Today, I have concluded my re-visitation of the original Star Wars trilogy with "Return of the Jedi" (1983).
Review:
Like it's predecessors, Return of the Jedi, is compelling, well acted,
fun, funny, action packed, and features likable characters and an
interesting world. It keeps the heart, tone and charm of its
predecessors. The only problems are that the version I watched features
added stuff like CGI, unnecessary additional voiceover, a musical number
replacement, and a cast replacement at the end. Overall, Return of the Jedi is a satisfying conclusion to the original Star Wars trilogy.
Max Scale:
Special Edition-8/10 Blu-Ray Edition-5/10 Theatrical cut-10/10 Overall-9/10
This past afternoon, I continued my re-visitation of the original Star Wars
trilogy with the second installment: "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980)
Review:
This is a great sequel, as well as a great Science fiction Classic on its own.
Irvin Kershet did a great job directing, as well as keeping the heart
and charm that made Star Wars great. It features a very interesting
story, an expansion of the Star Wars universe, new characters, great
special effects for the time, intense action scenes, funny
moments, interesting and quotable dialogue, and a darker approach. I'm
not going to spoil it (although the movie has been around forever), but
that twist at the end (and yes, there IS a twist) gets me every time.
The only problem is that the version I watched was the special edition
with added CGI background effects which are a bit distracting. Overall,
The Empire Strikes Back is a great successor/continuation that surpasses
its predecessor, and I would highly recommend it to science fiction
fans.
Max Scale:
Special Edition-9/10 Original Cut-10/10
I have always had a fascination with Star Wars as a child, and the
original Star Wars trilogy were some of my favorite films growing up. So
with "The Force Awakens" approaching, I have decided to revisit "Star
Wars" the original trilogy. Starting today with the one that started it
all. So without further ado, here's my short review.
Review:
This is an excellent science fiction/space adventure flick and quite
impressive for the late 70's.
George Lucas did a very good directing and
told a great story using this interesting world he built.
It features
likable characters, intense action scenes, neat production design, great
costumes, unique sound effects, and
creative Science fiction elements (light sabers, protocol droids etc.).
It also features a killer music score composed by John Williams. The
only problem is that this is the special edition with added CGI effects,
and the original theatrical cut is kind of hard to find. Overall, this
is a great flick and a great franchise starter, and I would highly
recommend it to anyone Max Scale: Special edition-8/10 Original cut-10/10 Overall-9/10
Synopsis:
In this remake of the 1982 horror classic, a family moves into the suburbs. However, their new home is haunted by evil forces, and they must come together to rescue their youngest daughter who was captured.
Review:
In a way, this film exceeded my expectations...I expected it to be
bad, and it was.
While it's not as awful as I thought it would be, it's
still quite bad.
Not only does it fail as a remake, but also as a
stand alone horror movie. It features cheap scares, bad acting,
forgettable characters, and plot points borrowed from other horror
movies from this decade ("Insidious" (2011), "The Conjuring" (2013)
etc.).
Also, it's so different from the original that it's not
even a remake. It's just an average PG-13 supernatural fear fest with
the same title. Not to mention that the girl isn't even Carol Anne from
the original, but "Maddy," which was quite a stupid move on their part.
The only parts that were like the original are the static TV, the clown,
and another thing at the end, in which saying it would spoil it.
Almost nothing happens, and a lot of the scares are pointless. The
clown did absolutely nothing, and was just an obvious attempt at giving
the film a similar feel to the original. There is a tree in one scene,
which did something, but was of no significance to the story. It doesn't
really get good until about the last 30 minutes or so.
On a
positive note, it features nice looking visuals, and a few cool scenes.
But those things alone can't promise a good movie. It's better than the
"Nightmare on Elm Street" 2010 remake, but that's not saying much.
Overall, this was a pretty mediocre horror film/remake. I can't recommend this movie.
If you're considering watching this, that's your business. But be
advised that if you go into it expecting it to be as good or memorable
as the original, you're going to be disappointed. In other words, you
are probably better off seeking out the 1982 classic instead.
Synopsis:
A teenage boy and his single mother move into a small town. There, the boy meets a nice girl who's father happens to be R.L. Stine, author of the famous Goosebumps series. As the teens discover Stine's secret, they accidentally open his Goosebumps manuscripts, thus setting all of the imaginary monsters free from the books and bringing forth disaster upon the small town. It is up to Stine and the teens to capture the monsters back in the books and save the town.
Review:
Let me star off by saying that I have never really read any of the Goosebumps books, but they were quite popular when I was a child. However, I have watched some episodes of the Goosebumps TV series, and I found it quite interesting.
Then, I heard that there was a Goosebumps movie in the works and that Jack Black was going to be in it. Part of me was looking forward to it because of Jack Black (He's kinda one of my favorite celebrities), but another part of me was skeptical. Given that each installment in the "Goosebumps" series is a different story entirely, I was not sure how they would pull it off. Also, the trailer was not very convincing.
That being said, I went and saw the film, and I must say that I was very impressed with it, and I enjoyed it very much.
It actually has a very unique and interesting story line. We have these three teenagers, and R.L. Stine, and Stine has these manuscripts of his stories locked. One of the teenagers accidentally opens one of the Goosebumps manuscripts, releasing the monsters.
For all we know, it could have just been an anthology of all of the different Goosebumps stories, but instead, the writers got creative and brought the stories together, followed by a plot involving the Goosbumps monsters unleashed from R.L. Stine's manuscripts and wreaking havoc across the town.
Jack Black plays a fictional version of R.L. Stine (the author of the Goosebumps series). Black actually portrays his character quite well, and is quite funny (as usual). At first, Stine comes off as a jerk, but once you find out his secret, you actually care for him.
It also has some good chemistry between the two protagonists Zach and Hannah, and Dylan Minnette and Odeyah Rush deliver impressive performances that capture it.
The film is also very fun and entertaining. There is not a single moment in the film where I was bored. Slappy the Dummy basically stole the show. Whenever Slappy is on screen, he brings forth a laugh, and a scare at once. I also loved the grocery store scene with the werewolf.
I do not want to spoil anything, but that twist (and yes, there IS a twist) got me. Also, the real R.L. Stine makes an appearance somewhere in the film.
There are a couple of problems that I had with the film. One of them is that, while I cared for Zach and Hannah, it seems to rely a bit too much on the romance aspect. Another problem is that it relies a little too much on CGI to the point where it looked cartoon-ish in some areas. But those things did not ruin the movie for me.
Overall, Goosebumps is a very fun and creative family-friendly spooky thrill ride, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the franchise.
Synopsis:
A son tries to learn more about his dying father than the stories that he told about his life.
Review:
I gave this film a watch on Netflix about a couple years ago out of boredom. I didn't really think that I would like it that much, but I loved it. It instantly became one of my all time favorite movies.
The story is bout a father and son and follows two story arcs. One story arc focuses on the father's life told through the stories that he told his son as a child. The other story arc focuses on the son, now grown up and married, trying to find out the truth behind his father's stories. Ridiculous as it may sound, it's actually quite interesting and thought provoking.
