The English language film adaptation of the Swedish novel written by Stieg Larsson, follows a journalist who has just recently been disgraced due to a story that he published in a magazine that he co-owns about a business man (who is corrupt) Hans-Erik Wennerstrom. Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) follows his gut and writes a story about the detailed finances about Wennerstrom based on information that he received from a source (that at the time Mikael believed was to be reliable). In the end the information was not sound and it resulted in Wennerstrom being able to prove in court that the information and documentation that Mikael had and published in his magazine Millennium was in fact fakes. This resulted in Wennerstrom suing Mikael for libel and nearly costing Mikael his entire life savings. Blomkvist's partner, close friend and lover Erika was there for him during the trial and supported him all the way and continued to stand by Blomkvist even after the verdict was handed down.
During the holidays and when the story starts to die down (at least a little), Blomkvist receives a call from the close friend and lawyer of Henrik Vanger who sets up a meeting between the two men. Henrik tells Blomkvist the story of his family and advises Blomkvist that he would like him to write his memories. Then Henrik goes on to tell Blomvist that what he really would like him to do is solve the mystrey of the death of his beloved Harriet. Blomvist listens as Henrik tells him about the day Harriet disappeared and is now presumed dead, and how he believes that someone within the family has killed her all those years ago. Blomvist tells Henrik that he may not be able to solve the mystery that he has been trying to solve in the last 40 plus years. However, Henrik will not take no for an answer. He then tells Blomvist that he will double his fee if he does this for him solve the mystery and Henrik also tells Blomvist that he will provide him with proof to take Wennerstrom down if he does this for him. Blomvist agrees to Erika's dismay and protest he then moves onto the property at Hedestad and starts to go through the documents, notes, police reports that Henrik has and collected over the years. Blomvist starts to collect information from Henrik and he also begins to speak with the detective on the case and he starts to track down people that know Harriet.
Blomvist then realizes that the Vanger family are not going to be a big help and he tries his best to ensure that the family doesn't realize that that is the real reason he is on the island, investigating the disappearance and/or death of Harriet. As Blomvist starts to unravel the mystery and begins to get closer to solving the mystery, he provides an up date to Henrik's lawyer telling him that he found something but he cannot go any further unless he has a research assistant because he wants to ensure his information is sound. Blomvist explains all this to Frode and Frode advises Blomvist that he knows a perfect research assistant she is the person that did the back ground check on him. Blomvist is not impressed with this and he demands that Frode provide him with the report because he would like to read it. Frode provides him with the report and also provides him the name of the person who did the report Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). With the information in hand Blomvist goes to Armansky the man who owns the company that Henrik and Frode went to to have research done on Blomvist to ensure he was the right person for the job.
When Blomvist arrives he explains to Armansky that he would like to speak with Lisbeth and he needs her assistance on a project he is working on for Henrik Vanger. Armansky protests at first, then Blomvist advises him that some for the information that Lisbeth has in her report there is no way she could of gotten the information. When Armansky still protest Blomvist provides him with his sister name who is a lawyer. Armansky then provides Blomvist with the information he needs to get an address on Lisbeth. Lisbeth has just gone through a traumatic event being raped twice by her new garden of the state. She used all her strength to enact her own form of justice on her garden and let her voice of redemption be heard. Thus her first encounter with Blomvist is tense, but Blomvist (is not there to hurt her in anyway) lays the cards on the table and explains to Lisbeth that he knows that she is a hacker and he also explains that he is not going to turn her into the police, but he would like her help in solving the murder of a 16 year old girl. The two work together and on gathering information and going through clues to try and find out who in fact killed Harriet all those years ago. As the two are getting closer to solving the mystery, someone on Hedestad doesn't want him (or Lisbeth there), and they kill a stray cat that Blomvist had taken a liken to. Henrik, Blomvist, Erika, Martin and Frode all meet and Henrik suggests to Blomvist and Erika that they take on a partner in order to ensure that Millennium doesn't go under. After the meeting Blomvist tells Erika that he doesn't like the plan and he feels that they shouldn't go along with the deal. Erika explains to Blomvist that he left her to run the magazine and she just wanted to consider it.
