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Reviews
Aladdin (2019)
Aladdin is held up only by it's cast.
I was excited to see this movie, despite all the negative publicity it was getting. Having seen it, I can say it was worth admission at least. It's held up by the great chemistry between Mena Massoud and Will Smith. And believe it or not, Will Smith's "Friend Like Me" was the best part of the movie. Will Smith brings his own charm to the table that separates him from Robin Williams, and creates a new equally likeable genie. The music was just as good all around, and some new additions were welcome as well. And with the beautiful visuals, and great female empowerment moment at the end that was missing from the original, this was almost a great win for Disney. It falls short with some sloppy editing, especially when it speeds up the film during some songs. I'm not kidding, it looked like the video was fast forwarding, but the music was still on key. This was supposedly done for absolutely no logical reason. While it can never match up to the original's magic, it certainly can exist and survive on it's own merits.
Christopher Robin (2018)
A heartfelt new take on Winnie the Pooh.
When the trailer dropped, I assumed the movie was going to be about Christopher simply finding the joys of life by reconnecting with his childhood. I didn't assume the characters would be real in context, until the last 10 seconds of the first trailer, and I became so excited when I heard Pooh speak. Anticipating the movie, it was worth it. Christopher Robin is full of heart and a love for its source. The design of the animals was perfect, and seeing them interact with the real world is what Disney magic is all about. The story follows an adult Christopher who has prioritized work above his family, and it has been spreading them thin. With the help of his old friends, who feared that he had abandoned them, he remembers what it was like to have his imagination, and re claim his life. My big worry was that this would color a working mans life in a negative light. A father has to work to provide for his family, and that can interfere with other life events. No job means no money, which means no house and no food. I'm glad to say that the moral was much more realistic, and wasn't trying to say "quit your job to spend time with your family." It's about finding balance, and learning to enjoy all aspects of your life. While there were a bit too many closeups for my taste, the cinematography and score worked wonders together. The humor was also very well done. All the jokes were charming, and relatable, none being silly jokes merely aimed at kids for a thoughtless laugh, which was another worry that was put to rest. The movie is plenty of fun, and worth seeing in theaters if you're a long time fan.
Columbus (2017)
The film of a photographer.
Columbus is something very unique given that it is filmed by a director that is clearly more comfortable as a still photographer. New director Kogonada has created a story about a Korean-American man played by John Cho who comes to Columbus, Indiana to see his ailing father. His father was an architect residing in a town famous for it's architecture history. The structure is the star, with every shot focusing on the buildings around the city. Jin (Cho) meets an architecture fan named Casey who begins to connect with him, but not through the buildings so much as through their mutual human conflict. Jin is back to see his father, who he hasn't seen in at least a year, and with whom he has no bond. Casey struggles with her mom, a former and supposedly recovering meth addict. Both are forced to be with their parent, and it puts a hold on their lives. This brings them together and allows them to confide in each other. This is where the movie thrives, using incredible dialogue scenes between the two leads. Besides this, the cinematography is incredible. Every frame looks like an award winning photograph, taking great advantage of symmetry and lighting to create something that is above all else, a beautiful piece of artwork. It also pushes a few boundaries, showing a rare occasion of an asian lead that avoids stereotypes, and shows him in a strong and emotional light. John Cho is fantastic as Jin, giving his most honest performance. He breaks away from his comedic background, and follows a bit more in step to his Star Trek experience, and gives us a look at a man who is hurting that his father is dying, but more from the fact that he has no relationship with him. Rivaling his performance, Haley Lu Richardson gives her best performance to date, and showing she has real potential to lead in the future. Columbus is a rare film that slipped through the notice of the public, but is certainly something anyone should see, especially those interested in the art of architecture.
Silver Linings Playbook (2012)
Find your silver lining.
