Movie Review Thread

The Dictator (2012) 7/10- The North African Republic of Wadiya could be the next target of a military invasion, and their refusal to remove nuclear weapons might start a disastrous war. Admiral General Hafez Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen) is the stubborn dictator, who refuses to obey the demands from the United Nations Security Council. Eventually, Aladeen arrives in New York City, and he will give a speech at UN headquarters. Aladeen agrees to address the situation, but he has no intentions of changing his mind. But Aladeen’s sudden kidnapping disrupts his initial plans. Aladeen loses his trademark beard, and he must thwart a plot to destroy his image. Aladeen will have to live life as a normal American citizen, and he must earn the trust of an environmentalist/activist named Zoey (Anna Faris) to regain his identity and leadership of Wadiya, or Aladeen will just become another normal guy in the states.

Sacha Baron Cohen’s impressive character transformations are fun to watch. Cohen has the ability to immerse himself in any type of character, and I can always believe him as the person I see on-screen. In Borat, I didn’t see Sacha Baron Cohen, I saw a rude and insensitive reporter from Kazakstani. In Brüno, I didn’t see Cohen, I saw a flamboyant Austrian fashion reporter and a proud gay man. And when it comes to The Dictator, I saw a selfish and immature dictator, who whined like a petulant child, when he didn’t get his way. Baron Cohen takes all of his movie personas VERY seriously, and he rarely breaks character in the real world. Baron Cohen’s incident involving Ryan Seacrest during the red carpet show for the Oscars this year is a prime example of his dedication, and when the situation became serious, Cohen STAYED in character, acting as if he did nothing wrong.

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He’s like a wrestler from the old school, who refuses to break kayfabe outside of the ring; it’s really something to admire, when you stop and think about it.

The mockumentary style of filmmaking has become a trademark for Baron Cohen’s films, that feature him in a starring role. Well, The Dictator sticks to this particular style of filmmaking at first, but as time progresses, The Dictator begins to develop an actual storyline: Aladeen must uncover the mystery of his disappearance, and with the help of Zoey and his hand picked nuclear weapons specialist from Wadiya, Aladeen will fight to regain his identity. I enjoyed the transition from a documentary style film to an actual comedy with a plot, because it made everything feel different. I love Sacha Baron Cohen, but the “realistic” style of filmmaking featured in his movies can feel tiresome after a while, and the slight change feels refreshing.

The Dictator features a good amount of raunchy and vulgar humor, and you have to expect this from a Baron Cohen film. The Dictator is a hilarious comedy, that features consistent laughs, and the acting is pretty damn good. Baron Cohen delivered another enjoyable performance, and Anna Faris was very solid here. Faris was this cheery hippie, but she could also showcase the passionate activist side of the Zoey character. Ben Kingsley was a fine choice for the Tamir character, but the lack of John C. Reilly did bother me a little bit. You might feel the irony during Baron Cohen’s speech towards the very end, as he explains the differences between a dictatorship and a democracy, but The Dictator deserves a place amongst high quality comedies in 2012 regardless. Oh, and the cameos from Megan Fox and Edward Norton were just great, especially Norton’s surprise appearance.
 
I would like to write about my fav movie of all time: THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION.

This movie is pure excellence in storytelling, drama, intensity and contains some great comedy moments. Throw in the one and only Morgan Freeman and the ability of Tim Robbins and the fact the movie is not like today with all the speacial effects, car crashes, explosions etc... It is just two guys in a prison that is all, and i couldn't ask for any more


10/10
 
Snow White & The Huntsman (2012) 4/10- After using a faux army to trick King Magnus (Noah Huntley), Ravenna (Charlize Theron) kills the King, crowns herself Queen, and seizes control of Tabor. Queen Ravenna uses her black magic to destroy and oppress everything around her, and with the help of a strong army and her brother, Finn (Sam Spruell), Queen Ravenna dominantly controls the land of Tabor without any challenges. But King Magnus’ daughter, Snow White (Kristen Stewart) could end the horrible, devastating reign of Queen Ravenna. She is Ravenna’s Achilles heel, but Snow White will need the help of a Huntsman named Eric (Chris Hemsworth) to survive the deadly Dark Forest. Snow White will have to earn the trust of the Huntsman, the support of Tabor, and defeat Ravenna once and for all.

I wanted to give this film a lower score, but Charlize Theron changed my mind. She was a perfect choice for the evil Queen/seductress Ravenna. Theron provided the essential menacing and cold-hearted personality for Queen Ravenna. Also, Charlize Theron is a smoking hot woman in real life, and her gorgeous looks added a strong sense of believability to Ravenna’s mystique as the beautiful Queen. Theorn could be evil and heartless throughout this film, but when her eternal beauty suffers a serious threat, you get to see the fragile side of her personality. Queen Ravenna was a strong character, but Theron could showcase some vulnerability, when the situation called for it.

Theron was fantastic, but what’s wrong with Kristen Stewart? I ask this question, because I’m starting to notice a trend after watching a good amount of her films. She routinely displays this emotionless personality, and Stewart might remind you of someone, who has serious depression issues. Stewart never brings anything special to her characters, and nothing changes in Snow White & The Huntsman. I wanted to root for Snow White. After all, this was a young girl, who lost her mother and father. She was all alone in the world, and a lot of people were counting on her to be the savior, who ended Queen Ravenna’s reign. But Stewart’s dull and lifeless performance couldn’t convince me. I’ll tell you one thing, Stewart should milk the Twilight fame for all it’s worth, because she won’t be able to lean on that crutch anymore, when the franchise ends this year.

Someone in here (and I can’t remember who at the moment) made a thread about Snow White & The Huntsman. If I remember correctly, the thread labels Snow White & The Huntsman as a poor Lord Of The Rings rip-off. Which brings me to my next question……Is Rupert Sanders a fan of Lord Of The Rings? Sanders is the director for this film, and he must be an admirer of Peter Jackson, because Sanders tried to produce a LOTR clone here. I couldn’t escape this feeling throughout the film, but Sanders attempt to create a LOTR masterpiece failed. Snow White & The Huntsman couldn’t match LOTR’s breathtaking visuals, masterful storytelling, and thrilling battle scenes. Snow White & The Huntsman featured a few mildly entertaining fight scenes, but the overwhelming majority of action in this film didn’t excite me at all. In fact, Snow White & The Huntsman can be a very boring film most of the time, and Sanders couldn’t maintain any kind of consistent momentum.

Snow White & The Huntsman can feel refreshing at times. This film does provide a dark take on the famous fairytale, and you won’t see any cheery or colorful moments here. But the inconsistent rhythm and slow pacing really hurt this one.”WOW! This is finally going somewhere, and the story is starting to pick up some speed!” These were my feelings after certain fight scenes, but Snow White & The Huntsman couldn’t hold my attention. “Oh, look. They’re talking again. Nothing is happening, and they’re just sitting around, while telling random stories.” This is how I felt when the story slowed down again, and this pattern constantly repeats itself throughout the entire film. Snow White & The Huntsman has a run time of two hours and seven minutes, and you will feel every second of it. The story unfolds at this snail like pace, and everything just drags for so long.

This film features characters with depth, but the vast majority of mediocre acting couldn’t convince me. Charlize Theron delivered the highlight performance here, Stewart annoyed me, and Chris Hemsworth was…well, he was just there. He didn’t stand out, he wasn’t horrible, and he didn’t bring anything special to this film with his performance. Hemsworth was an angry and cocky alcoholic, who loved to fight. Hemsowrth is a big, strong guy. He has the look of someone, who could kick your ass, and he did provide the necessary tools for his role as The Huntsman.

The bulk of thrills come from the scenes that feature Snow White and The Huntsman’s dangerous journey to escape the Dark Forest, but the anticlimactic final battle destroyed any hopes of a satisfying conclusion for me. In the end, this film could’ve been something special, but I’ll remember Snow White & The Huntsman as one of the bigger summer disappointments in 2012.
 
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter (2012) 6/10- One night, a young Abraham Lincoln witnesses the sudden death of his mother. At first, poison is ruled as the direct cause of Nancy’s (Abe’s mother) death, but Abraham knows the real truth: His mother was murdered by a sneaky vampire named Jack Barts (Marton Csokas). Now a full grown man, Abraham Lincoln (Benjamin Walker) is consumed by vengeance. He wants to track down and kill Jack Barts, but the vampire epidemic isn’t limited to just one man. With an axe, and the help of Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper), Lincoln vows to dedicate his life to vampire hunting.

Lincoln dedicates his life to the extermination of all vampires, but as time passes, Mr. Lincoln begins to show interest in politics and government. Abraham Linclon will have to balance his duties as the President, and manage the viscous Civil War. Also, Lincoln must look after his wife, Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and his son, William Wallace (Cameron M. Brown). But Lincoln can’t escape his past as a vampire hunter. Vampires have joined the Confederate army, and the South quickly gains a strong and unstoppable upper hand. Lincoln holds the outcome of the war and the fate of the country in his hands, and with the help of some trusted friends, Lincoln will have to stop the vampire uprising.

First of all, you shouldn’t take this film too seriously. If you do, you will hate Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter with a burning passion. This movie is about a former President, who lives a secret life as a vampire hunter. You shouldn’t expect some sort of accurate biopic, and you won’t learn any new facts about Abraham Lincoln here.

Tim Burton’s presence as a producer automatically drew me to this one, but I also enjoy Timur Bekmambetov’s work (Bekmambetov is the director for this film). He is the same man, who directed Wanted. Also, he co-wrote the screenplays for Night Watch and Day Watch, and Bekmambetov directed both films. Night Watch and Day Watch are two unique vampire films, that provide a fantastic mix of horror, action, and fantasy; Easily two of my favorite vampire flicks. The story for both films can feel like a mess at times, but Night Watch and Day Watch will give you one hell of a ride. Anyway, I usually enjoy Bekmambetov’s stylish directing, and he didn’t disappoint me here.