This doesn't stop the two and they continue with their research and also trying to figure out what Harriet was meaning in her diary. As Blomvist and Salander continue their search, Blomvist is shot at by someone in the family with an attempt to stop him from continue to solve the mystrey of Harriet's death. Again this doesn't deter Blomvist in the bit, Lisbeth and Blomvist are getting closer with one another as the two work closely together to solve the mystery of what happened to Harriet. Blomvist soon discovers clues that start to lead to Martin Vanger Harriet's brother, due to photo's that were taken the day that Harriet had disappeared and he tracks down a few pepople and also gets photo's he needs from Henrik's brother as well. Martin to starts to realize that Blomvist is close to discovery and that is when he traps Blomvist in his house. Martin then recites to Blomvist all the woman he has killed and explains that it was his father that taught him the way. Blomvist his helpless to help himself, due to Martin having him strapped up on a noose about to rape and murder him. Martin taunts Blomvist, and Blomvist tries to distract him by asking about Harriet. Martin explains that he didn't kill Harriet though he would have likes to, it is then that he strings Blomvist up and begins to cut away his clothes. Martin then tells Blomvist that he never had a man in his room, the only man he has touched was his father and that was his duty.
As Martin is about to cut Blomvist with a knife, we see Lisbeth and hear her voice as she swings a golf club and hits Martin square in the face. She cuts Blomvist down and she goes after Martin. Durning the chase Marting looses control and he crashes, his car then explodes due to the crash. Blomvist and Lisbeth are back in his quarters on Hedestad, where they continue their search on trying to find out what really happened to Harriet. They soon discover that Harriet assumed the last name of her cousin Anita and she was hiding, every since Anita has been helping her and helped her escape that day of the accident on the bridge. Harriet explains to Blomvist that she had to run after she had killed her father due to him raping her and then her brother as well. She explains she told her other about the abuse, but nothing was very done. Blomvist looks and tells Harriet that he understands the reason why she made the decisions that she made. Harriet returns to Hedestad and she see Henrik after so many years apart. Frode and Henrik thank Blomvist for all his hard work, however; Blomvist is not happy with Henrik due to the information Henrik provided him on Werrnestrom. The information is so old that it is not viable or creditable and Blomvist explains that he is not able to publish a story with that material.
Lisbeth then tells Blomvist that she did a search on her own of Blomvist and she provides him with the necessary information that he needs in order to get back his creditability and take Wennerstrom down for good. Blomvist is back in the spot light and all the heat is on Wennerstrom after the article that Blomvist has published. Lisbeth then asks Blomvist for a favor and she borrows money from him and tells him it is an investment (not telling him that she plans to steal all the money that Wennerstrom has in his separate accounts). Blomvist loans her the money and Lisbeth steals all of Wennerstrom's money and deposits in her own accounts that she set up. She pays Blomvist back the money and the two part ways. As the story is coming to an end we see Lisbeth buying a present for Blomvist, but when she see him with Erika she toss the present in the trash and dies off.
I was very impressed with this version of the series. I truly and honestly felt that David Fincher was able to capture the flow of the story to the very last, he made a few changes but all for the better. The cast was well cast Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara were able to capture the essence of the characters as well, I highly recommend this movie and I hope that Daniel and Rooney's schedule are not to crazy and they can be able to continue with the remaining to movies that coincide with the remaining two books in the Millennium series (The Girl Who Played With Fire and The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest).
MGM
Director: David Fincher
Writers: Steven Zaillian (screen play), Stieg Larsson (novel)
Stars: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara and Christopher Plummer
Running time: 158 minutes
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
Ghost Protocol is by far the best out to the MI franchise series, Tom Cruise is at the top of his game and he showed that with every deliver of each line to the crazy ass stunts (delivered with precision). The question is where to begin... We open with an assignment in Budapest where a courier working for a person of interest code name "Cobalt" is to be intercepted by IMF again Trevor Hanaway. Agent Hanaway is killed by an assassin name Moreau who has taken the information that agent Hanaway was sent to intercept and take control of. Hanaway's team leader Jane Carter, and newly promoted field agent Benji Dunn then extract Ethan Hunt (and his source Bogdan) from a prison in Moscow. Ethan is then recruited to lead his new team that consists of Carter and Dunn to infiltrate the secret Moscow Kremlin to locate files that will identify who Cobalt is. However; halfway through the mission Ethan discovers that they are being set up, and someone broadcasts over the IMF frequency, alerting the Russians to Hunt's team. Hunt, Carter and Dunn are able to escape, but a bomb goes off and destroys the Kremlin and now Russian agent Sidirov accuses Hunt and his team of putting together the attack and destroying the Kremlin.