It also has a pretty neat supernatural/fantasy twist going on.
The film is very well acted and it has a great assembled cast. We have Albert Finney as the old man near death telling the stories and Ewan McGregor as the old man's younger self, as well as Billy Crudup as the son. It also features Marion Cotillard, Danny Devito, Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Buschemi and some other people (whom I did not recognize).
I never would have thought that Tim Burton could pull off something like this, but he did a great job directing, and it's better than most of his other stuff. It is very beautifully shot and has some neat designs.
I am not going to spoil anything, but it has a great ending where everything comes together and starts to make sense.
In my opinion, this is Tim Burton's best film.
Overall, Big Fish is a great and unique feel good dram and I would highly recommend it to movie goers.
Synopsis:
A young woman named Adaline, born on the turn of the 20th century, has
become ageless after a car accident. After many years, she has met a man
who complicates the immortal life that she is living.
Review:
This is a very
good film overall.
The story is quite unique and very
interesting. It is a romantic film with a neat fantasy twist. We have
this young woman who is struck by lightning and survives but is put
under a condition where she stops aging, and goes through different
identities each decade. She also meets a nice guy and they fall in love.
Little does the guy know that she is different.
It is well acted and it
features good performances from Blake Lively, Harrison Ford and Ellen
Burstyn.
The characters are quite likable. You care for Adaline as she
goes through her ageless immortal life. The romance between Adaline and
Ellis has some good chemistry. My favorite character is William Jones.
Lee Toland Krieger did a very good job directing. It is beautifully shot
and it has some very emotional moments. It is also quite clever and
funny at times. For instance, there is this one scene where Ellis tells
Adaline a bad joke and she laughs at how bad it is. There is also a
scene where William talks about the stars, which instantly made me think
of Star Wars.
I'm not going to spoil anything, but based upon my
expectations, that ending got me.
There is not a single thing about this film that I did not like.
Overall, I really enjoyed
The Age of Adaline and would recommend it to anyone who is into romance
and/or drama with a fantasy twist.
Synopsis:
Aliens in the form of old school
video games attack Earth and it is up to a team of hardcore gamers to save
the world.
Review:
Before I get to the point, let me start out by saying that I actually had hopes for this film.
I am a gamer from childhood as well as a big moviegoer (but of course
you already know that). I went into this film skeptical because of Adam
Sandler (he hasn't really come out with anything good since 1999), but
excited because I really liked the idea and it has Pac-Man. Upon my
first time playing Pac-Man, I found it strangely addicting and
immediately fell in love with it. Ever since then, I have waited to see
Pac-Man on the big screen, and when I heard about the new film "Pixels"
coming out, and that it was going to feature Pac-Man, I could not help
but unleash my inner nerd.
From the trailers, it looked quite promising and had a great setup. We
have these classic arcade games attacking Earth and it's up to a team of
hardcore gamers to save the world. It also gives you a bit of a
Ghostbusters vibe.
You may not have known this but this movie is inspired by an independent
short film from 2010. The short was unique and had an impressive art
style.
I was hoping that this would be a surprise hit like "The Lego Movie" and
"Guardians of the Galaxy" and that it would turn Sandler's career back
around. Unfortunately, this film was a big letdown.
Now before I go into the bad parts, I am going to name some good parts.
The Good:
As mentioned earlier, it has a great setup and a unique idea. We have
these aliens who misinterpret video feeds as a declaration of war, so
they attack Earth in the form of classic 80's arcade video games. The
film is visually impressive and has some great world building and some
really cool scenes. I liked the Pac-Man scene, and the Centipede scene. The film started out pretty good, and the
beginning, when our four main characters were teenagers, had me thinking
it was going to be good. Sadly, that is all of the "good" there is.
The Bad:
It has a bad story line and the plot is rushed and there is no chemistry
within the characters. A lot of the time, the film can not seem to make
up it's mind as to whether it wanted to be a blockbuster or a straight
up comedy. The humor is lowbrow, and every so often, the plot is
interrupted by these long drawn out lowbrow offbeat comedy scenes. At
those times, I was like "Stop making a fool out of yourself and get back
to the story, please!" Also, the romance aspect of the film is forced. Also, there is so much wrong in the Donkey Kong scene.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
They completely wasted the "Lady Lisa" character. She did not even have
any dialogue. I am positive that it was just a blatant cameo of Ashley
Benson as an attempt to lure "Pretty Little Liars" fans.
Sean Bean's performance was also pointless. They could have used him as a
joke relating to him dying in so many movies, but they wasted it on
making him a blatant cameo.
Here is the story (because the trailer won't tell you):
The story begins with our protagonists Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), Will
Cooper (Kevin James), Ludlow Lamonsoff (Josh Gad), and Eddie Plant
(Peter Dinklage) as kids at the arcade in 1982. Ludlow is in love with
Lady Lisa, the heroine of his favorite game "Dojo Quest". Sam and Eddie
face each other in a Donkey Kong playing contest, which is to be
recorded and sent in a time capsule into space as a message of peace.
Eddie beats Sam. After that, Sam and will have this conversation about
polular celebrities (such as Madonna) that they would like to marry.
Then it quickly cuts to a scene when they are now adults having the same
conversation (expect this time with younger celebrities sucha Scarlett
Johanson). And then from there, it cuts straight to the invasion. Sam
now works for a company that installs software. Will is now the
president of the United States. The military is finding a signal of an
attack from Galaga enemies. As Sam is doing his job, he meets a woman
named Violoet (Michelle Monaghan) and her son Matty. Sam then gets a
call from President Cooper. Sam then goes to the White House and they
discuss the attack. Then, as Sam is driving home, he finds Ludlow in his
van. Ludlow has a theory that an alien life form found the video feeds
and sent real life verisons of what it saw. Then, Sam and Ludlow attempt
to train the soldiers to fight back, but the admiral is not amused. So
they try the English soldiers in London, England. Then Centiped attacks
London, and Sam and Ludlow fight back and succeed. Then they find out
that Pac-Man is attacking New York, so they bail Eddie out of prison.
Sam, Ludlow, and Eddie, joined by Prof. Iwatani (Denis Akiyama) fight
Pac-Man and succeed. Then there is a celebration Dinner party where
Ludlow sings "Everybody Wants to Rule the World". There, we find out
that Eddie has always been cheating. Then, a giant space ship in the
shape of a boss Galage approaches and releases more real life video
games (such as Space Invaders and Frogger) that wreak havoc all over
Washington DC. Sam, Will, and Violet go into the ship (which has Matty
held captive) and confront Donkey Kong, while Ludlow and Eddie fight off
all of the other games. Ludlow encounters Lady Lisa (Ashley Benson),
who at first resists, but suddenly joins the fight. Upon learning that
Eddie is a cheater, Sam then realizes that he is the "true" Donkey Kong
champion and defeats Donkey Kong and saves Matty, thus destroying all of
the other games including Lady Lisa. That is the whole movie right
there.
