Prometheus

Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Logan Marshall-Green,  Guy Pearce, Idris Elba and Charlize Theron

Directed by Ridley Scott

Release Date(s)

Belgium, France & Switzerland....May 30, 2012

United Kingdom.......................... June 1st, 2012

United States................................. June 8th, 2012

Fleshing out the Alien universe, Ridley Scott returns to tell a new story with another group sent by the Weyland Corportation.

THERE WILL BE SPOILERS  FROM HERE ON. 


In 2089, archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Marshall-Green) have discovered that mankind is not alone.

4 Years later, they are on the ship Prometheus to track the star map that Shaw and Holloway connected through several unrelated cultures. The pair are aided by android David (Fassbender), Weyland Corporation Employee Meredith Vickers (Theron) and Captain Janek (Elba). What they hope to find is answer to life: where did we came from? If there is life on other planets. Soon, they discover LV-223, the moon where their map points to. The intrepid scientists may be in for more than they bargain for..........

A lot of people will debate whether this is a spin-off or prequel to Alien. Some will claim that it is a prequel due to taking place before the events of the "Nostromo" landing on LV-426 while others will claim it a spin-off due to the loose connection to the events of the first film. In my opinion, this is a prequel. My reasons are that A) it ties into where the "Space Jockey" from Alien came from B) it features the Weyland Corporation, a staple of the franchise and C)....... I won't spoil.  Take it or leave it, but I view Prometheus as a prequel to Alien.


As for the film itself, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Ridley Scott is a marvelous visual director and brings his attentive eye for detail so that the wide pan shots of LV-223 are alien, haunting and yet gorgeous, and the intricate details of the ship are in full view. In terms of the story, the film does a great job not only tying into the Alien series but also raises a lot of interesting questions about the creation of life, the fulfillment of purpose, the parent/child dynamic, and the power/purpose of faith. However, that doesn't mean the crew spend all their time bogged down in philosophy; the film has a lot of haunting moments and tons of gory images and  creepy scenery (the alien craft has splashes of art work created by original designer H.R. Geiger).

The cast does a great job, particularly Rapace, Elba, and Fassbender. Rapace does a stellar job as Elizabeth Shaw, a scientist who is determined to find the "engineer" and discover why humans were created. I liked Rapace as she gave Shaw an every-woman vibe that made her a proxy for the audience. Idris Elba played Captain Janek, the easygoing captain of Prometheus. In terms of who you will remember most, I have to give my recommendation to Michael Fassbender as David. David is such a unique and energetic character; one minute, he appears like a child learning from his elders while a little later he has a cold and detached look that gives you chills.

Final Thoughts: Prometheus won't please everyone. But for me, this is one of my favorite movies of 2012. Full Recommendation for Ridley Scott and Alien fans.

Rating: 5 out of 5 

Limitless

Starring Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro

Based on The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn

Directed by  Neil Burger

Release Date: March 18th, 2011

Eddie Morra is not living up to his full potential. Currently, he's a writer with Writer's Block, his girlfriend just dumped him, and he's going to be evicted out of his apartment soon. What should happen next is that he runs into his ex-wife's brother Vernon, a drug dealer with the opportunity of a lifetime.  Vernon offers him the drug NZT, a chemical that unlocks his brain to "100 %" usage. Soon, Eddie's using brainpower like never before, sweet talking his landlord's wife, breezing past his novel, and mastering several languages in no time at all. However, his new found skills also come with blackouts, and those land him in a world of trouble.......

This needs to be said; In the film, the "100%" they talk about, it's an urban legend. The film claims that NZT "stimulates receptors" and makes the brain work faster (Just wanted to get that out of the way).

A lot of people remarked that this is a "roller coaster of action" and "Bradley Cooper gives a command performance", then "De Niro's back in form". Well, some of these things happened, and some did not. Yes, while agree that Bradley Cooper does a great job in the film, De Niro......is good, at best. While many remember De Niro from Raging Bull or Taxi Driver, he's been slumming it far too long with the Meet the ..... films. So no, I wouldn't praise De Niro for going back to giving an effort in a performance.

Also, I never felt that the film truly takes off to a full effort. Too often, it just feels like wish fulfillment: be the smartest guy,  be a millionaire, etc. Honestly, the best parts of the film are when Eddie has to use his new abilities to outwit opponents.

Final Thoughts: Limitless is a decent thriller. If the trailer interests you, I'd give it a rent.