The IMF extracts Hunt from Moscow, and the Russians have now called the attack an undeclared act of war. this leaves the US President no choice but to active "Ghost Protocol", this is an operation contingency plan that disavows the entire IMF. The blame will fall upon Hunt and his team and they are to be branded terrorist and inciting nuclear war. The IMF secretary is telling this to Ethan and explains the mission to Ethan, but before he can escape the secretary is killed by Russian security forces led by Sidirov leaving Hunt and William Brandt to find their own way out. The team then identifies "Cobalt" as Kurt Hendricks who is a Swedish-born Russian nuclear strategist which believe that the weak must die in order for the strong to survive. It was in fact Hendricks who bomb the Kremlin and he has acquired the Russian nuclear launch code device and he now needs the codes from the Budapest courier in order to a nuclear missile at San Francisco.
Ethan and his team have to ensure that the exchange between Moreau and Hendricks side-kick at the Wistrom does not take place. This is all going down that at the Burji Khalifa in Dubai. While Hunt is following Wistrom he quickly discovers that Wistrom is actually Hendricks in disguise and Hendricks now has the Russian Launch codes that was needed to active the device. Once Ethan and the team get their ground footing after loosing Hendreicks and Carter killing Moreau (after she attacked Dunn). Ethan accuses Brandt for keeping secrets due to his fighting skills that Ethan witness back at the hotel. Hunt leaves and advises the team that he is changing the plan, and Brandt tells Carter and Dunn what happened to Hunt and his wife and explains the real reason as to why Hunt ended up in a Russian prison. He explains that Julia was killed by a Serbian hit squad and this lead Ethan to kill the men responsible and that is how he was in the Russian prison.
Ethan is able to get assistance from Bogdan the man he helped in prison and he was able to track Hendricks in Mumbai. Ethan and the team work together to stop Hendricks and his plan of firing a missile in San Francisco. With Dunn manage the computer side, Brandt getting access inside the server room to take the satellite offline. Carter gets Brij Nath (Anil Kapoor) to give him the codes that is needed to override the satellite and to stop Hendricks from using the launch codes to active the device to then fire the missile and start nuclear war. Hunt is able to catch up to Hendricks and the two men fight over the launch code device then Hendricks jumps to his death when he attempted to out wit Hunt and take the device case. As this is going on Dunn kills Wistrom which allows Brandt to restore power and this provides Hunt with the ability to deactivated the launch code device.
Hunt is then confronted by Russian agent Sidirov He sees that Hunt has stop the device and the missile proving the IMF is indeed innocent of the Kremlin bombing. Sidirov then asks Hunt if he would like to go to the hospital which Ethan replays yes. The team then reconvene with one another and Ethan gives them all their missions, Brandt decides not to take the mission because he feels responsible for the death of Ethan's wife Julia. Ethan tells Brandt that Julia's death was staged and that he did this to protect her because while he is doing this he knows that she will not be safe any other way. And he explains that it was pretext to part of the mission to infiltrate the Russian prison and get close to Bogdan (who in turn is an IMF source). Brandt accepts his mission and the two men part, we see Ethan looking at Julia from afar and then we see Julia and Ethan's eyes meet just before he walks off on his next mission.
I really enjoyed this movie it was action, had emotion when the required and also a little comedy as well. Tom is at the top of his game and it is evident in MI4. He is a power house for a reason, because he can deliver. What a way to end 2011 with a block buster like MI4 it is a must see and will be a must by when it hit dvd's (which is a few months away).
Paramount
Driector: Brad Bird
Writers: Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec
Stars: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Paula Patton
Running time: 133 minutes
The IMF extracts Hunt from Moscow, and the Russians have now called the attack an undeclared act of war. this leaves the US President no choice but to active "Ghost Protocol", this is an operation contingency plan that disavows the entire IMF. The blame will fall upon Hunt and his team and they are to be branded terrorist and inciting nuclear war. The IMF secretary is telling this to Ethan and explains the mission to Ethan, but before he can escape the secretary is killed by Russian security forces led by Sidirov leaving Hunt and William Brandt to find their own way out. The team then identifies "Cobalt" as Kurt Hendricks who is a Swedish-born Russian nuclear strategist which believe that the weak must die in order for the strong to survive. It was in fact Hendricks who bomb the Kremlin and he has acquired the Russian nuclear launch code device and he now needs the codes from the Budapest courier in order to a nuclear missile at San Francisco.