Bekmambetov provided the essential gloomy, haunting atmosphere for Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, while capturing the essence of the 1800’s. The action sequences were slick and smooth, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is loaded with some impressive visuals.

Bekmambetov has received a lot of harsh treatment from a good amount of critics, but for me, his directing was the major highlight of this film.

I enjoyed Bekmambetov’s directing, but I can’t ignore the confusing storyline, especially towards the end…..
Okay, so we’re in the final stages (or third act) of the film, and Abraham Lincoln has become an older man. He’s trying to focus on his duties as President, the war, and vampires. Lincoln is the President, and his friends become members of his cabinet? William Johnson (Anthony Mackie) is Lincoln’s childhood friend, and Joshua Speed (Jimmi Simpson) is a shopkeeper, who gave Lincoln a home during some rough times in his life. I can understand the friendship connection, but how did William and Joshua become members of his cabinet? Do they have official job titles? The story NEVER explains any of this, and I couldn’t overlook these crucial details.

Also, when did Abe become President? The story makes this abrupt transition from Lincoln’s vampire hunting days to his time as President, and they never provide any important details, as Lincoln rose to the top. One day, Lincoln gives a few speeches about government and change to random crowds, and then BAM! He just becomes President out of nowhere? I felt lost and confused towards the end, and the obvious plot holes can be a real problem.

The plot holes create some noticeable weaknesses here, and one VERY important detail did bother me……
HOW CAN VAMPIRES SURVIVE IN SUNLIGHT???

Unless I’m missing some details in vampire mythology, the blood-suckers shouldn’t be able to survive in sunlight, right? Well, the vampires in ALVH can survive in sunlight, but how is that possible? Do you know the answers? Because ALVH didn’t give me an explanation for vampires survival in the sun. Lincoln hints at vampires learning to adapt in sunlight, but still, he didn’t give a true explanation with any details. Along with stakes to the heart, sunlight is a vampires worst enemy. I’m sorry, but if you’re going to have vampires survive in sunlight, then you need to give some sort of detailed explanation.
ALVH can feel confusing at times, and this film leaves the audience with some big unanswered questions…..but I still enjoyed this one for the most part. Yeah, ALVH does have some problems, but I loved the action scenes here. Walker is believable as a skilled and fearless vampire hunter. Hell, the best scenes in this film showcase his vampire hunting skills, as Abe Lincoln dismembers and slices vampires with an axe. The stylish action and gore provided some excellent thrills, and the gruesome beheadings (which look unreal in 3D by the way) were just amazing. Benjamin Walker was a solid leading man, Mary Elizabeth Winstead was a nice addition to the cast, and this film featured a good set of enjoyable performances. The 3D effects impressed me, and the final showdown provided some great excitement.

ALVH could’ve been better, and this film won’t set the bar for vampire flicks, but you can have a good time with this one. Just remember, try to have fun, and please, don’t take this too seriously, or you will be disappointed.
 
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)​

Well this will be my first review on here and to say I have been excited for this film is a understatement. I had been looking forward to this movie ever since it was first announced so let's get to it.

The story was very good, The way that Marc Webb told the origin of Spider-Man in a way that felt new yet familiar at the same time which was a great touch. The addition of his parents to the story was unique as this is really one of the few times that a Spider-Man movie or show has really explored the mystery of his parents.

The entire cast put on good performances all around, Martin Sheen was fantastic at portraying Uncle Ben, while Emma Stone also delivered as Gwen Stacy in another stellar performance from her. Andrew Garfield can simply be said as Spider-Man. His performance was just amazing, He is Peter Parker. Rhys Ifans was very good as Curt Connors/Lizard but the surprise of the film for me was Sally Field as Aunt May. I had only seen her as Mrs Gump and the way she portrayed Aunt May was just simply put as wow.

The score was fantastic, It was completely different to the score created by Danny Elfman in the Raimi Films which wasn't a bad thing, For me it was a good thing in establishing that the film is completely different entity. The fight scenes were all very good, They really showcased Spider-Man's agility in this film when in the previous films he was more of a brawler. I did not expect it to be topped but the Train Battle from Spider-Man 2 remains as the best fight scene in a Spider-Man movie but they come damn close with the battle at the School.

All in all, this movie was great. Don't let the critics fool you, It is a fantastic reboot. It really has a feel of a conspiracy lurking and a higher power that is responsible for the events which really makes me excited for the next film. I give The Amazing Spider-Man a 9/10.
 
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Machine Gun Preacher(2011) 8/10
First off I have to say that although it did not receive the fanfare I expected in Hollywood this was by far one of Gerard Butler's strongest performances as an actor and what I believe to be the start of great things for him.

Machine Gun Preacher is based on a true story about a man named Sam Childers(Butler) is a biker/junkie all around bad seed who gets out of jail to find that his wife(Michelle Monaghan) has gone from a stripper to a changed woman and a devout christian to save herself and her daughter. He eventually comes around and leaves his life of crime to follow gods word and ultimately become a better person. Childers hears about children in need of help in Africa and goes over to build a few homes to help but when he sees the terror of what's happening to the children he puts everything into saving these kids from rebel armies.

The cast isn't one full of big names but Butler carries this movie very well on his own, the most impressive thing about it is his ability to convey the passion and fire of his character. The ups and downs he has throughout the movie and the frustration with others not willing to do their part and help in order to save the lives of children without homes or a family to care for them drives him to incredible lengths.

I only had one real problem with this movie and that was that I went into it expecting something like Blood Diamond, basically I thought I would see more action. There is a decent amount and the other content more than makes up for it, but don't go into it expecting gun battles every minute.

What I can say for Machine Gun Preacher is that it will move you, it will make you care about the theme and you'll be left wanting to do something. One of the best movies I've seen in a long time and I think everyone should see this film at some point, massive credit to Gerard Butler who continues to impress me.

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In Bruges(2008) 9/10
I happened to stumble upon a clip from this movie on Youtube the other day, well I'm goddamn happy I did because that lead me to what is now one of my top ten movies of all time, and that's saying something.

In Bruges follows two hitmen Ray(Colin Farrel) and Ken(Brendan Gleeson) who have been sent by their boss Harry(Ralph Fiennes) to Bruges, Belgium to wait for further instructions after Ray accidentally kills a little boy in a botched hit. In the meantime the two spend several days as tourists in the city and Ray's disdain for the city makes it all the more strenuous for the duo.

This movie caught me by surprise as one of the most clever and funny dark comedies I've ever seen, my best description of it for anyone who has seen The Departed is that this movie is alot like that but with an english humor twist and funnier. Really what makes it is the unorthodox style of comedy from Ray and some help from Ken as the two of them together are like bickering siblings that fight but really care about each other. On top of that the fact that Ken loves playing tourist and Ray cant stand it makes for alot of pouting from our main charecter.

It's easily Farrel's best performance and one I've never seen him in, I really wish he'd play this kind of character more because it's brilliant. I loved Brendan Gleeson, I've been a fan since Braveheart and Harry Potter so seeing him have a more main vocal character was great. Ofcourse Ralph Fiennes was brilliant and I really enjoyed Clemence Poesy's addition to the cast, plus the fact that Gleeson, Fiennes and Poesy were all in Harry Potter was nice for me as a fan of that franchise.

Basically if you want to laugh and feel like you just saw a smart, yet crazy and erratic film then you need to see this movie. If it makes it on my favorite ten movies of all time list then it's worth seeing because I'm a picky SOB when it comes to my movies.
 
Moonrise Kingdom (2012) 10/10- It’s 1965, and young Sam Shakusky (Jared Gilman) is looking for an adventure. Sam wants to experience something different, and he quickly loses interest in the lifestyle of a Khaki Scout, so he escapes the Scout summer camp. Suzy Bishop (Kara Hayward) is another disgruntled child, who decides to join Sam on his adventure, and together the two runaways explore the wilderness. But Sam and Suzy’s dream vacation might suffer a drastic setback. Scout Master Randy Ward (Edward Norton) leads a search party of ambitious Khaki Scouts, and Suzy’s parents eventually join the group. Walt (Bill Murray) and Laura (Frances McDormand) Bishop are determined to find their daughter, and with the help of a local police Captain named Sharp (Bruce Willis), the adults will do their best to prevent Sam's plans of an escape.

Wes Anderson is a master of his craft. His subtlety and eccentric style of directing transformed Moonrise Kingdom into an exceptional comedy. Anderson captured the innocence and care-free nature of a playful childhood, and his strange and quirky style of storytelling brought life to the summer adventure of the two main characters (Sam and Suzy).

Wes Anderson doesn’t make movies for just anybody. He has a niche style that won’t appeal to the masses, but Anderson is one of my favorite filmmakers and writers. When it comes to quality, Anderson’s consistency is something to admire, because I can’t remember watching a bad Wes Anderson film. Oh, and when it comes to choosing music for his films, Wes Anderson is on his way to joining the ranks of Quentin Tarantino and Martin Scorsese. Moonrise Kingdom features an excellent soundtrack. Each song really fits within the context of every other scene, and Anderson has a great taste in music.

Anderson’s directing was marvelous, and this film features a great cast. The veteran actors delivered a nice set of enjoyable performances. Bill Murray is hilarious, and I loved Harvey Keitel‘s brief appearance. It was a pleasant surprise, but I was hoping to see more of him. Keitel is more than capable of delivering a show-stealing performance, and the teasing of limited screen time for his character drove me nuts. Bruce Willis was able to step out of his comfort zone as a tough guy. Captain Sharp was a vulnerable, normal guy, who was willing to lend a helping hand, and Willis really nailed this character. Outside of the Die Hard films, Bruce Willis is a pretty mediocre actor, but he really brought his A game to Moonrise Kingdom. I also wanted to see more of Tilda Swinton here. Swinton’s proper and precise performance as a social worker was a real treat to watch, and Swinton is one of the more talented actresses in Hollywood.