The film also breaks it's own rules at times. For instances, Sam Brenner defeats Donkey Kong by throwing a hammer at him. Wouldn't that also be cheating? I know it's "a movie", but anyone who has played the original Donkey Kong arcade classic should know that that's not how you beat Donkey Kong.
There are things in this movie that I liked, but there were more things
that I did not like than things that I liked. A few cool scenes were
just not enough. What this movie needs is a good script, character
development and a well assembled cast. Pixels had none of those.
It's a shame, because on paper, Pixels really had potential.
Overall, I was very disappointed with this film, for I was looking forward to it when I saw the trailers. I would not recommend it.
You are better off seeking out "Wreck-It Ralph"-or heck, "Scott Pilgrim vs The World"-instead.
Synopsis:
A young programmer is selected to take part in a new experiment in artificial intelligence by evaluating the human qualities of a female A.I.
Review:
I must say that I am very impressed with this film.
The story, while it bares a familiar concept concerning "artificial
intelligence", is unique, creative, original and intriguing. We have
this programmer named Caleb, who is invited by Nathan, the CEO of the
company, which Caleb works for. Then there is this robot called "Ava". I
cannot really say anything about the plot without spoiling it but the
majority of the film is set inside a compound.
While it has a small number of characters, the characters are quite well
developed. I as good chemistry between Caleb and Ava. There is not much
to say about Nathan without spoiling it, but let's just say that he is
not a terribly nice guy.
The film is quite well acted. Domhnall Gleeson and Oscar Isaac portrayed
their roles very well and Alicia Vikander stole the show as Ava the
robot.
Alex Garland did a very good job directing. It is beautifully shot and
it has neat scenery. For a small budget of $15 million, the special
effects are quite impressive. They did a nice job blending CGI with
practical effects and making the robot believable. It also has some
intense moments and the final act is awesome.
The music score is great and it added some depth into the film. Ben
Salisbury and Geoff Barrow both did a very good job composing the music.
Basically, this is one of those films that you have to actually watch and see for yourself to know what it's about.
Overall, Ex Machina is an excellent science fiction thriller, and I
would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of science fiction.
Synopsis:
After a young girl named Riley is uprooted from her midwest life and has moved to San Francisco, her emotions-Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear-conflict on the best way to navigate through a new house, city and school.
Review:
This is a great family film overall. It is smart, inventive, fun, emotional, and quite clever.
The story line is very creative and original. It takes the viewer inside a
person's mind and features emotions in the shape of characters. It also
explores a whole world inside the mind featuring memories, dreams, and
imagination. This is quite possibly Pixar's most original idea since Toy
Story.
The characters are likable and entertaining. We have the four emotions,
Joy, Sadness, Anger, Disgust and Fear who operate the feelings of a
young girl named Riley as she and her mom and dad have moved to a new
home. You care for Riley as things go wrong in the world inside her
mind. You also care for the emotions as Joy and Sadness set out on a
quest to set things right while Anger, Disgust and Fear are left on
their own, and you want the emotions to succeed. My favorite character
is Anger.
Pete Docter did a great job directing. It has gorgeous and colorful animation and unique and stylish designs.
It is also very funny at times. This is one of those where the humor
actually works and I laughed more than I usually do at he theater. I am
not going to spoil anything but you may want to stick around during the
credits.
Overall, Inside Out is another very impressive animated family feature
from Pixar and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of
animation.
Synopsis:
A teen girl instigates a social pecking order revolution after learning that she was labled a "DUFF" (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) by her two more attractive counterparts.
Review:
There is nothing to say about this film besides that it's an uninspired
pile of drivel. It desperately tries to be the next "Mean Girls" and it
fails miserably on every level.
The story line is utterly ridiculous. We have the two attractive girls
who are buddies and have an unattractive friend dubbed "The DUFF"
(Designated ugly fat friend) to use to make them look better. Who does
that?
It is also loaded with cliches. Like we have this loser trying to fit in
with the popular students and gets recognition from a viral video.
***SPOILER AHEAD***
Also, we find out that her "lover" is actually not in love with her at
all and dubs her "DUFF" like everyone else at her school. How original.
The characters are very unlikable and nothing but blatant stereotypes. Our protagonist Bianca gives us very
little to no reason to root for her. Both the guy that she is in love
with and the guy who she seeks help from are both pretty much jerks.
Also, in most of these type of films, the "mean" character, while
purposely unlikable, at least has some sort of likable personality and
is entertaining and you would love to hate him/her. But here, you don't
exactly love to hate Madison Morgan.
The humor is bland, uninspired, and painfully unfunny. I did not laugh once.
On a positive note, Mae Whitman was actually pretty good in it. She portrayed her role quite respectively.
Maybe there is a good movie hidden there, but overall, I was not impressed with it whatsoever, and I would not recommend it.
In the end, The DUFF is one of the more mediocre attempts at teen satire.
If you are looking for a good teen comedy satire with a female lead,
where the protagonist gets widespread attention from everyone else at
her school, watch Mean Girls or Easy A.
Synopsis:
A spy organization recruits a local street kid who is undefined, but with potential, into the agency's competitive training program, while a global threat emerges from a sinister tech genius.
Review:
This is a great film overall. It's fun, action packed, and often funny
at times. There is not a single moment where I was bored with it.
The characters are likable. The story is interesting and compelling.
The characters are likeable. I liked the protagonist Eggsy. He is
believable and you actually care for him. Harry and Chester King are
quite entertaining and likable supporting characters. Valentine is
quite an entertaining villain as well as his amputee Gazelle.
It's well acted. Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark Strong and Michael
Caine portrayed their roles very respectively and made their roles
entertaining and believable. Samuel L. Jackson did an awesome job as
Valentine as well as Sofie Boutella as Gazelle.
Matthew Vaughn did a great job directing. It's beautifully shot. The
action scenes are well done and downright intense. While it is mostly
action packed, it leaves room for the story line and the action scenes
are actually part of the story and have every reason to occur.
There is not a single thing about this film that I did not like.
Overall, I found Kingsman to be a pretty awesome film and I highly recommend it to action fans.
In the end, "Kingsman: The Secret Service" is a fun and compelling action masterpiece.
Synopsis:
22 years after the event in "Jurassic Park", a new theme park in Isla Nublar "Jurassic World" is now open. After 10 years of operating, a new attraction is created to pique the interests of the visitors, which goes horribly wrong.
Review:
This film is enjoyable for the most part. It introduces some new dinosaur hybrids which are cool as well as it features some of the classic dinosaurs that we are familiar with.
The characters are likeable and entertaining. I like the protagonists Owen and Claire and Claire's two nephews Zach and Gray. Our four main characters had good chemistry and you care for them when they are in dangerous situations.
I think Colin Trevorrow did a good job directing. It is visually impressive and the special effects are quite well done. It has some intense moments and I absolutely loved the final scene. I like the references and connections that it had with the first film.