Ethan and his team have to ensure that the exchange between Moreau and Hendricks side-kick at the Wistrom does not take place. This is all going down that at the Burji Khalifa in Dubai. While Hunt is following Wistrom he quickly discovers that Wistrom is actually Hendricks in disguise and Hendricks now has the Russian Launch codes that was needed to active the device. Once Ethan and the team get their ground footing after loosing Hendreicks and Carter killing Moreau (after she attacked Dunn). Ethan accuses Brandt for keeping secrets due to his fighting skills that Ethan witness back at the hotel. Hunt leaves and advises the team that he is changing the plan, and Brandt tells Carter and Dunn what happened to Hunt and his wife and explains the real reason as to why Hunt ended up in a Russian prison. He explains that Julia was killed by a Serbian hit squad and this lead Ethan to kill the men responsible and that is how he was in the Russian prison.
Ethan is able to get assistance from Bogdan the man he helped in prison and he was able to track Hendricks in Mumbai. Ethan and the team work together to stop Hendricks and his plan of firing a missile in San Francisco. With Dunn manage the computer side, Brandt getting access inside the server room to take the satellite offline. Carter gets Brij Nath (Anil Kapoor) to give him the codes that is needed to override the satellite and to stop Hendricks from using the launch codes to active the device to then fire the missile and start nuclear war. Hunt is able to catch up to Hendricks and the two men fight over the launch code device then Hendricks jumps to his death when he attempted to out wit Hunt and take the device case. As this is going on Dunn kills Wistrom which allows Brandt to restore power and this provides Hunt with the ability to deactivated the launch code device.
Hunt is then confronted by Russian agent Sidirov He sees that Hunt has stop the device and the missile proving the IMF is indeed innocent of the Kremlin bombing. Sidirov then asks Hunt if he would like to go to the hospital which Ethan replays yes. The team then reconvene with one another and Ethan gives them all their missions, Brandt decides not to take the mission because he feels responsible for the death of Ethan's wife Julia. Ethan tells Brandt that Julia's death was staged and that he did this to protect her because while he is doing this he knows that she will not be safe any other way. And he explains that it was pretext to part of the mission to infiltrate the Russian prison and get close to Bogdan (who in turn is an IMF source). Brandt accepts his mission and the two men part, we see Ethan looking at Julia from afar and then we see Julia and Ethan's eyes meet just before he walks off on his next mission.
I really enjoyed this movie it was action, had emotion when the required and also a little comedy as well. Tom is at the top of his game and it is evident in MI4. He is a power house for a reason, because he can deliver. What a way to end 2011 with a block buster like MI4 it is a must see and will be a must by when it hit dvd's (which is a few months away).
Paramount
Driector: Brad Bird
Writers: Josh Appelbaum, Andre Nemec
Stars: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg and Paula Patton
Running time: 133 minutes
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Don't Be Afraid of the Dark
The movie first starts off at Blackwood Manor during a period when candles were used to provide light in a home. We hear the ringing of a bell and that triggers a maid to be dispatched, she is doing so cleaning duties in the home. Once she hears the bell she realize that she is needed and she goes to see what the owner of the house needs. We see the maid grabbing a candle which provides her with the light that she needs to make her way through the house being that it is dark through out the house. She starts to make her way when she hears the owner of the house a man calling for her. As she is looking down the stairwell and beginning to make her way down, we then see Lord Blackwood continue to look back at an old fireplace. The maid makes her way to the middle of the stair case and then we see her fall due in part to a tripwire that has been set in place. We can clearly see that Lord Blackwood is in a state and he does not want to harm this woman, but he stands over her and he is following what the voices (we hear) are more or less telling him to do. He takes a tool and he uses that tool to remove the teeth from his maids mouth, as Lord Blackwood starts to remove her teeth we see that a majority of his teeth have been moved from his mouth as well. Once he does this he gives them to the creatures and he begs these creatures to give him back his son. However, the creatures are not interested in the teeth and also not interested in keeping whatever arrangement they made with Lord Blackwood, then we see Lord Blackwood being attacked by the same creatures he beg to give back his some.
