Reviews

Yes you get to see Batman's costume in here. Yes you see Joker, Penguin and Riddler in full costume. Yes there's a definitive ending. It's not that there wasn't anything good in this episode. It just feels so rushed and haphazardly put together that there was no way they could pay off everything they built up.

Clearly the crew didn't expect to get a truncated season and rather than streamline the storylines, they tried cramming a season worth of material into twelve episodes. And while the bulk of the season had some uneven parts, there was still enough good to enjoy the ride. But previous episode and this episode proved that they were not confident in their ending and clearly didn't have enough time to do everything they wanted to do. However, they did the wrong move by deciding to throw everything plus the kitchen sink to overcompensate as if an overstuffed episode would make up for running out of time. The end result leaves us with a finale filled with unresolved plot threads, confusing character reactions, unearned story beats and a sense of desperation to untangle the insane web Gotham was spinning.

It's a real shame too. This finale desperately needed to embrace the crazy that made Gotham such a treat for the last few years. Instead, they gave us a rather routine and uninspired last two episodes that had the show go out with a whimper. Maybe they should have spent less time with Magpie and all the other filler nonsense to focus on giving the ending room to breathe. Very disappointed.

On the surface, there could be a decent horror movie in this. Killer cowboys hunting down people? It's a silly enough that it could merit some entertainment.

Unfortunately, it's just not a great or even decent horror film. The characters are thinly written and sometimes completely pointless (did we really even need a senior tour group involved?), the acting is mediocre, the dialogue is awful, the pacing is erratic, the movie is not very scary and a lot of things happen at random with no rhyme or reason. Worst of all, too much of it feels like an excuse to showcase long, over-the-top torture scenes. Admittedly, some of the gore is effectively nasty and it's not badly directed in terms of cinematic presentation, but after a while you start to grow numb to the violence. One person's death means no more than the other's when we have no investment in their safety and there's nothing else happening in the plot to justify its existence.

Even more obnoxiously, it's clear that this was made by people who hate cowboys and rural culture, but have never been to a rodeo, talked to a real cowboy/ranch-hand or understand anything about them outside of cartoons. I know I'm asking too much from a mindless action movie that wants to have it both ways by being an over-the-top parody and a serious horror movie, but it comes off as amateurish and at times like ignorant animal rights propaganda (which is crow-barred into the story for no particular reason because it never plays into the story after its original discussion). All we know from this film is that cowboys are murderous human and animal abusers that need to be slaughtered just...because.

So yeah, this is a big ole pass, pardner.

As well done as "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" is, my pick for Milos Forman's best movie and my personal favorite movie to date is "Amadeus." Yes it is not historically accurate. Yes it is Americans and British actors playing foreign roles with no accents. Yes it is a "stuffy period piece." You know what? It is also an absolute masterpiece of a movie! The story manages to work on multiple levels. Yes the surface message deals with the "price of revenge," but it is so much more personal than that. We see that Sallieri has become his own worst enemy purely because he cannot let go of his jealousy. He cannot just accept the skills of others and move on with his own already successful career. This is also paralleled in the life of Mozart, shown here as a childish genius who is trapped in his own prison of inflated ego in no small part because of his father. The film covers topics of faith, the fear of failure, the dark side of entertainment, the way class and talents are not in stone and more. It works organically and manages to be incredibly captivating.

Forman manages to keep the story entertaining by running his characters through plenty of emotional gamuts. At times the movie is very dramatic. Then there will be incredibly funny moments. Then there will be incredibly thoughtful moments. There is never one monotonous tone and it keeps you on your toes to see how a scene will play out. He also manages to keep an optimistic tone in spite of the darker elements. This is not just a tragic and depressing look at the decline of Mozart's career. It is a celebration of the man and the time period, with all of their faults. We know Mozart's memory still thrives through his music so why just be sad about it.

A lot of credit must be given to Tom Hulce as Mozart for that. Portraying Mozart as a boorish delinquent with a brilliant talent is not only pretty accurate (We know these people in real life), but the right counterbalance to the drama. Even as he drifts into insanity and ill health, Mozart is shown as a sympathetic character who has a consistent love for creating great music if not much else.