However, I had a few problems with the film. One of them is the storyline. The story is a bit thin and too much of a repeat of the first film. Another problem that I had is the acting. While the acting is not bad, it was a bit uneven at times. Also, I think the comedic moments, while clever, could have been funnier.
Overall, I enjoyed Jurassic World and would pick it any day over "Jurassic Park III". I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Jurassic Park and/or dinosaur in general.
In the end, "Jurassic World" may not be the perfect follow-up to Jurassic Park and it may have needed more work in the story department, but it is a fun (and albeit nostalgic) thrill ride that should satisfy blockbuster goers.
Synopsis:
A decidedly odd couple convince Dr. Alan Grant to travel to Isla Sorna, which results in an unexpected landing unexpected new inhabitants on the island.
Review:
There is really nothing to say about this one besides that it's total crap.
The plot is absurd, uninteresting, forgettable and it goes nowhere. "The Lost World" was not exactly a needed sequel, but the plot in that at least went somewhere, but this was just tedious and unnecessary.
The characters are forgettable and uninteresting (except for Dr. Grant, the protagonist from the first film, who reappeared in this). The first two films had a good set of characters who have interesting personalities and are quite entertaining. The characters here are just wooden and dull.
The action scenes are uninspired and boring. Not to mention that the special effects are generic and underdeveloped. Do you want to know what the worst part is? The T-Rex is killed by a different dinosaur. It's quite insulting, given that the Tyranosaurus Rex is supposed to be dinosaur of all dinosaurs.
There is not much else to say really. I was bored and upset throughout the film.
Overall, it was just flat, boring, illogical and downright silly.
In the end, "Jurassic Park III" is not only an uninspired mishmash of the previous two films with nothing new to offer, but also a slap in the face to anyone who likes dinosaurs.
Synopsis:
In this follow-up to the blockbuster hit "Jurassic Park", a research team was sent to the site B island of the park to study the dinosaurs there. Suddenly, some carnivorous dinosaurs are loose in San Diego.
Review:
This picks up directly after the events in the first "Jurassic Park" film. While not as good or memorable as it's predecessor, the film still delivers some enjoyment and has it's qualities.
The story, while not terribly necessary after how the first film ended, is interesting and quite thought out. It has more of an expansion of the "Jurassic Park" world, which is pretty neat.
Just like in the first film, Spielberg did a good job directing. The special effects, while not exactly "ground breaking" are neat and impressive. It still keeps the neat blend of practical effects and CGI that makes the dinosaurs believable.
While it does not feature anything new, it has some thrills and intense moments and there was not a moment where I was bored with it.
There are a couple of problems that I had with the film. One of them is that, as a sequel, it seemed a bit tedious, given that the ending to the first film was conclusive and did not really need to be continued beyond that point. The other problem is that other than being set at a different location and expending the world, it did not have much new to offer.
Overall, The Lost world takes a bit of a ridiculous turn, but in the end, I thoroughly enjoyed the film for what it is. Plus, it's got dinosaurs attacking San Diego. Who would not want to see that?
Synopsis:
During a preview tour, a dinosaur-themed amusement park suffers from a major breakdown that causes it's exhibits to go haywire.
Review:
This is just a great film overall.
The story is creative and quite compelling. It is a unique modern take on dinosaurs centered around a theme park and pulls that off quite well with a good story and character development.
The characters are interesting and likeable. I liked the protagonist Dr. Alan Grant and the Murphy siblings Lex and Tim. They have interesting personalities and you actually care for them as they get caught in dangerous situations. Dr. Ian is also an interesting character. Dennis Nerdy is the comic relief and he is quite entertaining and funny at times.
This film is well acted. Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, Wayne Knight and Samual L. Jackson all portrayed their characters very well and respectively.
I think Stephen Spielberg did a great job directing. It has a neat blend of CGI and practical effects to make the dinosaurs believable and some intense action scenes. It also has a very catchy and memorable music score from John Williams.
There is not a single thing about this film that I did not like.
Overall, Jurassic Park is what you would call an "instant classic".
Synopsis:
The secret Krabby Patty formula has been mysteriously stolen, and Spongebob must join forces with his nemesis Plankton to retrieve it.
Review:
This film is very enjoyable film overall.
The story, while it borrows from episodes from the show, is quite well thought out. Basically, it's an adventure movie, a time travel movie, an action movie and a superhero all at once, and the film pulls that off quite well. It has a nice throwback to the older Spongebob episodes from when the show was good. That pirate was quite entertaining and I think that Antonio Banderas did a very good job with that role.
It is also very clever and funny at times. Given that the show has kinda gone downhill since 2005, I was not expecting it to be that funny, but it really surprised me. The jokes here are quite impressive. I don't think I have laughed this much at a Spongebob cartoon since the first Spongebob film "The Spongebob Squarepants Movie".
The film is well animated. It has a neat blend of hand drawn animation, live action, and computer animation.
The film also has a catchy soundtrack, featuring a few musical numbers involving some of the characters, and three songs by N.E.R.D. that appear during the end credits.
This is film is, overall, downright fun. I can't think of a single part where I was bored with it.
There were a couple of problems that I had with the film. One of them is that the plot drags a little bit up until the final act. The other problem I had is that the computer animation on Spongebob and his allies, while decent, was not terribly believable.
Overall, I really enjoyed Sponge Out of Water and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of Spongebob and/or is into animation.
Synopsis:
Juggling upset Russians, British Mi5, international terrorist, and art dealer, Charlie Mortdecai rushes to recover a stolen painting that is said to have a secret code that leads to lost Nazi treasure.
Review:
There is really nothing to say about this film besides that it is pretty much an uninspired piece of crap. Generally speaking, I often enjoy a good British comedy, and there are some movies I enjoy that are poorly reviewed. But this film was just not good at all.
Basically, it seems to completely miss the point in what makes a comedy work. The humor in this movie (if you can even call it that) is juvenile, uninspired, and downright awkward. For instance, there were a lot of moments where I was like "Is that supposed to be funny?". It basically uses gimmicky dialogue and hand motions as an attempt to make people laugh, which just did not work. What this film needs is some "jokes".
It also fails as an action flick because the action scenes are boring and not very exciting.
Also, the storyline is quite pointless and forgettable. I mean I watched this not too long ago and I barely even remember the story besides that it was centered around a painting.
It just goes to show that not even a good cast can save a pile of junk such as this. That is the kind of impression that Mortdecai made on me. I feel sorry for Johnny Depp, Gwyneth Paltrow, Paul Bettany, and Ewan McGregor being involved in this.
Overall, I found Mortdecai to be a pathetic attempt at an action comedy, and I would not recommend it to anyone.
Synopsis:
A time traveler (Ethan Hawke) must travel through time to stop a mysterious criminal who is plotting an attack on New york city and has eluded him throughout time.
Review:
There is not really much to say about this film without giving anything away, so this review will be a bit brief. All that you really need to know is that it's a time travel flick.
The story is intriguing, unique, thought provoking and compelling. It may seem confusing but it makes sense if you pay attention. I am not going to spoil it for those who have not seen the film but it goes a direction that you may not expect.