We then cue to the president day and we meet Sally (played by the beautifully Bailee Madison) she has been sent to live with her dad Alex (Guy Pearce) for a while by her mother and she is not happy about this change. Sally meets her dad's new girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes) who she gives a hard time due to the fact that she is not happy with the new change in her live and it doesn't help that her mother has been telling her things that we are sure her mother shouldn't. The family arrives at Blackwood Manor and the home is not like any home, Alex with the assistance of Kim are doing a restoration on the home and then they plan to sell the home. While all this is going on Sally is trying the best way she knows how to accept the decision that her parents have made, she is still not giving Kim any leeway whatsoever. Sally roams the house and she starts to hear voices and these voices say that they want her to play with them and that they want to be her friend.
As the story continues to develop we see that this is not the case, we see the grounds keeper Harris (Jack Thompson) tell Alex and Kim that the house is no place for a child and that they so need to get Sally out of that house. Harris gets attacked by the creatures as he tries to warm and also seal up the creatures after Sally unknowing releases the due to her being curious about who and what they things are. Things start to happen to Sally and she starts to realize that these little creatures are not her friends in fact that want to hurt and do worst to her. Alex doesn't believe his daughter even though we can see that he truly does love his daughter, Kim has grown fond of Sally and after she visits Harris and starts her own research she knows that the best thing for Sally is to removed her from the house. Alex soon realizes that Sally needs to be removed from the home and he and Kim decide to pack a few things and get Sally out of the home. This all leads to a fateful confrontation between Sally, Kim, Alex and the creatures within the home who are hell bent on keeping getting Sally no matter what. Kim uses all the strength that she has to fight to save Sally and Alex also fights to get to his family due in part to the screams of Sally and the screams of Kim that he hears.
I recommend this film it isn't your usual horror film, it has twist and turns and we see the heroine being a strong little girl that continues to fight and remain strong no matter what her father or anyone else believes. Troy did an excellent job with the direction of this film and Guillermo (and Matthew) style is so evident you can tell that this is so a film for grown ups.
Miramax
Director: Troy Nixey
Writers: Guillermo del Toro (screen play) and Matthews Robbins (screen play)
Stars: Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, and Bailee Madison
Running time: 99 minutes
We then cue to the president day and we meet Sally (played by the beautifully Bailee Madison) she has been sent to live with her dad Alex (Guy Pearce) for a while by her mother and she is not happy about this change. Sally meets her dad's new girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes) who she gives a hard time due to the fact that she is not happy with the new change in her live and it doesn't help that her mother has been telling her things that we are sure her mother shouldn't. The family arrives at Blackwood Manor and the home is not like any home, Alex with the assistance of Kim are doing a restoration on the home and then they plan to sell the home. While all this is going on Sally is trying the best way she knows how to accept the decision that her parents have made, she is still not giving Kim any leeway whatsoever. Sally roams the house and she starts to hear voices and these voices say that they want her to play with them and that they want to be her friend.
As the story continues to develop we see that this is not the case, we see the grounds keeper Harris (Jack Thompson) tell Alex and Kim that the house is no place for a child and that they so need to get Sally out of that house. Harris gets attacked by the creatures as he tries to warm and also seal up the creatures after Sally unknowing releases the due to her being curious about who and what they things are. Things start to happen to Sally and she starts to realize that these little creatures are not her friends in fact that want to hurt and do worst to her. Alex doesn't believe his daughter even though we can see that he truly does love his daughter, Kim has grown fond of Sally and after she visits Harris and starts her own research she knows that the best thing for Sally is to removed her from the house. Alex soon realizes that Sally needs to be removed from the home and he and Kim decide to pack a few things and get Sally out of the home. This all leads to a fateful confrontation between Sally, Kim, Alex and the creatures within the home who are hell bent on keeping getting Sally no matter what. Kim uses all the strength that she has to fight to save Sally and Alex also fights to get to his family due in part to the screams of Sally and the screams of Kim that he hears.
I recommend this film it isn't your usual horror film, it has twist and turns and we see the heroine being a strong little girl that continues to fight and remain strong no matter what her father or anyone else believes. Troy did an excellent job with the direction of this film and Guillermo (and Matthew) style is so evident you can tell that this is so a film for grown ups.
