Terminator Salvation

“Are you ready for Salvation!?”
Our Arclight Cinema usher shouts to pump up the crowd. Cheers follow and the movie rolls.

The Terminator introduced us to this universe in 1984. In 1992, T2 pushed the limits of action and VFX. It also fleshed out the grim future that lies ahead for humanity. In 2003, Arnold and company returned for T3: Rise of the Machines. The film moved the story along somewhat but it was mostly about the action. (i.e. the Crane sequence, amazing!) So what does T4, I mean Salvation, bring to the mix? I’m sorry to say, not much.

The story of John Connor (Christian Bale) has been elaborated so much over the years, most recently with the TV series, The Sarah Connor Chronicles. I think it’s that reason that he isn’t really the main character of this movie. Although they are trying to give more info on his journey as the Leader of the Resistance, it falls short. The real draw here is Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). This character’s story adds nice undercurrent to this dull plot. Sam is going on to some pretty big things this coming year and he deserves it. He is a great actor and I can’t wait to see more from him. Other notable performances are from Kyle Reese (Anton Yelchin) and Blair Williams (Moon Bloodgood). Sorry Christian Bale you bored me. His performance was just so forced and just not good overall.

So what’s the real reason to see this movie? The action, effects and sound are outstanding! There are so many great action scenes. If anything, these are the film’s saving grace. The sound was booming and the bass shook the theater. They really spent the money on these effects. Also, a great cameo from the governator via CGI that looks amazing! Danny Elfman scores the movie and although I am huge fan of his, the music here is lackluster. There is nothing new thematically and nothing memorable. If you’re looking for a mindless effects driven movie, that’s not as awful as Wolverine but not as Fantastic as Star Trek, Go see it. Its popcorn time! My Grade: C+

Angels & Demons

In 2006, We were introduced to the film version of the Da Vinci Code. At the time, lovers of the bestselling book it was based upon were eagerly awaiting the release. Well as often happens, the movie was not nearly as good as the book. I did not
read the book so I could see the movie for what it was. A few days before seeing the movie, I watched a documentary about the book and its secrets on the History channel. I was fascinated by the story and it was a good prelude to the actual movie. Imagine my surprise when the film bored me to tears! Ron Howard's direction was excruciating at times. The pace was very slow and the mystery not so amazing after a while.

I am happy to say that Angels & Demons is a much better film but not a great one. Tom Hanks returns as Prof. Robert Langdon, this time to assist the Vatican in a plot against them by an old enemy, the Illuminati. The movie does a good job of filling us in to understand how this volatile relationship came about. The pacing works well but of course as with the previous movie, we begin to get bogged down with what the audience already knows. A good example of this is a monologue scene with a certain character that feels heavy handed.

The acting was pretty good even though Tom Hanks loves to ham it up a bit. Ayelet Zurer plays Vittoria, the scientist assisting Dr. Langdon. Vittoria belongs to another section of the movie I take issue with. The opening scene is overwhelming in terms of scientific information. A lot of moments are very over the top. The film leaves the realm of reality in a story about murder and conspiracy. Also the score comes in at the worst times. You shouldn't have the drums thumping while you are still in a dialogue scene. The audience is trying to stay with story yet you are musically pushing us into the next scene.

Overall it's an effective thriller more so than the Da Vinci Code. I was entertained but not eager to watch it again. Its occasional moments of awe and sweeping views of Rome are worth seeing on the big screen. My Grade: C

Star Trek

There are many who will say, “Well I’m not a fan of Star Trek, so this movie isn’t for me”. I’m happy to say this movie is definitely for you. I will add that any fan can and will appreciate what has been done to this dying series.

I’m going to dissect my review a little more than usual just so I can get across why I loved this film so much.

The Cast
Zachary Quinto will own Spock’s character for years to come. He has embodied the quiet strength and subtle humor that Leonard Nimoy created. Chris Pine is a fantastic Kirk with his handsome, cocky and clever nature. This is a Kirk/Spock film depicting the growth of their loyal friendship. The rest of the cast is really great. Zoe Saldana plays Uhura with tenderness and intelligence. Karl Urban makes McCoy “Bones” his own.
Anton Yelchin as Chekov, John Cho as Zulu and Simon Pegg as Scotty round out this brilliant casting.

The Director
J.J. Abrams is mostly known for his TV work. He created Alias, LOST, and Fringe. He accepted the challenge of resurrecting Star Trek for a new audience and has succeeded. At 2 hrs and 7 minutes, the movie feels like a half hour. It goes by fast and full of energy. You can’t wait to see what happens next. At the end of the movie, after the applause, people were yelling out to roll it again. You want to see more and thankfully sequels are coming.

The Story and Effects
The story kicks off with something poignant. The audience can and will connect to what’s happening here. We are witness to the birth of our two heroes, Kirk and Spock.
We are dealt with longing, loss, humanity, and compassion. However, this movie isn’t a downer. It has comedy, romance, and heart throughout. All of this resonates beyond the overwhelming spectacle that is the effects. Wow the effects are downright amazing! We’ve never seen space so vibrant and alive as we do here. I have to make the following side note: Wolverine was made for $140mil and it looked Cheesy and cheap. Star Trek was made for $150 million and it looks super expensive. You can see that money used to create something spectacular.