Rating: 3 out of 5 

THE AVENGERS

The Avengers

Release Date: May 4, 2012 (US)

Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Clark Gregg, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury

Co-Written and Directed by Joss Whedon

This was a huge gamble. In 2008, Marvel Comics created their own in-house movie studio so that they could have different characters show up in another’s movie, such as Tony Stark appearing in The Incredible Hulk or Hawkeye making a cameo in Thor. What was the purpose of these appearances? To eventually get to a team-based movie, where Iron Man, Captain America, The Hulk, Thor: God of Thunder, Clint “Hawkeye” Barton, and Natasha “Black Widow” Romanov come together to form THE AVENGERS.

If you’re wondering, I will review the other Marvel Studios films next; but in the mean-time, let’s talk about The Avengers.

When I first saw the post-credits scene in Iron Man where Nick Fury (Jackson) mentions the “Avengers Initiative”, I was both excited and nervous.   I was excited because as a comic fan, I knew that it would be a huge action movie with several of my favorite characters that may happen one day. I was nervous because having a team-based movie doesn’t always mean each character will get “their moment of glory”: then came Joss Whedon.

For those who aren’t familiar with Joss Whedon, he is the creator of the hit cult TV shows Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse. He is also responsible for directing Serenity and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog. Whedon is also a comic book writer who has written Astonishing X-Men, Runaways, Buffy: Season 8, and Serenity. Whedon is well known for his snappy dialogue, quirky humor, and great use of both action and comedy to form great stories. For example, many of his shows revolve around multiple characters who all have a unique voice and do not overshadow one another.  In short, he was the right man to write and direct a movie where several big name comic characters come together for one team.

The Cast: Returning from their own individual movies, we have Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark/Iron Man, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor Odiinson, and Tom Hiddleston as the villainous Loki. There were also several supporting characters who showed up in those films, now seen as SHIELD agents willing to back up our heroes: Jeremy Renner as Clint “Hawkeye” Barton, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha “Black Widow” Romanov, Clark Gregg as Agent Phil Coulson, and Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Head of Shield. Finally, we have a cast change: Dr. Bruce Banner, who was first played by Edward Norton in 2008’s The Incredible Hulk, is now played by Mark Ruffalo.  So, what do I think of their portrayals as seen in The Avengers?

Not only did Whedon know how to balance each character, but made sure that every character was developed and worked well as a team. I also think that Whedon knew how to use his trademark snarky humor in small doses, such as when Iron Man calls Thor “Point Break” or when Bruce Banner dryly jokes how badly an idea it is to put him in an enclosed area in the sky. The cast works great together, particularly Downey and Ruffalo; the two of them bounce well off each other and have a lot of good jokes about Banners’ “other guy”. So yes, I like Mark Ruffalo's portrayal as Bruce Banner; it fits well in this movie, and does have a really sweet development in his relationship with the Hulk. Then, Hiddleston is slimy and cruel as Loki, making him into a better villain than  he was in Thor.

A lot of people will say ‘oh, this was my favorite scene’, but I won’t do that in fear of spoilers. I will say, however, that this film is MADE of great moments, such as epic fight scenes and character developing moments, and exposition from previous films that never feels forced or clunky.  The fights in this movie are glorious; Whedon knows how to make these characters look like Titans battling to the death, making each and fight look momentous, even before the final battle in New York.

The only thing I didn’t like: Captain America’s new battle outfit.  If you didn’t see Captain America: The First Avenger, go watch that and look and how amazing Cap’s wartime outfit looks. In that movie, the red-and-blues look like combat fatigues fit for a soldier on the battlefield.  In The Avengers, it looks too thin, too cheesy looking. If you wanted a more “comic accurate” Captain America costume, I suppose you get what you wanted. But for me, I was hoping for the WWII costume to return.

When I walked out of the movie, I truly believed this was one of the best blockbuster movies I’ve seen in the last 5 years. Simply amazing.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Stars 



AVENGERS Movies:
Iron Man
The Incredible Hulk
Iron Man 2
Thor
Captain America: The First Avenger

The Hunger Games (The Film)

Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Woody Harrelson, Wes Bentley, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Lenny Kravitz, and Donald Sutherland


Based on the novel by Suzanne Collins


Directed by Gary Ross


Release Date: March 23, 2012


America is gone; now a new nation known as Panem is divided into 12 districts and a Capitol that controls them. Each year, the Capitol requires that each District have a lottery to send off one boy and girl to compete to the death in a competition known as THE HUNGER GAMES. In District 12, Katniss Everdeen has volunteered to take her sister's place in the games. May the odds be ever in her favor.......


