Thor: The Dark World (2013) - Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Anthony Hopkins, Christopher Eccleston, Kat Dennings, Stellen Skarsgard, Jaime Alexander, Zachary Levi, Ray Stevenson, Idris Elba, Rene Russo, Tadanobu Asano, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. Written by Christopher Yost, Christopher Markus, and Stephen McFeely. Story by Don Payne and Robert Rodat. Directed by Alan Taylor. Rated PG-13. Now in Theaters.
I believe that one day that Marvel will get so big and have told so many stories that Marvel films will be completely terrible and ridiculous. But they haven't reached that point yet (though the mid-credits sequence seems like it might be heading that way). Thor: The Dark World is a great Marvel movie and a great superhero movie.
It has a lot more ambition than the first Thor film and it is a bit more compelling. The visual and directing style seem to be much better and closer to uniform with the other Marvel films. The characters are better defined, especially Loki, who continues to be one of the most, if not the most, interesting Marvel characters. Forcing him and Thor to work together in this film is a great direction for this film to take and their scenes together are some of the best in the film.
This film also continues Marvel's style of not taking itself too seriously and offering some great comedic relief. The action is pretty amazing and the acting is not bad at all. But that's to be expected with this great of cast. It's pretty interesting to see how many serious actors are choosing to go for superhero films now that they have been proven to be a viable genre of film. (Examples include Anthony Hopkins in this film and Robert Redford in the upcoming Captain America film.)
It has its problems, of course. Sometimes the logic doesn't make sense. Sometimes things in film feel contrived. But none of that really matters. It's a superhero movie and is just meant to be fun.
I would rank this movie as better than the first Thor and high up in the list of best Marvel movies. I recommend it. But I am a sucker for superhero movies after all.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Carrie (2013) - Review
Carrie (2013) - Starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Gabriella Wilde, Ansel Elgort, Portia Doubleday, Alex Russell, Judy Greer. Written by Lawrence D. Cohen and Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa. Based on the novel by Stephen King. Directed by Kimberly Pierce. Rated R. Now in Theaters.
Remakes are always a tricky business. On one end, it's smart, because it's a title, brand, and story that audiences already know, but on the other hand, it will be unfairly compared to the original. People hold fondness for things in the past, which sometimes affects their perceptions of the remake. And I feel like this is the case for Carrie. I've seen lots of reviews, some of them negative, and they all compare it to the original that was directed by Brian De Palma and released in the seventies. But this is a different film and should be viewed as such.
First of all, this incarnation of Carrie is a lot more similar to the original novel by Stephen King. It includes several plot lines that weren't present in the De Palma version, and it plays a lot less of a horror film than the first film. That is similar to the book. Carrie seems more like a misunderstood, unstable superhero than a demonic entity. This version also finds a better balance with the bullying by fellow students and the crazy, religious mother aspects of the story.
This film is good, just don't make the mistake of thinking that you are going to be scared during this film. Creeped out, maybe. Disturbed, maybe. But it's not a horror film in the traditional thinking of the term. I recommend this film, but it might be better to wait until it's out on DVD.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Remakes are always a tricky business. On one end, it's smart, because it's a title, brand, and story that audiences already know, but on the other hand, it will be unfairly compared to the original. People hold fondness for things in the past, which sometimes affects their perceptions of the remake. And I feel like this is the case for Carrie. I've seen lots of reviews, some of them negative, and they all compare it to the original that was directed by Brian De Palma and released in the seventies. But this is a different film and should be viewed as such.
First of all, this incarnation of Carrie is a lot more similar to the original novel by Stephen King. It includes several plot lines that weren't present in the De Palma version, and it plays a lot less of a horror film than the first film. That is similar to the book. Carrie seems more like a misunderstood, unstable superhero than a demonic entity. This version also finds a better balance with the bullying by fellow students and the crazy, religious mother aspects of the story.
This film is good, just don't make the mistake of thinking that you are going to be scared during this film. Creeped out, maybe. Disturbed, maybe. But it's not a horror film in the traditional thinking of the term. I recommend this film, but it might be better to wait until it's out on DVD.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Gravity (2013) - Review
Gravity (2013) - Starring Sandra Bullock, George Clooney. Written by Jonás Cuarón and Alfonso Cuarón. Directed by Alfonso Cuarón. Rated PG-13. Now in Theaters.