The film is well acted. I liked Ethan Hawke in this and I think he did a very good job with his role.
I think the Spierig brothers (Michael and Peter) did a very good job directing. It has beautiful cinematography, very believable make-up, and it does not rely so much on CGI effects. It also has some intense moments.
Overall, I thought Predestination was an excellent film and I would highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of science fiction.
Synopsis:
Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan) joins a clique of A-list girls known as "The Plastics", but then makes the mistake of falling for Aaron Samuels (Jonathan Bennet), the ex-boyfriend of "Plastics" leader Regina George (Rachel McAdams).
Review:
Let me stat off by saying that I am not a fan of these type of films and I have been avoiding this movie for longer than I can remember. However,
the other day, I decided to give it a try, and it was actually not a bad film
at all.
For the most part, it's pretty smart and clever and quite
entertaining and has a bit of social satire. While it is not exactly "laugh out loud", it is often a bit funny at times. Also, the dialogue is quite memorable.
I liked the characters. The A-list girls, while often up to no good, are quite likeable. It is also well acted and I think the cast portrayed their roles quite well. I liked Lindsay Lohan in this. Amanda Seyfried, as a first time actress did quite a good job here. Amy Pohler is entertaining and funny as usual.
The one problem that I had with the film is that while the humor is often clever and funny, I felt that it needed a little more work and it could have been funnier.
I am normally not a fan of chick flicks, but I thoroughly enjoyed Mean Girls and I would recommend it to anyone who is a fan of comedies.
Synopsis:
A group of teenagers discover a secret plan to build a time machine, so they decide to construct one. However, things go haywire.
Review:
Let me start off by saying that I had very low hopes for this film. Upon hearing that it was produced by Michael Bay and from Platinum Dunes, I was like "Oh that will just be another failure". I don't think there has eve been a film from Platinum Dunes or Produced by Michael Bay that was good, and I was not surprised when it got mediocre reviews. So I did not expect this film to be very good at all. However, I gave it a chance and I was pleasantly surprised.
The story, while similar to other time travel films, is quite creative and intriguing. We have these teenagers building a time machine and one of them is bent on traveling back to when he was a kid after seeing a home video where he saw his current self in it.
Unlike all the
other Bay-produced films, the characters here are interesting and
likeable. You actually care for David and his friends as they get together and time travel while stuff goes out of control.
I think Dean Israelite, as a first time director, did a petty good job directing. For a found footage film, It is well shot and the cinematography is pretty nice to look at. For a low budget film, the effects are pretty impressive. A lot of cools things happen and it is quite intense.
There is also a pop/rock band cameo appearance which I will not give away for those who have not seen the film.
There were a few problems that I had with the film. One of them is that the camera was too shaky and over the top. The other problem is that it is a bit cliche at times. Also, while it is well acted for the most part, some of the acting felt a bit uneven.
Overall, I enjoyed Project Almanac and I would recommend it to fans of science fiction and/or the "time travel" concept.
If "Primer meets Chronicle" sounds good to you, then you'll
probably enjoy it.
Synopsis:
Loosely inspired by the Disney World park, "Tomorrowland" tells the story of a teenage girl with scientific curiosity, and a once genius inventor, who embark on a mission to discovery the mystery behind a place somewhere in time that exists in their collective memory.
Review:
I went and saw this with an open mind because of the mixed response, and I must say I had a blast.
The story is unique, creative and quite compelling. It is original science fiction which we do not get too often. The film is inspired by the Disney park, but at the same time, it's more of it's own thing.
It is well acted and the characters are quite likeable and believable. Frank Walker is interesting, entertaining and has a sense of humor. Casey is also an interesting character. I think George Clooney and Britt Robertson portrayed their leading roles very well.
The film is also quite funny at times. During this film, I think I may have laughed more than I usually do at the movies, which is saying something.
I think Brad Bird did a very goo job directing. The visuals are stunning and the special effects, while mostly CGI, are impressive. The action scenes are neat and intense. There is not a single moment where I was bored with the film. It also pays a nice homage to the Sci-fi genre.
The one problem I had with this film is that I was expecting a little more of the "Tomorrowland" place and that the story needed a little more work.
Overall, this was a great film and I highly recommend it to fans of science fiction. Plus, I think it totally puts "The Haunted Mansion" (2003) to shame.
In the end, say "Tomorowland" may not fully realize it's potential, but it should be satisfying as a fun and intriguing family sci-fi/adventure comedy romp.
Synopsis:
Loosely inspired by the novel, "The Spook's Apprentice", an evil witch named Malkin (Julianne Moore) has broken free from imprisonment and is wreaking havoc across the land. An old spook and monster hunter named John Gregory (Jeff Bridges) recruits Tom Ward (Ben Barnes), a seventh son of a seventh son, to help him stop the witch.
Review:
Let me start off by saying that have not read the novel nor even heard of it prior to hearing about this. I went into this film expecting a cheesy but fun flick. Generally speaking, I often enjoy a good corny supernatural action flick. But this was quite disappointing.
Before I get to the point, let me go ahead and note that this film was originally distributed by Warner Bros. and was set for a January 17, 2014 release. But at the last minute, after releasing the teaser trailer, Warner Bros. sold the distribution rights to Universal and the release date was postponed to February 6, 2015. That is exactly an entire year plus one month. I have never ever seen that happen before. Apparently, Warner Bros. did not want to have anything to do with the project.
This film has a lot of things going for it, and it looked promising from the trailers, but after watching it, I can now see why Warner Bros. didn't want to feel responsible for it. But before I go into the bad things about the film, I am going to name the good things.
The Good:
I like the film's style, setting and tone. I liked Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore in this. They are what you would call the "strongest parts of the movie". I liked Julianne Moore as the villain. The witches and wizards are cool as well as their creature transformations. It has some intense moments and I really enjoyed the third act. Unfortunately, that is all that I can say about the good.
The Bad:
This film is, for the most part, a snooze fest. I was literally bored out of my mind throughout the first and second act. The characters are wooden, boring and just plain uninteresting. Jeff Bridges did a pretty good job portraying his character but his character is just boring. Bridges usually makes his characters entertaining (The Dude, Flynn, Rooster Cogburn, Starman etc.), but unfortunately, this is not the case. There is not a whole lot of action and nothing exciting happens until the last 30 minutes or so. The film is also uneven. The plot is rushed, the special effects are cheap looking and the opening sequence is downright laughable. The script is very derivative to the point where it felt like I have seen it all before. The final act is basically the only part of the film that I enjoyed.
Overall, Seventh Son, despite it's redeeming qualities, is a pretty poorly made film and I do not recommend it.
Synopsis:
Set in a dystopian future where humanity is broken and there is nothing left except a desert, there are two rebels who just might be able to restore order: Max (Tom Hardy), a man of action, and Furiosa (Charlize Theron), a woman of action who is searching for a way back to her homeland.
Review:
This film is just awesome in every way.
Just to clarify, this is not a direct sequel to the original three "Mad Max" films but rather the start of a new series featuring the "Mad Max" character. So you should not be confused if you haven't seen the older ones.