I am willing to admit that Jennifer Lawrence was the primary reason I went to watch this, for both the acclaim she was getting for her performance, and since she's absolutely gorgeous. Since I have been scouting out some movies for the award season, I would have seen it anyway, but it would not have been nearly as good without her, or without anyone for that matter. This is what perfect casting is in a movie, and it is much more rare than it seems. Bradley Cooper, Shea Wigham and Robert De Niro play a great father and sons with all the dysfunction yet undeniable love for each other. I absolutely loved everything about the movie, and definitely plan on buying it. But for now, I must away and tell everyone to watch this movie.
Almost Famous (2000)
Long live Rock n' Roll
This is what film making is all about. Mr. Crowe has done something amazing with his very personal story, and touched many people with this work of art representing ambition, humanity and the negative results of the music spotlight. It harnesses the subject of sex, drugs, and rock and roll with absolute mastery by telling the story of a young journalist who gets a chance that is nearly impossible to get at the age of 15, even if you are eligible to graduate at the time. His ambitions and talent get him a chance to write an article on one of his favorite bands for a very popular Rock magazine, I'll let you guess which one. In doing this he sees the truth about the band, not just what he's read.
The now star studded cast gives a fully honest and beautiful set of performances, the most noted and celebrated being from Kate Hudson and Frances McDormand. However, the real highlight that goes overlooked is Patrick Fugit in his first lead, and breakthrough role. The fact that his billing is a bit down the list can be a bit misleading to those who haven't seen it, but he really does steal the show from everyone. Kate Hudson shows her free spirit in a very true performance that I still can't help but feel is a bit overrated. Being nominated in the best supporting actress category in basically every award show for 2001, I feel like she had everything she needed except for the substantial character that she was so desperately trying to create. Now I haven't seen the extended "bootleg edition" so i have not seen all there is to see, therefore this is based solely on the theatrical version. Let's also not forget Jason Lee, the usual comedy man who takes a bit of a turn as a disgruntled lead singer who is ironically the one getting overshadowed by the guitarist.
This movie is a new personal favorite of mine, and I definitely plan on buying the extended version when I get the chance. I recommend it to anyone who takes the time to read this as the perfect film embodiment of the 70's rock scene. So watch, enjoy, cherish, and long live rock n' roll!
End of Watch (2012)
The best buddy cop movie I've seen in a while
***MEGA SPOILERS AHEAD*** This movie is truly a landmark in history, just for its raw force. It's hilarious, suspenseful, and truly tormenting. It's filmed mostly from Brian Taylor's (Jake Gyllenhaal) camera that he's using for a film project, as well as the dash cam in their car. The way they talk to each other is hilarious and true. My best friend and myself are the same way. But it also gets intense by involving you in all the action.
This movie is really a better bromance since Sherlock Holmes (2009.) The part that sticks in my mind however is the ending, essentially the last 20 minutes. They build up the suspense when the cops are tricked into the apartment complex, and when they bust out and run down the isolated alley with dogs barking at them on both sides, not knowing where the cartel are puts you on edge more than any horror movie could possibly even attempt. I personally felt a bit cheated when Zavala dies, and feel it would have been a bit more impacting if they both died together. However I do feel that the last scene where they were in the car talking again was perfect since it showed a last testament to their friendship, and shows how much your day can change in just a few hours. You can go from joking around with your best friend and laughing and having a good time, to running for your life with nothing except a hand gun and your best friend to survive with.
A definite must for anyone who wants a good realistic and emotional movie.
The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)
My new official favorite movie
For years, "Big Fish" has been my favorite movie. Others have come close, I even had to make a pro and con list when I saw "The Sandlot" again a while back to compare the two. But none have matched Big Fish. I have read the book for Perks of Being a Wallflower years ago, and fell in love with it. Naturally, when the movie was announced I was a bit skeptical but when i Learned Mr. Chbosky, (the author) was writing and directing, I knew It would have to be something special.
I went to the midnight on the night of the 27th to see it after a year of heavy anticipation, and the moment it was over, I didn't even have to think about it, I knew that this was my new favorite movie. It embodied everything about the book perfectly, while only discarding a few things that I'm sure many will agree are fine being left out. The cast is by far the best part of the movie. When I learned Logan Lerman was attached I was annoyed because he didn't seem like someone who could maintain the frailty of Charlie. However, he created the most innocent, awkward, sad and adorable Charlie that i could have imagined. He was absolutely perfect, as were the scene stealing Ezra Miller as Patrick, and the absolutely beautiful Emma Watson as Sam.