Willis’ character change felt refreshing, and the kids deserve a lot of credit. Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward were very solid here, and they hit a nice comfort zone with their characters. Sam was a fearless oddball, who took chances, and the dangerous risks of the adventure didn’t phase him one bit. And Suzy was a silent and rebellious young girl, with some serious anger issues. Gilman and Hayward showcased true talent, and they were able to stand out amongst a cast of well known veteran actors and actresses; Truly an impressive accomplishment, when you stop and think about it.

Moonrise Kingdom features high quality acting, and a group of characters you can care about. The characters in Moonrise Kingdom are ordinary people, but their quirky and eccentric personalities provide an intriguing spark of life. The normal backstories couldn’t damage the characters in this film, and nobody reaches the level of an excruciating bore here.

Moonrise Kingdom is a superb, whimsical comedy, that showcases a joyous childhood adventure. The love story between Suzy and Sam provides a few tender and heartfelt moments, and the screenplay features a good amount of depth. You can really sense the importance of Sam and Suzy’s desperate attempt to cling to their childhoods, while savoring every moment.

Great acting, great directing, fantastic writing, and an excellent soundtrack. Moonrise Kingdom is one of 2012’s best films, and I loved every second of this one!
 
The Amazing Spider-Man (2012) 8/10- Without giving an explanation, a young Peter Parker is abandoned by his mother and father. Peter is raised by his Uncle Ben (Martin Sheen) and Aunt May (Sally Field), but he can‘t escape the memory of a mysterious departure from his parents. Now a teenager, Parker (Andrew Garfield) is still looking for closure, and he finds an important clue, while searching through his father‘s old paperwork. Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) could be the missing link that connects Peter to his parent’s vague past. Connors might have the answers, but a trip to Oscorp changes everything. Parker suffers a bite from a genetically enhanced spider, and Peter accidentally inherits superpowers. Eventually, Peter adopts a crime fighting alter ego. Spider-Man is dedicated to stopping all criminals, but Curt Connors will provide his toughest challenge. The Lizard threatens to use a chemical weapon, that will transform all humans into lizard creatures. Can Peter Parker balance his life as a normal high school student, fight crime, and stop The Lizard’s diabolical plans?

At first, I didn’t have a lot of faith in Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man. He just seemed like an odd choice to me, but Garfield delivered a fine performance in The Social Network, so I did have some hope for him here. I was skeptical about Garfield as Spider-Man, but he really impressed me in this film. Garfield is full of charisma, and he was able to bring some believable cockiness and enjoyable humor to the Spider-Man character. As Peter Parker, Garfield showcased some real emotions (especially during one final and intense argument with Uncle Ben), and he really nailed the nerdy, shy teenager persona. Garfield proved to be an excellent choice for Peter Parker/Spider-Man, and he has the potential to outshine Tobey Maguire as the true star of the Spider-Man franchise.

Garfield delivered the goods, and the rest of the cast was enjoyable. Emma Stone was very solid as Gwen Stacy. Stone was a nice choice for Peter Parker‘s love interest, and she shared some excellent chemistry with Andrew Garfield throughout this film. Chris Zylka (Flash Thompson) had the perfect look of a high school jock, who bullied and picked on the weaker kids. Zylka was able to adapt to a more friendly personality during Flash’s character change for the second half of this film, and he provided a believable performance as the jerk, who loved to pick on and torture Peter Parker. Martin Sheen and Sally Field brought their experience as reliable veterans to the Ben and May Parker characters. Field and Sheen were convincing as Peter’s mentors/guardians, and their performances flowed so well. And Denis Leary brought a stern, strict attitude to Captain George Stacy, but Leary never reaches the level of an unlikable character. Yeah, he’s an overprotective father, and he has his moments as a hard ass police Captain, but Leary is one of the good guys. Captain Stacy is more than willing to make the necessary sacrifices, and Leary did bring a strong sense of realism to the normal, hard working, family man side of this character.

Willem Dafoe and Alfred Molina did set the bar pretty high for Spider-Man villains, but Rhys Ifans deserves a spot amongst the more entertaining antagonists in Spider-Man films. Of course, Ifans received a lot of help from CGI during his scenes as The Lizard creature, but as Curt Connors, Ifans could deliver the essential personality of a devious, mad scientist. Ifans is very convincing as an intelligent villain, and he did provide one of the more enjoyable performances here.

Marc Webb won’t top the praises for Sam Raimi’s directing of the original Spider-Man trilogy with one film, but he’s on the right track so far. His style might feel kind of basic and ordinary at times, but Webb’s thrilling action sequences are so fun to watch. Webb didn’t abuse the CGI, and he didn‘t throw a barrage of unnecessary and flashy special effects at the audience. I usually enjoy the limited and conscious approach, because SO many big time Hollywood blockbusters feature an abuse of special effects, and some mainstream directors can‘t control their urges for overusing CGI and unnecessary explosions, especially Michael Bay.

The Amazing Spider-Man has a sleek, sharp look, and the visuals are impressive here. Marc Webb was a fine choice for the director of this film. His vision for the new Spider-Man film felt refreshing, and Webb should be the #1 option as director for the planned sequels.

I took a chance on the 3D, and the extra cash didn’t bother me one bit. You can clearly see a few 3D tricks throughout the film, but The Amazing Spider-Man doesn’t go overboard with Hollywood’s most popular gimmick. Webb knew when and how to use 3D effects, and I never got that “this is so unnecessary” feeling. 3D isn’t used as a diversion tactic, that tries to distract the audience from a shitty and nonsensical storyline (I.e. Resident Evil: Afterlife). Instead, the 3D provided a nice bonus attraction, while maintaining high quality effects at the same time.

The Amazing Spider-Man features great thrills, and the final showdown between Spider-Man and The Lizard is loaded with some fantastic action, that will keep you on the edge of your seat. The Amazing Spider-Man has a run time of two hours and seventeen minutes, but I didn’t feel it. The lengthy run time flies by, and Webb’s steady pacing was a nice touch. A good cast, highly entertaining, stylish action scenes, and Marc Webb showed some real promise as director here. This reboot/remake should give Spider-Man fans and other moviegoers a lot of hope for the new series of films, and I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but bring on the sequels!
 
Marvel’s The Avengers (2012) 9/10- Two weeks ago, my local cinema only had two showings left for this film. I didn't want the regret of waiting for the DVD release, so I finally took the time to watch The Avengers.

I’m going to skip the plot synopsis/intro this time around, and just jump right into it.

Joss Whedon’s directing is just fantastic. The Avengers clocks in at two hours and twenty-two minutes, but the lengthy run time flies by, and you can thank Whedon’s smooth style of directing for that. This film has a nice flow to it, and Whedon packed a powerful, action filled punch. The Avengers is loaded with some great eye candy, and the special effects really provided the icing on the cake. Whedon is in a real comfort zone as director throughout this film. You can really sense it, and Whedon did provide a fun ride for me.

I loved Whedon’s directing, and his screenplay is really something to admire. First of all, I hardly know anything about comic books. The tiny bits of clues featured in the mainstream Marvel films (Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America, etc.) are my only sources for any sort of information. I’ve never picked up an Avengers’ comic book, but Whedon’s script is SO easy to follow. It’s a real treat for outsiders like myself, and having the knowledge of a big comic book fan isn’t a requirement for this film. Whedon’s script provides an easy-to-understand guide for The Avengers, and it’s okay if you’re not familiar with the comic books. I never felt lost, and Whedon’s simplicity will appeal to the masses.

Blending so many extraordinary personalities together can be a tricky task, but Whedon pulled it off with ease. The tremendous ego of Tony Stark, Thor’s god-like powers and his personal agenda, and you can’t forget about the raging, unstoppable monster within Dr. Bruce Banner. Iron Man loves to show off his flashy gadgets, Banner is afraid of The Hulk’s inevitable emergence, and Thor wants to handle the threat on his own. Of course, Captain America wants everyone to work as a team, and eventually, he steps into the role of a leader. Black Widow/ Natasha Romanoff is a team player, and Hawkeye might be a loner, but his deadly skills as an archer are enough to earn a spot on the team. As a team, The Avengers hit a few bumps in the road. Egos and mistrust almost tear them apart, but eventually, they learned to work together and coexist. In these moments, you really get to see the human side of the main characters, as The Avengers put aside their own personal agendas to defeat a seemingly unstoppable evil power.

When I first saw Thor, I didn’t care for Tom Hiddleston as Loki. I didn’t hate his performance, and he didn’t do a bad job in that film. He was just there. But I thoroughly enjoyed Hiddleston as Loki here. Loki is more confident this time around, and Hiddleston did bring a strong sense of believable arrogance to this character. Hiddleston was an entertaining antagonist, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a Loki return in the next film.

The Avengers features a good set of enjoyable performances, and when it comes to the acting department, I don’t have any complaints. Robert Downey, Jr. and Mark Ruffalo delivered high quality performances. Also, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Chris Hemsowrth, Jeremy Renner, and Samuel L. Jackson really pulled everything together with a good effort. Everyone understood their characters, and the entire cast delivered very convincing performances.

Picking a true star from this cast is kind of tough, but Mark Ruffalo is my #1 choice. Eric Bana was okay as Banner, Edward Norton was fantastic in The Incredible Hulk, but Mark Ruffalo surpasses Norton’s performance in the last Hulk film. Ruffalo was this nervous and soft-spoken man, who feared the devastating wrath of The Hulk. Ruffalo brought this calm sense of confidence to the Bruce Banner character. Ruffalo’s Banner has a “secret” for taming the monster inside him, and Ruffalo’s poise during one final transformation towards the end is just great.

