Bond's loyalty to M is tested when her past comes back to haunt her.
Whilst MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the
threat, no matter how personal the cost.
Director: Sam Mendes
Writers: Neal Purvis,
Robert Wade
Storyline
When Bond's latest assignment goes gravely wrong and agents around the
world are exposed, MI6 is attacked forcing M to relocate the agency.
These events cause her authority and position to be challenged by Gareth
Mallory (Ralph Fiennes), the new Chairman of the Intelligence and
Security Committee. With MI6 now compromised from both inside and out, M
is left with one ally she can trust: Bond. 007 takes to the shadows -
aided only by field agent, Eve (Naomie Harris) - following a trail to
the mysterious Silva (Javier Bardem), whose lethal and hidden motives
have yet to reveal themselves.
User Reviews
For a life long Bond fan
this is just about the best movie in the series. Has the feel of a
classic Bond movie. LOVED it. I say A
"He knows us. He's one
of us. He comes from the same place as Bond, a place you say doesn't
exist, the shadows." The world's greatest secret agent is back, but is
the need for an agent outdated in today's modern world? After MI-6 is
attacked and M (Dench) is brought under scrutiny by the government Bond
(Craig) alone is left to find out who is behind the attack while M is
trying to both help Bond and defend the need for an agency that has been
compromised. I know that a review is really not needed here, being the
23rd Bond movie either you will watch it or not. I am a huge fan of the
series and was really looking forward to this after hearing this is the
best Bond movie yet. I have really loved the Craig movies but for some
reason they never had the feel of a Bond movie to me, I wasn't sure what
was missing but they didn't have the same feel. Knowing that they were
re-booting the series I was lenient and with this one the re-boot is
complete. This had much more of a feel of a classic Bond movie and by
the end I was excited to see the next one. I got chills watching a few
times and especially at the end. This had possibly the best opening and
ending to a Bond movie ever. I could go on and on about this but I will
just say if you love Bond you will love this, if you have never seen one
then this one will make you a fan. Overall, From Russia With Love is my
favorite Bond movie but this a very close second, and I think may be
more re-watchable. I wanted to watch this one again as soon as the movie
was over. I give this a very high A.
Katniss Everdeen voluntarily takes her younger sister's place in the
Hunger Games, a televised fight to the death in which two teenagers from
each of the twelve Districts of Panem are chosen at random to compete.
Director: Gary Ross
Writers:Gary Ross (screenplay),
Suzanne Collins (screenplay)
Storyline
In a dystopian future, the totalitarian nation of Panem is divided into
12 districts and the Capitol. Each year two young representatives from
each district are selected by lottery to participate in The Hunger
Games. Part entertainment, part brutal retribution for a past rebellion,
the televised games are broadcast throughout Panem. The 24 participants
are forced to eliminate their competitors while the citizens of Panem
are required to watch. When 16-year-old Katniss' young sister, Prim, is
selected as District 12's female representative, Katniss volunteers to
take her place. She and her male counterpart, Peeta, are pitted against
bigger, stronger representatives, some of whom have trained for this
their whole lives.
User Reviews
Let me start by saying
that I'm a huge fan of the "The Hunger Games" book series by Suzanne
Collins. I've read them countless times and when I found out they were
making a movie of them a little over a year ago I was very excited. But I
was also worried. "The Hunger Games" is not very easy source
material. The book is written in first person narrative with very
detailed descriptions of everything form the characters' looks to the
strange futuristic devices they use in Panem, the future version of the
U.S. where the story takes place. I couldn't imagine that they would be
able to convey every detail as I had imagined it and make the story
believable without an R-rating or a huge budget. All of my concerns were
wiped away when I saw the movie. I've never seen a more faithful
adaption of a book in my life. All of the costumes, the sets, the
locations, the cast (I'll talk more about them in a while) and the
pacing is as if they were exactly replicated from the book. And the
small things that do differ or are added (such as more insight to the
gamemakers' control room) only add to the amazing world Collins created
and improve the narrative movie-wise. And the movie is great for people
who haven't read the books as well. Not once did I feel as if something
was vague or badly explained. The cast is stellar. Jennifer
Lawrence as Katniss carries the movie and makes me regret complaining
about her casting because she was too "hot" and not starved enough. She
IS Katniss and one can feel the graveness of an situation just by
looking at one of her expressions. Josh Hutcherson as Peeta is also a
true breakout performance. The way he looks at Katniss will makes girls
all over the world envy her, just like it's supposed to be. Other
standouts in the cast include Stanley Tucci as the flamboyant talk-show
host Caesar Flickerman, Woody Harrelson as the sarcastic but caring
mentor Haymitch and Wes Bentley as the sinister game-maker Seneca Crane
(his final scene might be the best one in the whole movie). The child
actors Willow Shields and Amandla Stendberg who portrays Prim and Rue
are believable and heartbreaking even though they're inexperienced. Despite
the PG-13 rating the movie doesn't gloss over or sugarcoat anything for
their audience. The violence may not be gloriously graphic but it's
still there. People will feel the tributes' pain and despair and not
even realize the violence isn't gory until you've left the theater. The
movie also deals with important themes like survival, governmental
control, grief and helplessness. There is a minor love story subplot,
but it doesn't distract from the movies main themes. In my opinion I
think it rather improves them by showing some light in the dark. The
only complaint I can think of is that the movie feels too short. It's
almost two and a half hours long, but it feels as if it goes by in a
blink. I will have to see it again to fully pay attention to every
detail (such as the costumes and animation of the Capitol, which looked
amazing). But this is still not me saying that the movie is rushed,
because as I stated the source material is very dense and the filmmakers
managed include almost everything. People are expecting this to
become the next Twilight-style teen movie franchise. I can't say I think
the two stories have anything in common even though I hope "The Hunger
Games" will do as well at the box office. But if the first movie is any
indication of the quality of what's to come - this will be a series way
out of Twilight's league.
