I remember stumbling upon the IMDB page of this movie back in 2010. It seemed like an interesting movie but there didn't seem to be any way to watch it (I guess because they struggled to find a distributor to help release the film publicly). I finally got around to watching this as I saw it was on Tubi free with ads (under the title "The Hunchback of Bel Air"). It's quite possibly one of the weirdest/strangest movies I've seen. I for the most part enjoyed it as a crazy psychological suspense horror flick and the production value is pretty good considering it's $200,00 budget. However-I'm not going to spoil it for those who haven't seen the movie BUT-I was personally let down by the ending and felt the film was at times a bit preachy with it's message against bullying. I'd give 6.5/10.
Reviews
25 Reviews
The Hunchback of Bel Air
(2021)
One of the weirdest/strangest movies I've seen
16 December 2022
I remember stumbling upon the IMDB page back in 2010 under the title "The Hunchback". It seemed like an interesting movie but there didn't seem to be any way to watch it (I guess because they struggled to find a distributor to help release the film publicly). I finally got around to watching this as I saw it was on Tubi free with ads. It's quite possibly one of the weirdest/strangest movies I've seen. I for the most part enjoyed it as a crazy psychological suspense horror flick and the production value is pretty good considering it's $200,00 budget. However-I'm not going to spoil it for those who haven't seen the movie BUT-I was personally let down by the ending and felt the film was at times a bit preachy with it's message against bullying. I'd give 6.5/10.
Poltergeist
(2015)
Aside from a few cool scenes, You're better off watching the original 1982 classic instead.
18 December 2015
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.
4/10
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.
4/10
Goosebumps
(2015)
The surprise of the fall
5 November 2015
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.
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.
The DUFF
(2015)
One of the more mediocre attempts at teen satire
10 July 2015
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 storyline 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 clichés. Like we have this loser trying to fit in with the popular students and gets recognition from a viral video.
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 unlikeable. 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 unlikeable, 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.
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.
The storyline 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 clichés. Like we have this loser trying to fit in with the popular students and gets recognition from a viral video.
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 unlikeable. 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 unlikeable, 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.
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.
Jurassic World
(2015)
While it may not be the perfect follow-up, Jurassic World is a fun thrill ride.
10 July 2015
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 likable 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.
The characters are likable 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.
Chappie
(2015)
While it is not Blomkamp's best offering, Chappie is an enjoyable dark sci-fi fairy tale that should satisfy those who are children at heart.
10 July 2015
I saw this film on opening night and honestly, I enjoyed every bit of it. It was a great combination of RoboCop (original) and The Iron Giant, though it was more of it's own thing. It was very fun, had likable characters, funny, violent, intense, heartfelt and emotional.
I actually cared for the robot. Like it's a scary robot but has the mind of a child, and is step by step learning about the world, and I think they captured that very well.
One thing that bugged me is that it felt a tad longer than it needed to be. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Do not let it's appearance fool you. This is not a kids movie. It has brutal violence and F-bombs, and it involves the robot being used for crime purposes. In other words, it's rated R for a reason.
I saw this as a dark and violent sci-fi fairy tale with a powerful message and I think critics were a bit hard on it. Also, I think it puts Spielberg's "A.I." to shame in which going into detail may spoil it.
Overall, I loved Chappie and I highly recommend it to anyone who is into sci-fi. Neill Blomkamp still has it in him.
I actually cared for the robot. Like it's a scary robot but has the mind of a child, and is step by step learning about the world, and I think they captured that very well.
One thing that bugged me is that it felt a tad longer than it needed to be. Other than that, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Do not let it's appearance fool you. This is not a kids movie. It has brutal violence and F-bombs, and it involves the robot being used for crime purposes. In other words, it's rated R for a reason.
I saw this as a dark and violent sci-fi fairy tale with a powerful message and I think critics were a bit hard on it. Also, I think it puts Spielberg's "A.I." to shame in which going into detail may spoil it.
Overall, I loved Chappie and I highly recommend it to anyone who is into sci-fi. Neill Blomkamp still has it in him.
Kingsman: The Secret Service
(2014)
A fun and compelling action masterpiece
10 July 2015
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 likable. 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 storyline 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 petty awesome film and I highly recommend it to action fans.
The characters are likable. The story is interesting and compelling. The characters are likable. 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 storyline 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 petty awesome film and I highly recommend it to action fans.
Inside Out
(I) (2015)
Another instant classic from Pixar
10 July 2015
This is a great family film overall. It is smart, inventive, fun, emotional, and quite clever.