The storyline, while it's the fourth installment in a series, is quite unique and creative. It is also very well thought out and compelling. I like the characters. Just like in the older films, Max is likeable and a really cool protagonist. Joe is an awesome villain. I like Nux. He is quite an entertaining antihero. Furiosa is also likeable and I actually had feelings for her as well as those other women that Ally Max. I like the chemistry between Max and Furiosa.
I think all the actors and actresses played their roles very respectively. Tom Hardy is surprisingly great as Max. He's not Mel Gibson but he's about as close to another "Mad Max" as you're going to get. I liked Nicholas Hoult as Nux as well as Charlize Theron as Furiosa. I also think that Hugh Keays-Byrne did an awesome job as Joe.
As usual, George Miller did an incredible job diecting. It's visually stunning and the action scenes are stylish and downright intense and really keep you at the edge of your seat. It is action packed but still leaves room for a well constructed storyline. I like the design, costumes and make-up as well as the setting. Also, the film is-what some people would not expect-funny at times.
***Minor Spoiler***
I loved that guitar guy.
There is not a single thing about this film that I did not like.
Overall, I thought Fury Road was an awesome film and it just might be the best film in the "Mad Max" series (besides "The Road Warrior"). I highly recommend this to fans of action flicks. Go see it!
Synopsis:
In this third installment of the "Mad Max" series, Max (Mel Gibson) is back and this time he leads a tribe to rebel against a vengeful queen.
Review:
This film is not as good as the first two but still quite enjoyable.
I like the environment. Just like "The Road Warrior", Beyond Thunderdome expands the Universe and explores places that were not explored in it's predecessors. It has a great first act and intense final act.
I liked the characters. I liked Master and Blaster and Aunt Entity (played by Tina Turner) is a pretty awesome villain.
I think George Miller did a pretty good job directing this film, though not as much as the previous two. I like the sets, the costumes, and the make-up. The action scenes, just like in the first two, are intense. That road action scene towards the end is awesome and probably my favorite part of the whole film.
There are a couple of things that bugged me. One of them is that it's a bit silly at times. The other thing that bugged me is the second act. After the first act, the film kind of slows down and takes a bit of a ridiculous turn.
However, the third act picks it back up and makes up for it.
This film does some stupid things but I enjoyed it for what it is.
In the end, "Beyond Thunderdome" is not quite the best in the Mad Max series and does not have a very good second act, but overall, the film is enjoyable and should be satisfying to fans of dystopic fiction.
Synopsis:
Picking up where "Mad Max" left off, "The Road Warrior" centers around a drifter who helps a small community escape a gang of bandits.
Review:
This is a great sequel and better than the first one.
The story is unique and compelling. It has an expansion of the Universe and explores in areas that the first one left out.
Just like in the first film, George Miller did a great job directing this one. The action scenes are neat and intense. The special effects are impressive for the time. I cannot name a single thing that I did not like about the film.
Overall, this is the best in the series and I highly recommend it.
Synopsis:
In a post-apocalyptic future, Max (Mel Gibson), an Australian policeman, has his world turned upside down by a gang that wreaks havoc and murders his family. Max hits the road and sets out to seek revenge.
Review:
This is a really good film overall.
The story is compelling and unique. It is set in a world of it's own and I like the environment. While it is not as dystopian as the sequels, it is a very good introduction to Mad Max and his world.
I like the characters. The protagonist Max is very likeable and he leaves the audience rooting for him. The gang members are cool looking as well as their vehicles.
I think George Miller did a great job directing. The sets, costumes, make-up and design are all quite impressive for 1979. The action scenes are neat and downright intense.
The one problem that I have with the film is that not a whole lot happens and it sort of left me waiting for the plot to kick in.
Overall, this is a great classic film and I highly recommend it.
Synopsis:
A young warrior named Goku must set out on a quest, racing against time and the vengeful warlord Piccolo, to collect seven dragon balls that will grant unlimited power.
Review:
There is really nothing to say about this film besides that it's utter garbage. I am one who used to watch Dragon Ball Z on Cartoon Network as a child. Ever since then, I have been waiting for a live-action DBZ movie to be made. They did, and I must say they completely butchered it. As a brainless cheese fest, it's okay, but as a Dragonball movie, it's awful. This film has "Dragonball" in the title purely for money.
The story is very poorly constructed and way too fast paced. Even for a film based on a world building franchise, nothing in it makes any sense whatsoever. It's like Piccolo had a servant named "Ozaru" who has been imprisoned for years. Piccolo wants to destroy the word for whatever reason, so he plots to gather seven dragon balls so that he can wish for the world to end. Pretty much the whole movie is just action scenes that go nowhere and Goku and the gang gathering dragon balls for no apparent reason. The action scenes are terrible and pointless. For instance, there is this one scene where Goku is at a party and he gets bullied. He and the bullies get in a fight. Instead of fighting back, Goku just avoid the bullies' attacks causing them to beat each other up. towards the end, we find out that Ozaru was trapped in Goku's body the whole time and unleashes transforming Goku into some monster. I am not making this up.
They pretty much messed up the characters and made them very paper thin. Goku is played by an American, Chi Chi and Bulma are very one-dimensional, and Master Roshi and Piccolo look nothing like their counterparts. Master Roshi is in his mid 40's when he's supposed to be an old man in his 70's or 80's or so. Piccolo looks absolutely horrendous. It's like they used the most generic looking alien design that they can possibly find and call it "Piccolo". One thing that I must give them credit for is that they had the Piccolo character be an actor in make-up as opposed to being a CGI character.
The special effects are very poor and quite laughable. Not to mention that the CGI looks like a Sony PS1 game. Also, when they summon the wish granting dragon, it's too bright to see him.
You want to know what the worst part is? It's only 75 minutes long. 75 minutes is too short to tell a story like this. It could have been 2 and a half hours and had character development and a well constructed plot. This film is rushed beyond belief. What was their hurry? It takes time to make a good movie.
Overall, I found Dragonball Evolution to be an awful film and a disgrace to the franchise and I absolutely hated every insulting moment of the film. Even as a stand alone film, it's awful, because it's poorly written, horribly acted, and not even remotely well directed. I do not recommend it. Even a 1 out of 10 would be far too generous. Someone should "kamehameha" every copy of this film.
Personally speaking, I think this film should be shown in every film school as an example of how not to make a movie, let alone a Dragonball movie.
Synopsis:
Longing for adventure, a young boy runs away from home and sails to an island populated by creatures that claim him as their king.
Review:
This
is a really good film about fantasy escapism.
The film has a very good storyline. While
based on a children's book, it is quite unique, creative, imaginative and symbolic. It's fun, heartfelt, and clever.
The characters are likeable. The protagonist Max seems like a Brat at first, but you have feelings for him and he eventually comes of age when he meets the creatures. The creatures are very entertaining. I like the chemistry between Max and Carol.