And speaking of The Hulk….he was THE MAN in this film. Ruffalo delivered a superb performance for the Bruce Banner character, and The Hulk was just amazing. He’s an unstoppable ass-kicker/wrecking machine, and The Hulk did provide some genuine laughs for me (especially during Loki’s SMASH! Scene). Robert Downey, Jr. might be a popular choice for the true star of this cast, but The Hulk easily steals the show here.

Is this film predictable? Yep. It sure is. Can you see everything coming from a mile away? You should be able to, if you pay close attention. Sure, The Avengers might feel predictable at times, but who cares! This film will take you on an unforgettable ride to the very end, and the spectacular final battle provides some great fun and excitement. The Avengers is a thrilling and extravagant action superhero film. The Avengers lives up to the tremendous hype, but I still haven‘t seen The Dark Knight Rises yet, so I‘ll hold off on my praises for the best superhero film of 2012 for now.
 
Savages (2012) 7/10-Chon (Taylor Kitsch) and Ben (Aaron Johnson) are two carefree marijuana growers/experts. They’re enjoying their lives as best friends and drug dealers, and both men share Ophelia or “O” (Blake Lively) as their girlfriend. The pot business is booming, but Ben and Chon run into trouble, when they receive some intense pressure from a persistent cartel leader. Elena Sánchez (Salma Hayek) wants Chon and Ben to join her organization as business partners, and she won’t take no for an answer.

Feeling the heat, Ben and Chon plan a quick getaway before giving Elena their answer, but Elena senses something fishy, so she decides to kidnap O. Elena will use O as collateral, while Ben and Chon provide their services. O is at the mercy of Elena and her ruthless bodyguard/enforcer, Lado (Benicio del Toro), but Ben and Chon come up with an elaborate plan to save their girlfriend. Ben and Chon will need the help of a shady DEA agent named Dennis (John Travolta) to rescue O, and permanently break any ties with Elena.

Well, they really stayed true to the cohesive love triangle story here. Ben and Chon are both in love with O, she’s their best friend, and O feels the same way about her boyfriends. Ben, Chon, and O all get along well, and as far as the relationship between all three of them goes, you never see any signs of mistrust or betrayal. Ben and Chon confide in O, both of them treat her like a real girlfriend, and when it comes to the physical side of the relationship, both guys are more than willing to share O. No jealously, no bitter feelings, and a lack of trust never becomes a problem. The three-way relationship between O, Ben, and Chon can feel awkward at times, but it didn’t bother me too much. I guess you have to respect two guys, who are willing to share and have sex with one woman, AND risk their lives to save the same woman, right?

You might have mixed feelings for the three-way relationship, but you have to admire the acting in this film. Salma Hayek is just fantastic, and I can’t remember the last time she delivered such an outstanding performance. Naturally, Hayek is a very attractive woman, and she did bring a strong sense of believable sex appeal to this character. But the Elena character never reaches that “Oh well, she’s just eye candy” stage, and Hayek‘s good looks provided a positive attribute for the leader side of her character. Hayek was able to provide the cold-hearted and commanding presence of a feared cartel leader. Elena is a strong and confident character, and Hayek’s very convincing performance was the highlight of this film for me.

Benicio del Toro almost surpasses Hayek as an antagonist here, because he really nailed the Lado character. Del Toro is menacing, intimidating, and he did bring a genuinely evil presence to this character. Lado struggles with his loyalty to Elena, while trying to fulfill his own personal agenda, and I could sense the conflict within this character. Del Toro might choose a handful of bad films every now and then, but he is more than capable of delivering memorable performances.

John Travolta brought a humorous side to the Dennis character. Yeah, Dennis is a sleazy and crooked DEA agent, who will do anything for more money, but Dennis doesn’t take himself too seriously, and you can laugh at him. Technically, Dennis is one of the bad guys, but Travolta’s performance never reaches the level of a loathsome and annoying persona you can’t stand, and I actually enjoyed this approach.

Taylor Kitsch and Aaron Johnson were solid enough, and I didn’t have a problem with Blake Lively here. O lives a carefree lifestyle. She has the look of a laid-back and promiscuous surfer chick, and Lively is believable here. It’s funny, because Lively is more comfortable with ****ty personas. She transforms into a better actress, and if you don’t believe me, you should watch Lively’s performance in The Town.

And I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but Oliver Stone deserves a lot of credit for the directing here. He’s not as good as Platoon Oliver Stone, but more importantly, he’s not as bad as Alexander Oliver Stone. He’s somewhere in the middle, and you will see a darker side of Stone here. Stone’s raw and gritty style is just fantastic, and I have some restored feelings of faith for Stone’s career.

The acting is almost perfect, and Stone shows he can still deliver the goods as a director…. but the story almost ruined this film. The screenplay is the most obvious weakness here, and I can’t ignore Savages’ convoluted story. At first, the story showed some real promise, but eventually, Savages devolves into an incoherent mess, and it’s a real shame. Savages could’ve been 2012’s #1 crime drama, but the screenplay destroys any chances of supremacy.

The messy story did annoy me, but I still LOVED Savages. Savages is a brutal and violent crime drama. The action sequences are pretty intense, this film features a good amount of gruesome and bloody gore, and Savages delivers a few enjoyable thrills. The twist ending feels like a giant clusterfuck, but Savages provided plenty of entertainment for me. It could’ve been better, but Savages is still one of my 2012 favorites.
 
The Watch (2012) 5/10- Evan Trautwig (Ben Stiller) is a dedicated Costco manager, and Evan enjoys his life, as a passionate and generous resident of Glenview (a small, quiet town in Ohio). Glenview is a positive community, but a sudden tragedy disrupts Evan’s perfect life. One night, a Costco security guard (who is also one of Evan’s friends by the way) is brutally murdered. The lackadaisical police force isn’t willing to put forth a real effort, and no suspects emerge, so Evan decides to form a neighborhood watch team. With the help of Bob Finnerty (Vince Vaughn), Franklin (Jonah Hill), and Jamarcus (Richard Ayoade), Evan plans to track down the murder. But the neighborhood watch team discovers a devastating secret: an alien invasion will destroy Earth, and Glenview’s Costco is the home base for the deadly alien attackers. The neighborhood watch team must use their limited resources to stop the invasion, but Evan’s control freak habits might ruin everyone’s chances for survival.

The well-chosen cast is the major attraction for this film. Jonah Hill is just hilarious. Franklin still lives with his mother, and his employment application was rejected by the local police force. Franklin has some serious emotional issues. He’s a head case for the most part, but Hill never forgets the comical side of this character. Vince Vaughn could be annoying and over the top at times, but his performance as the down-to-earth manly man did pull some laughs out of me. I’m really not familiar with Ricahrd Ayoade’s work, but I enjoyed his performance as Jamarcus. As far as laughs go, Ayoade couldn’t match his fellow cast members, but he was funny at times. Ben Stiller is kind of goofy and obnoxious, but Stiller was very believable, as the uptight and squeaky clean Costco manager. And you really get to see the normal side of the Evan character, as he faces some marital problems with his wife, Abby (Rosemarie DeWitt). Also, Will Forte and R. Lee Ermey were great additions to the cast. And Billy Crudup provided his fair share of funny moments, as the creepy new neighbor. The cast for The Watch features a nice set of entertaining, oddball characters, and everyone delivered an enjoyable performance here.


The Watch isn’t a horrible film, but I do have a few complaints. At first, The Watch feels like something different. You’ll see a few twists and turns, and hell, the story actually feels mysterious at times. But The Watch quickly devolves into your typical foul-mouthed, R-rated mainstream comedy, and it’s a real disappointment. They just had to throw in some random orgy scene. I guess this was an excuse for showing a few quick glimpses of sex and tits, but this particular scene didn’t do anything for me. The Watch squanders a unique and intriguing premise for the sake of being your usual Hollywood R-rated comedy. Although, the vulgar stuff didn’t surprise me too much, because Seth Rogen is one of the writers for this film. Still, The Watch could’ve been something special, but in the end, they just settled for an average R-rated comedy.

When it comes to Akiva Schaffer’s directing, I have no complaints. His vision wasn’t anything special, but Schaffer’s work behind the camera didn’t hurt this film.

The Watch is more than capable of providing some good laughs. The humor is fairly consistent, and the entire cast is fantastic. But I couldn’t understand the tamed approach towards the gore and violence here. After all, this is an R-rated film, so why not go all the way? The Watch won’t set the bar for sci-fi comedies, and this is one of the more forgettable films in 2012, but you can still have a good time with this one. But The Watch probably isn’t worth the price of a theater ticket, because you really aren’t missing anything special, if you decide to pass on the big screen showings.
 
Battleship (2012) 6/10-Alex Hopper (Taylor Kitsch) is a screw-up. He’s broke, sleeps on his brother’s couch, and of course, Alex doesn‘t have a job. But Stone (Alex’s brother) is sick of Alex’s laziness, and after a stern demand from his older brother, Alex joins the Navy. As a Commander, Stone (Alexander Skarsgård) keeps a close eye on his younger brother.

Eventually, Alex rises to the rank of a Lieutenant, but his relationship with Samantha Shane (Brooklyn Decker) might cause some problems. Samantha is the daughter of Admiral Terrance Shane (Liam Neeson). The Admiral is a strict man, and he won’t tolerate reckless behavior. Alex wants to marry Samantha, but first, he must ask for the Admiral’s permission. A brief scuffle with a fellow shipmate might jeopardize Alex’s job in the Navy, and his chances with Samantha, but Alex will have to face bigger challenges. An alien invasion threatens Earth, and after a series of tragic deaths, Alex becomes the Commanding Officer of the USS John Paul Jones. Alex must rise to the rank of a leader, learn responsibility, and he must find a way to defeat the alien attackers.

