Terminator Genisys Review

        The Fate of Humanity is once again on the line in the 5th installment of The Terminator Film Series originally conceived by James Cameron. This time around it is heralded by Game of Thrones Director Alan Taylor from a story written by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier. Of course you can't have a true Terminator film without the main man himself  Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising his alter ego the cybernetic T-800 with film newcomers Emilia Clarke ( Daenerys Targaryen from G.O.T. ) portraying Sarah Connor, Jai Courtney (Jack McClane from Die Hard 5) as Kyle Reese and Jason Clarke ( Malcolm from Dawn of The Planet of the Apes) as The Leader of the Human Resistance John Connor. Also Joining the Cast is former 11th Doctor Matt Smith who (spoilers) plays the physical emodiment of Skynet and the great character actor JK Simmons (J. Jonah Jameson from the Raimi Spiderman Films). When Kyle Reese Volunteers to be sent back in time to 1984 in order to protect Sarah Connor from the Terminator , he finds that the version of Sarah he comes across is not the weak, docile version that John Connor had described. In her place is a highly trained tactical soldier with the guts to get things done, plus she also happens to have been raised by a version of the terminator that had been sent to protect her when she was a child. In fact everything has changed due to some unforeseen events that has altered the timeline. 

         While Emilia Clarke and Jason Clarke (no relation) fit their characters well  with emilia replacing linda hamilton as sarah and jason being the 5th actor  playing the ever revolving future savior John Connor. Jai Courtney though still has some big shoes to fill playing Kyle Reese. The original Kyle Reese was  played by Michael Biehn and he made that character his own. He had the right portrayal of a soldier who has been through hell surviving on what little nutrients a war torn earth could provide. He was thin but in notable shape instead of the overly muscled Kyle we get with Courtney. The chemistry that Linda and Michael had in the original is not visible with the current casting choices made. Emilia and Jai just act on cue and deliver their respected lines and then move on to whatever action scenario currently present. Though it fair to point out that when Arnold is present things pick up and as a whole that is where they function. It is prevailent when they argue amongst each other and as they fight side by side against the menacing T-1000.

         This film is a far cry better action film than Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and Terminator: Salvation. Arnold proves that he is and will always be the unbeatable T-800.  His portrayal of the T-800 in the third film was stiff and didn't feel "natural". It was as if he was being controlled by some puppeteer from behind the scenes. This time around his resurgence in the guise of an older T-800 was more appropriate and doesn't disappoint. He proves that he can still kick ass (even though it is a pg 13 world) given his age of 68. Not many action stars that age can get away with that feat except Sylvester Stallone and to some degree Clint Eastwood.  I love the fact that they incorporated his real physical appearance into the film which can help make it more believable and it gives a humanizing quality to the otherwise relentlessness killing machine. It is explained that even though the terminator is a machine the flesh that covers it's body is a living organism and it can age plus the fact that the cpu is a learning computer with time it can adapt and learn to be more human (albeit makes it easier to blend in and kill whatever target). 

          

        For those that love the terminator universe and are fans of James Cameron's original sci fi spectacle will love the first twenty or so minutes of the film which recreates a shot by shot reproduction of the original films beginning with some minor changes. The most notable is the aging terminator which ambushes the original T800 just before it has had a chance to start it's mission to hunt and kill Sarah Connor. The ensuing battle pits Arnold vs young Arnold in a no holds brawl pitting age against youth. Of course the young terminator being basically fresh off the assembly line does seem to take the upper hand as the older unit falters. When it comes down to it though the older unit does win with a little help from a sniper rifle carrying Sarah thus ending the first movie obsolete and beginning a new course and time frame with which to spin a new tale. There are plenty of easter eggs thrown in the film discreetly and obvious. It is worth noting that Robert Patrick who played the T1000 in T2 makes a cameo in the film in a blink and you miss appearance. 