In a twist to the fairy tale, the Huntsman ordered to take Snow White
into the woods to be killed winds up becoming her protector and mentor
in a quest to vanquish the Evil Queen.
Snow White, imprisoned daughter of the late king, escapes just as the
Magic Mirror declares her the source of the Evil Queen's immortality.
The Queen sends her men, led by a local huntsman, to bring her back. But
upon her capture, the huntsman finds he's being played and turns
against the Queen's men, saving Snow White in the process. Meanwhile,
Snow's childhood friend, William, learns that she is alive and sets off
to save her.
User Reviews
The movie is good (not
great, though), specially because of the visual effects and Charlize
Theron acting. She is great, beautiful, impressive, plays her role full
of passion, as usual. Also I think there was no need for a 127 minutes
picture. It could last less time, because in some moments I felt like
they were just dragging it for no reason. I expected more, but all the
problem is with Snow White choice. Kristen Stewart is like my
refrigerator, no matter what I put in it (milk, soda, eggs, vegetables,
meat), it is and it will always be a refrigerator. And so is she. She is
always the same, no matter what role she is playing. If she can be an
actress, so can my refrigerator. They are both cold and have no
expression.
Beca, a freshman at Barden University, is cajoled into joining The
Bellas, her school's all-girls singing group. Injecting some much needed
energy into their repertoire, The Bellas take on their male rivals in a
campus competition.
The Barden Bellas are a collegiate, all-girls a cappella singing group
thriving on female pop songs and their perfect looks. After a disastrous
failing at last year's finals, they are forced to regroup. Among the
new recruits is freshman Beca, an independent, aspiring DJ with no
interest in the college life. But after she meets Jesse, from the rival
all-male a cappella group, Beca has a new outlook and takes it upon
herself to help the Bellas find their new look and sound and get back
into the competition.
User Reviews
We two 50+ grandmas
went to see this film on the spur of the moment because we enjoy musical
movies. We were probably the oldest people in the audience which ranged
down to younger teens but everyone, regardless of age, was laughing and
having a grand time. Much less schmaltzy and self-serious than Glee,
but wonderful vocals and dancing and personality. You can't help but
fall in love with the hilariously quirky characters, especially Rebel
Wilson as the irrepressible Fat Amy, Elizabeth Banks as Gail, the
sexually frustrated female announcer, and Hanna Mae Lee as Lilly, the
wackadoo who releases the most shocking comments in a voice that barely
exceeds a murmur. Fun, feel-good and highly entertaining.
Earth's mightiest heroes must come together and learn to fight as a team
if they are to stop the mischievous Loki and his alien army from
enslaving humanity.
Nick Fury is director of S.H.I.E.L.D, an international peace keeping
agency. The agency is a who's who of Marvel Super Heroes, with Iron Man,
The Incredible Hulk, Thor, Captain America, Hawkeye and Black Widow.
When global security is threatened by Loki and his cohorts, Nick Fury
and his team will need all their powers to save the world from disaster.
User Reviews
I have got to tell
anyone who will listen that this is one of THE best adventure movies
I've ever seen. It's almost impossible to convey how pumped I am now
that I've seen it. I purposefully avoid hyping myself for movies because
when expectations are too high, nothing seems to be able to reach them.
I usually avoid the hype train whenever possible. That said, I was
jacked to see this movie and was fully aboard the hype train. It
couldn't be helped. So, I was certainly open to intense disappointment
had this movie not been good. I'm so happy to report just the opposite
has happened.
The only word I can think of to describe this movie
is AWESOME. It's amazing work and everything I had hoped for and more.