Miramax
Director: Troy Nixey
Writers: Guillermo del Toro (screen play) and Matthews Robbins (screen play)
Stars: Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce, and Bailee Madison
Running time: 99 minutes
Saturday, November 5, 2011
HANNA
Hanna (played wonderfully by Saoirse) is a young woman, correction a teenage girl who has been raised and trained by her father (played wonderfully by Eric Bana) on how to be able to defend herself, as a smart soldier. The father and daughter team live in a remote area in the woods of Finland cut off by civilization and survive on the natural resources of their surroundings. Hanna has lived an unlikely life not like other regular teenagers in her age group, her up bringing can be as mention above is that of a trained assassin. One with perfect ability to handle themselves in hard terrain and still keep her sharp wits about her. Hanna is then sent into the world by her father on a mission, but her father never prepares her for the world outside the one he has raised her in. Hanna has the ability to move across Europe stealthily and she also eludes the agents that are after her. However; she does get distracted by tagging along with a family and seeing how the other side lives, a part that her father never showed her. As Hanna is getting close to nearing her target, she is faced with some revelations about her existence and some secrets that her father kept from her. This all leads to a confrontation with her father which thus leads her to the ultimate show down with her target (played cunningly by Cate Blachett). Who is an intelligence operative that is also harbouring secrets of own that can destroy her as well. I recommend this movie as a must to seen, and a must own... I was going into this movie with some expectations and I must say that I was greatly surprised and the movie kept me on the edge of my seat. This was and is an excellent thriller Wright did a great job in the direction he took and went, even the fight sequences were precise and believable, the cast was on point and kept the audience (myself included) wanting more.
Focus Features
Director: Jon Wright
Writers: Seth Lochhead and David Farr (screen play)
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett
Running time: 111 minutes
Focus Features
Director: Jon Wright
Writers: Seth Lochhead and David Farr (screen play)
Stars: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana and Cate Blanchett
Running time: 111 minutes
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Tron: Legacy 2010
Tron: Legacy is about a young smart and savvy tech 27yr son of Kevin Flynn, a man that has developed a virtual word outside of reality. Kevin (Jeff) goes missing his son Sam (Garrett) an adult starts to look into his fathers disappearance, Sam then discovers his fathers virtual world which he has been pulled into. As Sam goes through his journey in the continued search of his father, he encounters dangerous programs and also games that resemble a gladiator type theme. Sam finds an ally in his search someone that is close to his father and has been helping to protect his father. Father and son finally meet and see each other for the first time in years, and the emotion is overwhelming and very powerful. Father and son then decide to embark on a mission to stop Kevin (with the assist of Clu who Kevin created) who created the universe and who is now more advance and more dangerous then every before, with his weapons, vehicles, and a landscape that is out of this world. They also have to contend with out witting a villain who will stop at nothing to ensure that they do not escape this realm. This is a two thumbs up, way up... Jeff did an excellent job as a young Kevin and a father that aged over time. Garrett was a perfect cast choice to play the young and savvy Sam who stop at nothing to find his father and bring him home. I totally recommend this movie, and with the holidays vast approaching (yes I said it), this is a must to have in your dvd collection.
Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Writers: Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (screen play)
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde
Running time: 125 minutes
Walt Disney Pictures
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Writers: Edward Kitsis and Adam Horowitz (screen play)
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund and Olivia Wilde
Running time: 125 minutes
Fast Five
Fast Five
Where do I start... This movie was action from start to finish, and seeing all the characters from the first 3 movies (minus Tokyo Drift) was a very pleasant bonus. Lets start with Dom (Vin's character) being breaking out of prison or prison bus, we knew it was coming but man wow what a start no complaints about that. Brian (Paul's character) with the help of Dom's sister Mia (played by Jordana Brewster) and members of Dom's crew break him out of prison. Que to the trio doing their best to elude the authorities that are hot on their trial looking for them. They are doing their best to ensure that they remain free and not behind bars for the rest of their lives. Now the group find themselves in Rio and they are thus backed into a corner and the only way to get themselves out of this mess is to pull off one last job, bigger than they have ever did before. Before they can have the freedom and peace that they so want, they need to confront a dangerous business man and also the federal agent (played by Dwayne Johnson) who is also hot on their trails. As the story progress' federal agent Hobbs learns that it is getting harder to separate who the criminals and non criminals are. Hobbs then has to rely on his instincts in order to corner and capture his prey. All leading up to the explosive finale and fight between Dom and Hobbs, that ended with Mia asking both men to stop. We see Dom realizing that it is time to put an end to what's going on. As the group is in transport to be arrested and taken into custody, they are ambushed by Joaquim's men and he is not giving up until everyone in Dom's circle is killed. Dom has the hard task of trying to decide if what he is doing is right and if it is the right thing for his new found family that has grown. We see lines crossed and old and new relationships develop and grow strong, and we see new allies being developed. I so totally recommend this movie as I stated above action from start to finish. the storyline fits perfect and the actors deliever it and bring their a-game, and now that it is out on dvd it is a must have in every one's dvd collection.