We cannot forget F. Murray Abraham as Antonio Sallieri though. The heart of the movie, Abraham brings emotional weight and human traits to a character who could simply be a typical envious character. his character also has pure intentions for making music, but he never learned how to accept humility for other talented people. Sallieri is a controlled and calculating force of envy and self-loathing and we see it all on Abraham's face and through his line delivery. Also the fact he can effortlessly pull off playing both the young and old Sallieri is an admirable feat.

The rest of the supporting cast works excellently in the film, but it is Jeffrey Jones playing Emperor Joseph II that steals the show. Though not nearly in the film enough, he carries a presence both as a royal figure and being a general music illiterate. He also works as a great foil for Hulce's more comedic scenes.

There is so much more that can be said about this film. The cinematography is eye popping, the sets are lavishly ornate, the costumes are all precise designed, the editing moves at a comfortable clip, the make-up work is spot-on and the performances of Mozart's classics are first rate.

I just could go on, but needless to say I wholeheartedly recommend this film. It is a stunning piece of work and well worth the time of any film buff or Mozart fan!

I was fortunate enough to catch this film at the Final Cut Film Festival at BYU Provo. Like most of the films there, I had no expectations or references to base my opinion of the film on so I had a clear mind to judge it. Reading the synopsis in the pamphlet, my curiosity began to be aroused. Mythical creatures? Characters speaking Romanian? Father and daughter bonding? It screamed Grimm fairy tale. Sure enough, what we got was very much like that.

As I mentioned in the title, the film that this made me think of the most was Pan's Labyrinth. We follow a young girl who is too curious for her own good. We have lavish visuals creating a surreal yet balanced tone to the story. We have a mystical monster who inspires just as much fear as he does awe. The film structures itself like Pan's Labyrinth to be some form of haunting tale about the dangers of the world and how we deal with them. For the most part, I would say that it works very well.

The technical work manages to overcome its small budget to create a sense of location and tone. There are no buildings or sets used in the film, but well used location shots create scope and a sense of movement as we go from one place to another. The camera-work utilizes lighting and shot composition effectively to capture the contrast between the protection of the day and the haunting presence of the night. Other details like costume manage to give the impression of a foreign film without needing to be overly lavish or detailed. On a whole, the look of the film is well made.

There is a very poetic style to the way the film is written and acted. The dialogue is simple yet substantial to allow audience to feel the emotional resonance of what is being said. The plot is not very complicated either, but manages to establish its own unique lore particularly in the third act. The lead actors playing the father and daughter are finely underplayed to give a grounded tone to the surrealism surrounding them.

However, it is the haunting presence of the wolf-like Pricolici that is the film's highlight. Drenched in shadow (to hide the budget limitations of course) and voiced with menace by Jeff Dickamore, there is no doubt that this creature is not of an Earthly nature. Its taunting dialogue will unnerve plenty of viewers as it spins the creepy tale of its creation and purpose. The fact that the scene is so memorable despite being so short shows its power.

Unfortunately, I did have some issues with the production. As great as the story is, I did feel that the actual ending was a bit...confusing. Not that it was a bad ending, but it felt like I did not understand the point they were trying to make by the event that happened. Call me dumb, but I think it could have been portrayed a slightly different way to make the point more clearly while retaining its artistic value.

The biggest offender, however, is the sound design. As good as the music is, it rarely ever peaks or intensifies even in the most tense scenes. We are often just hearing the same measures on repeat, which can only sustain a film for so long. The sound effects were worst however. Most of them were just fine, but key moments of sound design like the climax lack intensity or emphasis. It makes it hard for me to care if someone gets tackled if it sounds like the man hit a pillow! With a few more powerful effects, those scenes would have played strong in my opinion.

While certainly lacking in a few qualities, this was still the second best film I saw at the festival just behind Mr. Bellpond. Haunting, smartly produced, well written and visually striking, the director should be proud of the production and we can only hope he comes up with even better work in the future.

Three teenagers stumble across a meteorite that gives them telekinetic powers and each react differently to their growing abilities. This is a very simple premise and the films eighty three minute run time is a testament to that. What will surprise you, however, is how much each minute counts to making "Chronicle" a distinct entry in the found footage genre and the superhero genre.

