Tuesday, December 30, 2008

Movie Recommendation

Trailers Brought to You By: The Movie Box
If you don’t like my picks and want to know what’s coming out visit these site: Coming Soon, Film-Releases, Kerasotes, or Movie Web


The Best Movies for This Month

For the Month of December:

National: Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Indies: Doubt
Comedy: Yes Man
Sci-Fi/ Fantasy: No Recommendation
Family: Marley & Me
Animated: Tale of Despereaux
Christmas: Curious Case of Benjamin Button

January’s Movies I Recommend To See In 2009

National: Taken
Indies: Defiance
Comedy: Paul Blart: Mall Cop
Sci-Fi/ Fantasy: Inkheart
Family: Hotel for Dogs
Animated: No Recommendation
New Years:
No Recommendation

THE FUTURE

2010

Alice in Wonderland
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I
Iron Man 2
The Last Airbender
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Thor

2011

The Avengers
The First Avenger: Captain America
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
The Hobbit
Spider-Man 4

REVIEW: The Spirit

The Synopsis

IMDb:
Down these mean streets a man must come. A hero born, murdered, and born again. When a Rookie cop named Denny Colt returns from the beyond as The Spirit, a hero whose mission is to fight against the bad forces from the shadows of Central City. The Octopus who kills anyone unfortunate enough to see his face who has other plans. He's going to wipe out the entire city. The Spirit tracks this cold hearted killer from the city's rundown warehouses, to the damp catacombs, to the windswept waterfront all the while facing a bevy of beautiful women who either want to seduce, love or kill the masked crusader.

Other Reviews

Critics:

Roger Ebert: 1 Star
Michael Phillips: 1 Star
EW: Owen Gleiberman: C

Other Sites:

At The Movies: Ben Mankiewicz: Skip It, Ben Lyons: SKip It
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 15% (Rotten), Top Critics: 04% (Rotten), RT Community: 43% (Rotten)
Metacritic: Critics: 31 out of 100, Users: 4.0 out of 10
Yahoo Movies: Critics: NA Users: C-

My Review

My review is based on the 30 to 45 minutes I have seen. I quite frankly think this movies looked bad from the very being therefore I had no desire to watch it. Since I work at a movie theater I saw the last
30 to 45 minutes of the movie, that were this review comes from...

Source Material: Based on Will Eisner's The Spirit, Screenplay by Frank Miller

Action: Common: No enough.

Acting and Dialogue: Defective: It seem a bite on the cheese side.

Cinematography: Common: It looked cool, almost Sin City cool but besides that nothing.

Direction: Defective: Let's say Frank Miller makes a better Graphic Novelist.

Sound: Common: No Commit

Special and Visual FX: Common: Again, No Commit

Overall: C-

REVIEW: Valkyrie

The Synopsis

IMDb: At the height of WW2, a group of high-ranking German officers hatched a plot to assassinate Adolf Hitler, and seize power of the military command in order to end the war. The operation was codenamed "Valkyrie", for the emergency plan that was meant to be used in case of a revolt against the Nazi government. This plan had been modified by the conspirators to ensure their success, but for various reasons the plot failed when finally carried out on 20 July 1944. The conspirators of the inner circle were shot after a kangaroo trial or sentenced to death soon after.

Other Reviews

Critics:

Roger Ebert: 3 Stars
Michael Phillips: 2 ½ Stars
EW: Lisa Schwarzbaum: B

Other Sites:

At The Movies: Ben Mankiewicz: Skip It, Ben Lyons: See It
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 59% (Rotten), Top Critics: 57% (Rotten), RT Community: 78% (Fresh)
Metacritic: Critics: 58 out of 100, Users: 6.0 out of 10
Yahoo Movies: Critics: B- Users: B

My Review

Source Material: Based on true event, depicting the July 20, 1944 plot of German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler.

Action: Brilliant: Just enough to keep ones attention.

Acting and Dialogue: Common: I wish there was more a German feel to the dialogue. Tom Cruise wasn’t having his best game by far.

Cinematography: Common: It looked good but there was something missing.

Direction: Brilliant: This is one of the reasons why Bryan Singer is one of my favorites.

Sound: Common: It had a reasonable score and a decent sound quality

Special and Visual FX: Common: Nothing to extravagant.

Overall: B-, Better than So-So but lower than Good, with some history thrown into the mix.