Adapted from the popular novel of the same name by Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games is both praised by fans and seen as plagiarizing other authors, such as Stephen King and

Koushun Takami (author of Battle Royale). I, howver, only see a great dystopian story with similar themes and concepts. When I read the novel, I was fascinated with a world built upon send children not only to fight one another, but "dance" for the amusement of the rich and powerful of the Capitol. So, with a novel that is both popular with both children and adults, a big budget adaptation was inevitable. 

Before I continue reviewing the film, please be aware I will be comparing it to the novel and THERE MAY BE SPOILERS. 

Since the movie is PG-13 in America, the violence seen during The Games was toned down or done off-screen, only to show the horror of what was happening by Katniss's reaction. Sure, The Hunger Games movie won't be as visually bloody as Battle Royale, but it's not really meant to be. The violence is only used to showcase the brutality and shock of children fighting to the death, and I believe the screenwriters and director did a successful job of getting their action without overly disgusting the audience.  A

As the novel was originally written in a first person narrative with Katniss relaying the story from her POV and her thoughts, the film obviously had to adapt so that Katniss is more of an active character. The movie eliminates some small moments and one-or two characters, but the overall plot remains in tact, In fact, one of my favorite additions is using the Game Room to showcase what Seneca Crane (played by Wes Bentley) and the Gamemaker's do to record the games and influence the action to challenge the Tributes, but to entertain the audiences of Panem. In a way, it reminded me of the Moon Room of The Truman Show, another great movie about "reality television". 

There are only two minor problems I had with the movie. The first is the casting of Donald Sutherland as President Snow; in a word, he's not terrifying. In the novels, Snow is meant to be seen as a dictator, someone who is bright and happy in front of the world, but deadly and threatening to his enemies. However, Sutherland just can't showcase Snow as nothing more as a minor nuisance. His character made me chuckle more than fear for Katniss's life. The second are the terror dogs. They're CGI, and not particularly good computer graphics. 

For Hunger Games fans, you'll love this movie. Everyone else, this is a great commentary on reality television, the deception and control of media, and a great science-fiction film.

Rating:* * * * of 5 stars

Chronicle

Starring Dane DeHaan,  Alex Russell, Michael Kelly, and Michael B. Jordan

Directed by Josh Trank

Release Date: February 3rd, 2012

Andrew (DeHaan) is an introverted high school senior with an alcoholic dad, a mom sick with cancer, and only his cousin Matt (Russell) to be his friend. Soon, Andrew brings his new camera to a party, to document his life if only to have something to do. His decision makes him part of a discovery team: Matt and popular quarterback and student body president Steve (Jordan) have found something in a cavernous pit, and need Andrew to document their find. Whatever it may be, Andrew and his friends will be changed forever, for better or worse.....

In 1998, the found footage sub-genre took off with the release of The Blair Witch Project, setting a string of similar projects and imitators, relying more and more heavily on deceiving the audience. Here, there are no delusions that this movie was "found": it has a credit sequence at the end, production company logos at the start, and the actors are listed by name. Chronicle uses not only the POV from Andrew's camera, but C.C. TV video, footage from security cameras, the camera of another character, and Smart-Phone video.

The performances from the three leads, DeHaan, Russell, and Jordan, are dynamic and play well off each other. Since we are following DeHaan's Andrew in the beginning, we get to know him the best. Andrew is a very lonely person; his dad demeans him, he's picked on at school, and rarely stands up for himself. The filmmakers do a good job of making Andrew into a dynamic character, who becomes more open with his new friends and decides to make some improvements in his life. Russell and Jordan are good side characters, as Matt and Steve, respectively. Jordan's Steve is the party animal who likes to have fun and Matt is the intellectual who wants to do the right thing with an interest in philosophy.

The one downside? The C.G.I can be a little low grade at times. When the boys discover new found abilities, they showoff such strengths as moving Legos and baseballs to eventually learning how to push cars and fly with their minds. Since this is a minor budget, the graphics are not as well-polished as big blockbusters, but they do the job.