Spike Jonze did a great job directing. It is beautifully shot and it has very little CGI in it. The film is actually done in film rather than in green screen with a CGI background. The creatures are people in costumes
while the faces are computer generated.
It also has a very catchy soundtrack by Karen O.
I do not think that it's just a kids movie but rather more of a family film. I think adults will also enjoy it and be inspired.
Overall, this is a great film and if you
haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.
Synopsis:
Manolo, a young man, is torn between following his father's footsteps and following his heart, embarks on a journey through three different lands to face his greatest fears and win the heart of the woman he loves.
Review:
This is a very good animated film overall.
The story is unique and well constructed. It has a dark and gothic tone, and at the same time, it is quite cute and light-hearted. It is structured as a fairy tale and has a pretty neat musical aspect. It is heartfelt, charming, clever and often funny.
I like the environment. It is well thought out and I like that they show you these different lands as the protagonist explores them.
The characters are likeable and well developed. I like the chemistry between Manolo and Maria and Joaquin is an entertaining character. Xibalba, the mariachi band, and Manolo's ancestors, and the candle maker are also entertaining characters.
The animation is very stunning and creative. While it is mainly a computer animated film, it uses various animation techniques such as figurines and hand drawn animation. As the animators used those three animation techniques, I think they pulled it off very well. It is also very colorful.
Overall, this is a very well done and creative animated film and I highly recommend it to anyone who is into animation.
Synopsis:
Two British comic-book geeks name Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) are traveling across the U.S. and encounter and alien life form dubbed "Paul" (Seth Rogen) outside of Area 51. Together, Graeme, Clive and Paul must go on a perilous road trip to find Paul's spaceship so he can fly back to his home planet.
Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed this film for the most part.
The story is quite compelling and quite heartfelt. We have these two buddies who come across a friendly alien. I think they pulled off the friendship aspect quite well.
I like the characters. The two best friends, Graeme and Clive, and Paul the alien are quite likeable and entertaining. I liked the chemistry between the two geeks and Paul. Seth Rogen, while providing the voice, makes Paul believable and the CGI on him is quite well done. I also like the love interest Ruth. I think Kristen Wiig did quite a good job portraying the character.
While it isn't exactly laugh-out-loud hilarious, it is quite clever and often funny at times. It has some clever pop cultural references to science fiction classics. One thing that bugged me is that it could have been a lot funnier.
I think the humor aspect needed a little more work, but overall, I enjoyed this film very much and I highly recommend it to fans of science fiction.
Synopsis:
Former Astronaut in training, Charles Farmer, is force to retire from NASA to take care of his family and family farm. However, Charles is still pursuing his dream of space travel and attempts to build his own rocket, regardless of the government's threat to stop him.
Review:
I thoroughly enjoyed this film.
The story, while not a whole lot happens, is quite compelling and heartfeft. I like the characters. The protagonist, Charles is likeable as well as his family. You have feelings for Charles as he tires to follow his dreams although it gets in the way of taking care of his family. I like the chemistry between Charles and his wife and children.
It is well acted. I think Billy Bob Thorton did a very good job as the titular protagonist. I liked Bruce Willis and J.K. Simmons in this as well. I think Michael Polish did a very good job directing. It's very well shot and beautiful to look at. The opening sequence is very well done.
Also, I am not going to spoil anything, but at that last part, it did not seem like it would end well. However, it ended up having a good ending. I think it was well done the way they did that.
I can't really think of a single thing that I did not like about this film.
While it got decent reviews and ratings, I feel that this film was sadly overlooked and deserves a little more credit and recognition.
Overall, I thought this was a great film and I highly recommend it.
Synopsis:
Mac (Seth Rogen) and Kelly (Rose Byrne) are force to live next door to a fraternity lead by Teddy (Zac Efron) and Pete (Dave Franco). Mac and Kelly do whatever they can to take down the fraternity boys.
Review:
I enjoy a good raunchy comedy and I like Seth Rogen in just about anything he's in. However, I was not impressed here.
The story is utterly ridiculous. Basically, there is this married couple who have a baby daughter and they are having to live next door to this fraternity house during an "end of the year party". It seems like a passable premise for a comedy, but half of the scenes barely go anywhere. For instance, there is this scene where Mac's wife Kelly has this breast disease and Mac has to milk it to make the disease go away. That served not purpose to the plot. Then, the fraternity boys decide to make their own dildos. What did that have to do with anything? Also, that fight scene between Mac and Teddy is stupid. Basically, it's them fighting with dildos and acting like idiots.
This film lacks cleverness. The humor is all unfunny genital jokes that are just downright annoying. Not to mention that cringe worthy pubic hair joke that they threw in.
On a positive note, Zach Efron is surprisingly not bad in it and the airbag scenes are quite clever. Unfortunately, those are the only positives that I found in this over hyped piece of junk.
Overall, I thought this film was lame and uninventive and I do not recommend it.
Synopsis:
In this independent feature film based upon the cult web series, a famous upset gamer who reviews games for a living is requested like crazy to review an old Atari game based on Spielbergs "E.T.", which is considered the "worst video game ever made" and is said to have had all of it's cartridges buried in a landfill at the New Mexico desert. As the Nerd succumbs to the pressure, he must go on a quest to prove that legend is not true. However, the Nerd has garnered attention from the government and is being tracked down.
Review:
This is no different from the web series. The Nerd plays and reviews a bad video game and gets upset to the point that he makes entertainment out of it, only the feature film has more of a plot and an environment.
I like the characters. The Nerd is foul-mouthed and humorous as usual. His two allies, Cooper the wannabe video game dude and Mandi the chick gamer, are pretty entertaining. The antagonist, General Onward, is also entertaining.
For a film based on a web series revolved around a guy reviewing bad video games, the story is quite well thought out and interesting. It is focused on a bad video game and he does a review on it, but that is not all the film is. I think Kevin Finn and James Rolfe did a good job directing. I like the sets and the way some scenes are structured like a video game. The special effects are pretty impressive for it's shoestring budget. I like that it relies more on practical effects and animatronics then over the top CGI. The humor, while not as "laugh out loud" as the show is quite clever and often funny. The final act is excellent. It also has a catchy soundtrack.
There are a couple of things that bugged me. One of them is the humor. While the humor is clever and not necessarily "unfunny", it's not quite as memorable and hilarious as the show. The other thing is that, while the special effects are impressive for the budget, there were times where it looked a bit cheap.
Overall, I really enjoyed this film and I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of video games and/or into film.
In the end I'll say "Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie, while not entirely living up to the show, should be satisfying to devoted fans, movie goers, and gamers alike.
P.S.: I'm not going to spoil anything but you might want to stick around during the end credits.
Synopsis:
Three college friends are encountered by an evil-minded hacker during a road trip. The trio suddenly get abducted by a mysterious force and become victims of the techie's scheme.
Review:
This seems to be one of those films that you either like or dislike or
it just isn't your cup of tea. Personally, I found this film to be quite enjoyable.