The writing and direction are top notch in this, especially for the newcomers behind them. We are always focused on the main characters and what they are going through. There is no dizzying camera-work or choppy editing to try and disorientate us. This actually feels like a naturally shot faux-documentary. There is a lot of great dialogue in the film, particularly because it actually feels written for teenage characters. It has those semi-juvenile lines mixed in with attempts at more mature comments that feels like teens preparing to leave high school. The pace and tone are well controlled too, combining elements of an action film, a "Blair Witch" style documentary, a teen comedy, a dysfunctional family drama and a "high school massacre" style tragedy (particularly through the starting scenes of the third act). Best of all, it never breaks the found footage illusion. We are always immersed firsthand into the scenario and aside from some seemingly inconsistent moments, there is almost always a plausible way to maintain the documentary style.

The actors really needed to be top notch to make this believable and thankfully they chose some very talented unknowns. There is Michael B. Jordan as Steve, who really feels like a popular kid who gained his fame from being a great guy rather than an attention seeker. There is Alex Russell as Matt, who blends the right amount of "too cool for school" swagger with genuine good guy qualities. Then there is Dane DeHaan as Andrew, who seems all too comfortable playing the reclusive and increasingly disturbed character. He is really the lead character and while his arc may seem strange at first, it feels like the only way he could have gone with his quirks and defects. Each of these actors work great on their own, but it is their great chemistry that drives the film. They really feel like guys who became great friends through a unique circumstance and it makes the eventual drama all the more hard hitting.

The effects lend to some truly incredible scenes. Thanks to the aforementioned camera-work and editing mixed with some great visuals, we get moments that work great because it is done found footage style. On one end of the spectrum, we get terrific scenes of awe like the guys playing football thirty thousand feet in the air. On the other, we get some great comedy bits as they use their powers to cause mischief in a toy store. Somewhere in between, we get some great action scenes like the finale caught on multiple types of cameras one shot after the other. It is unfortunate that this brings up one of my biggest gripes with the film. As great and subtle as a lot of the effects were, there were several scenes where highlighted moments of effects looked badly rendered. Among them are a scene with Lego blocks and some of the character models during action scenes. While the film is working with a smaller budget, the fact most of the effects looked so good makes those moments stand out.

I had so much fun with this movie. It had more going on in eighty three minutes than many movies do that run over two hours. A great film to lead the way for 2012 possibly being a great year in cinema.

I do not think this idea had zero potential. Fairy tales have an immediate charm that could have served well for an intriguing series. Unfortunately, it has been squandered by the show's shortcomings. The first is the writing, which is almost straightforward to a fault. The dialogue has no snap or charm, with many lines just being mentally tuned out of my ears. The character are not fleshed out very well and are only distinguishable by bare bones traits, appearances or the fact they are a certain fairy tale character. There is also no emotion to the script, with many of the "sad moments" coming off so limply that they are clearly artificial.

The show also has a sense of cheapness that could have been a nice artistic touch had it not seemed like it was not intentional. The effects are shoddy, the costumes are store bought, there are apparently a very limited number of sets and it lacks artistry despite its belief that it looks fairy tale like. I think the directing is a huge problem there as to much of the pace and style play it too safe to be interesting. The pilot is a terrific example of the flatness with a terribly handled chase scene with a completely out of place song choice that just ends abruptly. This structure repeats quite often of start and stop.

One of my biggest gripes is the cast. There are some talented actors in the cast (Raphael Sbarge, Robert Carlyle, etc) but they are all mishandled and underused. The crying/emotional moments ring false, the line delivery is flat and overacting from people like Carlyle completely ruins certain scenes. Most of these people just lack charisma or screen presence despite how much the show attempts to manufacture it.

I cannot say it was just terrible, but it was completely dull. I never had a moment of excitement, humor or thrills at any point and I just had a sinking feeling that it would not improve. If it just was not so clumsy blending fantasy and reality, it could have performed better.