Universal Pictures
Director: Justin Lin
Writers: Chris Morgan and Gary Scott Thompson
Stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson
Running Time:130 minutes
Where do I start... This movie was action from start to finish, and seeing all the characters from the first 3 movies (minus Tokyo Drift) was a very pleasant bonus. Lets start with Dom (Vin's character) being breaking out of prison or prison bus, we knew it was coming but man wow what a start no complaints about that. Brian (Paul's character) with the help of Dom's sister Mia (played by Jordana Brewster) and members of Dom's crew break him out of prison. Que to the trio doing their best to elude the authorities that are hot on their trial looking for them. They are doing their best to ensure that they remain free and not behind bars for the rest of their lives. Now the group find themselves in Rio and they are thus backed into a corner and the only way to get themselves out of this mess is to pull off one last job, bigger than they have ever did before. Before they can have the freedom and peace that they so want, they need to confront a dangerous business man and also the federal agent (played by Dwayne Johnson) who is also hot on their trails. As the story progress' federal agent Hobbs learns that it is getting harder to separate who the criminals and non criminals are. Hobbs then has to rely on his instincts in order to corner and capture his prey. All leading up to the explosive finale and fight between Dom and Hobbs, that ended with Mia asking both men to stop. We see Dom realizing that it is time to put an end to what's going on. As the group is in transport to be arrested and taken into custody, they are ambushed by Joaquim's men and he is not giving up until everyone in Dom's circle is killed. Dom has the hard task of trying to decide if what he is doing is right and if it is the right thing for his new found family that has grown. We see lines crossed and old and new relationships develop and grow strong, and we see new allies being developed. I so totally recommend this movie as I stated above action from start to finish. the storyline fits perfect and the actors deliever it and bring their a-game, and now that it is out on dvd it is a must have in every one's dvd collection.
Universal Pictures
Director: Justin Lin
Writers: Chris Morgan and Gary Scott Thompson
Stars: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson
Running Time:130 minutes
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Rise of the Planet of the Apes
Rise of the planet of the apes, is a film that you know is so going to have a sequel due to the ending and the way the film leaves the many open questions as to what the apes are going to do now that they have raised and over come. The film opens and takes place at a big drug company and this is where we are thus introduce to Will (James Fanco's character). Will is a scientist who has been working hard on a cure for Alzheimer's he uses the chimps as the subjects to test the medication on to see if it is successful. However, one of the chimps doesn't react well and attacks a board meeting and the experiment in turn is thus called off due in part to the events that transpired. But we all know that the scientist should have know this fact as well, once the animals gain this knowledge they are dangerous. Will's main goal is to ensure that the ALZ 112 works so that it can thus be tested on grandpa so that he is not out attacking his family lol!
We then meet a chimp who has been displaced, and Will is so touched by this. That he then takes this baby chimp home with him, and years go by and the chimp has grows close to Will and Will thus teaches the chimp new things and Caesar (the chimp) starts to grow and develop intelligently. We have Andy Serkis who delivers a great performance as Caesar and due in part we the viewer never know where the human and the animal end. We have the individuals that are the keepers i.e.e watchers of the plant enters Tom Felton who is so cruel and mean to the chimps, but we have to realize that this to all plays a part and a factor in the film. John Ligthgow's character is the dad and he has the mind deteriorating disease, and his role is just as important as all others to explain this vast story to us the viewers.
This all builds up to the action scene at the end, which is very dramatic and climactic as well. And we are left with the realization that Caesar is so smart, and we feel victory for the apes when they make there cross over. This is a must see and you will most like get what you were expecting when you see it.