I've seen it twice over the weekend, and plan on seeing it many times more, especially to continually re-watch the absolutely epic and nostalgic dance scene between Watson and Miller, (You'll know what I mean when you see it.) So I recommend this to anyone who has or has not read the book, and hope that it consumes your soul like it did mine.
Daniel's Lot (2010)
low budget it may be, however...
Budget does not affect acting. Well at least it shouldn't. The screenplay for this wasn't bad at all, its kind of like the Field of Dreams of Christianity, in a sense. The format being video, no one can expect a good quality, but if the acting wasn't AWFUL by everyone except for Burghoff, I'd be able to look past it. I can't take the lead actor seriously, I can't take his blasphemous wife seriously, and I definitely couldn't take his friend/co-worker seriously. The kid's, both under the age of 10 did better. If this can be bought, and re-created with good actors and a better format, it can be a great film, but this version isn't. While I applaud the creator, and understand the difficulties in independent filmmaking, I believe that the director was focused too much on his message, and not enough on actually creating a durable movie.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2 (2011)
Harry Potter's over. And what a way to go!
I was excited to go see this, and went to the midnight premiere. I knew I wouldn't be disappointed judging by the last 3 movies. It ended great, with most of the movie being a battle and destroying horcruxes. All the actors gave the last installment their best, especially Alan Rickman: During the penseive memory sequence toward the end, we actually see the truth behind Snape and Dumbledore, and ironically Snape was Harry's true guardian at Hogwarts. But we learn more about his past and why he resented but also cared so much about Harry. We actually see Rickman get out of his drone and interact with Gambon in these scenes. We get to see his vulnerability.
The biggest issue I have does not lie with this movie: It lies with the whole series. All 8 movies are great, but not very consistent with each other, the reason being the constant change of directors. It makes you wonder how the end would have been if Chris Columbus stayed for all of them, or if David Yates came in early and directed all of them. Fortunately none of the actors were replaced, even the small characters, (with the obvious exception of Dumbledore, which was unavoidable.) although many actors considered leaving which I'm personally grateful that they stayed. It was the only thing really keeping consistency. Of course the major complaint by everyone is all the things cut from the movies, which I'm not a fan of either, but at least it all worked.
The Deathly Hallows Was by far the best of all the movies, because it stayed true to sources while keeping the dark edge that was needed. The first two movies (Sorcerers stone and Chamber of Secrets) stayed true to source but were very childish. It makes sense, since as the characters mature, the movies mature with them, but going from bright and happy straight to dark and ominous in Prisoner of Azkaban...maybe they could have made the transition a little better. Regardless, these last two were fantastic, and the best ending I've seen to any franchise, especially since we get to see more of the characters get involved in the fight.
So definitely worth going to the theater, and definitely worth buying. So as a conclusion-Deathly Hallows 1&2 (since they are basically one long movie) 10/10. The Harry Potter series as a whole-7/10.
Green Lantern (2011)
Ryan Reynolds couldn't save it
While I am not a DC comic fan, growing up reading Marvel, i was still interested in this. I am also a fan of Ryan Reynolds, which was what ultimately convinced me. When i went to watch this, my ultimate comparison was to X-Men: First Class. They seemed to be complete opposite: While X-Men had a great story and characters, the effects lacked greatly for 2011. In Green Lantern, the effects were great, and convincing, yet the story was too quick, and there was little character progression outside of Hal. I was able to understand Hal's character, but no one else.
The part in here that i really liked, actually distracted from what a superhero movie should be. It was less about the action, and more about finding the true power of will to overcome fear. It was more about Hal finding himself, than becoming a hero, even though of course this is what lead him to become the hero that he is. The path to finding will power was perfectly crafted, which helped make up for the weak characters. And of course, as with most super hero movies nowadays, there were the comedy bits that were actually funny.