This may be one of my favorite films of 2012.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 

Minority Report

Starring Tom Cruise, Colin Ferrell, Samantha Morton, Tim Blake Nelson, and Max von Sydow

Directed by Stephen Spielberg

Release Date: June 21st, 2002

In a world where psychic humans known as "Precogs" can determine the events of a murder before they occur, how can Tom Anderton be guilty of killing a man he doesn't know?

Adapted from a short story by Philip K. Dick, Director Stephen Spielberg crafts a world based on the belief of fate and predetermination rather than free will. The entire world seems to have given into a system of structure and order just to make the world a safer place.  Everything is done by machines: all transportation is achieved through cars that can move up buildings, doors are opened by eye scanners, and the "Precogs" keep Washington DC free of murder.

However, the film does have a few plot holes regarding technology and there were a few too many product placements (good to know Tom Cruise shops at the GAP, I guess). But, the film has a great balance of suspense, sorrow, action, and drama. If you're a fan of Dick or Spielberg, you'll enjoy Minority Report.

Click Here to buy Minority Report (Widescreen Two-Disc Special Edition) Minority Report [Blu-ray] The Minority Report and Other Classic Stories

Rating; * * * * of 5 

Splice

Starring Adrien Brody, Sarah Polley, and Delphine Chaneac

Directed by

Release Date: June 4th, 2010


A twisted science fiction story, but a tad too slow at parts with a finale that was...icky.

Director Vincenzo Natali most certainly knows how to make a tense, psychologically driven thriller. Splice is a crazy tale of science gone wrong, where two scientists (Brody and Polley) decide to play God by mixing the DNA of humans and several animals to create a creature that could modernize modern medicine. The movie most certainly builds the tension not only of the evolution of the creature known as "Dren" but also of the crumbling relationship between Clive and Elsa.

However, the one complaint I have against the movie is that the third act has a few moments that don't feel like authentic actions from the characters.

Rating: * * * 1/2 of 5 

Click here to buy: Splice Splice [Blu-ray]

Also, check out these other films: Blade Runner - The Final Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition), The Fly (Two-Disc Collector's Edition), Children of Men (Widescreen Edition), Videodrome: The Criterion Collection [Blu-ray]

Legion

Starring Paul Bettany, Charles S. Dutton, and Lucas Black

Directed by Scott Stewart

Release Date: January 22nd, 2010



Terminator. Terminator Terminator. Terminator. Rip-Off.  Oh man, this was a boring movie. The CGI sucks, the pacing of the movie is bad, and the characters are barely two-dimensional.  Plus, why angels? It's just silly when you discover that this movie is just a zombie movie with quasi-religious overtones.

If you want a better movie with the same premise, watch THE TERMINATOR...or Ghostbusters II.

Rating: * 1/2 of 5

Super 8

Starring Kyle Chandler,  Elle Fanning, and Noah Emmerich

Directed by J.J. Abrams

Release Date: June 10th, 2011


An entertaining collaboration between J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg. Super 8 definitely feels like a similar movie Spielberg had made during the 1970s, such as "Duel" or "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". The movie certainly makes great use of the child actors, making the conversations feel authentic and the character development that much more important in relation to the plot. Although the movie does have Abrams overuse of lens flare, Super 8 is certainly a suspenseful and entertaining movie about learning to accept the difficulties of loss and appreciating what you have now.


Rating: * * * * * of  5 


Click here to buy previous works by both Steven Spielberg and J.J. Abrams: 

Duel (Collector's Edition), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition) [Blu-ray], E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (Widescreen Edition), Jaws (30th Anniversary Edition) Star Trek (Three-Disc Edition) [Blu-ray] Star Trek (Single-Disc Edition) Lost: The Complete Collection

Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest

Starring the voice talents of David Tennant, Freema Agyeman, and Anthony Head

Directed by Gary Russell

Release Date: June 30th, 2007

A fun, short adventure with the 10th Doctor (Tennant) and Martha Jones (Agyeman). I liked how by having an animated adventure, it allowed the creators to do more crazy locations and creatures for Doctor Who, such as the robotic parrot Squak, or having an Ice planet with a gigantic prison underneath the surface. The only real complaint is that for an animated adventure, I wished there had been a tad more action scenes. The writing for The Infinite Quest is up to standard with Doctor Who standards, but at times I wished there had been a thrilling chase in hte Ice prison or a sword battle with the Oil Pirates.