The storyline 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.
The storyline 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.
Terminator Genisys
(2015)
The absolute worst in the series
10 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
There is really nothing to say about this film besides that it's a complete slap in the face to anyone who is a fan of the Terminator franchise. The plot is very tedious and the script is poorly thought out. For instance, nothing in this movie makes any sense whatsoever. And oh yes, I am going to spoil it for some folks.
Basically, we have Kyle Reese sent by John Connor back in time to save Sarah Connor. But then, Sarah rescues Kyle, and is protected by a terminator dubbed "Pops" who saved her as a child. So Kyle, Sarah and Pops plot to prevent Judgement Day from ever happening. Apparently, "Genisys" was a project said to change the world, but it was really Skynet and was to bring forth Judgement Day. On top of that, John Connor turns out to be the bad guy, as he got attacked as he was sending Kyle, and then becomes something more than man and machine. Apparently, John is not Earth's hope but Skynet's hope. What? That is just stupid.
Even for a time travel story it is incredibly illogical. In a world where time travel is possible, I am sure that time can be re-written in a way, but you have got to have logic. This "time travel" movie defies logic in every possible way.
It's like, the whole thing revolved around John Connor, and Kyle, Sarah, and Pops successfully stopped Judgement Day. After all of that, Why would Sarah decide to have a John Connor? And if Sarah decides not to have a John Connor, then Kyle Reese would not have been sent back in the first place, and there would be no Terminators sent to kill Sarah. All of these changes in time would cause a paradox.
It is also horribly miscast. Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, and Jason Clarke did not play their roles very well and they can barely act. Arnold Schwarzenegger, J.K. Simmons, Matt Smith and that kid (whatever his name is) who played young Kyle Reese are the only cast members who could act and were not completely miscast.
Not even the special effects are good. Basically, it relies very heavily on CGI effects and it is very fake looking. The CGI in Terminator 2: Judgement Day looked great and was very impressive. But here, it is just very unbelievable and looks like a bad video game.
It also had an attempt at comedy that did not work. For example, what was with that Grin that Pops often made. Was that supposed to be funny? I loved the first Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Heck, I even enjoyed Rise of the Machines and Salvation for what they are. But Genisys was just a terrible mess and an insult to the franchise.
Overall, I hated Terminator Genisys and I would not recommend it. If you are a Terminator fan, you will not like this film.
Basically, we have Kyle Reese sent by John Connor back in time to save Sarah Connor. But then, Sarah rescues Kyle, and is protected by a terminator dubbed "Pops" who saved her as a child. So Kyle, Sarah and Pops plot to prevent Judgement Day from ever happening. Apparently, "Genisys" was a project said to change the world, but it was really Skynet and was to bring forth Judgement Day. On top of that, John Connor turns out to be the bad guy, as he got attacked as he was sending Kyle, and then becomes something more than man and machine. Apparently, John is not Earth's hope but Skynet's hope. What? That is just stupid.
Even for a time travel story it is incredibly illogical. In a world where time travel is possible, I am sure that time can be re-written in a way, but you have got to have logic. This "time travel" movie defies logic in every possible way.
It's like, the whole thing revolved around John Connor, and Kyle, Sarah, and Pops successfully stopped Judgement Day. After all of that, Why would Sarah decide to have a John Connor? And if Sarah decides not to have a John Connor, then Kyle Reese would not have been sent back in the first place, and there would be no Terminators sent to kill Sarah. All of these changes in time would cause a paradox.
It is also horribly miscast. Emilia Clarke, Jai Courtney, and Jason Clarke did not play their roles very well and they can barely act. Arnold Schwarzenegger, J.K. Simmons, Matt Smith and that kid (whatever his name is) who played young Kyle Reese are the only cast members who could act and were not completely miscast.
Not even the special effects are good. Basically, it relies very heavily on CGI effects and it is very fake looking. The CGI in Terminator 2: Judgement Day looked great and was very impressive. But here, it is just very unbelievable and looks like a bad video game.
It also had an attempt at comedy that did not work. For example, what was with that Grin that Pops often made. Was that supposed to be funny? I loved the first Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day. Heck, I even enjoyed Rise of the Machines and Salvation for what they are. But Genisys was just a terrible mess and an insult to the franchise.
Overall, I hated Terminator Genisys and I would not recommend it. If you are a Terminator fan, you will not like this film.
Ex Machina
(2014)
A thought provoking and visually striking science fiction masterpiece
10 July 2015
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 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.
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 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.