It's exceptional entertainment for the uninitiated but it has everything
a fanboy could want to be sure. It has every little nuance of what a
fanboy wants to see. One of the MANY things I loved was the tension and
flat out conflict that arises between team members. It's not a two
dimensional "team wonderful that bands together to fight crime ho ho
ho." Most don't like each other at fist and there is so much texture to
be played. That is great because so many of these characters are larger
than life. They have egos and the big guns aren't used to working with
other people or even playing by the rules. Stark, Thor and Banner all
work "the other side of the fence" so to speak. Then there's the Widow,
Hawkeye and Captain America who are used to following orders and playing
within a command structure. They are all thrown together in a wonderful
and, best of all, believable fashion. Again, more than I ever dreamed
possible.
The entire cast really delivered. You needed more than
just action actors or stunt doubles to play all these parts. The pathos
is there but so are the timing and true deep performances. Look, I was
missing Ed Norton as much as anyone on that hype train I talked about
but I'm so happy to say that Mark Ruffalo won me over. I hope he's
locked up for the long haul because we don't need any more changes.
Three was the lucky number for movie Banners. Every other actor in
Avnegers that we've seen before is BETTER than their previous
incarnation (EVERY single one) with the possible exception of RDJ as
Stark. He's great but it's hard to top his take on the character from
the original Iron Man in an ensemble movie. I also have to fully
disclose that I'm insanely attracted to Scarlett Johansson. I thought
her Widow character was amazing but I'm definitely judging that through
rose colored glasses. The character arcs that run there course during
this film will surprise a lot of general audiences expecting nothing
more than a Transformers type popcorn scarfdown.
I honestly don't
want to give away ANY of the movie with this review because this is one
film that needs every scene to be savored. Do yourself a favor and
remain unspoiled. It's how I saw the movie (apart from what the trailers
showed) and even though you're obviously reading this review, read no
others with any kind of spoilers whatsoever. Experience the awesomeness
for yourself. Avengers as a movie and as a team on screen is an
unstoppable force. I'm just going to say, Hulk & Thor combination
equals AWESOME and leave it at that. This movie defines MUST SEE.
Following clues to the origin of mankind a team journey across the
universe and find a structure on a distant planet containing a
monolithic statue of a humanoid head and stone cylinders of alien blood
but they soon find they are not alone.
This film is set in 2093 and takes place in the same universe as the
'Alien' movies. A group of explorers, including some archaeologists, are
on an "undisclosed" mission. They arrive at a planet millions of miles
away from Earth. The team spot what they believe to be signs of
civilization. They go to investigate and find more than just signs, they
find conclusive evidence. But some of them have an ulterior motive for
being there, including the Weyland Corporation. They believe that this
is where the human race actually came from. Things soon turn from
excitement to survival once inside their discovery.
User Reviews
So I saw the long
awaited "Prometheus" tonight. Overall, rather good, but the characters
annoyingly and jarringly flaunted so many basic health and safety
regulations regarding potential contamination, infection, quarantine and
exposure to physical injury from not wearing adequate safety equipment
in an unfamiliar extra-terrestrial environment etc. Maybe we're just
supposed to be careless or stupid in about 80 years' time. Tsk! Also,
while not being pro-god or creationist as such, it did kind of take a
dump on Darwinism and the role of evolution in our existence.
Being in 3D was fairly pointless. I even had to check that it was by taking the glasses off. It was, but barely noticeable.
Gorgeous
sets and imagery, but I wasn't too happy about what the Engineers or
"Space Jockeys" look like under their bio-mechanical suits.
It
was plagued by thoroughly unbelievable and rather unprofessional
characters as well. Dumb scientists and ship crew lacking the
professional integrity you'd expect from a trillion dollar mission. Oh,
and the old Weyland guy was a bit rubbish. Just Guy Pearce with lame
prosthetic wrinkles. How about using an actual old man actor with an
actual old bone structure? He stuck out like a sore thumb. Anyway, I
have to pick fault, but it's very much worth a watch and most people
aren't as picky as me I guess.
I still wish they'd stop making
films as if we're all dumb 15 yr old kids without any real intelligence
though. And it should have been purposely made to be an 18 certificate
(in the UK at least).
Eight years after the Joker's reign of anarchy, the Dark Knight is
forced to return from his imposed exile to save Gotham City from the
brutal guerrilla terrorist Bane with the help of the enigmatic Catwoman.
Despite his tarnished reputation after the events of The Dark Knight, in
which he took the rap for Dent's crimes, Batman feels compelled to
intervene to assist the city and its police force which is struggling to
cope with Bane's plans to destroy the city.
Not being a huge fan of
superhero movies, I didn't have much expectations for Batman Begins.
However viewing the 2005 Christopher Nolan production, I was pleasantly
shocked. Then after my huge expectations for, "The Dark Knight",
Christopher Nolan blew my expectations to the dust. Will the same happen
with the 3rd and last film, "The Dark Knight Rises"? Quite simply, Yes!