Rating: * * * * of 5

Click here to buy Doctor Who: The Infinite Quest

Comic Relief: Doctor Who and the Curse of Fatal Death

Starring Rowan Atkinson, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Richard E. Grant, Jonathan Pryce, Julia Sawahal and Joanna Lumley

Written by Stephen Moffet

Directed by John Henderson

Release Date: March 12th, 1999

Not exactly cannon beteen the events between the 8th Doctor and the 9th, but it's a fun little homage/spoof to the orginal 1963-1989 series of Doctor Who. Plus, there are a couple of interesting bits such as actors once considered to play THE DOCTOR, such as Atkinson or Grant, getting to play him in this Comic Relief video. If you're a big Doctor Who fan, you'll love The Curse of Fatal Death.

Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5 (for Whovian fans)

Click Here to buy Doctor Who - The Curse of Fatal Death [VHS]

Paul

Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Kristen Wiig, Jason Bateman, Bill Hader, Joe Lo Truglio, and the voice of Seth Rogen as Paul

Directed by Greg Mottola

Release Dates:

14 February 2011 (2011-02-14) (United Kingdom)


18 March 2011 (2011-03-18) (United States)
 
A love letter to Science Fiction, comic books, and Steven Spielberg movies. Paul is a gleefully hilarious movie starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost as the Graeme and Clive, two British geeks traveling across Amcerica at all the Alien landmarks, hoping to come across the real thing. Soon, a little green man named Paul (voiced by Seth Rogen) has stumbled in front of their RV asking for their help to return home. Soon, the trio are followed by Special Agent Zoil (Bateman) and two inept cops (Hader and Lo Truglio).


Co-Screenwriters Pegg and Frost are without, for the first time, without frequent collaborator Edgar Wright. While Wright was off writing and directing Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World, Pegg and Frost co-wrote and starred in Paul. As with Shaun of the Dead, Spaced, and Hot Fuzz, Pegg and Frost continue to showcase their wonderfully complex and hilarious "bromance" between the characters they play. It is unfortunate, then, that the rest of the human characters are not as fully developed as Graeme and Clive. I had just wished that Ruth hadn't been such an obvious caricature of anti-evolutionists or that the antigonists our bumbling heroes come across were less two-dimensional. However, Paul the alien is a wonderfully humorous, if somewhat lewd, character makes the film a joy to watch. Also, I have to give it up to Seth Rogen for making Paul into a funny, even somber character that makes you relate to his dilemma.

Rating: * * * * of 5

Click here to buy
Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (Special Edition)

Alien Anthology [Blu-ray]

Predator (Ultimate Hunter Edition) [Blu-ray]

Close Encounters of the Third Kind (30th Anniversary Ultimate Edition)

Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Episodes I-VI) [Blu-ray]

Battle: Los Angeles

Starring Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez

Directed by Johnathan Liebesman

Release Date: March 11th, 2011

Plot: Aliens arrive via asteroid (don't ask) and begin by attacking major cities to colonize the world. Therefore, it's up to a group of US Marines to take back the city of Los Angeles.

Many of the reviews I have read deried Battle:LA for being a poorer retread of Black Hawk Down with Aliens, or that the film didn't need to be about aliens invading at all. I don't fully agree with the first critique (it's been years since I've seen Black Hawk Down), and the other observation as if they were an invading country it would be quite odd to see an Earth-based country come up with the high-tech weapons and ships as seen in Battle: LA. I will say, that the design of the aliens is somewhat disappointing. I think back to classic Invading aliens, such as the species from Independence Day or the prawns from District 9; the aliens in Battle: LA aren't shown on camera in any detail and for what we do see, they don't leave much of an imprint. All that said, the action in the film is great and the detail to attention to make the Marine squad authentic was great, according to a friend in the armed forces.

Not a perfect Alien Invasion war movie, but an enjoyable one.

Rating: * * * 1/2 of 5

Surrogates

Starring Bruce Willis, James Cromwell, and Ving Rhames

Directed by Johnathan Mostow

Release Date: September 25th, 2009

The action is decent, but the plot moves way too fast for a 90 minute movie. Surrogates brings up alot of interesting questions, particularly about our obsessions with technology and hiding behind our avatars or pseudoanonymity, but it just doesn't delivers like I hoped. Still, I will look for the original graphic novel if I see it and give it a comparison.