Friday, December 19, 2008

I Recommend To See In 2009

I have already done a rough cut of Movies I Recommend To See In 2009 but now I will update the list per month. I will post this now monthly version with The Best Movies for This Month I will start with January but won't reveal February's until end of January. What I really trying to saying is that Movies I Recommend To See and The Best Movies for This Month will meager into one post. I will rename this post Movie Recommendation.

Format:

Trailers Brought to You By: The Movie Box
If you don’t like my picks and want to know what’s coming out visit these site: Coming Soon, Film-Releases, Kerasotes, or Movie Web


The Best Movies for This Month

For the Month of __________:

National:
Indies:
Comedy:
Sci-Fi/ Fantasy:
Family:
Animated:
Holiday Weekend Movies:

__________’s Movies I Recommend To See In 2009


National:
Indies:
Comedy:
Sci-Fi/ Fantasy:
Family:
Animated:
Holiday Weekend Movies:

THE FUTURE

2010

Alice in Wonderland
Iron Man 2
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Thor
The Last Airbender
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

2011

The First Avenger: Captain America
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
Spider-Man 4
The Avengers
The Hobbit

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Award Season: BSFC Awards

BSFC

Picture:
TIE: Slumdog Millionaire & WALL-E
Directing: Gus Van Sant "Milk" & "Paranoid Park"
Screenplay: Dustin Lance Black "Milk"
Actor in a Leading Role: TIE: Sean Penn "Milk" & Mickey Rourke "The Wrestler"
Actor in a Supporting Role: Heath Ledger "The Dark Knight"
Actress in a Leading Role: Sally Hawkins "Happy-Go-Lucky"
Actress in a Supporting Role: Penélope Cruz "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

Saturday, December 13, 2008

UPDATE: Award Season: Critic Awards

I will fill in the gaps for the top categories:Best Picture, Directing, Writing (Adapted Screenplay), Writing (Original Screenplay), Actor in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role, Actress in a Leading Role, and Actress in a Supporting Role

LAFCA


Best Picture: Wall-e
Directing: Danny Boyle "Slumdog Millionaire"
Screenplay: Mike Leigh "Happy-Go-Luuky"
Actor in a Leading Role: Sean Penn "Milk"
Actor in a Supporting Role:Heath Ledger "Dark Knight"
Actress in a Leading Role: Sally Hawkins "Happy-Go-Luuky"
Actress in a Supporting Role: Penelope Cruz "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" & "Elegy"

NBR

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Directing: David Fincher "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): TIE: Simon Beaufoy "Slumdog Millionaire" & Eric Roth "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"
Writing (Original Screenplay): Nick Schenk "Gran Torino"
Actor in a Leading Role: Clint Eastwood "Gran Torino"
Actor in a Supporting Role: Josh Brolin "Milk"
Actress in a Leading Role: Anne Hathaway "Rachel Getting Married"
Actress in a Supporting Role: Penelope Cruz "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

NYFCC

Best Picture: Milk
Directing: Mike Leigh "Happy-Go-Luuky"
Screenplay: Jenny Lumet "Rachel Getting Married"
Actor in a Leading Role: Sean Penn "Milk"
Actor in a Supporting Role: Josh Brolin "Milk"
Actress in a Leading Role: Sally Hawkins "Happy-Go-Luuky"
Actress in a Supporting: Penelope Cruz "Vicky Cristina Barcelona"

WAFCA

Best Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
Directing: Danny Boyle "Slumdog Millionaire"
Writing (Adapted Screenplay): Simon Beaufoy "Slumdog Millionaire"
Writing (Original Screenplay): Jenny Lumet "Rachel Getting Married"
Actor in a Leading Role: Mickey Rourke "The Wrestler"
Actor in a Supporting Role: Heath Ledger "The Dark Knight"
Actress in a Leading Role: Meryl Streep "Doubt"
Actress in a Supporting Role: Rosemarie DeWitt "Rachel Getting Married"