My big expectations were once again, blown away. What a production!
This is a true cinematic experience, to behold. The movie exceeded my
expectations in terms of action, and entertainment. The editing, sound,
score, visuals, direction and action are all top notch.
The film
contains a fine cast of talented actors. Christian Bale, of course
still makes is a great Batman. Michael Cain is fantastic, as he always
is. He gives such a powerful performance, he really ought to be
considered for an Oscar nomination. Tom Hardy as Bane is utterly
terrifying, at times, and completely ominous. Anne Hathaway as
Catwoman/Selina Kyle is a scene stealer. She is completely engrossing.
Everyone is so great, the dynamic scenes between the actors are so well
done, so well written, and so well directed. The Dark Knight Rises is is
emotionally riveting and amazing to view.
At a running time of
almost 3 hours, the film never becomes dull, which is pretty impressive.
The movie's action sequences are spectacularly well created and very
intense. The dialogue between the character's are intelligent and highly
believable. The movie's soundtrack is terrific and really exemplify's
many of the movie's scenes. Extremely well editing and sound use really
develop many of the movie's action scenes, so it's not just explosions
and visuals like in many other movies. Nolan creates a grand, dirty,
engrossing world, and his action sequences just hum.
In
conclusion, this film is a gorgeous reminder that great writing and
direction can enhance any movie-going experience, even superhero movies,
which are usually thought of as mindless entertainment. I am wholly
satisfied with Christopher Nolan's vision and thank all who worked on
this film for bringing such an intricate interpretation of its very
famous literary source. I cannot recommend this film anymore than I
have, I just have to say everyone and anyone should see it.
Dracula, who operates a high-end resort away from the human world, goes
into overprotective mode when a boy discovers the resort and falls for
the count's teen-aged daughter.
In 1895, Dracula builds a resort in Transylvania, hidden from the
humans, to raise his beloved daughter Mavis in a safe environment. In
the present, the place is the Hotel Transylvania, where monsters bring
their families to vacation far from the frightening humans. Dracula
invites his friends - Frankenstein and his wife Eunice; Wayne and Wanda,
the werewolves; Griffin, the invisible man; Murray, the mummy; Bigfoot,
among others - to celebrate the 118th birthday of Mavis. When the party
is ready to start, the 21-year-old Jonathan is walking through the
forest and stumbles upon the hotel. Dracula sees Jonathan and disguises
him as a monster to hide Jonathan from the guests. But Mavis also sees
Jonathan and Dracula forces him to pose as a monster. Soon Mavis
believes that Jonathan is the "zing" of her life despite the advice of
her father about humans.
User Reviews
I gave this a complete
10 because both the wife and I (as well as the other movie-goers -going
by their reactions) thoroughly enjoyed it from the beginning to the very
end.
Was it predictable? Of course. Its an animation geared
towards children (what would you expect?) -but like most of the
animation movies of today, there were quite a few 'hidden humor' spots
as well which would be completely missed by the younger audience (not
unexpected since it is the adults, after all, who are forking over the
bread and it doesn't hurt to keep THEM entertained as well). The movie
is fairly fast-paced and the animation well done. I'm usually a little
apprehensive when I've harbored good expectations from a movie based on
clips/previews, but in this case I felt it truly delivered. This one
will be added to our library when it (eventually) hits the shelves. Too
many people look for a great amount of depth and unpredictability in
animation movies -but THAT is a bit unrealistic (no pun intended) -think
about it: These things USED to be called CARTOON MOVIES for a reason.
They weren't intended to fit that kind of expectation. They ARE intended
to be fun -and this movie is just that: FUN.
Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) crosses paths with a woman from his past
(Cruz), and he's not sure if it's love -- or if she's a ruthless con
artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she
forces him aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable
pirate Blackbeard (McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected
adventure in which he doesn't know who to fear more: Blackbeard or the
woman from his past.
User Reviews
Firstly, this review
does not contain any spoilers whatsoever so read on. I had the privilege
to watch this in the El Capitan theater advanced screening. Johnny
Depp, the goofy pirate that we have grown to love, returns to his iconic
role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed tale of truth,
betrayal, youth and demise. The plot is when Jack crosses paths
with a woman from his past (Penelope Cruz), he's not sure if it's
love—or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the
fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the Queen Anne's
Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane),
Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know
who to fear more: Blackbeard or the woman from his past. By being
a fan this franchise, I can happily confirm that YES, it is as good as
the first one! Be ready for an adventure and half! Brings everything
from the classic bizarre comedy to the nail biting action scenes. The
marketing for the movie have been intelligently subliminal like some
other great film releases, like Avatar, or Blair Witch (the real vs
fake) and the recent awesome film production The Artifice
(the-artifice.com) and so on. This is not a film to miss, does
not matter if you are a die hard fan of Pirates, or new to the series! I
might be in trouble for writing a review of the movie this early, so
please click Yes on the "is this review useful" as a thank you.