      Over all the movie sits adequately behind terminator 1 and 2 while eliminating much of the story desecrated by Terminator 3 and Salvation. It is worth noting though that much of the surprise twists that were in the film had been spoiled by the marketing team's decision to show key moments in the trailer. This sadly affected the film's position in making an impact. Much of the plot is written to make way for a new trilogy with Arnold at front and center as a newly upgraded T800 guardian to Sarah and new sparring partner to Kyle. Hopefully the next director chosen to continue the terminator franchise can help fix the few minor elements and make it truly as epic as the original two.

      

      

JAMES HORNER - Great Musical Composer Extraordinaire Rest in Piece

August 14, 1953 - June 22, 2015 

       Cinematic Composer Virtuoso James Horner has passed away at the age of 61 after being involved in a plane crash on Monday  June 22, 2015. While some of you may not know him many of you have definitely heard his work throughout the years. He won two academy awards for his composition on the movie Titanic being the one who co-wrote along with Will Jennings the smash hit "My Heart Will Go On" performed by Celine Dion. It was his work on great sci fi classics of the 80's and other memorable films that to me cemented him as one of the great hollywood composers of our time. He was responsible for some great musical scores used in such films as Star Trek II: The wrath of Khan, Aliens, Cocoon, Willow, Jumanji , the animated film an American Tail among others. My Personal Favorite is the Score he composed for the Movie Krull- a sci fi fantasy adventure from 1983. His song " Ride of the Firemares" for the film is one of the best and upon listening to it still brings joy and excitement.   If your curious to hear the theme song feel free to click on the video below.

Avengers Age of Ultron Review

      Leaping from the comic book page to the cinematic universe, the mighty avengers once again come forth to battle evil and of course entertain the countless masses of movie lovers and comic book aficionados alike. When last we encountered the avengers they banded together in order to prevent Loki along with the Chitauri from invading earth. This time around Tony Stark ( Robert Downey Jr) in hopes of creating an artificial intelligence designed to help and protect humanity unwillingly unleashes a sentient AI whose core programming determines that in order to save the world humanity must end.

      Joss Whedon is back on the helm of this billion dollar franchise and his experience at managing multiple characters on screen is as crucial as ever in ensuring that all involved get to shine and put to use. Hawkeye for once gets to finally "act" and interact with the rest of the crew. His backstory has been incorporated into the film and helps flesh out his motives behind being a worthy team member and it helps to see that he also gets to use snarky one liners along with the rest of the cast. Black Widow also returns to the forefront but her role has been realigned as more of a control unit for Bruce whenever Code Green is activated (i.e. Hulk). Of Course Robert Downey Jr as always projecting himself as Tony Stark bringing back his ever charming personality and snappy remarks adds a new addition to his ever growing arsenal of  "Irontastic" Armor - Veronica aka THE HULKBUSTER . This single piece of  wondrous technology was designed with the help of  Bruce Banner to be able to go toe to toe with the Hulk if ever the need came up to bring him down. The Battle alone between these two titans alone is enough to satisfy any comic book and action junkie.

"Listen to me, that little witch is messing with your mind. You're stronger than her,
you're smarter than her. You're Bruce Banner!"

     Also included in the movie is kick ass actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson who plays Pietro Maximoff codenamed Quicksilver (no not that Quicksilver played by Evan Peters from Days of Future Past) and Elizabeth Olsen as Wanda Maximoff also known as Scarlet Witch.  As for the Villain of the Movie we are introduced to Ultron - the peace keeping program given life and voiced by James Spader (The Blacklist and almost every other teen 80's film). His ultimate goal is the destruction of the Human Race as well as bring down his Creator. Ultron would have been even more intimidating if James Spader's voice was altered during post production to sound more like the menacing artificial monster that he is than utilizing his normal voice.

"I'm glad you asked that, because I wanted to take this time to explain my evil plan..."

     One highlight of the film is the introduction of a new team member Vision played with grace by Paul Bettany; who you should know by now was responsible for providing the voice of Jarvis, Iron Man's AI interface and equally sarcastic verbal sparring buddy. Vision was developed as the next step in evolution of artificial lifeform by Ultron but was luckily intercepted by the avengers and becomes a force for Good. Paul's take on the vision is on point providing the character with a soul and a sense of compassion towards life despite the inmense  destructive power at his command. His onscreen chemistry with the rest of the cast mixes well and they interact as if he has always been part of the team.