In the end, it's worth a watch, probably not more than once unless your a big Green Lantern fan. Go to the theater for the full experience, and it's up to you if you want more of it.
X: First Class (2011)
Definitely the best X-Men movie.
First let me point out that I didn't have big expectations for this movie. So far the best comic book movies have been distributed by Marvel Studios, while this is still 20th century fox. When I learned Matthew Vaughn and Brian Singer were heading the project, i knew it would regain what X-Men 3 threw out.
The acting was what made the movie shine. The character development was what really made the film. It definitely made up for the mediocre special effects, which were only so I'm sure due to budget limitations. James McAvoy and Michael Fassabender (Prof. X and Magneto) gave fantastic performances as their characters. You could really feel for all the characters, they all had their importance. Even the teenagers gave great character portrayals.
The characters are all so much more likable in this installment. The professor, Magneto, and especially Mystique seemed so much more interesting. Something I found strange though was that they made many references to the past 3 movies, but there were things that broke the continuity. However, I feel that it is important that they broke the continuity, because it was also done so perfectly. There was also an old character reference that was done in the best possible way it could have been. What this movie should have been is the start of a reboot instead of a prequel, since it was so much better. But overall it's one of the best movies i've seen. Loved it.
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010)
more epic than it said it would be
I myself don't really like Michael Cera as an actor, but he surprised me here. He stopped being the 17 year old virgin and is actually becoming a character. Sure he still had his dry monotonous humor, but he really made it work here since he mixed it with legitimate acting. Personally i believe that this is the best editing i have ever seen in any movie, ever. All the tech and they way it was put together was so dumb, but it just worked. Edgar Wright found a place among the deitys of film with this movie alone. I won't get into the story since its so amazing that you need to find out for yourself. The basics is that Scott Pilgrim has to defeat 7 evil exes to date his dream girl. All the fight scenes are fantastic, they actually make me fear the super skinny Michael Cera and his shaggy haircut. Definitely my favorite film of the year.
Toy Story 3 (2010)
A wonderful story of change of progress
I have watched the Toy Story movies my whole life. The first one was my ultimate favorite when i was a kid, and nothing ever spoiled it, not even the extra 15 years of life. When i heard this movie was coming out i didn't get too excited because of the trilogies curse, but when i heard all the great reviews of it being the best trilogy in history, i had to watch it (even though i still wanted to watch it anyway).
The point of this movie is based on how Andy has gotten older and how the toys have to deal with that change. Change is not something easy to deal with, and the fantastic human imagery portrayed in the characters made it that much more real. No one actually thinks about the toys when they give them away or throw them out, and in this we see how they are affected, according to how we think they are at least. The adventure for this is much more mature, and more sinister than most pixar films.
The end was a very impactive scene when the toys were headed for the incinerator. I genuinely thought they would go in because it would have been an interesting end to their adventure, but since it's pixar i knew it wouldn't happen. But how they all joined hands and braced themselves to go out as a family really hit home for me. However, the actual end was beyond fantastic, and the perfect way to end a trilogy. This is literally the only trilogy that i fully love, film for film.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
THE film classic
No matter who you talk to, chances are they have at least heard of this movie or the play that it was adapted from. This was one of the most successful movies of the decade especially due to its elaborate sets and costumes, which were very convincing for the year it was made. This was also Judy Garland's first major film, and it caught many producer's attentions to get her more work and cement her as one of the greatest actresses/singers of the 20th century.
The movie focuses on a girl who wants to escape her life, and she ends up in the magical world of Oz. She is on a journey to find a way back home and meets some very lovable characters on the way. The makeup, costumes, sets, effects and Technicolor/sepia usage make this one of the most unique films in history, and it was very advanced for its time. It is by far one of my favorite movies, and I love it to no end. It's one of those films that you look back on and can't really think of your life had you never seen it.
Paint Your Wagon (1969)
It's just a delight!
This is the first pre-21st century Clint Eastwood movie I've seen, and it was great. Clint and Lee Marvin did great as actors, and they are amazing singers, since this is one of the few older movies to have the actors to do their own singing. It's rare to find a western musical, and this definitely satisfied.