If you love SCI Fi, go see this movie. If you are looking for a good summer action movie with a great story and characters see this movie. If you only have $12 bucks for one movie this weekend, DON’T SPEND IT ON WOLVERINE, see Star Trek, a satisfying movie from start to finish and one that I can’t wait to see again and again. My Grade: A

X-Men Origins: Wolverine

This is going to be a very easy and quick read as far as my reviews go.

Save your money. Skip this movie. It was probably the biggest let down in a long time. Too many characters with nothing to do. No story to speak of. There are times when things get good or somewhat cool and the next scene kills it. The effects are sooo bad, you'd think you were watching a movie on the SCI-fi channel. The whole movie was cheap on story and really cheats the audience that it needs. I'm glad its over and I've seen it. I can not wait for Star Trek next week. Wolverine will soon be a memory. I know some will nit-pick this mini review but let me tell you EVERYONE in the audience just groaned when it ended. Yes it was that bad. I seriously considered an F grade but there were some parts that were cool and fun and Liev Schriber was very good.. but the majority of the movie was a waste. This is the nail in the coffin for the X-men franchise. My Grade:D

Slumdog Millionaire

I know I know.. everyone has seen Slumdog. Well guess what? not me. I wanted to see it when it was still in its indie release. As the momentum grew, it started to push me off the movie rather than entice me. After the Oscar win for Best Picture, I said okay, I'll queue it on Netflix. Everyone I knew was shocked that I hadn't seen the movie and then the backlash began. Many folks who saw the movie during its hype started expressing their lack luster reviews to me. I said, ok, now I have a balance of opinion to judge the movie on its own merit. So what did I think?

Danny Boyle is one of my favorite directors. Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Sunshine are amazing films within their genres. They all contain this energy that only Danny could truly create. Slumdog is no exception.

The cinematography and directing are beautiful. The frantic camera work and thumping score delivers the reality of the slums. The highlight of the entire movie is really the young actors who portray their older counterparts. These are talented children who sadly have been caught in a real life mess due to their global fame. Dev Patel and Frida Pinto are wonderful actors. They have a genuine chemistry that shines through.

Although the film seems to be grounded in reality, there are some moments of melodrama that didn't quite work for me. In fact, one scene ruined some of what I was feeling for the characters. I know it was done deliberately to get the story moving but it felt abrupt. I can see why it won best picture. It was a story of love and overcoming the odds set against an environment most have never seen or experienced. It has an originality that set it apart from the other nominees.
My Grade: B+

Let the Right One In

Vampire mythology in film has evolved over the years with interesting, thought provoking and frightening entries. Movies like Bram Stoker's Dracula, Interview with a Vampire, The Hunger, and the lovable but cheesy Twilight. Every film tries its best to add a new facet to the legend of the undead.

The swedish import, Let the Right One In, is a breath of fresh air. It is violent tale with a touch of warmth and a fascinating irony.

Oskar (Kare Hedebrant) is a shy, frail boy who is constantly tormented by bullies at school. One night he is befriended by his new neighbor, a young girl named Eli (Lena Leandersson). A strong relationship is born between the two youths but Oskar begins to realize that his new girlfriend has a insatiable thirst for blood.

The film takes its time but is superbly directed and very well written with one the best endings I've seen in a very long time. My Grade: A

Monsters Vs Aliens - 3D

Dreamworks animation studios has tried really hard to create memorable, original, and funny movies. They have succeeded a few times within the past 10 years. Movies like Shrek, Shrek 2, and Kung Fu Panda. Sadly, they have made many mediocre to lame movies more so than great ones. Yet, the bad movies are still pretty big hits. I suppose for anyone starved for entertainment or those waiting for the next big Pixar flick, these Dreamworks crap family films tie them over.

It's unfortunate that I am going to have to include Monsters vs Aliens in the list of the lame batch. I went into this movie with high hopes and ready to be entertained. What I got was tired jokes, lazy dialogue, and bland storytelling. I was sitting in a full audience that barely chuckled at some of these jokes. Beyond the humor being attempted here, the voice work from actors like Stephen Colbert and Will Arnett falls flat. Given, they have very little to work with so they can't be blamed.

The surprising thing is this movie is essentially the story of Susan i.e. Ginormica played by Reese Witherspoon. I didn't gather that from the trailers but it was a nice surprise. Her story works but its not given any real respect by the writers. They are trying to setup her journey fast enough to get to the lame jokes.

The animation is extremely well done. The destruction sequences and action scenes are thrilling. To be honest, If it wasn't for the animation and 3D effects, I would have been utterly bored. This premise offers so many opportunities that its sad to see what it became. My grade: C-

Coming Soon - Where the Wild Things Are

This trailer is amazing. The music of Arcade Fire is so fitting against this first glimpse of the movie. I can not wait for what director Spike Jonze has in store for us.