"Humans are odd. They think order and chaos are somehow opposites and try to control
what won't be. But there is grace in their failings... "

        Upon viewing the film, you will notice that some minor holes in the plot have been left unfilled and even though they may seem trivial it is good to know that as part of the connected universe, marvel's Agents of Shield have two episodes that help explain certain elements that were left out. The Episodes in question are part of Season 2 and are titled The Dirty Half Dozen and Scars. Each one contain little snippets that connect to the Movie. Overall this movie is quite entertaining mixing humor with a dose of action and suspense. It also serves as an exit point for some of the key characters and introduces a new round of heroes to take up The Avengers mantle.

Jared Leto as The Joker in Suicide Squad Movie

     Ever Since Jared Leto has been cast in the Role of the Joker in the New Movie Suicide Squad, many have wondered what his physical appearance would be on screen as the Iconic king of all super villains. Well Director David Ayer has taken to twitter to finally reveal his interpretation of him and this version completely deviates from the classic look save the green hair and perhaps purple attire. 

     While I'm keen on Jared Leto cast as the Joker and I'm  sure that his take would do the character justice, i find a few gripes with the decision to implement certain noticeable additions to his facade. The stand out being him sporting a grill, Really?? he needs to have metal teeth to prove that he is menacing?, he is one of the most sadistic and maniacal characters ever created, the metal grill is not needed. Another aspect is his body art,,unless this iteration of the joker plans to appear shirt less it is not needed nor warranted.  This feels like they are trying too hard to separate this joker from the previous interpretations on screen.   

"Why so serious?"

    Who can ever forget Heath Ledger's amazing take on the Joker, when he took portrayal of the role, he made it his own and commanded onscreen presence overshadowing the Batman in the Dark Knight. But his wasn't the only take for he was preceded by another great Hollywood icon.

"Have you ever danced with devil in the pale moonlight?"

    Before Heath there was the  Great Jack Nicholson and his superb onscreen appearance as The Joker in the 1989 Tim Burton Directed Batman. His rendition captured the original essence of the joker and was more than a  suitable antagonist to Keaton's Batman.

    Bottom line is that while each actor brought their own unique take on the Sadistic clown, they retained the few elements that are pivotal to him and right now the pic shown really leaves one a bit disappointed at least in my mind.   

       

The New Star Wars Trailer is HERE!!!!!!

       So by now most have already seen the new and exiting teaser trailer for the much hyped about sequel to STAR WARS...and for those that haven't please do so....One of the many high lights of the trailer is our very first peak at the one and only Scruffy looking Nerf Herder - Han Solo along with his ever loyal Sidekick Chewbacca. It is going to be a very exciting time when we finally get to see the original cast reunite on the big screen as well as some brand new editions to the star wars mythos created by George Lucas.  While every fanboy on earth is delightfuly waiting for the release, Disney is of course providing little snippets here and there about the film but they should refrain from revealing too much because it would ruin the surprise that one would get when watching the film at the theaters for that is the only negative thing i can say about this truly epic tale.

Kill me three times - Review

    Kill me three times is an Australian dark comedy crime thriller which portrays the story of an assassin who
is hired to kill someone only to find out there are others who also have plans of their own to kill the same victim. While it is promoted to have three different tales of murder and deceit it  is actually three points of view of the same story. each relative tale is actually the missing link that ties to  the previous tale and provide the viewer with much needed insight to what is actually going on.

           For those of you who have probably seen the trailer and movie posters, Simon Pegg is heavily promoted as the main attraction to an otherwise lackluster tale. He plays Charlie Wolfe - The hitman hired to assassinate Alice Taylor played by Alice Braga  and also starring Teresa Palmer as Lucy Webb , Luke Hemsworth as Dylan Smith and Sullivan Stapleton as Nathan Webb. It is worth noting that while Simon Pegg is in the movie his role is more akin to a glorified cameo than an actual performance. We see the story develop through the other characters and their interactions with Pegg being more of the comedic element to an otherwise passable tale. Everything else about the film is a predictable orquestrated mess that will leave one wanting to actually switch to one of Simon Pegg's more enjoyable films.