Unlimited was a radical and unfortunate turn for what was possibly one of the greatest superhero cartoons (or just flat out cartoons) ever. It sucked most of what made the original series good and gave us flat episodes that are bad not because of completely bad quality, but because they squander so much potential. This is no exception.

Essentially the plot of this episode is about a jerk who gets bullied by the other heroes because he is not popular. He is not even that much of a jerk (in fact he is somewhat likable despite some cockiness) but the heroes seem to have some unknown grudge against him for no good reason. Even the civilians could care less, often mistaking him for Green Lantern (for no reason other than he also wears a big padded suit). Apparently Booster also found a way to turn Fry from Futurama into a bite size super intelligent robot who helps him in oh so convenient ways. Anyways, while the heroes are off fighting some generic super powerful bad guy, Booster also stumbles on one of those "the universe will end if this is not stopped" plots that provides a series of coincidences and inconveniences that stop him from stopping it after a minute.

The writing is poor because, along with flat dialog and comedy attempts, it cannot make the two plots even the least bit suspenseful on either front. Things just happen with no build up and very little payoff. We do not even see the main heroes for most of the story and they are written so uncharacteristically that we are almost glad for that! Booster Gold and Skeets could be a really interesting duo to follow, but Booster's dialog is not snappy enough to give him the edge the actor is trying for. The love interest is shallow as well, barely developed enough to feel natural. It is also hard to make inanimate disasters compelling since it has no personality to attach to and it is either something that cannot realistically be stopped or can be stop too easily with a convenient plot detail. All these complaints are mostly under the one criticism I have for the entirety of Justice League Unlimited: too much stuff in too little time. Half an hour is not enough time to try and do the same level of plot development with over fifty or something new characters thrown into the mix. It gives us little incentive to care!

It is animated just as well as any of the Bruce Timm cartoons, the voice actors are clearly trying to make the material work and there is so much potential to expand on. Sadly, like the whole show, this episode plays it too safe and cannot carry enough momentum to keep our attention for long. Plus, it makes our favorite heroes look like unjustified jerks and we should never feel that way about Batman or any of them.

Bruce Timm has changed a lot of how we perceive superhero cartoons. He removed the campiness of the predecessors and instead gave the stories the intelligent yet entertaining tone that their source materials aim for. Batman:TAS is hailed as one of the greatest all time cartoons for not only its sharp writing, animation and voice acting, but it even influenced the Batman mythology. Superman:TAS followed the same qualities though in the shadows and Batman Beyond managed to overcome its flip-floppy quality to provide some standout segments. My personal favorite, however, goes to this fantastically compelling series that juggles several fully fleshed characters with suspenseful plots, top notch voice acting, measured pace and entertaining action.

Each of the seven lead heroes has a personality that is expanded bit by bit with each of their featured episodes. Rather than have a bunch of lone guns posing as a team, they are written to actually interact with each other in a way that they feel needed. People banter off one another, friendships build and break, romances kindle and it overall feels like a team effort. Paired with great actors that capture their qualities, each person feels alive and expressive.

The plots build over the course of forty-five or so minutes in a calculated way that builds tension with well timed reveals, conflict establishment and resolutions. You actually see a constructed arc put in place rather than scattered events tied together. It helps that there are interesting villains pulling off the schemes, but it would be nothing without them doing something truly menacing. Maybe not every episode's scheme is "end of the world" scale, but the variety of schemes both small and big keep things from feeling monotonous. Even the episodes where seemingly nothing happens (like the Christmas episode) are interesting because like the others they are built around the characters and not solely the plot.

The art is vivid and expressive, matching the comic book feel to the tone of Timm's more literate superhero universe. The music is epic and booming, particularly that opening theme! The directing is top notch too, with events flowing smoothly from one scene to the next. It is just a well put together project.

Sure, not every episode is a smash hit and it does do a few things that will either intrigue those accepting Timm's interpretation or infuriate purists of the characters. Nevertheless, it is a high benchmark for the superhero cartoon and despite Justice League Unlimited's best attempts to screw it over, the original stands strong.

I will hand it that this episode didn't have a whole lot of laughs, but I consider this the rehab episode The Office has needed after a string of less-than-good to awful episodes before it.

