Saturday, February 19, 2011

I Am Number Four

That's right I went and saw the movie with the dumbest title of the year. The movie itself was pretty good but that title just killed me! I mean come on it's almost as good as Snakes on a Plane. I thought they could have come up with a much better title but that it just the snob in me, so I shall move on!

As I said, I did indeed go see this movie with my movie buddy aunt Kathy! We both really like these types of magic films where people have powers and could do really awesome tricks that I wish I could do! The special effects in the movie were AWESOME and I was impressed. It really worked in the movie, I believed the special effects. They were incognito and they seemed more everyday powers. I know how weird that sounds but I think it makes sense. You believe that these kids were born with these powers and they use them at random times.

Anyway let's get into the movie, I must say that Timothy Olyphant made the movie for me. I love this guy and think he is a super actor. He can bring the drama and a tiny bit of humor. He plays the warrior protector assigned to number 4. Number 4 is played by new comer Alex Pettyfer whose acting needs to come a long way. He was ok in this role but you could tell that this is one of his early films. Each kid is assigned a protector to keep them safe and most of the kids are on their own because the protector has died trying to keep these kids alive. The kids are from another planet and keeping them alive can SAVE THE EARTH! I know, very very original concept, not at all like Superman, Thor, or the Green Lantern. (SARCASTIC!)

To make things difficult while trying to stay off the grid the boys meets a girl named Sarah played by Dianna Agron (also known as Quinn from Glee!) Her acting is better than the most but the best character beside Timothy is Teresa Palmer!!! She plays Number 6 and she is AWESOME. She kicks so much butt and just beats the crap out of everyone! She doesn't come until the end of the movie but she saves the movie! It gets a little slow in the middle and she shows up just in time to save the film!

So basically it's about a boy with super powers trying to find other kids with super powers while trying to stay alive because bad aliens are trying to kill them while he is entering high school and has a crush on a girl.....wow. If you like action and good special effects I think you will like it. It has action for the boys and romance for the girls!

over all I give it B

Friday, February 11, 2011

The Eagle

My aunt and I have been waiting for The Eagle to come out for months! We love Channing Tatum and Jamie Bell is a fantastic actor! I must say I did not know what to expect with this film. I did not know if it would take a Gladiator approach or a 13th Warrior direction. I have to say it made up it's own style.

The film is about Marcus, Channing Tatum, he is a Roman soldier trying to win back his father's honor. His father was the learner of 5000 men and he was carrying a gold Eagle as their symbol. The Eagle and the men were lost and never seen again. When Marcus comes of age he enters into the Roman army. He becomes learner of a small group of soldiers and proves himself worthy. In the first 30 mins he gets a life altering injury and is forced to take time to heal. I don't want to ruin part of the movie....so I'll just say he "meets" Esca, Jamie Bell, and he becomes Marcus' slave.

In the film we see that the Romans have no respect for Marcus or his family because his father was the man who lost the Eagle of the 9th. A rumor started that the Eagle had been spotted and to gain back the honor Esca and Marcus go to the unconquered part of Britain. From there the story takes off. It is about the epic journey that two men must take.

The film is filled with tons of battle sequences and great scenery. The film is PG-13 so there is a limited amount of blood and guts, but it is still good. It is definitely a guys manly movie. There are no women in it and it is about the Bromance between friends.

Over all I like it, it had a few slow parts but the story was still really good.

A-

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Uncross the Stars

So as many of my readers, the whole 10 of you, I get actor addicted. I get interested in an actor and I watch everything I can with them in it. A few months ago it was Ralph Fiennes and Lee Pace, I find it is a good way to watch films I would normally have missed. Every once and a while I find some really good movies that I missed. A lot of the time they are little independent films that no one has heard of, I love those! Well this month it was Ron Perlman, yes Hellboy himself. I started when I saw Season of the Witch, I loved his character. I have Hellboy I and II and I watch them all the time. I love comic book movies, I blame my dad who was a comic book collector. Like father like daughter....or something like that. ANYWAYS (sorry it's 1am I'm very distracted) I found this independent movie called Uncross the Stars and I loved it!