Rating: * * * of 5

Click here to buy

Surrogates

Surrogates [Blu-ray]

The Surrogates (Surrogates (Graphic Novels))

The Adjustment Bureau

Starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, John Slattery, and Terrence Stamp

Directed by George Nolfi

Release Date: March 4th, 2011

David Norris (Damon) is a New York Congressman who is about to lose the bid for US Senate. However, his whole night changes the night he met Elise, a free spirited ballerina whose involvement in his life changes his political future. The only problem is, they were never expected to see each other ever again, thanks to the care of THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU. Soon, David is being followed by shadowy men in fedoras who slip in and out of nowhere...


Adapted from a short story by Phillip K. Dick, The Adjustment Bureau brings up the dilemma of free will versus fate, the illusion of chioce that so many people fear in today's climate. The film does a great job of making the Bureau into an ambiguous, nearly omnipotent organization that is merely doing their job, not a villanous cabal out of a comic book. One Bureau member freely admits that they are less angels and more an organziation of case workers. In addition, I enjoyed how this was more light-hearted science-fiction thriller than any other of Dick's movies, such as Total Recall or Paycheck. The Adjustment Bureau is a Sci-fi movie with a great romantic development that will be a good date movie for people that are squemish around seeing a "science-fiction" film. Finally, the film's cast is stupendous, from Damon and Blunt's striking chemistry to the smarmy charm of John Slattery as Richardson.

Rating: * * * * of 5

Click here to buy Adjustment Team

Groundhog Day

Starring Bill Murray, Andie MacDowell, Chris Elliot, Brian Doyle-Murray, and Harold Ramis

Directed by Harold Ramis

Release Date: February 12th, 1993

Grumpy Weatherman Phil Connors (Murray) is stuck in Puxatawney, Pennsylvania. Strangely, he feels like he's repeating the same day over and over again. When there's no tomorrow, what would you do?

I'm a big Bill Murray fan, with "Groundhog Day" being one of his best films. The film definitely has fun with the concept of the time loop, the experience of re-living the same day. For example, Phil casually clocks the day-by-day conversations of two people so well that he can walk past the two of them and rob an armored car. Murray is most certainly having fun with the role, playing up the zany behavior of his circumstances.

Rating: * * * * * of 5

Click Here to buy Groundhog Day (Special 15th Anniversary Edition) Groundhog Day (15th Anniversary Special Edition) [Blu-ray]

Children of Men

Starring Clive Owen, Julianne Moore, and Michael Caine

Directed by Alfonso Curón

Release Date: January 5th, 2007
More Questions than answers in a world without children. Directed by Alfonso Cuaron, our story takes place in 2027, as London is one of the the last "civilized" cities left after the world is on the brink of disaster. People try to go on with their lives as Terrorism sweeps the land, there haven't been any births in 18 years and people known as "fugees" are treated as third-class citizens literally trapped in cages. Now, my problem lies with the motivation of getting the pregnant Kee into the hands of the Human Project. Why can't the government do anything? Was the infertility the government's fault? Anyways, by now you should know that this is a very dark world, no happiness here folks. In fact, there's a passing mention of how the government sells pills to create chemical happiness in the brain. As the story moves on, we realize just how deep the cut goes when the world has no children left; people see a miracle as an opportunity to push a political movement and will destroy and kill innocent people just to get their way. The direction is great, as the world we are presented is dark and filthy, as if procreation influenced the world as it is now decaying into ruins. A great dystopian story with great direction, a stellar cast and incredible cinematography.

Rating: * * * * of 5

Click Here to buy Children of Men (Widescreen Edition)

Click Here to buy Children of Men [Blu-ray]

Click Here to buy The Children of Men

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time

Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Alfred Molina, Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, Steve Toussaint, Toby Kebbell , Richard Coyle, and Ronald Pickup
Directed by Mike Newell

Release Date: May 28, 2010

Based on the popular video game series, producer Jerry Bruckheimer brings the Prince of Persia to the big screen starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Alfred Molina, and Ben Kingsley.

Many years ago, King Sharaman (Pickup) discovered a young street urchin named Dastan whom he saw much potential and courage in; so much so that the King adopted the young man into his family and made him a brother to princes Tus and Garsiv. Fifteen years later, all three princes have grown and now Dastan (Gyllenhaal), has become well known as a warrior and layabout. The three princes attack the holy city of Alamut, from the word of their uncle (Kingsley)'s spy that weapons are being made for enemies of Persia. Soon, a myserious object falls into Dastan's hands and the princess (Arterton) is tagging along to make sure that Armaggeddon does not befall mankind due to the Sands of Time...