Tomorrowland
(2015)
A spectacular Disney sci-fi thrill ride
10 July 2015
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 likable 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, "Tomorowland" may not fully realize it's potential, but it should be satisfying as a fun and intriguing Disney family sci-fi/adventure comedy thrill ride.
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 likable 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, "Tomorowland" may not fully realize it's potential, but it should be satisfying as a fun and intriguing Disney family sci-fi/adventure comedy thrill ride.
Seventh Son
(I) (2014)
This is another one of those where the trailer is better than the film itself.
10 July 2015
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 would not recommend it.
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 would not recommend it.
Project Almanac
(2015)
If a found-footage time travel movie sounds good to you, you'll enjoy it.
10 July 2015
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 likable. 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 cliché 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.
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 likable. 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 cliché 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.
Mortdecai
(2015)
Not even the well assembled cast could make up for this poor attempt at an action comedy.
10 July 2015
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.
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.
Spongebob fans will not be disappointed.
10 July 2015
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.
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.
Mad Max: Fury Road
(2015)
This just might be the best "Mad Max" film (besides "The Road Warror").
10 July 2015
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 terribly 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 likable and a really cool protagonist. Joe is an awesome villain. I like Nux. He is quite an entertaining antihero. Furiosa is also likable 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.
***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.
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 terribly 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 likable and a really cool protagonist. Joe is an awesome villain. I like Nux. He is quite an entertaining antihero. Furiosa is also likable 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.
***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.
Little Boy
(2015)
Not bad but not great
26 April 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I saw it today and it was not a bad movie but I was a tad disappointed. The trailer had me thinking that it would be Big Fish-like. The trailer made it look like a fantasy drama that would be "instant classic" material but it's really a religious film. It's beautifully shot and I liked the symbolism, and it was quite emotional. However, The film has problems. For instance, Pepper doesn't even really have powers. He only just has "faith" and a to-do list, which (for me) was quite disappointing. Another thing is that our protagonist Pepper, while not unlikeable, is quite annoying at times. Like when he does that pose thing, he makes those grunt sounds which went out of hand and started to get on my nerves. Also, there is the ending. Like, for a second I was like "Oh, so they're going the "tragic" route". Then it got all "happily ever after". How Original. I also thought it was a bit too melodramatic at times and quite (I don't usually like this word but it's true here) pretentious. Like on the previews, they make it out to be so "amazing" and "uplifting", when in reality, it's just a mediocre religious film. I am not trolling. I did not hate the film but I don't really recommend it either. For what it is, it's not a bad film. It has it's qualities. The acting is decent, it has a bit of heart, and it has a pretty accurate depiction of the true events that the film is inspired by. I can see some people enjoying it, but in the end, I can't say I was impressed with it. I'd say give it a go. You might like it but you might not be impressed. If you're a "Jesus freak", you may as well enjoy it. Overall, I thought this film was a little on the okay/mediocre side.
An instant classic!
25 April 2015
I absolutely loved this film. It's very unique, creative and downright insane. Basically, it's an independent showbiz dramedy with social satire and some blockbuster elements.
It's uniquely shot. The film is mostly done in one continuous shot, though there are some transitions throughout the film, and it's quite impressive how it was done. It also has very neat visuals.For instance, we have this small indie film made on a small budget and it's very impressive how the blockbuster aspect was done.
The story is original. We have this actor famous for playing a superhero in a movie franchise and is performing in this play. It also has the feel of a superhero film in that the protagonist can move stuff around and has these visions where his environment is like a superhero flick. It also plays out like the real world as it references recent Blockbuster films.
The acting is great. It has brilliant performances from Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone. During the parts where the characters are performing in a play, the actors and actresses make it very believable.
Overall, this was a very impressive film and I think it deserved that best picture Oscar. There is not a single thing that I did not like about this film.
If you expect a superhero flick, you'll probably be disappointed. But if you are interested in film and/or just want something different from the usual Hollywood stuff, it would not be a bad idea giving "Birdman" a watch. I highly recommend it.
It's uniquely shot. The film is mostly done in one continuous shot, though there are some transitions throughout the film, and it's quite impressive how it was done. It also has very neat visuals.For instance, we have this small indie film made on a small budget and it's very impressive how the blockbuster aspect was done.
The story is original. We have this actor famous for playing a superhero in a movie franchise and is performing in this play. It also has the feel of a superhero film in that the protagonist can move stuff around and has these visions where his environment is like a superhero flick. It also plays out like the real world as it references recent Blockbuster films.
