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| Copyright WB |
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| Copyright Paramount |
Trailer
Saturday, May 19, 2012
Summer Recommendation 2013
Trailer
Friday, May 18, 2012
The Cabin in the Woods
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| Copyright Paramount |
PG-13
Runtime: 132 minutes
Cast:
Synopsis:
After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force (Khan) of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world (Kronos) to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.
Opinion:
In the immortal words of Khan, "Shall we begin." Ok like multitudes of other Trekkies alike I have been following and eagerly awaiting Star Trek to once again return to the big screen. Ok so once again J.J. Abrams has taken complete " " and turned Star Trek into his
How Abrams paid homage to the original: (SPOILER ALERT)
There is a scene in the film where Kirk is talking to Admiral Marcus and Marcus walks past the models of ships and the Enterprise NX-01 is one of the ships on the table.
The Enterprise hails future Spock (Nimoy) and asks him if he encountered a Khan in his journeys where he confirms the existence of Khan in the alternate timeline and tells him his defeat came at a great cost.
What Abrams changed:
Not only does he give Khan and alternative identity John Harrison, but he takes another huge leap and gives him the rank of Commander in Starfleet (Section 31).
The iconic scene in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan where Spock enters the radiation chamber in engineering in order to restore Warp Speed. He instead sends Kirk in to restore warp speed and succumb to radiation poisoning, however is saved by Khan's super blood.
Carol Marcus was a civilian scientist working for Starfleet (Genesis), not a Starfleet Officer.
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| Copyright Lionsgate |
R
Runtime: 95 Minutes
Cast Analysis:
Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek, Thor, The Avengers)
Kristen Connolly (Various Extra Roles)
Anna Hutchison (Power Rangers Jungle Fury)
Jesse Williams (Grey's Anatomy, Brooklyn's Finest)
Richard Jenkins (The Core, Step Brothers)
Bradley Whitford (The West Wing)
Synopsis:
Five friends leave their college lives behind for a carefree weekend in a remote cabin in the woods, unknown to them they have unwillingly been subjected to a cults efforts to save mankind by sacrificing the lives of the five to an ancient evil. Latin text from a book is read and the evil begins!
Opinion:
The worst movie I have seen since The Signal, this movie has all the characteristics of Cabin Fever and Gingerdead Man. Besides Hemsworth who just recently began a very promising career, the cast is filled with new faces who have no real credits to their names. I wish I knew what Whedon was thinking with such a positive history, luckily he redeemed himself with The Avengers! What makes it worst is I attended the premiere on April 13, possible the worst $10.50 ever spent. It also led me to wonder what Sigourney Weaver was thinking!
Grade: D-
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| Copyright Fox |
R
Runtime: 124 Minutes
Cast Analysis:
Charlize Theron (Aeon Flux, Hancock, Snow White and the Huntsman)
Noomi Rapace (Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows)
Michael Fassbender (Jonah Hex, X-Men: First Class)
Guy Pierce (The Hurt Locker, Iron Man III)
Idris Elba (The Losers, Thor, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance)
Synopsis:
An alien race known as "The Engineers" left behind markings in caves for mankind to follow into space and find them, a race who supposably has the same DNA as humans, they are believed to be mankinds creators by two scientists, Shaw (Rapace) and Holloway (Marshall-Green), and Wayland (Pearce), a billionaire who funds the mission hoping to avoid death upon learning why mankind exists. They set course in the research vessel Prometheus under the command of Janek (Elba) and Vickers (Theron). They soon find out there is much more to this race then previously thought!
Opinion:
I attended the premiere in great anticipation of getting some of my Alien origins questions answered, however I left the theatre with many unanswered questions (not going to give them away). There were a few Alien references, including the Wayland Corporation, and a similar ship seen by Ripley and the Colonial Marines in Aliens (1986), and an android similar to Bishop played by Fassbender. The hype for this movie was much more exciting then the actual film. I am a huge fan of Ridley Scott's films, especially Gladiator, Black Hawk Down, and Kingdom of Heaven, however in my opinion this film did not follow the tradition of excellence I traditionally expect from Scott.
Grade: C+
Further Readings:
New 'Prometheus' image: Who the hell is THIS guy?
'Prometheus' end credits reveal yet another viral video, and allusions to Nietzsche
Movie Talk: Owen Gleiberman and Lisa Schwarzbaum on 'Prometheus'
Prometheus
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| Copyright Fox |
R
Runtime: 105 Minutes
Cast Analysis:
Benjamin Walker (Flags of our Fathers)
Dominic Cooper (Captain America: The First Avenger)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Live Free or Die Hard, The Thing)
Anthony Mackie (Man on a Ledge, Real Steel)
Rufus Sewell (The Tourist, A Knight's Tale)
Synopsis:
Witness the untold story of our nations 16th President, a troubled boy that witnessed the murder of his mother by the hands of a supernatural beast unknown to him at the time as a vampire. Shortly after his fathers death he seeks out the truth and meets a mysterious man named Henry Sturgess (Cooper) who offers to train young Abraham to slay these creatures. Witness the rise of one of our nations greatest leaders from his youth thru his Presidency and his secret war with the undead that threaten the future of our nation.