This English-language adaptation of the Swedish novel by Stieg Larsson follows a disgraced journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig),
as he investigates the disappearance of a wealthy patriarch's niece
from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer
hacker named Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara).
As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander
uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined.
User Reviews
The Girl with the
Dragon Tattoo has a rather large fan following and for good reason. The
2009 Swedish film is incredibly solid and well-acted with just the right
amount of wrong. The two sequels that followed had their own uphill
battles (switching directors, lower budget, etc) and weren't necessarily
bad, but just failed to capture that raw emotional tenacity the
original film offered. When news of a remake began making the usual
rounds, there was a fairly large uproar amongst the internet community
(isn't there always?), especially when it was announced Noomi Rapace
wouldn't be returning as Lisbeth Salander. Most American remakes aren't
directed by David Fincher though and while it isn't vastly different in
comparison to its Swedish counterpart, Fincher has at least improved
upon what was already a fantastic piece of cinema.
The opening of
the film was a bit unexpected. "The Immigrant Song" cover by Trent
Reznor and Karen O plays over these really fluid visuals that are a bit
hard to describe. Imagine the T-1000 from Terminator 2 made of motor oil
or tar instead of metal and you have a pretty good idea of what to
expect. It was just very different from other film credits from the rest
of the year while also being very sleek, very stylish, and very David
Fincher.
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is extremely dialogue
driven, so be prepared for a lot of talking. It feels very similar to
Zodiac in that sense yet more captivating. Even though I had seen the
original film and knew most of the major plot points, I still found
myself getting sucked into the story. Even if you hate this version of
the film and your loyalty remains firmly with the Swedish film, you can
probably at least agree that Fincher's version is visually the better of
the two. The cinematography is just brilliant. You've gotten teases in
the trailers, but the coldest winter in 20 years for Sweden looks so
bloody fantastic on screen; the amazing scenery, those long drives
through the snow, feeling like you're on the back of Lisbeth's
motorcycle as she roars through a tunnel, and the inner shot of a
plastic bag among many other things. The film is just a joy to look at
from beginning to end.
The score is also just as brilliant as the
one for The Social Network, if not slightly better. Trent Reznor and
Atticus Ross seem to explore territory they didn't get to explore on The
Social Network score. This one seems to feature more out of tune
instruments, which is an interesting touch. The score hints at rising
tension throughout the film always making you feel like there's always
something else to the story lurking around the corner waiting for the
right moment to strike. It's haunting, unnerving, and just spectacular
overall.
Noomi Rapace was an exceptional Lisbeth Salander and
with that said so is Rooney Mara. Just the amount of devotion she put
into the role with the piercings being genuine, bleaching her eyebrows,
cutting her hair, learning how to ride a motorcycle, using a very
convincing Swedish accent, coming off as being just as messed up as her
appearance lets on, and being completely nude is an incredible
accomplishment. It's not out of the question to believe that a role this
physical could get her nominated for best actress at the Academy
Awards. The entire cast just seems like they fit their roles a bit
better than they did in the Swedish film. This is one of the only
performances of Daniel Craig's I can actually say I enjoyed while
Stellan Skarsgård is just wonderfully demented. Then there's Yorick van
Wageningen that's just downright despicable as Nils Bjurman. It doesn't
seem like it's something as simple as "oh, you're showing favoritism
towards a remake because it's in English now." That isn't the case at
all. Fincher's attention to detail to the source material is practically
Kubrick-like. It shows in every frame of the film.
Fincher's
version also seems to feature a lot more of Mikael Blomkvist and Lisbeth
Salander being together. They have more sex and they're featured
together more on-screen in comparison to the Swedish version. It was a
nice addition that made the slightly altered ending a lot more
impactful. The whistling doors in Martin's house were also amazing. I
can't recall if that was in the Swedish version or not, but it brought a
smile to my face with how something so small meant so much.
The
Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is obviously not going to be for everybody.
It relies on extremely long discussions to drive most of the two and a
half hour duration of the film. In between though, it becomes difficult
to watch mostly with how Nils Bjurman handles giving Lisbeth more money
and her response. Lisbeth's response will more than likely have you
tiptoeing out of the theater as delicately as possible since you'll
still be feeling it. With a phenomenal cast, incredibly rich
cinematography, a brilliant score, and Rooney Mara's best performance to
date, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is not only an improvement over
the original but easily one of the best films of the year.
Steve Rogers, a rejected military soldier transforms into Captain
America after taking a dose of a "Super-Soldier serum". But being
Captain America comes at a price as he attempts to take down a war
monger and a terrorist organization.