There is not really much to say about this film without giving anything away. Basically, it begins as an indie drama, then it becomes an intriguing science fiction thriller, then it becomes an intense sci-fi action flick. It has a similar pace to William Eubank's previous directorial film
"Love" as it starts off a bit slow and then it picks up the pace and has
a great final act.
The story, while similar to some other science fiction thrillers, is quite unique, creative, compelling and thought provoking. The characters are quite likeable and believable. I liked the chemistry between the three college friends Nic, Haley and Jonah.
It has some good acting. I liked Brenton Thwaites in this, which is saying something because he's not that great of actor. Laurence Fishburne basically stole the show. In fact, Fishburne's performance is probably my favorite part of the whole film.
Just like in "Love", I think Eubank did a very good job directing the film. It is very well shot, has neat visuals, and it has impressive special effects for a low budget independent science fiction film. Also, the music score is great.
There are a couple things that bugged me though. One of them is the special effects. The special effects, while impressive for the budget, felt a bit unbelievable in some areas. The other thing that bugged me is the ending. I am not going to spoil the ending for those who haven't seen it, but while it isn't a bad ending, it kinda made me go "huh?" and I think it probably could have concluded better.
Overall, I really enjoyed this film and I highly recommend it to sci-fi fans.
In the end, I'll say "The Signal", while not fully realizing it's potential, is quite an intriguing indie sci-fi action romp that should satisfy sci-fi lovers.
Synopsis:
After losing all contact with Earth, an astronaut named Lee Miller is stranded alone in orbit on an international space station. Lee suddenly discovers something that allows him to travel through space and time.
Review:
Let me start off by saying that I am not exactly sure what to think of this film but I think I really liked it. There is not much to say about it without spoiling anything but it is a
very interesting science fiction film.
The story is unique, thought provoking and quite compelling. The basically deals with isolation and psychological trauma as our protagonist is lost in space and it depicts it quite well. Boring as it may sound, it's actually quite interesting and intriguing.
I think the director William Eubank did a very good job as a first time director. It's very well shot, and has beautiful cinematography. It has very stunning visuals and the special effects are quite impressive for it's budget. I also like the sets and the scenery, and the final act is excellent. It also has a catchy soundtrack/music score from the band Angels and Airwaves, whom I had never heard of prior to coming across this film.
There is one thing that bugged me though. At times, the film is a bit slow moving and at other times, the story was a bit difficult to follow, so I sort of struggled with it. But it may be one of those films where you have to watch it more than once to fully understand and appreciate it.
Overall, I enjoyed this film very much and I highly
recommend it to sci-fi fans.
In the end, I'll say "Love", while slow moving, is a pretty impressive directorial debut for William Eubank and it should be able to satisfy big sci-fi nerds.
Synopsis:
A young warrior boy named Jack must go on a quest to save Princess Lili and the world from the clutches of the evil Prince of Darkness.
Review:
I enjoyed this film very much.
The story is very intriguing and compelling. It is a neat take on fairy tale lore and gives it a dark tone.
I like the characters. Tom Cruise is believable as Jack. Maria Sara is beautiful and perfect as the princess. Jack's allies; Gump the elf, Oona the fairy, and Brown Tom and Screwball the dwarves are all very entertaining characters. Tim Curry steals the show as Darkness. He is terrifying, but at the same time, he is entertaining. In fact, this is one of those films where my favorite character happens to be the villain.
Ridley Scott did a great job with the directing. The cinematography is great and beautiful to look at. I like the sets and the scenery. I like the costumes and the make-up. The special effects, while seemingly dated in today's standards, are quite impressive for 1985. The action scenes are quite intense. Also, he music score is quite catchy. I can't think of a part of the film that I did not like.
The problem is that there are two different versions of the film. There is the theatrical cut and the director's cut. Both versions have different music scores. The music score in the theatrical cut is from Tangerine Dream, while the music score in the director's cut is from Jerry Goldsmith. Both are quite catchy music scores.
The theatrical cut has an opening narrative text that explains a bit too much of the plot and it lacks in character development. Also, it shows too much of the Darkness character. The director's cut has more character development, has the narrative text cut out and keeps Darkness mysterious up until the final act. So, if I had to pick which version I like better, I would say the director's cut. Even so, I recommend both versions of the film.
Overall, I was very impressed with the film and I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the fantasy genre.
In the end, I'll say "Legend", while it may seem dated, is quite an impressive dark fairy tale adventure that should be satisfying to fantasy lovers.
Max Scale:
8/10-Theatrical Cut
10/10-Director's Cut
Synopsis:
When the head of a corporation threatens New York City, a group of mutated turtle warriors, trained in the arts of ninjutsu, must rise from the shadows and fight to protect their home.
Review:
Let me start off by saying that I did not have terribly high hopes for this film. I do not consider myself a hardcore Ninja Turtles fanatic. But I enjoyed watching the old TMNT cartoon series as a child, so I went into this one open minded. I must say that this film is pretty terrible. As a mindless popcorn flick, it's okay, but as a Ninja Turtle movie, it's disgraceful. This film is titled "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" purely for money.
It has a promising first ten minutes, and then it quickly turns into a carbon copy of Michael Bay's "Transformers". For instance, it includes non-human CGI characters fighting each other and constantly blowing stuff up for the remainder of the film, and the human characters are one-dimensional. I even features Megan Fox as the same character (sort of).
They pretty much ruined the characters. In the cartoon, April O'Neal is believeable, but here, she's a cardboard cutout. Splinter is okay in it, but they pretty much completely messed up the Turtles and shredder. I know that they are supposed to be mutants, but could they not have at least made the turtles more turtle-like? But hey, at least they had the decency to give them turtle shells so I guess that's excusable. Shreddar looks like and uninspired mishmash of Wolverine (yes, THAT wolverine) and Megatron in the sense that it's almost a blatant copy of the two.
***SPOILER AHEAD***
The storyline is idiotic and the script is juvenile. It's as if a 5-year old kid wrote this film. Almost none of the action scenes went anywhere. To punish the turtles for being disobedient, Splinter decides to use pizza (their favorite food) as a torture device. Also, what was that "Sacks" guy doing there in the first place. Do you want to know what the worst part is? They completely changed the back story. In the cartoon, Splinter was once a human being named Yoshi, who was an expert at Kung Fu, but was later exiled and turned into a rat, and came across four turtles that got into some ooze that made them anthropomorphic. In this film, the turtles were once April's pets and were being tested at a lab. Splinter was an ordinary rat who was in the same lab. Splinter and the turtles got injected by some chemical as they were escaping the lab. That's just stupid and downright insulting. I am not making this up.
Also, the humor is just a bunch of bland pop cultural references.
It tries desperately to cope with the likes of Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy, and it fails on every level.
One positive thing is that it's a nice looking film. It has great cinematography and a neat animated opening sequence. But that's about it.
Overall, I found this to be a disgrace to the Ninja Turtle franchise and I do not recommend it. I have not been this upset with a live action film based on a cartoon since Dragonball Evolution. In fact, I put it in the same category.
If you have any appreciation for Ninja Turtles whatsoever, do yourself a favor and do not support this film.
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