Peter Berg loves flashy special effects. Berg is the director for this film, and you will see his obsession for CGI and explosions here. Storytelling takes a backseat, because Berg tries to mesmerize the audience with a bunch of unnecessary and over the top effects. Berg’s Michael Bay approach did surprise me here. I’ve seen a good amount of his films (Very Bad Things, Hancock, The Rundown, and The Kingdom), but I never noticed an uncontrollable urge to abuse special effects. I didn‘t expect this approach from Berg, and his style for Battleship did surprise me.

Taylor Kitsch is a competent leading man. Samantha has some brains, but Brooklyn Decker is just eye candy for the most part. As expected, Liam Neeson delivers the best performance in this film, and Alexander Skarsgård is decent enough. Rihanna was okay at best. She plays this bad-ass tomboy, but I couldn’t take this character seriously most of the time. Overall, the acting is pretty solid. Liam Neeson provides a strong presence as a recognizable veteran, and this cast actually features a few likeable characters.

Battleship is your typical Hollywood summer blockbuster. An overload of unnecessary special effects, noisy battle scenes, a barrage of clichés, and you can see the predictable “good guys triumph” ending coming from a mile away. Battleship is garbage, but more importantly, it’s enjoyable garbage. Battleship is a fun popcorn flick, filled with mindless entertainment. If you go into this film expecting some sort of action/sci-fi masterpiece, you will be very disappointed, it’s that simple. Battleship has received a lot of hate from critics and moviegoers this year, but I’m in the minority of supporters, because Battleship is my guilty pleasure for 2012.
 
The Devil’s Rock (2011) 5/10- In 1944, two New Zealand commandos receive a mission: travel to the Channel Islands, sabotage a German gun machine, and quietly kill any Nazi soliders, who might interfere. It’s the eve of D-Day, trouble is looming, but Captain Ben Grogan (Craig Hill) and Sergeant Joe Tane (Karlos Drinkwater) stumble across a horrible secret plot. The Nazis plan to use a powerful demon to win World War II. Grogan is at the mercy of a ruthless Nazi Colonel. Colonel Klaus Meyer (Matthew Sunderland) tortures Grogan for answers, but both men will have to work together, if they want to leave the island alive. The chained demon can break free at any moment, but the situation becomes more complicated, when the demon takes the form of Ben’s dead wife, Helena (Gina Varela). Will Ben trust the Nazi Colonel, who tortured him? Or will Ben succumb to the temptation of starting a new relationship with his demonized wife?

The Devil’s Rock doesn’t feature any true scares, but I still enjoyed Paul Campion’s directing. Campion created a very believable bleak atmosphere, and the eerie silence throughout the bunker (the main setting for this film) really pulled everything together. Plus, the gruesome sight of dismembered dead bodies provides a genuine haunting feeling for the isolated deathtrap. The Devil’s Rock features some good tension every now and then, and Campion’s directing is one the major highlights for this film.

You won‘t see any genuine jump scares, or spooky moments here, but I enjoyed the verbal dueling between Grogan and Meyer. It’s Grogan’s morals and ethics VS Meyer’s loyalty to his country, but at the same time, you can sense the conflict in Meyer. Meyer has to make a choice: he can unleash the deadly demon, and Germany will win the war, or he can put a stop to the demon’s viscous wrath, because Meyer is the only one, who possesses the necessary knowledge, that could destroy the creature once and for all. Meyer and Grogan play a deadly game of cat and mouse, and this film will throw a surprising twist at you towards the end.

The Devil’s Rock is an independent film, and the majority of low-budget effects are noticeably bad. The demon looks like a character from a cartoon show, and this is a MAJOR problem, because 90% of the story revolves around the demon. The demon is suppose to inspire fear, intimidation, and terror, but the sight of the demon almost brought a few laughs out of me. Don’t believe me? Here take a look:

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This was a tough rating for me, but I decided to go a with a positive score. Yeah, the cartoonish demon is a problem, but I still enjoyed The Devil’s Rock. This film provides a nice mix of war history and horror, and the unique premise feels refreshing. Plus, Craig Hill and Matthew Sunderland delivered a pair of strong performances, Gina Varela was believable, and you will see some good acting in this film. Also, if you can’t handle bloody stuff, you should avoid this one, because The Devil’s Rock is loaded with graphic gore and gruesome violence.

The Devil’s Rock has its problems (mainly in the make-up/special effects department), but I appreciate the effort to give horror fans something different. The Devil’s Rock brings a thought-provoking approach to the horror genre, and this film should please the bloodthirsty horror fans, who crave graphic violence.
 
Piranha 3DD (2012) 6/10- One year has passed since the viscous piranha attacks at Lake Victoria. The small town of Arizona is a desolate wasteland, but the piranhas aren’t done yet.

One night, Clayton (Gary Busey) and Mo (Clu Gulager) find the body of a dead cow. Clayton and Mo try to remove the cow from a small lake, but this lake is close to Lake Victoria. And both men accidentally unleash a new swarm, as Piranha eggs inside the cow’s body begin to hatch.

At a nearby waterpark, Maddy (Danielle Panabaker) must fight her step-father for control. Maddy is co-owner of the waterpark, but Chet (David Koechner) is the majority owner, so he gets to make all the big deicsions. Chet will provide a hardcore section of the waterpark for adult guests. This section will feature strippers and nude women. Maddy is disgusted by Chet’s vision for the “Big Wet” (the new name of the waterpark), but Maddy will have to worry about bigger problems. Chet is illegally pumping water from an underground river. This particular flow of water runs straight into the park, and the new swarm of piranhas will have easy access for more carnage. Maddy urges Chet to close the park, but money is Chet’s #1 priority, so he refuses. Barry (Matt Bush) tries do the right thing as a friend. He lends a helping hand, but Maddy will need more than one person. A massacre is looming at the Big Wet, and the evolving piranhas eagerly await another feeding frenzy.

As far as directors go, John Gulager was the right choice for this type of film. Gulager provides a wild and brutal self-parody style of filmmaking here. You aren’t suppose to take this film seriously, and Gulager’s directing will constantly remind of you this. Gulager will never win any Academy Awards in the future, but when it comes to Piranha 3DD, the satire approach DID work.

I don’t have any major complaints about the acting. Danielle Panabaker is a decent enough leading lady, but David Koechner is the true star of the cast. Chet is a sleazy douchebag, and Koechner really nailed this character. As usual, Katrina Bowden is just eye candy, but the rest of the cast provided a nice set of believable performances. Plus, the celebrity cameos were very enjoyable. Busey doesn’t last long, but David Hasselhoff , Christopher Lloyd, and Ving Rhames are hilarious, especially Hasselhoff.

The bloody grand finale is underwhelming, but I still enjoyed Piranha 3DD. It’s a ridiculous and over the top horror comedy, and the graphic gore is still very gruesome and extreme. I can’t comment on the 3D, because I didn’t watch the 3D version. Also, don’t get your hopes up for the “double d‘s” stuff. It’s just a marketing tool to lure the nude hounds, nothing more, nothing less. If you enjoyed Piranha 3D, 3DD should provide a fun experience for you. No, Piranha 3DD doesn‘t measure up to the remake, but you can still have a good time with this one.

Oh, and for all the people, who are trashing this film...... this is a horror comedy about piranhas attacking people at a freakin’ waterpark. Did you really expect some kind of sensible story? Piranha 3DD promised more gratuitous nudity and extreme violence, and for the most part, Piranha 3DD delivered (with the exception of the “DD’s” of course). Piranha 3DD was promoted as a silly and over the top horror comedy, so if you walked away from this film with disappointed feelings, you can only point the finger at yourself.
 
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God Bless America(2011) 8/10

If there were one word I could use to describe this movie it would be Unorthodox. God Bless America centers around Frank(Joel Murray) who can't stand what our country has become, from reality shows about bitchy teenage girls to talk show hosts who treat people like crap for a living, he's tired of our society rewarding those who are shallow and immoral just because they're famous. He then finds out that he has a tumor that will kill him within a month or so and decides to act on his displeasure for modern society's idols and becomes a serial killer with the agenda of killing....bad people.

It's really a refreshing piece, obviously killing people for these reasons is crazy but the main message behind it is very powerful and one that I agree with. It's depressing what this country has turned into and how the kinds of people we look up to are not always/usually not great people, nobody can go five minutes without using some sort of social media and it's sad that morals and civility are not as important as they used to be. I definitely recommend that anyone interested sees this, it's not an expensive big time Hollywood flick but it's got a great message and is very entertaining.
 
I watched a couple of movies today. Yeah, I know.

Moneyball was good, but I thought the ending was unsatisfying. It's like if they did a movie about the Miami Dolphins incorporating the Wildcat offense. Yeah, but you still lost. 3/5

The Hunger Games held my attention pretty well and I rather enjoyed it. The only real gripe I had with it was the shitty camera work during the fight scenes. The story was decent though. 4.5/5
 
Nate said:
I watched a couple of movies today. Yeah, I know.

Moneyball was good, but I thought the ending was unsatisfying. It's like if they did a movie about the Miami Dolphins incorporating the Wildcat offense. Yeah, but you still lost. 3/5

The Hunger Games held my attention pretty well and I rather enjoyed it. The only real gripe I had with it was the shitty camera work during the fight scenes. The story was decent though. 4.5/5
Click to expand...

Did you just rate Hunger Games higher than Moneyball? Now, to be fair, I haven't seen Hunger Games. I haven't read it either; although it's sitting on my iPad collecting virtual dust right now. Obviously I can't REALLY be too ticked off, but there just seems to be something inherently wrong with that situation.