Before I get started I should really make the point to tell you, it's INDEPENDENT. It has that typical feel, a lot of dialog and focus on the story. Sometimes it runs a bit slow but the emotion is well worth the wait. With that in mind let's dig into this fantastic story about love and loss. The story is about Troy and learning to live after his wife dies. He is a young man and after she dies he gets a letter from her. In the letter his wife tells him to go to his aunt Hilda's, played by Barbara Hershey, and build her a porch. So he takes this journey to his aunt's place in the desert, it looks like maybe Arizona.

When he arrives he starts to learn more about himself and his family. He meets Hilda's neighbor Bobby, played by Ron Perlman, and he takes Troy under his wing. He offers to help build and through the film we understand that there is tension with a hint of romance between Bobby and Hilda.

In the film we also get to see what life as a senior is in a retired village. Troy learns that living each day is important and not to miss out on any opportunities. Bobby teaches Troy about love and that there is True Love and Love at First Sight. We find out that love can travel through time and death. It can bring people together and celebrate the memories of those we have lost.

I loved it but I'm a helpless romantic like that! So I give it an A- because even though most people might not care for it, I adored it.

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Black Swan

I figured with all the Oscar buzz I had to check out this movie. It was the typical Oscar worthy type movie. I have to say that Black Swan is not for everyone, I know a few people that were offended by it. So let's dig in and talk about it.

Portman plays Nina a ballet dancer who wants to be the perfect Swan Queen. She slowly starts to lose her mind because of several characters putting pressure on Nina to be better. Her mother, played by Barbara Hershey, is a control freak that wanted to be a dancer. She got married and had children instead, so she lives her life through Nina's dance career.

Next we have Lily, played by Mila Kunis, she is a fellow dancer. She tries to tempt Nina sexually and make her second guess herself. Lily is not afraid to be dirty and Nina is a good girl. She does not try and sleep with the directors and tries to earn her roles. Well Lily is the darker side to dance, she will do WHATEVER she has to to get what she wants. She seduces anyone that can further her career.

Finally we have the director Lerory, played by Vincent Cassel, who challenges Nina's purity. He tells her she is a great white swan but needs to be more sexual for the black swan. He tries to corrupt her purity to get the dancer he wants her to be.

The film is a little hard to follow because as Nina goes into madness the film becomes split from reality. You are not sure what is real and what is not. We also have very strong sexual undertones that almost overshadow the actual story. It seemed more for shock then depth. The dancing is amazing and stunning, the film does a great job of showing how the world of dance works. I have a friend that is a dancer and she said the film was very real in showing the relationships between fellow dancers.

Over all an interesting movie....a bit confusing. The special effects were good and the dancing was brilliant. The acting was good and I have no doubt that Portman will take home the Oscar.

Over all I give it a B/B-

The Rite

I know, I know, I know.....it's been a few months since I've been on here. I am super sorry but it has been a crazy few months. Christmas totally kicked my butt and then between work and family, it's been nuts! Don't worry I have been watching movies more than ever!! So let's just jump in and ENJOY THE FUN!

Speaking of fun....nothing says fun like a little religious fiction drama with Anthony Hopkins! I really wanted to see this movie because Hopkins is a brilliant actor. It was pretty predictable and there were not a ton of scary moments. It showed the doubt can be the best tool that the Devil can use against a man.

Michael is a young man who is going to school to be a priest. At the last minute he decides that he doesn't want to be a priest because he feels like he doesn't have any faith left. So as a final wish to one of his teachers, he travels to Rome to learn about exorcism. He is given special attention because he clearly doubts that demons are real. He is sent to Father Lucas (Hopkins) for a little spiritual crash course.

Father Lucas shows Michael the basic steps to exorcism on practices on a young girl. Still filled with doubt, things start happening to Michael and Lucas. Michael is haunted by the ghosts of his past and must decide if the evil is real or if it is in his head. Lucas finds himself in a battle for his life and soul with a very angry Demon.

As you know, I don't spoil movies but this one was ok. It was not very scary but it made you think about the impact of evil. The special effects were well done and the music added a sinister undertone. If you like a good religiously creepy film, you will like this.

Scary: Not Really
Bloody: Yeah a little....

I give it a B+ not the best but not the worst. check it out if you like a little Hopkins