Spring has Sprung

Hello Everyone,

Well I decided to lighten up my page a bit. The other one was a bit too dark and dreary for the season. I have also added some older reviews and lists. So make sure to check those out. Enjoy!

Rich

Wonder Woman

The WB has helped evolve animation for children to animation for teens and beyond. Under the Warner Premiere/DC Universe Banner they have already launched great animated films like Superman: Doomsday and Justice League: New Frontier. However, the one I have been waiting for finally arrived, Wonder Woman.

For many years DC has tried to bring Wonder Woman to life either via TV (a hit series thanks to Lynda Carter) or film. Unfortunately, the amazon princess hasn't been able to make her leap to the silver screen just yet. She has, however, been updated in the TV series Justice League and its second incarnation Justice League: Unlimited. In it, she shares much of her screen time with her male counterparts but here its finally time to learn who Diana of Themyscira really is. This is the story of how wonder Woman came to be the heroine we all know.

Wonder Woman is voiced by Keri Russell and she does very well. She gives Diana a noble charm and bold strength. Nathan Fillion voices Steve Trevor, the lone pilot who crashes upon the island of the Amazons. While his work was good, at times it was played a little too much for comedy. He did add a lightness to some scenes that required it. The other voice cast includes Alfred Molina as Ares, God of War, Rosario Dawson as Artemis and Virginia Madsen as Queen Hippolyta. Madsen offers a regal and resilient tone to the Queen which rounds out the character very well.

The movie is filled with action, drama and great moments of awe. The animation is stunning and fluid with well executed direction. The director, Lauren Montgomery, was also responsible for Superman:Doomsday and this summers next DC DVD, Green Lantern (which looks awesome btw and is getting his own live action movie in 2010). Overall, Wonder Woman is a solid work with a very cool ending for fans. We finally see more of the greek mythology used which is a real bonus. It doesn't disappoint and if anything, makes me crave a sequel. My Grade: B+

WATCHMEN

Visual. Visceral. Violent. Intelligent. Absorbing.

I've been a fan of Zack Snyder since he directed the Dawn of the Dead remake back in 2004. I love how he re-made this zombie movie with more fury and tension. His next work came about in 300. A movie based on the graphic novel by frank miller. Again, Snyder was able to bring the pages of this novel to life. A movie full of eye candy and carnage.

So we come to his 3rd work, Watchmen. The graphic novel that could "never be filmed". The subject matter transcended its time to become a celebrated work. I don't want to get into the minutia of the story. This is a movie that will force you to open your brain to the ideas being laid before you. The opening sequence is brutal. A nice taste of the aforementioned violence that is to come. The opening titles will re-write history before your eyes but will you let yourself accept it. This movie will push people. There are boundaries that are seldom crossed within comic books films. We don't expect the heroes to be the villains but in life many of our heroes have done villainous things. The movie take the superhero archetypes that we have praised in comics for ages and tears them down to raw humanity. You have to look at it from a different point of view.

The cast is very good. The standouts for me are Jackie Earle Haley as Rorschach and Patrick Wilson as Nite Owl II. The only let down is Malin Ackerman as Silk Spectre II. I didn't like her in 27 Dresses and I just don't like her here. The character needs more passion and more depth. She couldn't convey any of that well. There is the occasional CGI full frontal of Dr. Manhattan and a hot sex scene. There is also violence against women, rape, murder. This movie deserves the R rating it received. There is nothing left to the imagination. It was filmed perfectly and some scenes are just awesome. I have two gripes that affected my overall grade. 1: The music chosen can be good (Times, They are a Changin' during the opening titles) but sometimes the songs fall flat (99 luftballoons and All Along the Watchtower) because they have been used so much in film over the years. 2: I felt the movie could have been longer. There was so much to cover in 2 hours and 41 min. I didn't feel the running time at all. The story was so different that it kept me engaged the entire time. That said some scenes could have been shortened and others lengthened. This is the beginning of the event movie season and it is well worth watching. Even days after watching it, I can't really stop thinking about it. I will have to watch it again. My Grade : B+

P.S. I Love You

Is there an undying love within all of us? If the person you love so much was taken away from you, How would you cope?

P.S. I Love You is the film based on the novel by Cecelia Ahern. The story of Holly (Hilary Swank) who loses her husband Gerry (Gerard Butler) to a brain tumor. Before his death, Gerry created an elaborate plan to help his wife deal with his eventual death. He would send letters to her and her friends to slowly ease her out of grieving.

I found the movie to be a bit disjointed. You have colorful comedic characters among this sad storyline. I understand that you want the audience to celebrate life by offering a light-hearted story. What ends up happening is that your are not really allowed to connect with Hilary Swank and what she is going through. They throw the friends in all the time to allow comic relief. The movie has some great moments of heart especially the scenes with Kathy Bates, who plays Holly's mother. Overall an enjoyable film about a solemn subject and the performances from Gerard and Hilary are pretty good. I felt the movie could focus more on our main character and downplay the friends a bit more. My Grade: C+