The acting is great. It has brilliant performances from Michael Keaton, Edward Norton and Emma Stone. During the parts where the characters are performing in a play, the actors and actresses make it very believable.
Overall, this was a very impressive film and I think it deserved that best picture Oscar. There is not a single thing that I did not like about this film.
If you expect a superhero flick, you'll probably be disappointed. But if you are interested in film and/or just want something different from the usual Hollywood stuff, it would not be a bad idea giving "Birdman" a watch. I highly recommend it.
Dragon Wars: D-War
(2007)
Despite it's creative and intriguing ideas, Dragon Wars fails due to an incredibly poor execution and uninteresting script.
20 February 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This movie is just terrible from start to finish. I am going to spoil it for some folks. Where do I begin? Well, first of all, the storyline makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Basically, it focuses on some ritual where a young woman has some birthmark and when she turns 20, she must be sacrificed to a giant snake in order for that snake to be turned into a dragon. There are two giant snakes. Each one is supported by a clan. The good one is named Imugi and the evil one is named Buraki. Our Protagonist, Ethan Kendrick meets and falls in love with a 19 year old girl who bares this birthmark. Supposedly, Sarah is part of this so-called "ritual".
Throughout the whole movie, Ethan and Sarah are basically just running away from a giant snake and armed lizards. Nothing really happens in the movie and when something does happen it just seems pointless.
At times, the plot feels unorganized and unfocused. For instance, Our protagonist has a flashback to when he was a child and opens this box and a light comes out of it. What did that have to do with anything? Also, there is this fat guy, unrelated to the story, who witnesses Buraki and goes and tells everyone about what he saw. Of course they think he's crazy, so they tie him up. Again, what did that have to do with anything? In the final act, Sarah turns 20 and she and Ethan eventually get spotted by Buraki's clan and are taken to their place. I will admit the setting and tone here is pretty neat and impressive. It's like the creators of the film put all of their effort on this one scene and then just got lazy while making the rest of the film. It's like they made the whole movie just for this final scene.
Moving on, Ethan and Sarah are tied up and Sarah is about to be sacrificed to Buraki while Ethan is powerless to stop it. Then, out of nowhere, Imugi shows up and the two giant snakes have a showdown. Ethan eventually frees himself and Sarah. Sarah then realizes that the only way that Buraki can be defeated is for Sarah to be sacrificed to Imugi. In doing so, Sarah controls an orb thing and gets Imugi to bite the orb and then Sarah dies. Imugi is then transformed into a dragon and destroys Buraki. Imugi leaves and our hero Ethan is left stranded in the desert. The end. Yep, that's the whole movie right there. I just saved you 90 minutes of your life.
Also, the CGI effects are downright awful even for 2007 standards. Let's just say that Sony PS1 and Nintendo 64 had better graphics than this.
On a positive note, I liked the concept of the film. I think the name "Dragon Wars" deserves a better movie.
Throughout the whole movie, Ethan and Sarah are basically just running away from a giant snake and armed lizards. Nothing really happens in the movie and when something does happen it just seems pointless.
At times, the plot feels unorganized and unfocused. For instance, Our protagonist has a flashback to when he was a child and opens this box and a light comes out of it. What did that have to do with anything? Also, there is this fat guy, unrelated to the story, who witnesses Buraki and goes and tells everyone about what he saw. Of course they think he's crazy, so they tie him up. Again, what did that have to do with anything? In the final act, Sarah turns 20 and she and Ethan eventually get spotted by Buraki's clan and are taken to their place. I will admit the setting and tone here is pretty neat and impressive. It's like the creators of the film put all of their effort on this one scene and then just got lazy while making the rest of the film. It's like they made the whole movie just for this final scene.
Moving on, Ethan and Sarah are tied up and Sarah is about to be sacrificed to Buraki while Ethan is powerless to stop it. Then, out of nowhere, Imugi shows up and the two giant snakes have a showdown. Ethan eventually frees himself and Sarah. Sarah then realizes that the only way that Buraki can be defeated is for Sarah to be sacrificed to Imugi. In doing so, Sarah controls an orb thing and gets Imugi to bite the orb and then Sarah dies. Imugi is then transformed into a dragon and destroys Buraki. Imugi leaves and our hero Ethan is left stranded in the desert. The end. Yep, that's the whole movie right there. I just saved you 90 minutes of your life.
Also, the CGI effects are downright awful even for 2007 standards. Let's just say that Sony PS1 and Nintendo 64 had better graphics than this.