Gravity follows Medical Officer Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) as she is stranded in space with no communication whatsoever and a near impossible chance of survival. This film is visually stunning and the performances are great, especially Bullock who gives a career best performance. This is one of those films, like Avatar, that completely change the way films are shot. I saw Gravity in IMAX 3D and it was one of the most amazing cinematic experiences I have ever experienced. Normally, I am not a huge fan of 3D films, but this is one of a handful of times where I felt like 3D was efficiently used, and not just as a gimmick. Another amazing part about this movie is that it is only 90 minutes. Nothing feels stretched out or overdone. It feels like the exact right amount of time that the film needed to tell its story. The only complaint I could find possibly is that there might be some scientific inaccuracies (which, let's be honest, I don't really care that much at all about) and the dialogue seems a little stiff and weird at parts. But it's not enough to keep this from being an absolutely amazing film.
Should you go see Gravity? Absolutely. See it in 3D. And if you can, see it in IMAX 3D, do it. It's worth it. Especially since there's a high chance that it will be most likely nominated for (and possibly win) Best Picture.
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Gravity follows Medical Officer Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) as she is stranded in space with no communication whatsoever and a near impossible chance of survival. This film is visually stunning and the performances are great, especially Bullock who gives a career best performance. This is one of those films, like Avatar, that completely change the way films are shot. I saw Gravity in IMAX 3D and it was one of the most amazing cinematic experiences I have ever experienced. Normally, I am not a huge fan of 3D films, but this is one of a handful of times where I felt like 3D was efficiently used, and not just as a gimmick. Another amazing part about this movie is that it is only 90 minutes. Nothing feels stretched out or overdone. It feels like the exact right amount of time that the film needed to tell its story. The only complaint I could find possibly is that there might be some scientific inaccuracies (which, let's be honest, I don't really care that much at all about) and the dialogue seems a little stiff and weird at parts. But it's not enough to keep this from being an absolutely amazing film.
Should you go see Gravity? Absolutely. See it in 3D. And if you can, see it in IMAX 3D, do it. It's worth it. Especially since there's a high chance that it will be most likely nominated for (and possibly win) Best Picture.
Rating: 5 out of 5.
Don Jon (2013) - Review
Don Jon (2013) - Starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, Julianne Moore, Tony Daza, Glenne Headly, Brie Larson. Written and Directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Rated R. Now in Theaters.
Don Jon was one of those movies that I desperately wanted to like, but I couldn't. I thought it was very interesting that Joseph Gordon-Levitt was trying his hand at being a triple threat as an actor, writer, and director. This film proved that he had the capability, but overall it's not that great of a film. It's a great debut, sure, but overall, it's not that great.
It has an interesting premise, but negates its originality by delving into cliches to finish the film. The performances from the supporting cast are great, especially the one line that Brie Larson has to say in the film. However, it seems like JGL was trying too hard to portray his character.
This film was good; my main problem is with its resolution. The main draw of this film is, if JGL becomes successful as a director, to see his directoral debut.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
Don Jon was one of those movies that I desperately wanted to like, but I couldn't. I thought it was very interesting that Joseph Gordon-Levitt was trying his hand at being a triple threat as an actor, writer, and director. This film proved that he had the capability, but overall it's not that great of a film. It's a great debut, sure, but overall, it's not that great.
It has an interesting premise, but negates its originality by delving into cliches to finish the film. The performances from the supporting cast are great, especially the one line that Brie Larson has to say in the film. However, it seems like JGL was trying too hard to portray his character.
This film was good; my main problem is with its resolution. The main draw of this film is, if JGL becomes successful as a director, to see his directoral debut.
Rating: 2.5 out of 5.
Friday, October 4, 2013
Prisoners (2013) - Review
Prisoners - Starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Terrence Howard, Paul Dano, Melissa Leo, Viola Davis, Maria Bello. Written by Aaron Guzikowski. Directed by Denis Villeneuve. Rated R. Now in Theaters.
Prisoners tells the story of two girls who were abducted, the investigator assigned to their case, and the father who will go to any lengths to get his daughter back. Prisoners is reminiscent of the film Mystic River, and I have also heard it compared to Gone Baby Gone and Zodiac. The film features a compelling story which poses a moral question and has many twists and turns. Its two and a half hour running time only feels like it is being dragged out in one scene, but other than that doesn't feel too long.