20th Century Fox (presents)
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Writer: Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver
Novel by: Pierre Boulle
Stars: James Franco, John Lithgow, and Tom Felton
Running time: 105 minutes
Rise of the planet of the apes, is a film that you know is so going to have a sequel due to the ending and the way the film leaves the many open questions as to what the apes are going to do now that they have raised and over come. The film opens and takes place at a big drug company and this is where we are thus introduce to Will (James Fanco's character). Will is a scientist who has been working hard on a cure for Alzheimer's he uses the chimps as the subjects to test the medication on to see if it is successful. However, one of the chimps doesn't react well and attacks a board meeting and the experiment in turn is thus called off due in part to the events that transpired. But we all know that the scientist should have know this fact as well, once the animals gain this knowledge they are dangerous. Will's main goal is to ensure that the ALZ 112 works so that it can thus be tested on grandpa so that he is not out attacking his family lol!
We then meet a chimp who has been displaced, and Will is so touched by this. That he then takes this baby chimp home with him, and years go by and the chimp has grows close to Will and Will thus teaches the chimp new things and Caesar (the chimp) starts to grow and develop intelligently. We have Andy Serkis who delivers a great performance as Caesar and due in part we the viewer never know where the human and the animal end. We have the individuals that are the keepers i.e.e watchers of the plant enters Tom Felton who is so cruel and mean to the chimps, but we have to realize that this to all plays a part and a factor in the film. John Ligthgow's character is the dad and he has the mind deteriorating disease, and his role is just as important as all others to explain this vast story to us the viewers.
This all builds up to the action scene at the end, which is very dramatic and climactic as well. And we are left with the realization that Caesar is so smart, and we feel victory for the apes when they make there cross over. This is a must see and you will most like get what you were expecting when you see it.
20th Century Fox (presents)
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Writer: Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver
Novel by: Pierre Boulle
Stars: James Franco, John Lithgow, and Tom Felton
Running time: 105 minutes
Sunday, July 17, 2011
X-Men: First Class
I must say, that is by far the best out of the x-men series. Right from the graphics to the special effects, the casting of the actors and actress to the story line (the list just goes on). I am a fan of the x-men comic books and graphic novel heroes in general, and this movie just shows that this particular genre is only getting stronger it is not planning on going anywhere anytime soon. No matter how many people flock to the Twilight saga's, and the Harry Potter's (no disrespect to that genre, I am just saying that the marvel comic super heroes is still on a high). When you get a great cast and a excellent production crew, director etc... you get a piece of work that is evident. We start with the evolution of Erik to Magneto the death of his mother surviving the concentration camps to zoning in on his ability (with the help of a crazy man I might add). To Charles to Professor X loving man kind as well as his follow mutant, and wanting both side to coexist together in the same environment. His decision to work along side the humans and show that mutants are nothing to be scared of and they need not to be hunted down like animals. Thus resulted in a confrontation that cost him more then he planned, but to attest it made him one of the strongest mutants to date. To Raven and the decision that lead her to follow Erik's calling and leave Charles behind and embrace her true ability and the beauty within it. We see a young Beast trying to adapt to the human world rather than embrace the strength of who he is, until he realizes that who he is is beautiful and strong. And the list goes on of characters within the movie, evolving and embracing their true nature and loving who they are and not being ashamed of what they are. X-Men: First Class explains in detail the reason for Erik and the decision he made to rage a battle against the humans, and Charles decision to try and save both mutant and mankind alike. Of the series this movie just does not show the beginning of mutant evolution, but also the ignorant behavior of mankind when (we) are scared and don't understand a people (pardon I know it is a movie review don't mean to get to deep). Its to bad that X-Man: Last Stand ended the way it did, with Charles, Jean and Scott all dying and Erik (and Raven among a few) loosing his power. However; I am sure that we have not see the last of the x-men. I am hoping that when the next picture comes out if they do flash backs to when they were young, that James will be Charles and Michael as Erik (and the same applies to the entire cast as well). Because this movie left if wide open to explore even more deeply the characters and the battles within themselves and outside that they face.
20th Centry Fox (persents)
Director: Matthaw Vaughn
Writer: Ashley Miller, Zack Senttz, Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn
Story: Sheldon Tunner & Bryan Singer
Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, & Jennier Lawrence
Running time: 132 minutes
20th Centry Fox (persents)
Director: Matthaw Vaughn
Writer: Ashley Miller, Zack Senttz, Jane Goldman, Matthew Vaughn
Story: Sheldon Tunner & Bryan Singer
Stars: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, & Jennier Lawrence
Running time: 132 minutes
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)