battle of the Mrs. Whittakers with Larita and Veronica butting heads right away. Larita is a race car driver and wants to leave the country as soon as she can. Veronica draws John back into family life and that is where the war begins. Larita seems to be failing at everything traditional and she becomes fast friends with Jim. We find that after World War I John took off to Paris and one day 'wandered home'. Ever since he keeps to himself and tries to support Larita and every possible gallant way.
The movie is filled with tons of dry British humor. I busted out laughing more than once, it is quick wit and timing. Colin Firth makes the film his own, every line he speaks is pure hilarity or true heart. He will having you laughing one minute and your heart breaking the next. Jessica Biel is beyond lovely and charming and this confused American trying to survive the British countryside. Ben Barnes is so innocent and sweet that you almost get a toothache! Kristen is so evil and manipulative you wonder how her children have not turned out more insane. The family does have little quirks that are on the verge of ridiculous.
There are so many amazing moments in this film. There is a fox hunt of epic proportions, modern music that makes you smile, and a tango between Biel and Firth that will make you drool. I say if you enjoy dry British humor with a bit of heart, check this movie out ASAP!
Action: Not Really
Humor: Tons
Heart: Yeah
Swoon Moments: Tons!
Over All: A-/B+
Lockout
This action packed film directed by James Mather and Stephen St. Leger is a future action film about a max security prison in outer space. There is a massive break out and the president's daughter, played by Maggie Grace, is hiding on board with all these insane criminals. The government scrambles to figure out how to help her. They decide to send in one man.....former officer Snow to try and recover her. There is alot more to the story but I do not want to ruin it for you.
The film was very entertaining it was like The Rock Meets The Fifth Element Meets CGI. The film uses a ton of CGI but it is well done and makes the film seem more futuristic. Guy Pierce as Snow is one of the best films I have seen him in for a while. He was so witty and funny and charming....I laughed so often at his fabulous one liners! I was also very impressed with the muscles he put on for this film. Guy has always been an attractive actor but never an action star....but I was made a believer by this film!
Maggie Grace plays the perfect stuck up first daughter trying to make a difference in her world. She is a little naive but her and Guy play off of one another so fantastically! They are quick and funny and butt kickers!
I say if you are looking for some type of entertaining action film....try this one out! It was really well done! Ok not the best movie I have ever seen but it was entertaining and served a purpose. I enjoyed it and thought it was creative and had great special effects!
Action: yep
Suspense: Clearly
Over All: B
The film was very entertaining it was like The Rock Meets The Fifth Element Meets CGI. The film uses a ton of CGI but it is well done and makes the film seem more futuristic. Guy Pierce as Snow is one of the best films I have seen him in for a while. He was so witty and funny and charming....I laughed so often at his fabulous one liners! I was also very impressed with the muscles he put on for this film. Guy has always been an attractive actor but never an action star....but I was made a believer by this film!
Maggie Grace plays the perfect stuck up first daughter trying to make a difference in her world. She is a little naive but her and Guy play off of one another so fantastically! They are quick and funny and butt kickers!
I say if you are looking for some type of entertaining action film....try this one out! It was really well done! Ok not the best movie I have ever seen but it was entertaining and served a purpose. I enjoyed it and thought it was creative and had great special effects!
Action: yep
Suspense: Clearly
Over All: B
The Lucky One
Let's be totally honest...this film should just be called Zac Efron....because that is the biggest reason people, and by people I mean girls are going to see this movie. The film is about a Marine named Logan, played by Zac Efron, and his personal journey to thank a woman his has never met, played by Taylor Schilling, for saving his life. The way she saved his life is he found a picture of her in a moment of madness and it saved him from the terrible truths of war. Once Logan is able he tries to find this mystery woman and make some meaning out of his life now that he has survived.
He finds out where the lady lives and applies for a job at her Dog pet training and boarding farm. He name is Beth and she lives on the farm with her young son Ben, played by Riley Thomas Stewart, and her mother Ellie played by Blythe Danner. Beth is divorced from local sheriff Keith, played by Jay R Ferguson, who is the film's villain. He is the jealous ex husband who doesn't like that his ex wife has a very sexy...beefy...piece of man meat working for her.
This movie was the typical swoon film for the ladies! I have to admit I was drooling over Zac in this film. He really bulked up to play the role of troubled Marine and it can not be over looked. This was the first film that I saw Zac Efron as a man and not a little boy from Hairspray.
A little spoiler...not if you have seen the trailer......
The love scene in this film is one of the best ones I have seen in a long time. It was filled with passion, desire, and affection. It was done very tastefully but at the same time it was so so sexy! This is where the ladies will be swooning....I was! The only thing I wanted more from Zac was emotion....he seemed like a very one dimensional character. We only saw glimpses of the man under the Marine emotions.