The biggest improvement is making the show feel real again. The thing I HATED most about the last few episodes was the complete abandonment from reality that they took with the humor and tone. Here, however, the characters are actually behaving more like humans again and doing a lot better acting than they had been lately. Kudos to the writers too for giving them some good dialogue to work with again.

I also love that they're trying to really develop the characters as well, particularly with Kevin since he's one of the supporting players I like the most. There feels like there is a progression of a plot again and the focus is more controlled to impromptu and natural laughs rather than bizzaro comedy. Hopefully we can see more developments with some of the other characters since they really butchered some of the great story lines during episodes like The Duel.

I think I just love how touched I was with this episode. Yes I know, this isn't supposed to be a drama or anything. However, I think the best comedies are the ones that can make you laugh and cry and that's what I felt happened with this episode. Heck, I think the drama gave the comedy in this a little more impact since it felt like a natural relief of tension.

If things continue to improve with the next few episodes, we may just have a return to form with The Office. I've tried to say that previous episodes were a step in the right direction, but this truly is one because it captures what The Office is supposed to be: a look at real life with a slight comedic spin. It makes me glad I didn't give up hope on the show.

Pixar is the new Disney (as in the good Disney of old). They continue to make quality stories, push boundaries of visual design capabilities and, above all, charm audiences young and old. The same holds with Presto, the team's latest short cartoon which played before each screening of Wall-E. In it, a hungry rabbit, upset his magician owner will not give him the carrot promised to him, decides to sabotage the show in a variety of increasingly humorous ways until he gets it. What makes this simple premise shine is the clever slapstick gags, great characters and the overall sweet tone throughout the film. It's just pure and simple cartoon fun that sets the right tone for the film after it. The absence of dialogue actually makes the whole thing funnier, as their are no corny lines to ruin the enjoyment like in most non-Pixar cartoons. I highly recommend buying it on iTunes or seeing Wall-E just to make sure yo get to experience it.

Face it, where would Disney be without Pixar? Not only does the company continually push the boundaries of CGI imagery and craft incredible movies, but they do it on such a continual basis that it defies modern film-making. Surely they must have one bad movie that would merit a Disney license? If Wall-E is any indication, it's not going to happen for a very long time.

Now there have been quite a few people complaining that Wall-E's political undertones (or overtones, I can never tell which one) are too blatant or overbearing. To them, I say lighten up. Sure, the fear of corporate control and human's causing their own downfall through waste themes have been covered before. However, none of them were presented in such a unique and approachable way as in this film. In fact, I say the film benefits greatly from these themes because it helps expand the film to an adult audience. This could have easily been a mindless romp with cute robots (much like the miscreant animated films Robots), but the messages beneath give the film brains to match its heart.

And boy does heart really mean something here. It still surprises me that Pixar can create such deep and involving stories on simplest of premises. A robot, yearning for companionship, finally finds a chance for romance in the form of a sleek, Macintosh white female robot. That's pretty much all the actual plot is about, despite the political themes. What carries the plot so far is the in depth characterization, effective use of nonverbal communication and a surprising range in emotion. The boys at Pixar follow the philosophy of Walt Disney to the bone hear, matching every laugh with equal amounts of tears. But not tears of sorrow mind you, but tears of joy. There are so many tender moments in this film that its hard not to let out a tear when everything comes to a close. Classic Disney.

Really though, Wall-E is all about...well, Wall-E. He is by far one of the most likable lead characters to come out of a Disney film in a very long time. For one thing, he hardly says a word, which is an improvement from the Disney characters that never shut-up. Two, the fact that an artificial being can develop emotions and desires and maintain our sympathies is a triumph to itself. And three, he's just such a little trooper. He faces the cold emptiness of space, menacing robots, malfunctions and all sorts of perils all for the robot he loves. I dare say he's braver than any of the Incredibles. Plus, you just got to love his speech, which is a delightful range of electric boops combined with a sort of garbled Microsoft Speech voice when attempting words.