ParaNorman - 8.5/10

Sam Fell (Flushed Away, the Tale of Despereaux) and Chris Butler (directorial debut) enter the world of stop-motion with ParaNorman, a clever late-Summer family flick that ended up being so much more than I expected.

Norman Babcock is a lonely young boy with a curious ability: he can see, and speak with the dead! While he finds comfort in his ghostly friends, this also issolates Norman from his own family - who struggle to deal with their strange child - and eventually turns an entire town against him! Butler, who also wrote the film, did an excellent job pushing Norman's isolation from beginning to end. Nobody believes him, and it's sad to see that he's accepted that fate. We've seen the lonely-boy-who-finds-a-friend bit a hundred times in kid's movies, but even "best friend" Neil plays a surprisingly small role in the film. There is such a great and believable sense of being alone that unlike many other movies that use the same, tired concept, "Norman" has a payoff that worth investing in by the end.

What I love about "ParaNorman" is that we don't get the traditonal "make friends; save the day" story here. He does eventually win over some of his peers, and of course the town is saved from zombies, evil witches and all maners of evil, but the story goes so much deeper than that. It's not about the fullfillment of Norman by the end, it's about a change in perspective. Like "District 9" the film turns the unknown back on us, and asks the audience if maybe, when we truly stop to think about, we are the monsters that the innocent fear.

Early on I was dissapointed by some of the dialogue. Jeff Garlin lends his iconic voice-over work here as Norman's father Perry Babcock. While he did a fantastic job - and maybe this is more the writer's doing - convincing us that Norman has a horrible home life, sometimes it came across as forced. His parents (mother voiced by Leslie Mann) may not have been truly abusive, but the level of obvious disdain Perry shows for his son may as well be just as bad. Unfortunately, while there was a "way to go Norman" scene at the end, I never felt like it reconciled their actions throughout the film. His sister Courtney, voiced by the lovely Anna Kendrick, played a typical teenage girl (maybe a bit too typical for my taste), and was the only member of his (living) family you end up liking by the end credits.

And maybe that's all a part of Chris Butler and Sam Fell's vision for the movie. That the adults, even the ones who repented their wrong doings, had the hardest time accepting anything outside of their shallow world-views. I might be reading too much into what is essentially a kid's movie, but maybe forgiveness for the characters at fault doesn't come from their actions in the film, but from an introspective look at our own views of the misunderstood.

That a stop-motion piece even provoked analysis that deep should be an indication that "ParaNorman" is very good. Or that my love affair with quality animation has gotten the best of me...

Despite my small issues with parts of the cast, most characters were fun and played their parts well. Disney Channel's Tucker Albrizzi played Norman's new best friend Neil, who I'm convinced was made to emulate the young actor. Seriously, look at some side-by-sides. Casey Affleck lent his voice to Mitch, a complete meat-head that draws the affection of the aforementioned Courtney Babcock. And the always "on" Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Kick-Ass, Superbad) voices Alvin, the local bully that you just can't help but love by the end.

"ParaNorman" was well-casted, and certainly well-written. The stop-motion is some of the best work I've seen out of the genre, surpassing even "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and reminding us why we loved such cult classics as "The Nightmare Before Christmas" and "James and the Giant Peach".

This was a fine addition to what will likely be one of the best years for animation in the history of film. With so many great choices (Brave, Arrietty, Pirates and a slew of un-released films) it's going to be a tricky decision, but I would be shocked if we didn't see "ParaNorman" among the Academy Awards' list in 2013.
 
Clue (1985) 9/10- In 1954, an ordinary butler named Wadsworth (Tim Curry) invites six strangers to a spooky, old gothic style mansion. Wadsworth receives assistance from the maid, Yvette (Colleen Camp), and The Cook (Kellye Nakahara), and together, they provide the proper setting for their guests. The strangers must use aliases to protect their identities. Eventually, Wadsworth will reveal their dirty secrets, and the guest list features a group of sneaky characters:

-Colonel Mustard (Martin Mull)

-Mrs. White (Madeline Kahn)

-Mrs. Peacock (Eileen Brennan)

-Professor Plum (Christopher Lloyd)

-Miss Scarlet (Lesley Ann Warren)

-Mr. Green (Micahel McKean)​

The six strangers are tied to the government in many different ways, and all of them have one thing in common: they are being blackmailed by Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving). Wadsowrth’s original plan was simple enough: invite the strangers to the mansion, confront Mr. Boddy for his crimes, and turn him over to the police. But Mr. Boddy disrupts Wadsowrth’s plans with a tempting offer. Promising to humiliate his victims in court, Mr. Boddy gives the six strangers two options:

Option A- Turning Mr. Boddy over to the police will save the strangers a lot of money, and they can put a stop to the blackmailing. But if Mr. Boddy testifies in court, the six strangers will have to endure embarrassing scandals.

Option B- Mr. Boddy provides the strangers with six weapons: a revolver, a lead pipe, a rope with a noose, a dagger, a wrench, and a candlestick. The strangers can destroy the evidence, use the weapons to kill Wadsowrth, and to protect the identity of the murderer, Mr. Boddy will turn off the lights, when he signals the kill.

Fearing the fallout of an embarrassing scandal, one stranger chooses option b. The gun goes off in the dark, but when the lights come back on, Mr. Boddy is laying motionless on the floor. Mr. Boddy only suffered a grazed bullet wound on his ear, so the strangers try to solve the mystery of his death. After discovering the dead body of The Cook, the strangers return to the study, but Mr. Boddy has disappeared.

The strangers, Yvette, and Wadsworth will have to solve the murder mystery before the police arrive, but unexpected visits from a motorist, a cop, and a singing telegram girl complicate the sticky situation.

Clue features an outstanding cast, and each character has their own unique sense of humor. Colonel Mustard is an ass. Miss Scarlet is a sultry and arrogant madam. Mrs. Peacock is a stuck-up snob. Professor Plum fits the profile of shady shrink, and he’s a pervert. Mrs. White is a dark, disturbed woman, who hates men. And Mr. Green is a nervous and hyper, accident-prone wimp. For the most part, Yvette is just eye candy, but her character is so hilariously over the top, and the exaggerated French accent provides the icing on the cake. Wadsworth is proper. He’s a sympathetic character, but Wadsowrth is hiding some serious secrets. And Mr. Boddy provides the necessary presence of a slimy antagonist.

Clue is loaded with colorful characters, and the acting is just superb. It’s hard to pick a true star from this cast, but I’m going with Madeline Khan. Her performance as the psychotic and quiet widow is fantastic. Khan provides a strong sense of subtlety, but Mrs. White can snap at any moment, and Khan’s performance is so fun to watch. I love Khan in this film, but Tim Curry deserves an honorable mention, and Lee Ving could’ve easily taken the spot for the best performance here, but his character doesn‘t last long.

Technically, every character in the mansion is a real scumbag, but you aren’t suppose to take them seriously. The lighthearted approach is wonderful, and the entire cast is more than capable of providing some great laughs.

The acting is top notch, and Johnathan Lynn’s directing really pulls everything together. Lynn provides the gloomy atmosphere of a haunted house style horror film, but at the same time, Lynn adds a comical touch. Lynn’s goofy style of storytelling and the atmosphere of the creepy old mansion are a perfect match for a superb black comedy.

This story will throw a good amount of twists and turns at you, but confusion is never a problem, because Wadsworth’s lengthy and hectic explanation of “Who killed who?” will tie up any loose ends. For those of you who are unaware, Clue features three separate endings:

1. The Miss Scarlet ending

2. The Mrs. Peacock ending

3. The REAL Mr. Boddy ending
​

Each ending provides a nice surprise, but the Miss Scarlet and Mrs. Peacock endings are a little bit too far-fetched for my taste. If I had to pick a favorite, I would easily go with the real Mr. Boddy ending.

In this ending, Wadsowrth reveals himself as the real Mr. Boddy, and five of the six guests are responsible for the murders. Expect for Mr. Green, who is actually an undercover FBI agent, and Green’s homosexuality was apart of his cover. Mr. Green kills Mr. Boddy with one shot, and Tim Curry’s facial expressions during Mr. Boddy’s death are just priceless. Also, Green actually takes a little jab at himself with the “I’m going to go home and sleep with my wife” zinger.

The real Mr. Boddy ending makes a lot more sense, because all of the killers had believable motives. Plus, Wadsworth revealing himself as the real Mr. Boddy provided a great shock, because nobody would’ve suspected the ordinary butler. The real Mr. Boddy ending really is the best one, but you have to see it to believe it!

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Clue is a phenomenal black comedy, and this film provides a hilarious spoof of the mystery film genre. Clue is loaded with some fantastic comedic performances, and I never get tired of watching this one. It’s ironic, because I love the movie, but I HATE the board game. I can always watch Clue over and over again, and I enjoy it each time, but the board game always bored me to death. I tried over and over again, but I could never get into it.

Of course, Universal Studios is planning a remake of this film. It’s supposed to hit theaters in 2013 (no specific date just yet), and I hope they don’t botch this one. Clue is one of my all-time favorites. Please, Hollywood, I’m begging you, don’t fuck it up!
 
American Pshycho 9/10

I watched this the other day after my brother mentioned it was Christian Bale's best performance yet and i have to say i agree with him.. An absolutely fantastic movie coupled with a great soundtrack. Random thought: have any of Jared Leto's characters gone a whole film with being beaten or killed? That guys got terrible luck. I think my favorite scene has to be the one with Patrick Bateman and his assistant in his apartment getting ready to go on a date. The film got a great ending and one that really makes you think, the second last scene is a bit too over the top in my opinion. I would certainly call this a must watch, even if i didn't get all the hype over the business card scene.