       So as stated before anyone expecting to see a film in the likes of the enjoyable Cornetto Trilogy of Films directed by Edgar Wright and Starring Simon Pegg will be sadly disappointed. This is more of a generic tale of betrayal and deceit that has been told probably a dozen or more times through out cinema history. This is an hour or so of time that one will not be able to get back that can be spent on more interesting affair.

   

Tie Fighter - Simply Breathtaking Animated Star Wars Fan Film.

       Tie Fighter is a fan made animated film based on Star Wars that has the look and feel of the great 80's anime with it's superb highly stylized visuals and intense shading, something that today's anime sadly have lost in favor of more commercial and simplified visuals. It was single handily drawn and animated by one person and his name is Paul Johnson over the course of 4 years worth of weekends to give us over  7 minutes of pure animatic bliss.  It reminds me of all those anime series of the 80's where the music and battle sequences complemented each without the real need for any dialogue. If Disney is paying attention, this is how you really make an animated star wars series instead of what they are producing with Star Wars Rebels.

The Leviathon - Awesome Proof of Concept

For sci fi lovers and movie aficionados alike there is a youtube video showcasing a proof of concept called The Leviathon by Ruairi Robinson from a script written by Jim Uhls ( screenwriter of Fight Club). This tiny teaser trailer is just breathtakingly amazing and the direction is spot on. Aside from the brief onscreen narrative that appears at the beginning, the story flows fluidly without the need for actual dialogue to keep us engaged in the film.  It's no wonder that Neill Blomkamp (director of District 9) and Simon Kinberg have expressed an interest to get this trailer made into an actual feature length film. Now as long as they can keep the look and feel of it instead of butchering it just for parts here and there and create an utterly different tone, it looks to me that it would be one amazing joyride.

Alien Outpost - Review

"Mankind's Last Hope"

From the found footage technique to the "mocumentary" , directors have been trying alternative ways to engage the audience and convey their story. Enter Alien Outpost (originally Outpost 37) into the mix, a faux documentary war film by director Jabbar Raisani and written by Blake Clifton. after the events of an alien invasion various outposts have been erected to combat against the invaders left behind called Heavies. A documentary crew has been assigned to follow a unit of elite soldiers stationed at one of the outposts and document their ordeal as they try to defend the earth at great personal cost.

     As seen in the trailer this is an independent film with a small budget and a majority cast of unknown actors save for Adrian Paul but his appearance is a blink and you miss his brief cameo. Despite the lack of Hollywood A-listers present in the film, the performance given by the actors are surprisingly good and the bonding onscreen does seem legit. It's good to see that they actually put real emphasis on their acting instead of just hamming it up for the cameras just to receive a  paycheck. The effects are of good quality given the scope of the budget and the aliens , even though they appear for brief moments, look visually impressive. This is though where it seems to impress because the actual story is a bit lacking in terms of engaging the audience. We are not an audience watching a movie but more like witnesses to "actual" war footage being broadcast with behind the scenes narrative by the soldiers giving their own point of view of what was going on. This is the part that can break the momentum of the film just like a commercial would interfere with our favorite TV show.  

     There are so many alien invasion films out in the wild that even trying to come with something original can be daunting because it probably as already been retold a million times over or  will just look like a complete rip off of this or that film. Like someone told me and perhaps i can say the same this movie is passable just like a small kidney stone is passable. Take this with a grain of salt as you will , you wont necessarily waste your time but it might not satisfy your appetite for complete alien annihilation. 