All of Wall-E's characters are equally as deep as the lead. Eve is more than just a typical love interest, expressing moments of short tempered anger as well as compassion. Though it takes her a while to truly respond to Wall-E's advances, the progression of their romance feels natural. And again, there is no sappy dialog to ruin the experience, so the romance feels pure and simple to understand. The human characters, who are all morbidly obese due to their use of hover chairs and almost trance like existence under corporate control, actually stand on their own too. Even As more humans become aware of their existence and past one by one, we are just as sympathetic to their curiosity of what they missed all this time. I chuckled to myself as two "freed" people splash happily in a pool they never realized existed, only to realize perhaps this is the first time they have ever truly experienced such a leisure. Perhaps one of my favorite moments is when the captain of the humans' ship begins probing the computer over human history. As hours fly by (or so we assume between the intervals), he innocently continues this quest with a childlike curiosity, fascinated by simple things like pizza, farming, dancing and such. It really made me treasure the simple pleasures of my life so much more.

Maybe Wall-E isn't the best movie of all time. Then again, I bet people said that about The Godfather, Lord of the Rings, The Shawshank Redemption and even the first Toy Story. If so, then I will have to say that by Pixar standards, Wall-E is by far their most ambitious, simple and heartfelt outings yet and definitely the best of the year so far.

I bought this movie out of impulse a week ago, figuring it must have been a good enough movie to get an Oscar nom. So I got my mom to join me in watching it. What I wasn't prepared for was the truly wonderful experience I had watching it.

Be warned, Lars and the Real Girl is not the comedy it was advertised as. There are comedic elements in the film, but these are offset by the real focus of the story: Lars. Yes, the story does involve him falling in love with a "love doll", but the relationship itself is surprisingly non-sexual. It's not the fact they don't show anything happening, but you can see it in how Lars treats the doll like a living person. The doll is simply his way of trying to find compensation for the compassion and emotion he had been deprived of for so long. This way, we overlook the fact the doll is "anatomically correct" and see that this doll is more real to Lars than most of the people he meets.

That's not to say they are not real though. Despite the critics bashing how sympathetic to Lars's plight the town folk are, I found it utterly convincing. It really brought about that idea that the place they live is one of those small towns where everyone knows your name and cares about you. Perhaps those critics have never had that joy living in cities, so they couldn't understand that this may not be so implausible. Funny enough, there's more humor in how the town people treat "Bianca" as a real person than how Lars does. She soon becomes quite popular, enough so to be elected to the school board.

Again, the story is really abut Lars in the end and it is all realized by the incredible writing, subtle direction and Ryan Gosling. This has to be one of Gosling's best performances yet. Lars is a real, nuanced and compelling character; not because he's charismatic, but because Gosling lets us understand the pain he's really suffering. Anyone else could have made Lars's relationship seem like insanity, but Gosling does it in a way that never exploits Lars's reasoning to why he does all of this. Everything is subtle, just like how a real person would do this. He never actually acts crazy. He is just really blinded by this delusion he invented. This Gosling so believable at almost all times. Then he pulls another trick and goes through the same subtlety to attempt to free himself from the delusion. I won't describe what happens, but I will say I feel everything happens exactly as it should and it all feels right.

The other supporting actors are all splendid as well. Paul Schnieder and Emily Mortimer do a superb job as Lars's brother Gus and sister-in-law Karin, with whom he shares the house with. Their struggle to understand Lars's condition is rational and well drawn out and you really sense both the difficulty and determination to help him get better. Patricia Clarkson is a joy as the psychologist who helps Lars's understand his feelings and try to cope with the outside world. While many of the characters have little time to shine, everyone is played exactly how they should be. From the fun loving co-workers at Lars and Gus's workplaces to the girl groups Karin hangs with, everyone feels right at home in the film. A special shout- out has to go to Kelli Garner, who was so sweet as Lars's potential love interest Margo. Her youthful haircut and expressive eyes really stole the show.

Is Lars and the Real Girl the right film for everyone? Probably not. Those people will miss out though, because this is one of the most honest and touching films I've seen in a while. Reasonable, whimsical and well performed, this was one of the few hidden gems of 2007.