The performances are amazing. All of the main characters are immensely talented actors who do great with the material that they are given and effectively play realistic versions of their characters. There will undoubtably be Oscar-buzz for some of these performances, particularly for Jackman and Gyllenhaal, but in a less competitive year, the entire cast could score nods.
My only complaint with this film is the ending, which felt cheap to me. It didn't really serve much of a purpose thematically, in my opinion, and was completely unnecessary. This span of a few seconds nearly ruined an otherwise quite great movie for me. Regardless, this movie is quite good.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) - Review
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013) - Starring Patrick Wilson, Rose Bryne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye, Barbara Hershey. Written by Leigh Whannell. Story by Leigh Whannell and James Wan. Directed by James Wan. Rated PG-13. Now in Theaters.
Insidious: Chapter 2 picks up right where the first one left off, while at the same time providing massive amounts of backstory to explain the events of this film and the first one. One of the coolest scenes in this film occurs when an occurrence from the first one is explained. Vague, I know, but I wouldn't want to spoil anything.
Where this film succeeds is where many other horror sequels fail. Insidious: Chapter 2 does not try to be a carbon copy of the first film, it instead tries to further the story. And while there are less scares this time around, the story is definitely furthered. Is it better than the first one? Hard to say really. I enjoyed both equally, since they are fairly original, a rare occurrence in the horror genre. I would say if you liked the first one, then give this one a shot. Just don't go in expecting the exact same movie.
Rating: 3 out of 5.
Les Misérables (2012) - Review
Les Misérables (2012) - Starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen, Helen Bonham Carter, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks. Written by William Nicholson, Alain Boubil, Claude-Michel Schönberg, and Herbert Kretzmer. Based on the musical written by Alain Boubil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, based on the book by Victor Hugo. Directed by Tom Hooper. Rated PG-13. Available on DVD.
I'll be completely honest. I avoided this movie like the plague when it was first released. Why would I want to submit myself to two and a half hours of non-stop singing and one of the most depressing plots ever? I read the book, I knew what was coming. Did I really need to see the movie? Well, I did, and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. It's still not a movie I would probably watch more than once, but it was quite enjoyable.
Les Misérables, adapted from the stage musical which is in turn adapted from Victor Hugo's novel, tell the story of the convict Jean Valjean (Jackman) who tries to make a new life for himself and the police officer Javert (Crowe) who is trying to turn him in. That's just the basic summery. There's plenty of other romantic triangles, fights, and deaths in between (a quick thought about that. The fight scenes in this looked atrociously fake. It was quite jarring actually how terrible they looked). The acting - and singing- was quite good in this film, the weak link (as countless others have said before me) is Crowe, but I did not find him as insufferable as many others did. A surprisingly great performance that I hadn't heard many people praise was that of Samathana Barks's Eponine, a role which she played on Broadway. She did quite great with the role and I'm interested to see her next film role.
I was not a huge fan of the style of direction used in this film. The extreme, prolonged close-ups were overused and irritating to me. However, the emotional power of the film is still effectively expressed on screen and that's what makes this film worth a watch.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
I'll be completely honest. I avoided this movie like the plague when it was first released. Why would I want to submit myself to two and a half hours of non-stop singing and one of the most depressing plots ever? I read the book, I knew what was coming. Did I really need to see the movie? Well, I did, and I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed it. It's still not a movie I would probably watch more than once, but it was quite enjoyable.
Les Misérables, adapted from the stage musical which is in turn adapted from Victor Hugo's novel, tell the story of the convict Jean Valjean (Jackman) who tries to make a new life for himself and the police officer Javert (Crowe) who is trying to turn him in. That's just the basic summery. There's plenty of other romantic triangles, fights, and deaths in between (a quick thought about that. The fight scenes in this looked atrociously fake. It was quite jarring actually how terrible they looked). The acting - and singing- was quite good in this film, the weak link (as countless others have said before me) is Crowe, but I did not find him as insufferable as many others did. A surprisingly great performance that I hadn't heard many people praise was that of Samathana Barks's Eponine, a role which she played on Broadway. She did quite great with the role and I'm interested to see her next film role.
I was not a huge fan of the style of direction used in this film. The extreme, prolonged close-ups were overused and irritating to me. However, the emotional power of the film is still effectively expressed on screen and that's what makes this film worth a watch.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
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