On a positive note, I liked the concept of the film. I think the name "Dragon Wars" deserves a better movie.
Branded
(2012)
Waste of a great concept
20 February 2015
Warning: Spoilers
This is a complete joke of a film. I will be spoiling it for some folks. First of all, the trailer is very misleading. It makes it look like a sci-fi blockbuster about a monster conspiracy behind marketing. For instance, in the trailer, you see these dragons and candy monsters and wraiths and a cool looking coca-cola monster, all of which can only be seen by our protagonist. This is an intriguing idea that could have worked and been made into a pretty awesome sci-fi thriller. Unfortunately what we have here is a poorly written, incoherent and remarkably dull propaganda snoozefest featuring a bland and uninteresting lead character and subplots that go absolutely nowhere.
Nothing in this movie makes any sense whatsoever. Now matter how hard you try to interpret it, you will still be left puzzled.
The story begins with our protagonist Misha as a child getting struck by lightning and being informed that things will be different for him. Years later, Misha is grown up and is working for a marketing campaign in Moscow. His boss has a niece named Abby. Misha and Abby fall in love and the remainder of the film is focused on their relationship. Misha's boss then gets a heart attack and then Misha leaves Moscow and becomes a farmer.
Six years later, Misha has a dream that tells him to do something. Misha wakes up the next day and sacrifices a red cow which supposedly causes him to see things that no one else can see. Then, Misha returns to Moscow and learns that Abby was pregnant when he left and now has a six year old son. At Moscow, thee is a burger joint and a vegetarian Chinese buffet which are rivals. Misha can see creatures running the businesses. A candy monster runs the burger joint and a bunch of dragons run the Chinese buffet. Then advertising is banned. The end. None of the monsters show up until the last 10 minutes or so. Plus the CG effects are Nintendo 64 style. I just saved you 100 minutes. I do not recommend this film.
Nothing in this movie makes any sense whatsoever. Now matter how hard you try to interpret it, you will still be left puzzled.
The story begins with our protagonist Misha as a child getting struck by lightning and being informed that things will be different for him. Years later, Misha is grown up and is working for a marketing campaign in Moscow. His boss has a niece named Abby. Misha and Abby fall in love and the remainder of the film is focused on their relationship. Misha's boss then gets a heart attack and then Misha leaves Moscow and becomes a farmer.
Six years later, Misha has a dream that tells him to do something. Misha wakes up the next day and sacrifices a red cow which supposedly causes him to see things that no one else can see. Then, Misha returns to Moscow and learns that Abby was pregnant when he left and now has a six year old son. At Moscow, thee is a burger joint and a vegetarian Chinese buffet which are rivals. Misha can see creatures running the businesses. A candy monster runs the burger joint and a bunch of dragons run the Chinese buffet. Then advertising is banned. The end. None of the monsters show up until the last 10 minutes or so. Plus the CG effects are Nintendo 64 style. I just saved you 100 minutes. I do not recommend this film.
Jupiter Ascending
(2015)
Future cult classic
16 February 2015
This seems to be a film that you either like or dislike. I found the film to be very enjoyable for the most part. It's a very fun and neat science fiction space adventure with a bit of romance and comedy. The story and concept, while similar to other sci-fi movies, are quite unique and creative. It blends science fiction with fantasy which is neat. It also has a bit of a fairy tale vibe which is nice.
The visuals are stunning and stylistic and the action sequences were intense. I really liked the environment and the alien creatures were cool. The characters are interesting and I like the chemistry between Caine and Jupiter. I am not a Channing Tatum fan but I thought he was good in this. I also like Sean Bean's performance.
There were a couple things that bugged me. One of them is the plot. While the storyline is interesting and thought out, I felt it had a few too many holes and it seemed all over the place. Another thing is the acting. While, the acting isn't the worst I've seen in a movie, I think it could have been improved. I like Mila Kunis but I think her performance seemed a bit wooden. Also, I think Eddie Redmayne tried a bit too hard with his performance as the villain.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It's not quite "Blade Runner" or "The Matrix" or even "The Fifth Element", but it's a very good sci-fi flick, and it's worth seeing on the big screen, though, it probably will not be in the theater much longer. I can see it getting a cult status.
Go see it while you can.
The visuals are stunning and stylistic and the action sequences were intense. I really liked the environment and the alien creatures were cool. The characters are interesting and I like the chemistry between Caine and Jupiter. I am not a Channing Tatum fan but I thought he was good in this. I also like Sean Bean's performance.