It is 1942, America has entered World War II, and sickly but determined
Steve Rogers is frustrated at being rejected yet again for military
service. Everything changes when Dr. Erskine recruits him for the secret
Project Rebirth. Proving his extraordinary courage, wits and
conscience, Rogers undergoes the experiment and his weak body is
suddenly enhanced into the maximum human potential. When Dr. Erskine is
then immediately assassinated by an agent of Nazi Germany's secret HYDRA
research department (headed by Johann Schmidt, a.k.a. the Red Skull),
Rogers is left as a unique man who is initially misused as a propaganda
mascot; however, when his comrades need him, Rogers goes on a successful
adventure that truly makes him Captain America, and his war against
Schmidt begins.
User Reviews
Joe Johnston has done
it again, managing to take what SHOULD be great action flick material
and managed to make it, well, boring.
Don't get me wrong, the
film started out quite well. The change from puny wimp to super hero was
well done, as was the intro sequence with red skull. The whole
nazi-mysticism mystique was done very well. But it seemed that after Joe
Johnston filmed these two or three well thought out portions, the rest
of the film was just filler.
I caught myself looking at my watch a
few times, just sort of wanting the movie to end - and this was at the
1/2 point of the film. The action sequences are fairly average for the
most part and I really never got that "edge of my seat" feeling as the
characters faced peril.
All in all, an above-average film which could have been great if someone with better directing chops had been chosen.
The youngest son of an alcoholic former boxer returns home, where he's
trained by his father for competition in a mixed martial arts tournament
- a path that puts the fighter on a collision course with his
estranged, older brother.
Two brothers face the fight of a lifetime - and the wreckage of their
broken family - within the brutal, high-stakes world of Mixed Martial
Arts (MMA) fighting in Lionsgate's action/drama, WARRIOR. An ex-Marine
haunted by a tragic past, Tommy Riordan returns to his hometown of
Pittsburgh and enlists his father, a recovered alcoholic and his former
coach, to train him for an MMA tournament awarding the biggest purse in
the history of the sport. As Tommy blazes a violent path towards the
title prize, his brother, Brendan, a former MMA fighter unable to make
ends meet as a public school teacher, returns to the amateur ring to
provide for his family. Even though years have passed, recriminations
and past betrayals keep Brendan bitterly estranged from both Tommy and
his father. But when Brendan's unlikely rise as an underdog sets him on a
collision course with Tommy, the two brothers must finally confront the
forces that tore them apart, all the while waging the most intense
User Reviews
Just saw a sneak peek
of Warrior. All I can saw is WOW! Great film. Great performances. The
characters are deep and believable and the story will probably have you
leaving the theater in tears.
The fight scenes were done really
well. I've been cage side at hundreds of MMA fights as a photographer
and believe me when I say this is some of the most realistically
portrayed MMA action I've seen to date on film.
Tom Hardy, Joel
Edgerton, Jennifer Morrison and Nick Nolte all give good performances
and I think Nick Nolte had a couple of moments in the film that should
be considered Oscar worthy.
I know a lot of people won't agree
with me on this and I can understand, but Warrior has bumped Rocky out
of my top 5 favorite movies of all time. IMHO (which some of you will
consider worthless) I think it's that good.
The powerful but arrogant god Thor is cast out of Asgard to live amongst
humans in Midgard (Earth), where he soon becomes one of their finest
defenders.
The warrior Thor (Hemsworth) is cast out of the fantastic realm of
Asgard by his father Odin (Hopkins) for his arrogance and sent to Earth
to live among humans. Falling in love with scientist Jane Foster
(Portman) teaches Thor much-needed lessons, and his new-found strength
comes into play as a villain from his homeland sends dark forces toward
Earth.
User Reviews
Another outstanding
effort, Marvel does it again! It's hard to believe that a movie with
this subject matter can make you think and challenge all your movie
viewing skills but it does so and more. It's very artistic and you would
expect no less from Kenneth Branagh. He presents the entire film in a
way that can be savored. Many aspects are classical drama and yet other
aspects are just plain old fun kick-butt action scenes. It's a perfect
blend and this movie is far deeper then I would've thought. The pacing
was perfect as is the link to the Marvel movie Universe... I can't wait
to see what Captain America brings us. Overall, a summer movie that's
superior to everything else that I've seen in years.
The
director's background in Shakespearian themes comes in to play right
from the beginning of the film and run throughout. Thor is a
super-strong "god" and can travel through space with supernatural powers
yet the story is paradoxical and contrary about those elements instead
choosing to focus on the human elements. THAT elevates this film far
beyond anything I was expecting but I should have known better
considering the source material and the director.
The genuine and
relatable qualities of these characters are what make it a great film.
Sure, the action and fantasy are incredible but the story works so well.