Taylor Schilling was great as the troubled woman learning to live her life and starting over. She is lovely and yes she is suppose to be a little bit older than Zac in this film. She has such a passion and almost innocent quality about her that makes you smile. Blythe is charming, witty and brings so much heart to the film. The little boy Ben is so sweet and a great little actor.
I say if you liked The Notebook, Dear John, A Walk To Remember you will like this. It's very sweet.
Heart: Yeah
Swoon: Yes...yes YES!
Over All I give the movie B-
He finds out where the lady lives and applies for a job at her Dog pet training and boarding farm. He name is Beth and she lives on the farm with her young son Ben, played by Riley Thomas Stewart, and her mother Ellie played by Blythe Danner. Beth is divorced from local sheriff Keith, played by Jay R Ferguson, who is the film's villain. He is the jealous ex husband who doesn't like that his ex wife has a very sexy...beefy...piece of man meat working for her.
This movie was the typical swoon film for the ladies! I have to admit I was drooling over Zac in this film. He really bulked up to play the role of troubled Marine and it can not be over looked. This was the first film that I saw Zac Efron as a man and not a little boy from Hairspray.
A little spoiler...not if you have seen the trailer......
The love scene in this film is one of the best ones I have seen in a long time. It was filled with passion, desire, and affection. It was done very tastefully but at the same time it was so so sexy! This is where the ladies will be swooning....I was! The only thing I wanted more from Zac was emotion....he seemed like a very one dimensional character. We only saw glimpses of the man under the Marine emotions.
Taylor Schilling was great as the troubled woman learning to live her life and starting over. She is lovely and yes she is suppose to be a little bit older than Zac in this film. She has such a passion and almost innocent quality about her that makes you smile. Blythe is charming, witty and brings so much heart to the film. The little boy Ben is so sweet and a great little actor.
I say if you liked The Notebook, Dear John, A Walk To Remember you will like this. It's very sweet.
Heart: Yeah
Swoon: Yes...yes YES!
Over All I give the movie B-
The Lorax
My name is Amber and I speak for the trees! So far I have been very impressed with the Dr. Seuss movies and the way they have changed animation forever. The studio has taken average stories like Horten Hears a Who and turns them into beautiful stories. The Lorax has a way of bringing not only heart and joy to the screen but not being afraid to attack the problems with society. As soon as I heard The Lorax was being made into a movie, I was very excited! That is one of my favorite Dr. Suess stories. I loved the Lorax and how he spoke for the trees. I loved that the trees were call Thruffla Trees and they were fuzzy and wonderful. This movie does not disappoint, it takes you deeper into the story than the book did.
Our story starts with Ted and young boy trying to impressed the girl next door Audrey. These characters are voiced by Zac Efron and Taylor Swift. Ted swoons over Audrey and finds out that the one thing she wants more than anything is a real live tree. They live in a city where everything is mechanical and made out of metal and plastic. There are no real plants and trees. Ted asks his grandmother, voiced by Betty White, where he can find a tree. She sends him out of town to the Once-ler, voiced by Ed Helms.
The Once-ler tells Ted a story about how lovely the forest was in the area until one day it was too late to save it. Ted learns about The Lorax, voiced by Danny Devito, a magical creature that speaks for the trees. The film then follows the story with heart and some very fun songs. It shows kids how easy it is to get caught up in greed and only thinking of yourself. It teaches them to keep their eyes open to the problems in the world around them.
The story is very innocent and fantastic for young kids. It does not have adult humor but good hearted stories. The music is fun and it will help entertain the little ones. I say go see it on a Sunday afternoon with the family. It is a sweet movie that will....WILL make you smile!
Our story starts with Ted and young boy trying to impressed the girl next door Audrey. These characters are voiced by Zac Efron and Taylor Swift. Ted swoons over Audrey and finds out that the one thing she wants more than anything is a real live tree. They live in a city where everything is mechanical and made out of metal and plastic. There are no real plants and trees. Ted asks his grandmother, voiced by Betty White, where he can find a tree. She sends him out of town to the Once-ler, voiced by Ed Helms.
The Once-ler tells Ted a story about how lovely the forest was in the area until one day it was too late to save it. Ted learns about The Lorax, voiced by Danny Devito, a magical creature that speaks for the trees. The film then follows the story with heart and some very fun songs. It shows kids how easy it is to get caught up in greed and only thinking of yourself. It teaches them to keep their eyes open to the problems in the world around them.
The story is very innocent and fantastic for young kids. It does not have adult humor but good hearted stories. The music is fun and it will help entertain the little ones. I say go see it on a Sunday afternoon with the family. It is a sweet movie that will....WILL make you smile!