I just finished the movie today and I must say that this is by far one of the most artistic and beautiful movies I have seen in years. The producers of the film were right to call this a modern fairytale, since it has all the ingredients for an authentic Brothers Grimm story. Just don't expect there to be lots of happy faces in the film. This is a real, bloody (very bloody), moody, emotional fairy tale just like the ones in the past.

First of all, I have to say that the technical design in this film was astounding. The art direction was spot on for all the locations, whether its the imaginary world of the labyrinth or the mill that the fascists call their base. The music is some of the best I've heard in a film for a long time, drawing that fantasy feel of the movie perfectly and inspiring so many emotions in one chord than other films could in their whole screening. The sound was top notch as well, never sounding like just a compilation of reused sound effects. And of course, the make-up design is flawless and imaginative. The biggest shock was the cinematography. Now, I personally thought Children of Men should have got the Oscar for this, but understand now why this won. Each shot is beautifully staged, colored and detailed in a way that they cease to be movie shots and become portraits of art.

Guillermo Del Toro really surprised me. Not only did he assemble a surprisingly talented cast, but he was able to make you really connect with the situation. The characters are all well developed and the symbolism, though subtle, is so delicious that it makes me tingle with the thought of it. The dialogue is natural and authentic and he handles the film expertly to convey that timeless feel even through some of the film's harsher moments. You really feel this is a labor of love, since it bears its fruits at every scene. I didn't even mind that I had to read subtitles (which I think Del Toro knew that he would have to use it wisely, since the scenes are designed so you are not distracted reading the text to enjoy the scene).

If I had any complaints, its that some of the visual effect designs were sometimes inferior. They weren't bad, but they had some rough edges that should have been addressed.

I recommend this for anyone who has a strong stomach, an eye for art and a heart. It deserved all its Oscar wins and noms and should have won for its amazing music. This is the new standard for film art for the modern generation.

Let me start by saying that this isn't the best comedy I've seen. Heck, I didn't even see it in the theaters when it released. I only heard of it from my brother, who has a generally low standard in movies anyways. So, since I had nothing else to do, I watched the movie with him.

It's not that this doesn't have any funny moments (because it actually does), but it doesn't have the classic humor like The Producers. The story is pretty simple, a guy needs to raise money for a friend by posing as a mentally challenged man in the Special Olympics. The acting varies at most parts. Johnny does only an okay job, while Cox is much better as a sleaze ball character. The real standouts in this are the people playing the retards, with Glen, Billy, and Thomas as my favorites.

The best thing about this movie is that it doesn't try to insult mentally challenged people. In a way, it gives us a reason why they should be more loved, since some can be funny and nice.

Overall, it's not great, but it is enjoyable if you can like the silly behavior of the retards.

I was recommend this movie by a friend of mine. He kept saying how it was one of his favorite movies of all time. I personally had never seen the original show "Firefly", which shares the same creator, so I didn't know what to expect. What I got was totally different.

This movie, though not on my instant classics list, is still an incredibly enjoyable movie for people who like science fiction or don't. In fact, you can't really say it's just sci-fi. It's a sci-fi, a western and an action film all blend into one, sprinkled with a touch of comedy within (it's actually pretty funny in a generally deadpan way).

What makes the movie so good is its originality. From the humor to the production design to the plot development, this film is a one of a kind movie. My only complaint on this part, however, is that the originality will seem kind of awkward and bizarre and certain points, like some of the ships used by the Reavers (pretty much a savage version of the Klingon's from Star Trek).

The acting, despite having no truly recognizable stars other than Alan Tudyk, is quite good. Nathan Fillon is great as a Han Solo meets tormented space marine captain of the title ship, bringing good action sequences and dry humor to the screen. The standout, however, is Summer Glau as River Tam, a mentally unstable young girl transformed to become a killing machine.

The story is packed with wit, humor, and interesting characters. The plot is constantly moving, throwing twists and turns into your train of thought just as you think you figured it out. That said and done, some may find this confusing, since it seems like Joss Whedon wants you to feel confused by the intellect laced in the dialog.

The technical aspects of Serenity are quite impressive. The music is an interesting mix of sci-fi and western scores. The sound, from the Reavers' roars to the weapons on the ships, are all interesting and, at points, kind of funny. The visuals are amazing, immersing the viewers in the details of the ships and space. The cinematography, on the other hand, may feel a bit awkward at points. It's not bad, quite impressive mostly, but the hand-held-like zooming in space and sometimes TV show-ish look may make the film feel strange.