The family dynamics between fathers & sons along with sibling
rivalry and the price of vanity and lack of humility all resonate. The
choices made and the relationships on display are as wonderful as the
brawling and action... which are as good as any summer movie that I've
seen in years.
Harvard student Mark Zuckerberg creates the social networking site that
would become known as Facebook, but is later sued by two brothers who
claimed he stole their idea, and the cofounder who was later squeezed
out of the business.
Director: David Fincher
Writers: Aaron Sorkin (screenplay),
Ben Mezrich (book)
Storyline
On a fall night in 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programming
genius Mark Zuckerberg sits down at his computer and heatedly begins
working on a new idea. In a fury of blogging and programming, what
begins in his dorm room soon becomes a global social network and a
revolution in communication. A mere six years and 500 million friends
later, Mark Zuckerberg is the youngest billionaire in history... but for
this entrepreneur, success leads to both personal and legal
complications
User Reviews
So there I was, sitting
in the cinema waiting to see 'Inception' greeting every belated trailer
with a groan, each one prolonging the time till I could finally see one
of the most anticipated movies of the year and there it was, I turned
to one of my friends "my god..a film about facebook?!.." To say I was
skeptical for those few moments would be an understatement, I was almost
angry, like a footballer who releases an autobiography 5 years after he
starts his career I just didn't understand the timing of it, who cares
anyway?
"I think this is Finchers new movie actually"
"DAVID Fincher? He's made a film about facebook?!"
Almost
immediately 'Social Network' became a movie that I needed to see. David
Fincher is one of the true masters of delivering some of the greatest
films of the past few decades. The gritty 'Se7en' and the intelligent
'Fight Club' had been two of my favourite movies growing up, the latter
of which I had the privilege of studying in college quite in depth and
although I missed 'Benjamin Button' (only god knows why it took me until
2013 to watch!) I had thoroughly enjoyed the enigmatic 'Zodiac' as
well.
'Social Network' became my favourite Fincher title almost
immediately. It is one of those rare works that feels so effortless in
its brilliance which is due to the incredible work from both Fincher and
Sorkin in creating this modern masterpiece, the way I see it the film
relies heavily upon three aspects which are executed with perfection.
First
of all, the score for this film is sensational. I've always been a huge
fan of Trent Reznor & Nine Inch Nails but with his partnership with
Atticus Ross and his ongoing collaborations with Fincher (also see
'Girl With The Dragon Tattoo') I can only see them becoming the most
formidable artists in the industry, every minor note resonates perfectly
throughout the film and creates a beautiful texture on top of an
already excellent piece of work.
Secondly, Sorkin's razor sharp
screenplay is something a director can only dream of receiving, the
dialogue never falters and it is always witty, sincere and hilarious all
in one (which can also be attributed to the performances of the actors
involved)
But most of all, the atmosphere that Fincher is able to
create visually is stunning, huge credit must also go to long time
collaborator Jeff Cronenweth, together their formidable partnership and
undoubted perfect understanding of each other's work is clearly the
factor behind this film being one of the best movies of the past decade
Great
performances from Eisenberg, Garfield and Timberlake also help this
movie stand head and shoulders above most and as one of the most
promising young actresses in the business, Rooney Mara is given her
first chance to truly show her quality in a small role.
It's
difficult to say where 'Social Network' will stand when we look back on
Finchers body of work but one things for sure, if it isn't seen as one
of his truly great masterpieces then he is sure to become one of, if not
the most powerful director in the industry for years to come.
A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.
Director: James Wan
Writer: Leigh Whannell
Storyline
A gripping story of a family in search of help for their son, Dalton,
who fell into a coma after a mysterious incident in the attic. Little do
they know that there is much more to this endless sleep than meets the
eye as they explore the paranormal, and rediscover the past; the key to
getting their son back once and for all.
User Reviews
The savvy viewer coming
into this should know that he will have to struggle with some cheap
devices. Overexplaining of the haunting situation with twaddle about the
'further' and astral projection, mumbo jumbo technology that permits us
to see the spectra, a bevy of jump scares (some well orchestrated,
others not).
But the notions are as good as they always were (as
far back as The Innocents), haunted rooms mapping to haunted minds. How
inside disturbance manifests around us.
I only wish that a better
filmmaker than James Wan would've tackled the project to deliver a more
potent vision of a Jungian subconscious. There is a little of The
Exorcist (centered around a seance) and a little of Fire Walk with Me
inside of this - I would've liked more of the latter.
In other
words, when strange figures stand or creep the movie is all that you've
heard. When they lunge at us or walk on walls, the effect is diluted.
What
we get is good enough though, if we deliberately work to discard the
cheapening. Then we're left with a few arresting atmospheres to keep;
the house as playground of malevolent presence, an empty ceiling by
broad light, the house again reversed by a mirror.