There were a couple things that bugged me. One of them is the plot. While the storyline is interesting and thought out, I felt it had a few too many holes and it seemed all over the place. Another thing is the acting. While, the acting isn't the worst I've seen in a movie, I think it could have been improved. I like Mila Kunis but I think her performance seemed a bit wooden. Also, I think Eddie Redmayne tried a bit too hard with his performance as the villain.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the film. It's not quite "Blade Runner" or "The Matrix" or even "The Fifth Element", but it's a very good sci-fi flick, and it's worth seeing on the big screen, though, it probably will not be in the theater much longer. I can see it getting a cult status.
Go see it while you can.
Interstellar
(2014)
Interstellar is a brilliant thought provoking emotional roller coaster
15 December 2014
I saw "Interstellar" in theaters and it was absolutely incredible.
Christopher Nolan has impressed me once again.
It has a great storyline and beautiful visuals and some intense moments. It's a thought provoking extravaganza that actually makes sense if you pay attention.
It's a really long film but it's totally worth it.
Right now it is my favorite film of the year.
In my opinion, it is superior to last years "Gravity".
I'll say, "Interstellar" is a brilliant thought provoking emotional roller coaster.
If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.
On a scale of 1-10 I'd give it a 10 (but of course you already knew that).
Christopher Nolan has impressed me once again.
It has a great storyline and beautiful visuals and some intense moments. It's a thought provoking extravaganza that actually makes sense if you pay attention.
It's a really long film but it's totally worth it.
Right now it is my favorite film of the year.
In my opinion, it is superior to last years "Gravity".
I'll say, "Interstellar" is a brilliant thought provoking emotional roller coaster.
If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it.
On a scale of 1-10 I'd give it a 10 (but of course you already knew that).
Earth to Echo
(2014)
Earth to Echo may not be the most original thing but it's a fun roller coaster for kids and grown ups alike.
10 July 2014
I saw Earth to Echo tonight. Many did not care for it (and I can understand why).
Maybe I was just in the right mood but I actually had fun with it.
It's got likable characters, an adorable alien, heart and some intense moments.
I think the main reason people criticized this film was it's uncanny resemblances to films like E.T. and Super 8 which can't be helped (I loved E.T. and Super 8).
It's not the most unique thing I've seen and it's not near as good as E.T. or Super 8 but I didn't care. For what it is, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Maybe I was just in the right mood but I actually had fun with it.
It's got likable characters, an adorable alien, heart and some intense moments.
I think the main reason people criticized this film was it's uncanny resemblances to films like E.T. and Super 8 which can't be helped (I loved E.T. and Super 8).
It's not the most unique thing I've seen and it's not near as good as E.T. or Super 8 but I didn't care. For what it is, I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Oz the Great and Powerful
(2013)
A great and powerful prequel/reboot that does the source material justice and surpasses the Star Wars prequel trilogy.
17 February 2014
I saw "Oz the Great and Powerful" in theaters on it's opening weekend and I loved it. This movie had heart, a good storyline, a well-written script, emotion and some intense moments. It's not as much a prequel to the 1939 classic "The Wizard of Oz" as much as it is a reboot of the "Oz" franchise that acts as a prequel to the novel "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum (not that I've read the novel). As a reboot, I think it did the source material justice. As a prequel, it actually answered some of my questions. I think the reason some people were disappointed by "Oz the Great and Powerful" is because they had high expectations for it. I actually had very low expectations going into it and I was surprised by it. I thought it was going to be "Alice in Wonderland" but set in Oz and without the only reason to watch it (Johnny Depp). From the trailers and TV spots, it looked like it was made to cash-in with "Alice in Wonderland". It was so poorly marketed. But I thought the movie was one thousand times better than "Alice". I've seen "Oz the Great and Powerful" three times now and I don't see why some people may hate it. Sure it's almost all CG (but then so were "300" and "Avatar" and no one gave a crap) and the cast consists almost entirely of celebrities (but then again, Judy Garland was a celebrity) so I can sort of understand why it may feel like a turn-off. However, I can't name a bad thing about the movie and most of my friends who have seen it really enjoyed it like I did. While James Franco wasn't the best choice for the Oz character, I think he pulled it off very well. I think it's a much better prequel movie than "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace" was. And I like "Star Wars" better than "Wizard of Oz" so I think that's saying something. "Oz the Great and Powerful" may not be a masterpiece or better than the classic but It's a "great and powerful" movie and if you haven't seen it, I highly recommend it. Don't listen to the haters. You're opinion is all that matters. I give this movie 10 stars out of 10.
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