Daredevil on Netflix Trailer

  Its been exactly 12 years since the Movie Daredevil made it's unfortunate appearance onto the silver screen. The Movie suffered from a poor script, bad casting choices and improper editing. This time around Netflix in collaboration with Marvel have teamed up to hopefully reinvent and invigorate Daredevil for the "Small Screen" and give us a darker and hopefully grittier take of the man without fear. The trailer seems to provide all the right elements that seem to make it interesting and worth our while to watch. Daredevil is set to make his appearance on netflix on April 10, 2015. Charlie Cox will play Matt Murdock/Daredevil with Vincent D'Onofrio playing Wilson Fisk AKA The Kingpin...

Viy3D (2014)

       

     Viy is a 2014 dark fantasy adventure film produced by Russian Film Group in collaboration with Marins Group Entertainment which is loosely based on a story by Nikolai Gogol. This film was released in movie theaters in Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan on January 30th, 2014. Set in the 18th century, English cartographer Jonathan Green (Jason Flemyng) out to make a name for himself as a scientist sets on a quest to map out the untraveled paths of western europe. It is during his travels that he stumbles across a small village deep in the impassable woods of the ukraine. The villagers live in seclusion believing that if they shield themselves from the rest of the world evil will not set foot into their settlement. They shall soon learn that evil is set deep within their own minds waiting to manifest itself.
     It consists of a largely russian cast with some notable exceptions being Jason Fleming who plays Jonathan and Charles Dance who makes an appearance as Lord Dudly, although the movie could do without him since it is not overly relevant to the rest of the film. Jonathan Green serves as our entry point into a much more broader tale of death mystery and witchcraft. For a non hollywood film, the special effects used in the film are of high quality utilizing a combination of make-up, animatronics and cgi and these effects really stand out 2/3 into the film where some interesting events manifest themselves. The sets themselves are top notch with lots of attention to detail prevailant such as in the clothing and the props used by the actors. The editing could have been done better to help weave a more coherent story. There are moments when it jumps from the actual tale to jonathan's back story so that we may understand his quest but it could easily be put somewhere in the beginning of the film instead of mixed in with the rest. It is worth noting that the version seen was a dubbed english version and not the one spoken in russian which could mean that some things might have been lost in translation hence the odd moments in the film.
    Viy is a foreign, incoherent tale with some unusual storytelling which is unclear what type of audience it was made for. The majority of the audience will not find it suitable to their tastes who are used to big budget Hollywood extravaganzas but will easily peak the curiosity of film lovers that like strange and curious tales of stories from other parts of the world. It could in some way be compared to the likes of Tim Burton's Sleepy Hollow but more in concept that premise. If your able to find the movie and are into odd and strange tales from other continents then this should be right up your alley. Below is the international trailer, click on it and judge for yourself and see if it peaks your curiosity.

     

BIG HERO 6 - REVIEW

     A perfect example of what happens when you combine the expertise of superhero storytelling from Marvel comics with the extraordinary talents of the team behind Pixar studios and the king of all animated studios, Disney, you get this spectacular family friendly tale. Set in the fictional city of San Fransokyo (an amalgamation of San Francisco and Tokyo), it is the story of a young robotic genius named Hiro Hamada (Ryan Potter) who forms a special bond with his older brother's robotic construction Baymax (Scott Adsit) and later team up with a group of friends to form a team of techno-superheroes.

   Baymax is not your run of the mill robot, he is a vinyl based inflatable droid that is built for medical assistance and his design clearly serves as  the cute factor of the film. Hero is the brains of the outfit and focal point of the story. Hero and Baymax make for the perfect onscreen dynamic duo where each serves as part of a whole kind of like Ash and Pikachu or Michael Knight and Kitt. The rest of the team consist of Honey Lemon (Genesis Rodriguez), Wasabi ( Daman Wayans, Jr.) GoGo Tamago (Jamie Chung) and Fred ( T.J Miller). They each have their own unique talent and serve as support to the big two though they could have had more screen time. The stand out of the group is of course Fred, he is the non tech member whose sole purpose in the film is to be the comedy relief element and can easily be compared to Shaggy from Scooby Doo.  The villain is more two dimensional and his nefarious scheme is the timeless old tale of revenge against those that have caused an injustice but the film makes good use to hide his identity until the third act to further add a pinch of mystery to the mix.