A ballet dancer wins the lead in "Swan Lake" and is perfect for the role
of the delicate White Swan - Princess Odette - but slowly loses her
mind as she becomes more and more like Odile, the Black Swan.
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Writers: Mark Heyman (screenplay),
Andres Heinz (screenplay) (as Andrés Heinz).
Storyline
Nina (Portman) is a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose
life, like all those in her profession, is completely consumed with
dance. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother Erica
(Hershey) who exerts a suffocating control over her. When artistic
director Thomas Leroy (Cassel) decides to replace prima ballerina Beth
MacIntyre (Ryder) for the opening production of their new season, Swan
Lake, Nina is his first choice. But Nina has competition: a new dancer,
Lily (Kunis), who impresses Leroy as well. Swan Lake requires a dancer
who can play both the White Swan with innocence and grace, and the Black
Swan, who represents guile and sensuality. Nina fits the White Swan
role perfectly but Lily is the personification of the Black Swan. As the
two young dancers expand their rivalry into a twisted friends hip, Nina
begins to get more in touch with her dark side - a recklessness that
threatens to destroy her.
User Reviews
Zero
understanding of ballet leads to ridiculous major premise: "ooh, to do
zee black swan you need to be The sexeee!" This is utter nonsense.
Anyone who knows anything about ballet and in particular, Swan Lake,
knows this. But the writer tries to get away with this huge, vulgar
misunderstanding--and he doesn't get away with it.
Uses every
cliché in the book, and every vile sexist cliché, too: baad mommy (the
cake! the cake!,ooh!, the horror, the horror!), classic controlling
abusive artiste dom male who uh feels that masturbation is the answer to
everything; pseudo-ballerina actresses who look, speak, and act like
leftovers from teen slash movies.
A waste of time from start
to finish, and a tragic waste of fine actors. I don't know how or why
this movie got made. I had been looking forward to seeing it; having
seen it, I'm so sorry I went.
A U.S Marshal investigates the disappearance of a murderess who escaped from a hospital for the criminally insane.
Director: Martin Scorsese
Writers: Laeta Kalogridis (screenplay),
Dennis Lehane (novel)
Storyline
It's 1954, and up-and-coming U.S. marshal Teddy Daniels is assigned to
investigate the disappearance of a patient from Boston's Shutter Island
Ashecliffe Hospital. He's been pushing for an assignment on the island
for personal reasons, but before long he wonders whether he hasn't been
brought there as part of a twisted plot by hospital doctors whose
radical treatments range from unethical to illegal to downright
sinister. Teddy's shrewd investigating skills soon provide a promising
lead, but the hospital refuses him access to records he suspects would
break the case wide open. As a hurricane cuts off communication with the
mainland, more dangerous criminals "escape" in the confusion, and the
puzzling, improbable clues multiply, Teddy begins to doubt everything -
his memory, his partner, even his own sanity.
User Reviews
Counting down the days until I can add this to my DVD collection...
Similar to my rating
for this film, you can argue that 9 out of 10 people who watch this
movie, it will not be their first Scorsese film. Most of us know the
genius that he is and coming into this showing we should expect
brilliance, and gladly he delivers a captivating storyline driven by
great acting. Unfortunately with the release of Shutter Island was also a
press release that Taxi Driver may be remade, so that news made me
hesitant to care, but I'm glad I was wrong.
Shutter Island is the
story of Teddy Daniels, A U.S. federal marshall sent to the island with
his partner Chuck Aule to search for the disappearance of a patient.
Each scene provides a turn against their leads and compels them to look
for more whilst searching in places we couldn't comprehend, including
their minds. Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo feed off each other and
supply great performances for their characters as expected, but some of
the other characters whose names are riveted on the posters or marquees
are sensational as well. The two that stuck out to me most were Ben
Kingsley (Dr. Cawley) and Michelle Williams (Dolores, Teddy's wife),
each of whom brought so much dramatics and new questions to the movie,
developing plot twists and controversy. I don't think this film would be
the same without them.
Even to begin explaining details of the
plot and how everything comes to fruition causes me to feel migraines
alike the ones Teddy gets in the movie, therefore I won't ruin anything
for you now. Take my honest word that if you enjoyed any Scorsese movie
in the past or have enjoyed movies that include surrealism, Shutter
Island combines the two into an intense thriller that boggles the mind
and possibly even "corrode it, rusts it". Also, if you are hesitant to
watch this film because the trailer perceives it as a horror film with a
lot of "jumpy" scenes, ignore that. I had the same feeling entering it,
and there was only one towards the very end, but it was worth the
shock. You will miss so much detail trying to cover your eyes for a few
minutes sporadically throughout that it's not worth it. Take the risk of
jumping out of your seat for once, because it was the best scare I
could ask for.