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Mirror Mirror
Pure magic that radiates from the screen, Mirror Mirror brings the classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs children's story to life. The film is visually stunning with vivid scenery, lush costumes, and larger than life characters. Once Upon a Time there was a king who loved his daughter Snow White very much. Sadly her mother died wen Snow was very young. To be a good father, the king remarried the most beautiful woman in the land. One day the king had to leave Snow White and The Queen and he was lost in the dark forest, never to be heard from again. Snow was raised by The Queen who became evil and bitter toward Snow and her beauty. Snow was the rightful ruler of the kingdom so The Queen kept her locked up in the castle. On Snow's 18th birthday she left te castle and met a handsome prince and seven tiny dwarfs and that is where our story really begins.
The film stars Julia Roberts as the wicked queen who has the whole village believing that Snow White is a shut in. Poor Snow is not allowed to leave the palace and mostly must stay to her room and the servant quarters. Snow White is played by The film is directed by Tarsem, who is one of my all time favorite directors. He is India so all of his films have these India influences that add so much to the film. In this case it was the music and costumes. The dresses were large and could fit 3 people in them. The colors were so bright and vivid that add so much to the character's personality.
The film has a pretty basic story, it is a film for children. There is not a ton of adult humor, a bit here and there. Nothing vulgar more innocent and funny. It has a very big laugh factor, the seven dwarfs are so charming and funny. They have a quick wit that can keep up with Snow's sweet spunky nature. The Prince has some very embarrassing moments that the kids will laugh till their sides are sore.
Over all I enjoyed this movie, it was entertaining and charming. Keep in mind that it is a children's films and I think you will be very happy. Personally, I wish that Julia Roberts was just a little bit more evil but she does ok. I suppose I always picture merciless and dark. Julia was cheery with a bit of evil on the side.
Action: Yep
Adventure: Yes
Over All: B-/C+
The film stars Julia Roberts as the wicked queen who has the whole village believing that Snow White is a shut in. Poor Snow is not allowed to leave the palace and mostly must stay to her room and the servant quarters. Snow White is played by The film is directed by Tarsem, who is one of my all time favorite directors. He is India so all of his films have these India influences that add so much to the film. In this case it was the music and costumes. The dresses were large and could fit 3 people in them. The colors were so bright and vivid that add so much to the character's personality.
The film has a pretty basic story, it is a film for children. There is not a ton of adult humor, a bit here and there. Nothing vulgar more innocent and funny. It has a very big laugh factor, the seven dwarfs are so charming and funny. They have a quick wit that can keep up with Snow's sweet spunky nature. The Prince has some very embarrassing moments that the kids will laugh till their sides are sore.
Over all I enjoyed this movie, it was entertaining and charming. Keep in mind that it is a children's films and I think you will be very happy. Personally, I wish that Julia Roberts was just a little bit more evil but she does ok. I suppose I always picture merciless and dark. Julia was cheery with a bit of evil on the side.
Action: Yep
Adventure: Yes
Over All: B-/C+
American Reunion
American Reunion was a blast back to my young high school and middle school days. I honestly feel that the reason this film will be so successful is because it gives my generation a sense of nostalgia and makes you miss the easy high school lives. Like the characters we are trying to figure out what to do with our lives and trying to be adults. Still part of us misses the good old days when we were young and stupid high school kids. Yes the good old days! I have to say I was very happy with American Reunion. It was much funnier than American Wedding and honestly better than American Pie 2. This film had all of the characters take a deeper look at their lives and try to figure out what they want out of life. Plus the film brought back all of our favorite characters that we just can not seem to get enough of. Even the more minor roles from the first film make an appearance and it fills us with happy memories of the good old days. You remember the time you first heard what a MILF was and you know you never looked at apple pie or a flute the same way again. Plus the world finally figured out what really does happen at band camp.
The film brings all of our favorite cast members back home for their 13th year reunion....the reason it's 13 is because they couldn't get their act together for a 10. That sounds like it might happen with my senior class! We see Jim and Michele have a son and are in a bit of a marital rut. Shiffler is exactly the same except he is a temp at a job he hates. Heather is working at a hospital dating a surgeon. Oz is a small time celebrity working on sports center and dating a model. Fitch is a world travel living the wild dream life. Vicky is working in New York city and Kevin is married and playing house-husband with his wife. We can't forget about Jim's Dad who recently had his wife pass away and as always Stiffler's mom, the original MILF. The gang come home and are thrown back into all the old feelings and situations they always were in. Jim is being tempted by an 18 year old neighbor girl he used to babysit and Stiffler is still trying to keep the party going.
The movie is so funny you will be in tears. The movie is rated R and for very VERY good reason. There is nudity, both male and female. There is sex....DUH it's an American Pie movie. There is vulgar nasty despicable humor....which is honestly fantastic and pure gold! Be ready to be offended and even be grossed out because some parts are really nasty! Like I said it is so funny, it just brings me back to high school!