Opinion:
In spite of its clearly loose care with history, this film to me payed homage to an American legend all while satisfying the audiences fascination with the supernatural. I would recommend this film to any fans of History or the supernatural craze.
Grade: C+
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| Copyright Sony |
PG-13
Runtime: 136 Minutes
Cast Analysis:
Andrew Garfield (The Social Network)
Emma Stone (Superbad, Crazy, Stupid, Love)
Rhys Ifans (Elizabeth: The Golden Age, Anonymous)
Denis Leary (FX's Rescue Me)
Martin Sheen (The Departed, The West Wing)
Sally Field (Forrest Gump, E.R.)
Synopsis:
Peter Parker (Garfield) had always wondered what happened to his parents when he was so young, Parker finds his fathers briefcase and a newspaper clipping featuring his father and Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans) of Oscorp. Parker pays a visit to Connors and gives him an equation that his father had not disclosed that could hold the key to raising humanity to a new level, however the effects are diverse and result in mutation, it turned Dr. Connors into The Lizard. In the end it's Spider-Man against Connors and the Police Department of The City of New York led by a hotshot Captain Stacy (Leary).
Opinion:
When I first heard that Columbia Pictures was parting ways with MaGuire and the entire original cast after 3 successful films, I was unconvinced that this "rebirth" could achieve the same or better success than its predecessor, however after seeming this film, I am further convinced to let go of my prejudged opinions (in certain occassions). I was really impressed with the story, cast, special effects, even though Marvel Studios never disappoints bringing there characters to life on the big screen!
Grade: B+
P.S. There is a DO NOT MISS bonus scene at the end (I know it's Marvel) but I had to say it anyway!!
'Spider-Man' spins $140 mil web Stateside
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| Copyright WB |
PG-13
Runtime: 164 Minutes
Cast:
Christian Bale (Terminator: Salvation, Public Enemies)
Gary Oldman (Air Force One, Harry Potter)
Tom Hardy (Star Trek: Nemesis, This Means War)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (G.I.Joe: Rise of Cobra, 50/50)
Anne Hathaway (Get Smart, Love and Other Drugs)
Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby, Wanted, Red)
Michael Caine (On Deadly Ground, Journey 2: The Mysterious Island)
Synopsis:
Eight years have passed since the Dark Knight was last seen patrolling the streets of Gotham, now on run for the murder of Harvey Dent. The people of Gotham City now face a threat like never before, the masked terrorist Bane (Hardy) who plans to make Gotham and all its citizens a distant memory by giving its population false hope while secretively planning its annihilation. Its up to Batman (Bale), the citizens of Gotham, and its protectors (Gordon-Levitt & Oldman) to save Gotham from total annihilation.
Opinion:
I have talked to a few of my friends who were not very happy with the changes Nolan made (not gonna give any spoilers away), however just analyzing the film from a non comic perspective, I thought the film had an A+ cast, special affects, and paid excellent homage to the Nolan era of Batman (2005 - 2012). Without giving anything away, it leaves the story open for a new Director to take the helm in the future, there's rumors of James Cameron showing interest, however Gary Oldman recently expressed his intentions to Extra not to return as Commissioner Gordon if there be a future sequel.
Grade: B+
Further Reading:
"Five Reasons To See 'The Dark Knight Rises'
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| Copyright Screen Gems |
R
Runtime: 95 minutes
Cast:
Sienna Guillory
Milla Jovovich
Michelle Rodriguez
Bingbing Li
Johann Urb
Boris Kodjoe
Shawn Roberts
Synopsis:
Opinion:
Starts of exactly where Afterlife ended, introduced a few new main characters: Leon Kennedy (Urb) and Ada Wong (Li) as well as brought back almost every character from the previous films in some fashion. There was one surprising turn with a certain high level Umbrella employee (Not gonna tell you but I think you can guess). I would recommend this film if your like me and have followed it from the very first film back in 2002 and or is a fan of the franchise which goes back even further!
Grade: B
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| Copyright Paramount |
PG-13
Runtime: 130 Minutes
Cast:
Robert Downey Jr.
Don Cheadle
Guy Pearce
Gwyneth Paltrow
Ben Kingsley
Rebecca Hall (The Town)
Jon Favreau
Opinion:
Grade: B+
P.S. There is a bonus scene at the end (I know it's Marvel) but I had to say it anyway!!
The Avengers Review
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| Copyright Marvel |
PG-13
Runtime: 143 Minutes
Cast Analysis:
Chris Evans (Fantastic Four, Street Kings, Captain America)
Chris Hemsworth (Star Trek, Thor, Snow White and the Huntsman)
Robert Downey Jr. (Weird Science, Iron Man, Sherlock Holmes)
Samuel L. Jackson (Pulp Fiction, Star Wars, Jumper)
Jeremy Renner (S.W.A.T., The Town, Bourne Legacy)
Scarlett Johansson (Perfect Score)
Gwyneth Paltrow (Iron Man, Shallow Hal)
Tom Hiddleston (Thor, War Horse)
Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother)
Mark Ruffalo (Just Like Heaven, 13 Going on 30)
Synopsis:
Nick Fury and S.H.I.E.L.D. must call on the help of Earth's Mightiest Hero's to defend against Loki and the Chitauri from enslaving the human race.