A film that focuses on the Gold Rush in California, it portrayed everything well enough. The beginning was very solid and fun to watch, it formed into seriousness and actual development of the characters, and then the end turns around and makes you think. It is a great cinematic achievement and I suggest it to anyone who appreciates older movies.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
This is how the Super Hero movies are supposed to be
I really liked this movie with one exception, too much unnecessary comedy. I liked how they spiced it up with all the giggles, but some of it was just too much, and it retracted from the seriousness that Iron Man is supposed to be. I also heard that black widow was useless, and her character was necessary. I was at first upset that she didn't have the accent, but it would probably conflict with Rourke's character, so its acceptable. But overall the acting was great, especially on Rourke's part, and the FX were great. And to be honest, I like Cheadle better than Howard as Rhoades, they should have gotten him in the first place.
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist (2008)
Beautiful From Beginning to End
Personally, I love this movie. After I watched I felt like I had to read the book, so I did. Both are amazing, but I like the movie better, which is rare for me. The city lights, the late night music, the seriousness and anger in these people, its all great. I think someone besides Michael Cera could have done better for this role, I would suggest Shia Labeauf, but he still did good. All the other actors did amazing. I loved the story, and the overall point of the movie.
One of my favorite scenes is in the beginning when Nick calls Triss and his Voicemail gets erased, and he uses fu** perfectly. In PG13 movies, that word is only allowed once, and if used, it must be used right. It was definitely used right in this one.
I love this movie, and I'm surprised it has a 6.9 here, I give it a 10
Alice in Wonderland (2010)
Alice has returned
Alice has returned to Wonderland to defeat a dragon that she believes to not be real while everyone else also thinks shes not really Alice. The story isn't what we would have hoped for, but it is still pretty solid, it just wasn't portrayed very well. Ironically, the only acting i was unsatisfied was Wasikowska's. She was a very flat actress, and didn't really put much emotion into it. I'm surprised that she got the part over someone else who I'm sure could have done better.
I loved the characters of the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat. The actors brought so much to the characters. My only problem with Johnny Depp in this movie is that he changed his accent like, 3 times. He should have just stuck with one voice. It may have been purposely used to portray his split personality, but it seemed distracting. Stephen Fry as the Cat was amazing, the voice went really well, and the cat himself looked very strange and creepy and amazing. With the Red Queen, the look annoyed me, but the performance by Carter was amazing as well.
The visual effects were phenomenal, just like we all expected. The story seemed flat, the movie seemed short, and the Jaberwock battle short as well. If the Jaberwock was so great, he would have put up a better fight before Alice totaled his ass. And Christopher Lee only had two lines, he has the coolest voice in the world, and his lines gets cut into two.
I liked it, and will probably get the DVD, but I still believe that Tim could have done better with a project like this.
Edward Scissorhands (1990)
very strange and amazing.
The thing about Edward Scissorhands is that it is a VERY required taste. If you think about it, most of the movie is terrible, with plot holes and such. For instance, why put Edward on a water bed, why not just put him on the couch bed in the first place, you know, the one that doesn't have water in it. Its also obvious that none of the people in the town leave the town, since they have nothing better to do than gossip. "Hey there's someone I haven't seen before in Peg's car, lets just f***ing tell EVERYONE I know!" (only those who reside in the town obviously.) The dad seems like he's always stoned out of his mind, which may be on purpose, and how can Kim just fall in love with Edward with about one week of knowing him, and though he barely talks at all. It may just be consolation from being mad at Jim but still, it doesn't quite compute. Also, why would the inventor give Edward scissors for hands, he could have made him less lethal by just not putting anything at the end of his arms. I know it's the point of the movie, so don't judge me. And no one seems to be super freaked when they find Jim at the end, just a simple gasp.
But regardless I still love this movie. It is visually captivating, the acting is amazing, and artistic visualization is phenomenal. My personal favorite lines are when Edward comes back to the house and finds Kim and the classic "Hold me." "I can't". It's very unique, there is definitely nothing like it, and nothing will ever match up to it.