     This digital cinematic masterpiece is charming and full hearted, blended with the right amount of humor mixed with PG action. It benefits from Pixar's long standing concept that each story should have characters that resonate with the audience and keeps them more invested. The young children will love all the technological attributes of the film and so will the adults. While some animated films tend to feel long and time consuming, this one does not suffer from it since the pacing is adequate to get the wheels rolling along. It is worth noting that this is the third highest grossing film right behind The Lion King and the world smashing hit Frozen. Personally it should do nicely in anyone's home video collection and can't wait to see what they have in store when the sequel comes along.

   

Crimson Peak Official Trailer Release -

     A new cinematic horror gothic tale from the mind of Guillermo del Toro. The film stars Mia Wasikowska,Tom Hiddleston, Jessica Chastain, and Charlie Hunnam. In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds...and remembers. This film is scheduled to be released in the month of October of 2015.  

     Im looking forward to seeing this tale since it looks to be a promising addition to the horror genre. Guillermo del Toro is one of the few cinematic geniuses who takes great delight in crafting tales to astonish his audiences. Whatever story he is trying to tell , it takes a life of their own and we are just witnesses to these fascinating worlds.  

Jupiter Ascending - The Review

Jupiter Ascending is an sci -fi, fantasy space opera written and directed by Lana and Andy Wachoswki. It stars Mila Kunis as Jupiter Jones and Channing Tatum as Cain Wise. Jupiter Jones is an ordinary earthling who lives the life of a cleaning lady constantly complaining how much she detests her life. Cain Wise is a genetically engineered galactic soldier whose genes have been spliced with a wolf. When Cain is sent to earth to find Jupiter , her life is quickly changed around when she learns that she is the genetic incarnation of  the queen of an intergalactic empire whose siblings are in a power struggle for the inheritance of which earth is considered to be one of their most valuable assets. Of course word of her existence reaches the royal siblings and she is suddenly put in imminent danger.

     Channing and Kunis's onscreen  chemistry feels a bit lacking in the affection department where each could have easily been replaced by any other actress or actor which could help strengthen the relationship that develops as the story unfolds. Sean Bean who plays stinger, an old acquaintance of Cain , seems to invoke the presence of any of his previous roles of disgraced figure looking for some sort of redemption. The royal heirs Balem, Titus and Kalique Abrasax themselves come off as one dimensional spoiled brats that seem to be quarreling over who gets to have the cherished shiny jewel of the universe. It seems to be that even though Balem is the main villain of the film Titus could easily have been a far more engaging adversary. 

       The Film itself is, as one would expect from the Wachowski's, visually stimulating eye candy whose VFXs push the boundaries of what is capable when one has the financial backing of a Hollywood studio. Story wise though it is rather simple take of what happens when you mix a Disney princess film with Star Wars. There are moments of comedic elements that one can easily compare to The Hitchhiker's Guide of the Galaxy or the scene from the Harry Potter where they enter Gringotts. Clearly the Wachowskis have been on a quest to try and replicate the enormous success of the movie that put them on the map, The Matrix, yet for each endeavor they fail to live up to the expectations of the audience and cant seem to create that one pivotal groundbreaking film that would set the basis for all other films to come. Despite some shortcomings here and there , it is not a bad film and while the story itself is not depth defying it does serve it's purpose to at least entertain the viewers through it's incredible visuals and good use of action and stunt work. 

 

The Imitation Game - Movie Review

    The Imitation Game is a Historical Biography Drama set during World War 2. The British Government enlists Alan Turing (Cumberbatch), a mathematician , into the fold to help them crack the code of the Enigma machine used by the Germans in order to send and recieve encrypted messages using a cypher. The timing is crucial for the code is changed every 24 hrs hence all efforts to crack the code have been in vain. Alan Turing suggests that in order to win one must fight fire with fire and develops a machine of their own that can compute the complex calculations and crack the enigma before all is lost against the germans. 