Opinion:
This is what Marvel fans have been waiting for years!, I attended the May 4 12:01a.m. premiere, which was nearly sold out. The Avengers has already broke 11 box office records, knocking Harry Potter, The Dark Knight, and Avatar off their thrones setting a new record for Opening Weekend for any film of $207,438,708 beating the previous record held by Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 with $169.2 million. Not since the release of The Expendables (2010) has such a powerhouse of talent been present in a feature film. Seasoned talent is present in front of the screen in Jackson and Downey, and behind in Whedon (exception being The Cabin in the Woods). This movie effectively blends seasoned with rising talent to deliver one of the most entertaining films in recent years. Highly recommend!
Grade: A-
Iron Man 3 (2013) will mark the first film to be release by The Walt Disney Company since acquiring Marvel in 2010.
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| Copyright Columbia |
PG-13
Runtime: 118 Minutes
Cast:
Colin Farrell (S.W.A.T., Alexander, Fright Night)
Kate Beckinsale (Underworld)
Jessica Biel (Blade: Trinity, A-Team)
Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad)
Bill Nighy (Valkyrie, Underworld)
John Cho (Star Trek, Harold & Kumar)
Battleship Review
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| Copyright Universal |
PG-13
Runtime: 131 Minutes
Cast Analysis:
(Power Players/Rising Stars)
Taylor Kitsch (John Carter, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, The Covenant, Snakes on a Plane)
Alexander Skarsgard (Straw Dogs, True Blood (TV)
Liam Neeson (Schindler's List, Star Wars Episode I, Kingdom of Heaven, Batman Begins, Taken, Clash of the Titans, Wrath of the Titans, The A-Team)
(Possible Potential)
Brooklyn Decker (Just Go With It, What To Expect When You're Expecting)
Rihanna
Jerry Ferrara (Entourage)
Synopsis:
Battleship is loosely based off of Milton Bradley's/Hasbro's 1967 Military Strategy board game of the same title. Battleship begins with an international Navy war game exercise due to commence off the coast of Hawaii. Shortly after setting sail, Aliens crash land in the pacific ocean and begin to manifest themselves. Hooper (Kitsch) soon finds himself cut off from the rest of the fleet and fighting for not only his and his crew's survival but also the survival of mankind.
Opinion:
It seems like up until recently, the exec's over at Paramount were the primary source of hope for elevating Comic/Game/Animated Series products to the big screen, (G.I. Joe, Transformers, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, The Avengers, etc). There's no mistaken that these franchises have generally become money makers and helped fund future endeavors, most recently The Avengers which made $200.3 million opening weekend (May 4, 2012) across 4,300 Theaters Nationwide, has already reclaimed majority of its production cost of $220 million (estimated). Now it seems that Universal Pictures has begun to venture out into the unknown, although it will be a few days until preliminary figures are available, I attended a 12:01a.m. premiere quite honestly skeptical about the potential this movie could deliver, my preliminary assessment was based primarily on a few cast members (Neeson and Kitsch) and their performance history. Neeson has had quite a brilliant career, he has worked with some of Hollywoods elite (Spielberg and Lucas) and played some of History's and Pop Cultures most memorable people: Oskar Schindler, Aslan, Zeus, Ra's Al Ghul, Qui-Gon Jinn). Kitsch even though just recently began his career, he has already shown great promise in his roles (John Carter and Gambit). As I assessed the ticket sales and attendance (which go hand in hand) for that theatre, I was disappointed, their were roughly 10 people in attendance. In spite of this films uncertain beginning and the introduction of aliens to the plot of a traditional military strategy board game, I believe this film has the potential to be a genuinely entertaining action adventure, I recommend seeing it if for nothing else, the action.
Grade: B-
Both studios are currently celebrating 100 Years! Congratulations!
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| Copyright Sony |
PG-13
Runtime: 106 Minutes
Cast Analysis:
Will Smith (Independence Day, Bad Boys, I Am Legend)
Tommy Lee Jones (Rules of Engagement, Volcano, Under Siege)
Josh Brolin (The Goonies, Jonah Hex)
Jemaine Clement (Despicable Me, Rio)
Emma Thompson (Harry Potter, Brave)
Michael Stuhlbarg (Boardwalk Empire)
Synopsis:
Agent J (Smith) must travel back in time to the 1960's to stop Boris (Clement) from altering time and save Agent K (Jones, Brolin) from not existing in the present and prevent an alien invasion.
Opinion:
Without giving any secrets away, this Men in Black answers a lot of unanswered questions that were left open in the first two films. It is very true that if you close your eyes and listen to Brolin that he is a very passable Jones. Highly recommend if you have any interest in the franchise.
Grade: B
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