Obviously, the advertisements for the film were aimed at fans of Bruckheimer's last Disney epic, Pirates of the Carribean, and with good reason. The "Pirates" movies were able to adapt a simple premise into a big-budget adventure film with a lot of entertaining action and fun for kids and adults. Prince of Persia is very similar, as the film is able to adapt the popular video game to please fans and be able to tell an entertaining story with plenty of scenes with swash-buckling swordplay and parkour jumping on rooftops. The cast is definitely having fun with the material, particularly Gyllenhaal and Molina. Kingsley is a tad too stoic at times as Uncle Nizam, but still does a commendable job in his part.

Prince of Persia: Sands of Time is a fun adventure for fans of the video game and adventure movie fans.
 
Rating: * * * * of 5

Click here to buy
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time [Blu-ray]

The Happening

Directed by M. Night Shyamalan

Starring Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschannel, John Leguizamo, and Alan Ruck

Release Date: June 11, 2008

I have heard that this is one of the greatest unintentional comedies made in the last decade, the discussion of hot dogs never made more glorious: I didn't see that movie. I found The Happening to be one of the slowest, dumbest movies I've had the misfortune of seeing; it's not scary (AT ALL), all the ridiculous dialogue just irritated me rather than make me laugh. Seriously, where was all the cheeziness I was promised? M. Night Shymalan has certainly fallen from grace long after his successes with such thrillers as The Sixth Sense and Signs. Now, he's known for the catastrophes known as Lady in the Water and The Last Airbender.


Where is his place in life? Maybe it's time M. Night reevaluate his career and maybe let someone else write the script while he directs his next film. That's the one saving grace of the film, it's visual style. Even with the ridiculousness of our main characters fleeing from wind and trees (oh god is that just too stupid to take seriously), the concept seemed solid and the images on screen look great, it's the delivery of the story where The Happening falls apart. This movie is ridiculous, with stilted dialogue, horrendous SCIENCE! explanations, and the crown jewel of this film, Mark Wahlberg's horrendous, stilted performance . It's no wonder he's been bashing this movie long after it's release. M. Night is no Hitchcock, and he's also not the next Ed D. Wood Jr.

All in all, this movie is horrible and I wasn't scared, laughing, or entertained; I was bored.

Rating: 1/2 of 5
(Let me know what you guys think about the movie in the comments)

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Tron

Starring: Jeff Bridges,Bruce Boxleitner,David Warner,Cindy Morgan,Barnard Hughes,Dan Shor,Peter Jurasik,Jackson Bostwick , Tony Brubaker,Loyd Catlett,Craig Chudy ,Erik Cord,Vince Deadrick Jr.,Michael Dudikoff,Bob Neill,Sam Schatz,Tony Stephano,Jack Manning,Ted White ,Gerald Berns,Mark Stewart,Charlie Picerni, and Dave Cass

Directed by: Steven Lisberger

Release Date: Jul 09, 1982

Within the depths of cyberspace, a malifulous computer program called "Master Control" has been stealing multitudes of computer programs to horde power from. The program is growing out of control, and the only way to stop it is to journey from the real world into the virutal world. Hacker/Gamer/Former Programmer Kevin Flynn may be the only person to end the dangerous software.

Tron is viewed as one of the hallmarks of science fiction in the last 30 years, influencing many other works of fiction and becoming a staple of pop culture history (seen in such works as "Chuck" or "South Park"). Unfortunately, the film was seen as a financial failure during its initial theatrical run. Now, it has become a cult phenomenon that has continued on in the form of video games, toys, and a sequel "Tron:Legacy" premiering Dec. 17, 2010. Nearly 30 years later, the film is still an entertaining adventure with interesting visuals, rich concepts, and dry humor that is superbly delivered by Jeff Bridges. I enjoyed the fact that the movie explores such complex subjects like religion, persecution, and belief where the characters are mostly bits of data personified as actual people from the real world. Sure, the special effects are more dated and simple than from a film made in 2010, but I liked the simplicity of The Grid, as if the reason the world is so block and generic is because Master Control absorbed more and more of The Grid into itself.

A great 1980s action adventure science fiction fantasy with an hero made of data and numbers.

Rating: * * * * 1/2 of 5