Don't let any of my negative comments deter you from this film. This is definitely recommended to any sci-fi fan. You won't regret it.

I kept hearing about this TV movie for a while. The soundtrack was a hit on iTunes and it was being advertised all the time. So my sister recorded it one night and I decided to watch it.

The truth is, it's good. Not great, mind you, but good. First, let me point out some flaws. For one thing, the plot is basic Disney stuff. It may please children, but it isn't anything you haven't seen before. It's predictable on almost every plain all the way to the end. There are also lots of the T.V. stereotypes (pretty faced lead characters, poorly acted snotty villaness, bad portrayal of nerds and jocks). Also, a lot of the jokes in the film are either poorly timed or basic Disney quick gags.

What really shines, though, is the amazing music and songs. The voices for most of the singers is good (though the lead guy doesn't do his own singing), the songs are well written and sung greatly, and they usually have a good mood appropriate to the scene they're in. My favorite song is Stick to the Status Quo for two reasons. One, it's very reminiscent to musicals like Grease, and two because it actually a good satire to hidden ambitions and High School culture's view on them (it ignores them for popular stuff). Get Your Head in the Game is cool to, though a bit too hip hop/pop.

So overall, the good outweighs the bad. It certainly fits the basics for a Disney movie. It has an average plot with average dialogue, average or over-the-top acting (Ashley Tishdale: Overacting + Good singing voice= ?), and a cheesy feel which will please kids. But if your looking for a good family movie or if you like Broadway-esquire music and singing, this should be considered.

The show has been over for a long time, the actors have faded in and out of different small projects, and hundreds of mindless shows have tried to hitch a ride on the Seinfield money train. But in the end, the only show that can be like Seinfield is Seinfield.

This show is a comedy gem that everyone (except younger children) can enjoy. The writing is still sharp, witty, and most of all funny after all these years. The acting of the four leads is always superb, ranging from Jerry's calm social commentary, George's pathetic outrages, Elaine's desperate attempts to get ahead in life, and, my favorite, Kramer's bizarre wackiness (cause face it, nobody's a better Kramer than Michael Richards).

Seinfield is the best sitcom ever made, with more classic and memorable moments than any other T.V. show ("yada yada yada", "no soup for you", etc.). You must watch the DVD collections or watch the reruns on the various channel, cause it will make you laugh.

I had my doubts for King Kong, even if they were small. It's hard to eclipse the success and greatness that The Lord of the Rings accomplished, but it's not hard to try. So, happily walking into the theater, I prepared myself for an interesting 3 hours.

For the most part, I was pleased. The visual effects are phenomenal, not only for the graphical superiority, but also for the extreme attention to detail. From Kong's movements to the incredibly creepy details of the leech monsters, everything feels authentic and intense. Speaking of intense, I was impressed by tense action that the movie sets when on the island scene. The brontosaurus stamped, Kong shaking the crew on the log, and especially the V- Rex-Kong battle all had the great tension and intensity from the Lord of the Rings.

This movie was definitely a very artistic movie. The art direction rules, the pacing worked well, and Peter Jackson is just simply the most creative and gifted directors in the business right now.

If I had any complaints, it's only focused on the 1rd of the movie (there's pretty much 3 parts; the intro and ride to the island, the crew on the island, and Kong in New York). It just starts off kind of slow, which doesn't fit well into the movie. But I guess that's what we get for a 3 hour movie, a few slow moments.

Other than that, the acting was good considering the actors. Naomi Watts is great as Ann Darrow and Adrian Brody does a fine job for his character. Despite what people say, I liked Jack Black in this movie. His acting skills is definitely tested in this movie, but he fits his character as a fast talking, overconfident movie director. The big star, though, was Kong. The actor's movements were so convincing that it made the movie even more enjoyable to watch.

I definitely recommend this movie to any serious film fanatic or aspiring film maker who can tolerate watching 3 hours. It's is definitely artistic vision at it's best.