Over all I say if you love the first American Pie movie, you will love this film!
Over All: A-
The film brings all of our favorite cast members back home for their 13th year reunion....the reason it's 13 is because they couldn't get their act together for a 10. That sounds like it might happen with my senior class! We see Jim and Michele have a son and are in a bit of a marital rut. Shiffler is exactly the same except he is a temp at a job he hates. Heather is working at a hospital dating a surgeon. Oz is a small time celebrity working on sports center and dating a model. Fitch is a world travel living the wild dream life. Vicky is working in New York city and Kevin is married and playing house-husband with his wife. We can't forget about Jim's Dad who recently had his wife pass away and as always Stiffler's mom, the original MILF. The gang come home and are thrown back into all the old feelings and situations they always were in. Jim is being tempted by an 18 year old neighbor girl he used to babysit and Stiffler is still trying to keep the party going.
The movie is so funny you will be in tears. The movie is rated R and for very VERY good reason. There is nudity, both male and female. There is sex....DUH it's an American Pie movie. There is vulgar nasty despicable humor....which is honestly fantastic and pure gold! Be ready to be offended and even be grossed out because some parts are really nasty! Like I said it is so funny, it just brings me back to high school!
Over all I say if you love the first American Pie movie, you will love this film!
Over All: A-
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Wrath Of The Titans
I have to say that I have been so excited to see Wrath of the Titans! I have a big....ok huge crush on Sam Worthington. I think he is a stellar actor and the accent doesn't hurt! I know I tend to have a crush on every leading man....well I'm a great judge of men by acting talent ;)
Moving on....again I had to see this movie in 3D which was a total waste of money! Do not bother spending your money on 3d if you do not have to. It honestly did not bring anything extra to the film. I only noticed the 3D twice because rubble came flying at my face.
So to the movie I love Sam as Perseus, he brings this inner conflict between being half man half God. In this film he has accepted he is the son of Zeus, played by the fabulous Liam Neeson. He has a son and he is in contact with Zeus from time to time. IO is not in the movie but you really wont miss her. We also have Ralph Fiennes returning as the clever yet confusing Hades. The only casting that really bummed me out is there is a different Andromeda, played by Rosamund Pike. She is a talented actress but I hate when casting is changed from one film to the other.
This film is a story all it's own. It does not follow the old Greek tales of Perseus but takes a new spin on the story. It follows the end of the Gods and what happens to the world around them. The special effects are very impressive, it is hard ot tell what is real and what is not. Well except for the cyclops, you can tell they are CGI.
This film does not have as deep of a story as the first film did. This is more about the action and searching for a common goal. It was too short, I could have sat through another 25 minutes easily. I also would have loved to see more Gods in the film. I mean where was Athena or Hera all of the powerful Gods were gone. I guess the story was suppose to be more about humans and their will to live.
Over all the film was pretty good, I wouldn't say I liked it as much as the first one. This one stands alone as it's own film. It was very entertaining and Sam Worthington shows that he is a force to be reckoned with.
I say see it if you like the first one but do not waste your money on 3D.
Action: Yep
Adventure: yes
Over All: B
Moving on....again I had to see this movie in 3D which was a total waste of money! Do not bother spending your money on 3d if you do not have to. It honestly did not bring anything extra to the film. I only noticed the 3D twice because rubble came flying at my face.
So to the movie I love Sam as Perseus, he brings this inner conflict between being half man half God. In this film he has accepted he is the son of Zeus, played by the fabulous Liam Neeson. He has a son and he is in contact with Zeus from time to time. IO is not in the movie but you really wont miss her. We also have Ralph Fiennes returning as the clever yet confusing Hades. The only casting that really bummed me out is there is a different Andromeda, played by Rosamund Pike. She is a talented actress but I hate when casting is changed from one film to the other.
This film is a story all it's own. It does not follow the old Greek tales of Perseus but takes a new spin on the story. It follows the end of the Gods and what happens to the world around them. The special effects are very impressive, it is hard ot tell what is real and what is not. Well except for the cyclops, you can tell they are CGI.
This film does not have as deep of a story as the first film did. This is more about the action and searching for a common goal. It was too short, I could have sat through another 25 minutes easily. I also would have loved to see more Gods in the film. I mean where was Athena or Hera all of the powerful Gods were gone. I guess the story was suppose to be more about humans and their will to live.
Over all the film was pretty good, I wouldn't say I liked it as much as the first one. This one stands alone as it's own film. It was very entertaining and Sam Worthington shows that he is a force to be reckoned with.
I say see it if you like the first one but do not waste your money on 3D.
Action: Yep
Adventure: yes
Over All: B
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