Cowboys and Aliens 5/10

They don't make westerns like they used to. Instead of the magnificent seven, Rooster Cogburn and the man with no name we get James Bond, Han Solo and fucking aliens. Daniel Craig is alright in the main role and he does a good job with his character by really selling the mystique surrounding his character at the start of the film but Harisson Ford is fairly average and spends most of the film just grumbling at people. Keith Carradine was seriously underused here and the story's got a few plotholes. There's much better films out there to spend your time on.


The Godfather 10/10
The Godfather part II 10/10

Ive been meaning to watch these two for a long time. If you haven't seen these two yet then book a day off work(your going to need a whole day both are over 3 hours long) and enjoy two of the best films ever made. Brilliant performances all round and the two story arc's in part II work really well. The ending shot of Michael Corleone on part II might be one of my favorite movie scenes ever given the context. I think part II is slightly superior but both are classics in their own right. I haven't gotten round to seeing part III yet and ive been told not to bother.


3:10 to Yuma 7/10

Now this is a return to form for westerns. Christian Bale and Russel Crowe are both in fine form here. Kevin Durand also does a fine job of being the unlikeable dick of the film. There's always a degree of tension throughout the film as Ben Wade's gang is always on the tail of Dan Evans(Christian Bale). I really enjoyed the character of Dan Evans and how when all is said and done he just want's to be a man his kids can look up to. I found the ending a little farfetched however and it's because of that i only gave it a seven. It was a more then a little hard to understand the actions of Russel Crowe's character in the last scene and it kind of spoiled the film in a way. Despite that it's still a good film especially if you're a fan of westerns.​
 
To Rome With Love (2012) 3/10- To Rome With Love features four, unrelated storylines, so I’m going to break the intro/plot synopsis into four separate parts this time around.

Leopoldo Becomes A Celebrity​

Leopoldo (Roberto Benigni) is just an average Joe. He works a normal job, but one day, Leopoldo is forced into the lavish lifestyle of a famous and popular celebrity. Leopoldo has it all , but will he accept his new-found fame? Or will Leopoldo crack under the hectic lifestyle of a celebrity, as he avoids relentless chases from the paparazzi?

Monica​

Jack (Jesse Eisenberg) is in love with Sally (Greta Gerwig), but Sally’s best friend, Monica (Ellen Page) is too tempting to resist. John (Alec Baldwin) tries to offer some advice as a mentor, but Jack is mesmerized by Monica’s “intellectual“, down-to-earth charm.

Antonio & Milly​

Antonio (Alessandro Tiberi) wants to impress some big names in the business world, but his wife, Milly (Alessandra Mastronardi) doesn’t show up for an important career changing meeting. Milly’s sudden disappearance sends Antonio into a panic, but he has one solution for his problems: Antonio will use a prostitute named Anna (Penélope Cruz) as a stand-in wife. Antonio tries to fool his potential employers, but Anna’s sexually provocative look and behavior might cause some trouble.

Jerry's Big Vision​

Jerry (Woody Allen) and Phyllis (Judy Davis) take a trip to Rome. But a simple vacation/visit to see their daughter, Hayley (Alison Pill) and her soon-to-be husband, Michelangelo (Flavio Parenti) takes a sudden and bizarre turn. Apparently, Michelangelo’s father, Giancarlo (Fabio Armiliato) has a real talent for singing….but he can only showcase this talent in the shower. Michelangelo and his mother are against a full-time singing career, but Jack has other ideas. He wants to promote and manage the career of the shower singer, but can Jerry transform an ordinary funeral home director into a true star?

I know this is going to sound corny, but where’s the love? Rome is supposed to be this magical city of love, that inspires feelings of wonder, and Rome will provide a joyous experience for any happy couple. This is what the story wants you to believe, but the characters aren’t interested in true love, or remaining faithful to their partners. Jack has the hots for Monica, and he can’t control his urges to sleep with her. Antonio is nervous and shy, but he eventually succumbs to an “offer” from Anna. And Milly is obsessed with a famous Italian actor, and for some bizarre reason, Milly desires a one-night stand with a random thief. At times, I felt confused, because the vast majority of characters in this film can’t control their urges to sleep with other people, and in most cases, infidelity triumphs over true love.

Oh, and as far as Monica goes……I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t buy into the “she’s SO irresistible!” stuff. The story wants you to believe Monica as this desirable, and intellectual hot woman, who has the ability to drive any man crazy. Ellen Page is an attractive woman, but I don’t put her on the same level as other attractive Hollywood actresses. Jessica Alba, Amber Heard, Mila Kunis, and Rachel McAdams would’ve been more believable in this role, because Ellen Page really can’t match their drop-dead gorgeous looks.

Woody Allen provides a hilarious performance, and I enjoyed his directing. Allen captured the natural, awe-inspiring beauty of Rome, and Allen’s special touch provided the necessary feelings of a lighthearted, romantic setting. Woody Allen probably won’t earn any Oscar nominations this time around, but his directing is one of the very few highlights for this film.

The misguided screenplay did bother me, and two storylines really felt out of place here. Leopoldo’s fantasy from rags to riches story really didn’t fit with the “love” theme for this film, and the story of the shower singing funeral home director didn‘t provide any romantic feelings. Both storylines felt so random, and neither story fits within the context of this film.

I don’t have any complaints about the acting, but To Rome With Love is a dull film, that features uninteresting and disjointed storylines. Allen tries to throw in a mix of fantasy with the Leopoldo storyline and Alec Baldwin’s character, but the fiction side of this film really didn’t do anything for me, because everything felt so confusing most of the time. Also, To Rome With Love is horribly boring. The lack of continuity is a real problem here, and each storyline moves at an unbearable sluggish pace. To Rome With Love is a big disappointment. Although, Midnight In Paris set the bar pretty high, so Allen did have some big shoes to fill.
 
Ted (2012) 7/10- John (Mark Wahlberg) is an immature, thirty-five year old man. As a young child, John wished his teddy bear to life, because he wanted a best friend. As an adult, Ted (voiced by Seth MacFarlane) is a slacker. He doesn’t have a job, and in many ways, Ted is John’s Achilles heel. Lori (John‘s girlfriend) is tired of John’s lack of motivation in life. John needs to grow up and become a man, but who will he choose? Lori (Mila Kunis) or Ted?

Ted is a talking teddy bear, and his long-term bond with John is the focal point of the story. At first, Ted was a little bit too silly for my taste, but as time passed, this film started to grow on me. Yeah, the story of a grown man, who struggles to let go of a friendship with his talking teddy bear sounds foolish, but Ted is filled with some great humor and plenty of likeable characters. The talking teddy bear stuff worried me at first, but the friendship between Ted and John was believable. John is a loser, who is struggling to grow up, and Ted is John’s foul-mouthed buddy. Ted actually had a surprising amount of depth, so audiences could form some kind of connection with this character.

Seth MacFarlane provided the voice for Ted, and this film features MacFarlane’s full-length directorial debut. I haven’t followed Family Guy in a LONG time, but I could notice some of MacFarlane’s very familiar trends throughout this film. Cutaway gags, 80’s pop culture references (mainly the Flash Gordon stuff), and while voicing Ted, MacFarlane actually makes a joke about the similarities between his voice and Peter Griffin‘s voice. I rolled my eyes during this scene, but MacFarlane’s Family Guy tricks didn’t annoy me too much. For the most part, I actually enjoyed his directing. His style is pretty basic, but MacFarlane’s directing didn’t hurt this film, so I don’t have any real complaints.

Ted is one of the better comedies in 2012. Ted offers consistent laughs, the raunchy and vulgar humor is enjoyable, the acting is very solid, and I seriously can’t think of one unlikeable character in the entire cast. The chubby kid comes close, but Robert (Aedin Mincks) never reaches the level of someone you want to punch in the face, and they really took a more lighthearted approach towards this character in the final moments. Giovanni Ribisi is supposed to be the main antagonist here. Donny (Ribisi) is weird and quirky, but this character couldn’t pull any negative feelings out of me, because Ribisi’s hilarious performance is so entertaining.

Honestly, I didn’t expect much from this film, but Ted really surprised me. The story might feel kind of generic and predictable at times, but I couldn’t stop laughing. Ted isn‘t epic or groundbreaking, but this film did provide plenty of laughs for me.
 
Machine Gun Preacher (2011) 7/10- After his release from jail, Sam Childers (Gerard Butler) quickly returns to his life, as a ruthless gang biker and drug addict. Although, Sam’s wife, Lynn (Michelle Monaghan) has changed. Wanting to start a new life, Lynn quits her job as a stripper, and becomes a Christian. This decision enrages Sam, because he believes Lynn passed up a golden opportunity to make easy money. Sam’s best friend, Donnie (Michael Shannon) joins him in a life of crime, and together, they rob a drug dealer for his money and merchandise.

But after nearly killing a hitchhiker, Sam decides to turn his life around. Sam becomes a devoted Christian, builds a church, and eventually, Sam travels to Uganda. In Uganda, Sam dedicates his life to helping the children of South Sudan. But Sam’s efforts to build an orphanage are challenged by the viscous LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army). Desperately needing help, Sam joins forces with the SPLA (Sudan People’s Liberation Army), but he is slowly consumed by his efforts to help the children.

Sam Childers is a complex man. At first, you’ll see an angry junkie/gangster, who is hell-bent on destroying his life. After his baptism, Childers becomes a more caring family man, who will do anything to protect his wife, and his daughter, Paige (Madeline Carroll). But Sam’s dedication to the crisis in South Sudan drives him to madness. Sam alienates his family, his friends, and he becomes a deranged man, who will do anything to save the children. The Sam Childers character has to face a lot of tough challenges throughout this film, and he endures serious changes. Gerard Butler’s very convincing performance brought a strong sense of believability to the conflict within Sam, as he struggled with his responsibilities as a father and husband, and his commitments to the children in South Sudan.