     Upon seeing the film one can see why Benedict Cumberbatch was chosen to play Alan Turning. He easily channels the persona of a brilliant and cunning scientist in a way that one can't help but remind the viewers of another equally brilliant but fictitious character Sherlock. The cast themselves are superb with notable performances by Keira Knightley, Mark Strong (Frank D'Amico in Kick-Ass) and Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister in Game of Thrones). The film focuses on his moments while in service to The British Government's Top Secret Cypher Facilty at Blechley Park. We bear witness to moments of his youth during flashback scenes to help us comprehend his ordeal. The tension of the film manifests itself as the team try to decypher the key code failing day after day when the enigma resets with a new one every night at midnight.  

     There are plenty of movies out here that deal War World II depicting the gruesome and harsh reality that all soldiers have fenced at one time or another on the battlefield. This movie is one of those rare gems that showcase the people involved behind the scenes that helped contribute to the defeat of Hitler and his Hostile Regime. This movie serves to honor the memory of Alan Turing who years shortly after the events of the war was convicted of nothing more than being a homosexual and the goverment simply turned their backs on him despite all he had done to ensure victory and save the lives of millions of people that would have perished if not for his efforts. For those that seek to learn of the movers and shakers behind one the most devastating events in history this one should be right up their alley.

The Book of Life - Movie Review

     The Book of Life is surprisingly pleasant CG Animated Tale from 20th Century Fox Animation and directed by Jorge Gutierrez. This classical tale revolves around childhood friends Maria (Zoe Saldana), Manolo (Diego Luna) and Joaquin (Channing Tatum) that live in a small town called San Angel. Though always together during their youth  their life's take on different paths where Maria is Sent to Spain, Manolo studies to become a bullfighter like his ancestors and Joaquin ended up joining the military. As with these types of relationships the two boys of the group end up in love with maria and each vows to find a way to woe her and eventually marry her. However the spiritual deities have made a wager over who will really marry maria with the cost being one deity ruling the realm of the other forever.

    The pacing of the film starts off a little slow but once the story unfolds it picks up and becomes quite an enjoyable tale. There is lots of comedic humor intertwined with the story though some of the jokes appear to be more tailored to the Hispanic community. The unexpected incorporation of modern pop and rock hits covered in the film using their own unique style will delight most audiences. The film uses color to help set the tone of the film depending on which setting the protagonists are currently involved in.

    There is an abundance of  cg animated tales available today, some which are clearly just created as a money grab where they lack any coherence and sense of direction then there are films like this one which help set the bar for cg animated storytelling where even though it is aimed at children it also has elements that will satisfy adult viewers. So need something to watch for a family night , This one will nicely fit the bill and add it to your collection of animated films.

The Man from U.N.C.L.E. Trailer - Looks energetic and fun....

     The Official Trailer for Guy Ritchie's Next Film is Online and this time the director has made an adaptation of The Man from U.N.C.L.E. which was an 1960's spy series that ran from 1964 to 1968.  The Movie itself will be set during that same time period which is perfect given how it was set during the Cold War. Starring Henry Cavil as Napolean Solo and Arnie Hammer as IIlya Kuryakin with Solo being an american spy and Kuryakin  as a Russian spy.

      Personally i'm totally digging the whole 1960's retro vibe in the film and it looks to be a lot of fun. Guy Ritchie's energetic movie direction is clearly visible through out the trailer and if it lives up to his old films should satisfy those that love this kind of genre. The Movie is scheduled to be release sometime in August.

Spiderman in Marvel Cinematic Universe-FINALLY!!!!

"Heads Up Guys, We Got a Bug Problem"

"Oh Hi, Saw You Guys Eat at
Schwarma's and Wanted to Join
the Party"

I'm sure by now many of you have read that Sony and Marvel have come to terms in a mutually beneficial agreement to use Spiderman in The Marvel Cinematic Universe. This is an exciting moment given that Sony hasn't been able to recreate the same success and buzz that their first foray. The First Spiderman films minus the Third (for obvious craptastic reasons) which was directed by Sam Raimi and Starring Tobey Maguire were solid films despite their one or two gripes. The Reboot of the series starring Andrew Garfield and helmed by Marc Webb were to some degree good but lacked the impact that the previous films. Sony will be retaining their film rights and benefit from marvel's input in to how to handle the character and marvel will be able to use spiderman and weave him into their big and upcoming storyline Civil War plus selling lots of potential merchandise (added bonus). Now when he does come aboard it is understood that Andrew Garfield will not be returning and will be recast with someone else donning the mask. It is doubtful that they will go and use miles morales (ultimate universe spiderman in the comics) instead of peter parker.