El laberinto del fauno (2006)
Only Half-Fantasy
I was excited to see this movie. I was expecting a high octane fantasy film with a lot of fairy-tale-ish stories, but it was a bit more focused on reality than the labyrinth. It was more centered on the war and it distracted from the Labyrinth's story. However I still loved it. The acting was amazing by the whole cast, and the make-up and effects were amazing. I loved the Pale Man the most. He was so freaky, That is the only horror character that I believe would scare me. However he could not best me in battle.
The characters were great, but the story seemed bland. They jumped around too much for my taste. Overall, I do enjoy this movie, and it is worth the money to buy, because it is fun to watch multiple times, as long as it can hit home for you.
Big Fish (2003)
The greatest movie I have ever seen!
After watching this movie, I didn't even know what to do. I thought i had been baptized watching a masterpiece such as this. The characters are so amazing, the journey is treacherous but adoring, and the adventure really is as big as LIFE itself. Ewan McGregors performance astounded me, and it makes me beyond thankful that Johnny Depp wasn't cast as Edward.
The classic tale of a son who only knows his father through the supposedly false stories he told him. After his father gets sick, he tries to find out what he can about his father, and nothing new is revealed. In his frustration, he tries to find the answers as the film recaps all the stories that were told. The cast and characters they portrayed were so lovable, and fun to watch as they caused their shenanigans. My view on Tim Burton completely changed after this. There were dark elements, but they were faint, and everything about the story just moved me, and I don't think any other movie can or will top this one in my list. I will however admit that there were one or two disadvantages. For instance when Mr. Soggybottom accidentally shoots Ed trying to hit Amos's wolf form, it doesn't seem to bother him at all, and it isn't brought up again later in the movie, so the shot was completely unnecessary. I also don't like how Ed changed his hair style mid-movie.
But regardless, I strongly STRONGLY recommend any one who has not seen this to watch it, because you will most likely love it to no end.
X-Men Origins: Wolverine (2009)
this isn't a movie, its a lie!
I was so psyched to go see this movie, you know, the idea of a solo wolverine movie gets you all happy, and going, like "Ya! Wolverine, lets go see it opening day!" but when you leave the theater you think differently. "I want my two hours and 8 bucks back!" I found only two good things about this movie. 1: Ryan Reynolds cast as Deadpool, or what they seem to think deadpool is, and Liev Schreibers great performance as Victor. Everything else upset me.
They put so much focus on wolverine and Victor that they put no effort into the others. Characters such as Deadpool and Gambit who are two of my personal favorite X men characters were TERRIBLY developed. Gambit's accent was so faint i didn't even know he was using one until a few minutes of hearing him talk. Deadpool never even puts on a mask, and in the end his mouth is sewn, therefore taking away his smart @$$ commenting. If they left his mouth alone, he could make fun of the two Ferral mutants while beating the crap out of them, which is what he does, but the production team obviously knows nothing about X-Men.
Also, the graphics and special effects were horrible. The claws looked more real in the first X Men made 9 years ago. the background green screen helped nothing. People were so mad when the unfinished version was leaked and said "Oh well you think it sucks because there's no finished effects in that version." well its not much better even with all that. This movie also takes away any possible future projects for Gambit joining the X-Men because this is so long before the X Men are created. This movie upset me... Bull****! Bull****! F*** this movie Bull****!
Ballet Shoes (2007)
almost an amazing film
I admit the only reason i watched this was because Emma Watson was in it and i wanted to see her work outside of the Harry Potter franchise to see if she could handle another character, and she did amazingly well. All the acting was great, but the only thing i think is that it didn't flow too well. It just seemed to not flow as well as a story should. The story was good, but it should have been handled better, and also character development needed to be improved on some characters. But overall it is delightful and has plenty of lessons in it.
All of the characters seemed real, when i was watching it, i could really understand their struggles and their dreams. It seemed as if it was more than just a story. I was definitely glad to see Richard Griffiths in it. It flowed well enough, but like i mentioned earlier it could have flowed better, and i don't like how short it was. I felt they didn't put enough information in it to really define how the careers of each girl went.