Butler delivers the best performance in this film, and Machine Gun Preacher features some very solid acting. Michelle Monaghan and Michael Shannon are the highlights from the supporting cast, and for what it’s worth, seeing Shannon portray a vulnerable character felt kind of weird. Shannon always seems more comfortable portraying the angry guy or the jerk (8 Mile), and he has delivered some memorable tirades (Take Shelter and Revolutionary Road are a few examples), but Donnie is a nervous and soft-spoken junkie. Still, Shannon really nailed this character, and he has to be the most underrated actor in Hollywood.

Marc Foster’s style is pretty bland, and his directing doesn’t add any positiveattributes to this film. Machine Gun Preacher is an emotional and gut-wrenching film, but the cast brings brings the story to life, not Foster’s directing. Truth be told, I’ve never been a big fan of Foster’s work behind the camera. Monster’s Ball was highly overrated, and Quantum Of Solace was mediocre at best. I enjoyed Stranger Than Fiction and Stay, but Foster doesn’t deserve too much credit, because both films featured good acting and clever screenplays.

Machine Gun Preacher is a violent and emotional drama. This film tells the story of one man’s mission to make a change, and at the same time, Machine Gun Preacher provides a brutal inside look at the crisis in South Sudan. Machine Gun Preacher features some genuine hard-to-watch moments, and the graphic violence is pretty intense.

Gerard Butler really delivered an outstanding performance here, but Machine Gun Preacher was panned by the critics. You’ll have to search hard for some positive feedback, and it’s a real shame. When you compare this film to Butler’s recent bombs (The Ugly Truth, The Bounty Hunter, Law Abiding Citizen), Machine Gun Preacher feels like a classic. But Coriolanus received overwhelming amounts of praise, and Butler has a few new films coming up very soon. There’s still some hope for Gerard’s career. He just needs to stay away from anything that involves Katherine Heigl in the future, give the romantic comedies a rest for a while, and he should be fine.
 
The Innkeepers (2011) 7/10- The Yankee Pedlar Inn is going out of business. Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy) are best friends, they’re the only employees left, and they kill time as ghost hunters. Luke is trying to promote an amateur paranormal website, and Claire supports him. Luke’s website is a failure, but Claire stumbles across a much needed breakthrough. During a routine experiment, Claire encounters a piano playing by itself. Eventually, Claire’s curiosity sparks an obsession for the ghost of Madeline O’ Malley. In the 1800’s, Madeline committed suicide after her husband abandoned her on their honeymoon, and Madeline’s body was buried in the basement of the hotel. Leanne Rease-Jones (Kelly McGillis) is a retired actress, and a hotel guest. As a medium, Leanne unravels the mystery of the haunting. Will Claire and Luke escape the wrath of Madeline’s ghost before it’s too late?

Ti West is one of my favorite directors. I LOVED The House Of The Devil and The Roost, and I’m one of the very few people, who actually liked Cabin Fever 2: Spring Fever. West provides an essential chilling and eerie atmosphere, and he does a great job of building tension throughout this film. West kept the gore to a minimum here, and the limited approach actually works. The one scene of bloody gore is more than capable of providing a sickening and disgusted reaction, so anything on top of that would’ve been overkill.

Sara Paxton is the true star of this cast. Claire is a hyper geek with a good sense of humor. Paxton brings a strong sense of innocence to the Claire character, and she provides good laughs along the way. Luke might remind you of some loser, who stills lives with his parents, while working a dead end job. But along with Paxton, Healy provides the majority of comedy in this film, and Pat Healy really nailed the Luke character. Paxton and Healy form a very likeable duo, and the supporting cast provides a nice set of believable performances.

The Innkeepers features some funny moments, but as the story progresses, the tone for this film becomes a lot more serious. You can feel a strong sense of danger, as Madeline O’ Malley’s ghost terrorizes the remaining survivors. Ti West’s screenplay provides a nice balance of humor and horror, but this film never reaches a “too silly” point, where you can’t take the story seriously.

The Innkeepers doesn’t bring anything new to the horror genre, but I still enjoyed this film. The Innkeepers provides a spooky ghost story, and the tension slowly builds to an intense and frightening finale. Ti West gives horror fans some hope, as a writer and director, and I’m looking forward to his future projects.
 
The Divide (2012) 2/10- As New York City suffers a devastating nuclear attack, eight residents of an apartment building desperately seek shelter. Mickey (Michael Biehn) is the superintendent, and his bomb shelter gives the residents their only chance for survival. Before he closes the door for good, Eva (Lauren German), Sam (Ivan Gonzalez), Devlin (Courtney B. Vance), Josh (Milo Ventimiglia), Bobby (Micahel Eklund), Adrien (Ashton Holmes), Marilyn (Rosanna Arquette), and her daughter, Wendi (Abbey Thickson) fight their way inside. New York City is in ruins, and the threat of radition sickness becomes more serious as time passes.

A surprise invasion from an unknown group of soldiers in radiation suits causes a panic amongst the survivors. After kidnapping Marilyn’s daughter, the soldiers weld the shelter door shut, and eventually, the group is torn apart by mistrust, frustration, and fear.

Director Xavier Gens provides the necessary bleak atmosphere for this film. The survivors are stuck in a deadly post-apocalyptic world with no hope, and Gens’ dark style did enhance feelings of desperation.

I don’t have any real complaints about the acting, but Michael Bien, Ashton Holmes, Abbey Thickson, and Lauren German portray the only likeable characters in this film. The Divide features some solid acting, but the other half of the cast portrays annoying characters. Sam is a whiny wimp, Devlin is just a jerk, Marilyn becomes a distraught sex slave, and when they take control, Bobby and Josh form this awkward bromance bond.

Eight people are trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, but the story devolves into a twisted calamity. The barrage of atrocities include torture, murder, rape, a teased rape scene (which is beyond creepy by the way), and locking a starved man in a room with feces. I hate to sound so nit-picky, but it would’ve been nice to see the survivors try and work together, and actually find a way out of the bomb shelter. Instead, they tried to pull a bunch of “OH MY GOD!” reactions out of the audience, but the atrocities quickly lose their shock value, especially after the torture scene.

And what about the major plot holes? The Divide leaves a lot of unanswered questions, and I can’t ignore them. First of all, and most importantly, who’s responsible for the nuclear attack? They NEVER provide any answers for this crucial question. Mickey is your typical angry, red-blooded American, and he throws out a bunch of wild accusations, but still, they never reveal the identity of the attackers.

Who are the soldiers in radiation suits? Why did they kidnap Marilyn’s daughter? And why are the soldiers experimenting on children? The soldiers have a major impact on the survivor’s future. They reek havoc inside the bomb shelter, and eventually, they trap the survivors inside by sealing the door. But we don’t know who they are, or where they came from.

The story is loaded with a few gaping plot holes, and the missing details do hurt this film.

I wanted to like The Divide, but once the survivors descend into madness, this film just goes downhill. The story is too fucking depressing, and The Divide features one too many unlikeable and loathsome characters. The Divide tries to be a shocking and emotionally powerful post-apocalyptic horror film, but the end result is an ugly mess. My fanyboyism for Michael Biehn drew me to this film, but I’ll remember The Divide as one of Biehn’s stinkers.

If you can’t handle any sort of extreme content, you should stay away from this one. The Divide is a dark and disturbing film, that features graphic gore, brutal violence, rape, and the dialogue is very vulgar and explicit. This film will pull a strong reaction out of you, and hate it or love it, one thing’s for sure, you will remember The Divide.
 
Rec 3: Genesis (2012)

I am a huge fan of the first 2 Rec films. The zombie sub-genre is absolutely stacked and it takes some great films to garner attention and stand head(shots) and shoulders above their counterparts. The first is a claustrophobic and nerve wrought assault on the senses for 80 minutes, with the second marginally overlapping into the same time-span. The ending of the second was incredibly brutal and gave me high hopes for the 3rd entry.

Alas, the 3rd is just about perfect. Perfect, that is, as an example of a HUGE opportunity missed by the writers and director. They set up some potentially great moments and then bailed on each and every one of them.
After 20 minutes, they do away with the POV gimmick from the preceding films - which the second one continued brilliantly with the helmet cam idea I should add - and revert to a standard cinematic set-up instead. But hey, that's how Romero filmed his original groundlaying trilogy so thats not really a big concern... except when the series is named after the recording function of an on-site camera.

To tie in with it being the 3rd entry, I will limit myself to 3 of the worst wasted opportunities;

1 - A Suit of Armour. Think about this, how many zombie films have had the stones and ability to don their hero in a suit of armour? Yes he'll be slow-moving and clumsy, but he'll be all but immune from their bites and if one does try to bite, you have a money shot of a special effects trick to portray teeth breaking out of the zombies face and falling uselessly to the floor.
So what does Rec 3 do? The groom dresses up in the armour then does his best to avoid zombies. A fucking waste.

2 - Sponge John. A recurring joke in the film is an entertainer at the wedding reception dressed up to resemble Sponge Bob but as he can't get clearance to use the name he keeps telling people that he's Sponge John. It's ridiculous but amusing. He provides a jolt to a couple of characters in human form but doesn't appear again as a zombie. A zombie Sponge John!? Why NOT do something with that!?

3 - Actually killing some fucking zombies. Call me a gore-hound, but a zombie film's entertainment (or at least some of it) comes from inventive ways of cutting down zed heads and seeing characters start to let loose on their unapologetic killing sprees; think the blonde army character in Dawn of the Dead.
There is one inventive death and a couple somewhat cool ones, but if this is the zombie film with the lowest zombie death count then it wouldn't at all surprise me.

All in all it was alright and had a few good moments, but the longer the film goes on the more the frustration builds at how flippantly characters die without much retribution from the survivors. The ending is pretty terrible too.

3/10
 
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