Overall It is a very exciting time that we will be able to see the characters interact with one another and spidey's personality will mesh perfectly with tony stark's. I can picture them now throwing one liners at each other as they fight alongside the rest of the team against some unknown adversary. If only Fox and marvel can come around and have the same beneficial relationship that was embraced by Sony. I'd Love to see Wolverine  do what he does best against the Hulk on Screen as the xmen battle with the avengers but guess it wont happen for the foreseeable future. As always make mine Marvel and give us the home run we can expect the house of ideas to churn.

Project Almanac - review

 

I participated a while back in an amc screening of a movie called project almanac, a soon to be released sci fi film about time travel in the vain of camera footage films such as chronicle, blair witch etc.. wheni first heard of the film I wasnt all to excited about it but since the screening was free i thought why not. The movie is produced by platinum dune' michael bay's production company  so I naturally thought oh no it is going to be a mindless explosion fest with little to offer.
 

The film is about a group of teens who discover a secret government project involving time travel and as all teens tend to do use the device for their entertainment without thinking of any repercussions.  In defense we would probably do the same in their shoes. The film does establish basic time travel rules as well as some that are known to scifi lovers that watched other time travel films. In fact some films are mentioned in the movie as a shout out to help convey the idea behind said time travel.

As with eveything else in life there will always be consequences with the choices one makes and this film serves as a warning to the perils of time travel if one is not careful of what they do for any minute change can have a ripple effect.
 

Personally I think the movie worked and all the main characters meshed well with each other and makes one feel like part of the movie as we watch their world through their eyes.  Given that it was produced by michael n bays platinum dune im glad to say that no unnecessary explosions were used in the film. So go on and watch the film. It is a fun ride all the way through.

The Maze Runner - Movie Review

After the Huge and Astronomical Success of The Harry Potter Books , Hollywood has been on a relentless search to find their next golden goose. This Time around they produced The Maze Runner, based on the best selling novel of the same name by James Dashner. The Story begins with Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) waking up in an elevator that has ascended onto a gorge surrounded by a ragged group of young boys and huge towering walls that embrace the perimeter. Every single person inside the walls have gone through the exact same ordeal upon arriving, none of them remember who they were except their name or why they were put there and for what purpose. As Thomas is our entry point into the whole ordeal we find out that behind these walls is a maze. The only ones that are allowed to venture into the maze are called Runners (hence maze runner). Thomas joins forces and becomes a runner himself in order to find a path through the maze and escape. 

Even though the film is aimed at the young crowd, there are many elements within the film that should appease the older crowd. The acting quality is quite good with each of the main characters able to express themselves in a manner that helps us as the viewers relate to them. For those of us that may remember it the film will invoke memories of Lord of the Flies mixed with the TV Series Lost.  The movie does a good job at keeping the viewer entwined into the tale as they slowly solve a few of the mysteries behind their imprisonment while at the same time leaving audiences with new ones. The special effects are of good quality though it is easy to tell what is cgi but that is just a minor gripe and it does not take away from the story.

Out of the many films spawned from the pages of Young Adult Novels, this adaption is of sound quality and director Wes Ball has helped create a dystopian tale worthy of the genre. The film itself was filmed on a 34 million dollar budget and grossed 340 million dollars worldwide. There will be a sequel to this film to be released in September 18, 2015 titled The Maze Runner:Scorch Trials. Overall im very hopeful that this film will be just as enticing as the first and not subject to the pitfalls of other movie trilogies that end up killing the momentum of the first.