The Filmmakers

CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

30 July 1970, London, England, UK

I was going to do Frank Miller but I realized even though he co-directed Sin City and directed The Spirit, he is more of a graphic novelist…and great one at that. So I decided to skip him and move on to a greater filmmaker, Christopher Nolan. It really hard to find a bad film that has Christopher Nolan name on it, granted he only has seven films on his Filmography. As most of you know I am a Sci-Fi/ Fantasy fan leaning more toward Fantasy. So when I say I also like Comic Book movies, you may be think, that not a
stretches. Out of the pantheon of Comic Book movies I prefer Marvel over D.C. I say this to bring the point that Christopher Nolan brought out a different kind of love for D.C. via Batman. Even thought Batman Begins wasn’t my first Christopher Nolan film, which would be Memento; It was Batman Begins that made me a fan of Christopher Nolan’s work. I also like a good mind boggling Drama, anything that make you think or question your very being (religion, philosophy, or belief system). With Christopher Nolan knack of no-linear-storytelling he can put up a good fight for a great good mind boggling drama, case and point, Memento or even The Prestige. As Christopher Nolan’s career progresses his work gets better, look at his latest film if you don’t believe me, The Dark Knight, the sequel to Batman Begins. It is filmmaking skills like Christopher Nolan that places some like him in my top ten all time favorite filmmakers.

Biography

Filmography

They Shoot Pictures, Don’t They?

Wednesday, November 26, 2008

The Best Movies for This Month

For the Month of November:

National: Quantum of Solace
Indies: Milk
Comedy: NA
Family: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Oscar Buzz:
Australia
Milk

Reminder for December:
Movies I Recommend To See In 2008

National: Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Indies: Defiance
Comedy: Yes Man
Family: Tale of Despereaux
Oscar Buzz:
Brothers Bloom
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Defiance
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
Revolutionary Road

REVIEW: Twilight

The Synopsis

IMDb:
Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart) has always been a bit different, never caring about or fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix, Arizona high school. When her mother Renee (Sarah Clarke) remarries and decides to move with her new husband to Florida, and Bella decides to go live with her father, Charlie (Billy Burke), in the rainy little town of Forks, Washington, she doesn't expect anything to change. Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a boy unlike any she's ever met. Intelligent and witty, his piercing eyes see straight into her soul. Soon, Bella and Edward are swept up in a passionate and decidedly unorthodox romance. Edward can run faster than any cheetah, he can stop a moving car with his bare hands, and he hasn't aged since 1918. Most importantly, he's a vampire. Like all vampires, he's immortal. He doesn't drink human blood (they're vampire "vegetarians"), which is rare among the vampire population. Instead, they go on regular "hiking" trips, where they feed on prey such as grizzly bears and mountain lions. For Edward, Bella is the thing he has waited ninety years for - a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. And what will they do when James (Cam Gigandet), Laurent (Edi Gathegi), and Victoria (Rachel Lefevre) come into town and James sets his sights on Bella? Will true love prevail when Edward is forced to save her life and conquer his thirst? The true question is, When you can live forever, what do you live for?

Other Reviews

Critics:


Roger Ebert:
2 1/2 Stars
Michael Phillips:
2 1/2 Stars
EW:
Owan Gleiberman: B
A. O. Scott: NA

Other Sites:


At The Movies:
Ben Mankiewicz: Skip It, Ben Lyons: Skip It
Fandango:
614 Oh No, 471 No, 1574 So-So,4342 Go, 10638 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes:
T-Meter: 44% (Rotten), Top Critics: 58% (Rotten), RT Community: 53% (Rotten)
Metacritic:
Critics: 57 out of 100, Users: 6.2 out of 10
Yahoo Movies:
Critics: C+ Users: B+

My Review

Source Material: Based on book with same title written by Stephenie Meyer screenplay by Melissa Rosenberg

Action:
Defective: There were two or three scene that could have been awesome if a full fledged vampire fight had broken out.

Acting and Dialogue:
Common: The acting was par and the dialogue was horrible.
Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson put up a good fight but there were a lot of scenes that just fell short.

Cinematography:
Brilliant: I only reasoning for giving this film high remakes is its usage of old school film making style, which had to be used because of budget restraints.

Direction:
Common: Pace was decent, but there was some major story flaws that left me empty inside.

Sound:
Common: Okay at best, like the classical music though.

Special and Visual FX:
Brilliant: I say the same thing I did for the cinematography, "you get what you pay for" mean it good for the amont of money they had to spend on FX may next time they will have enough to use CGI.

Overall:
C, very low persentage for ciematic value but a very high percntage for fandom. I liked but I am not a hunred percent sure I would recomend it.

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

REVIEW: Quantum of Solace

The Synopsis

IMDb:
'Quantum of Solace' continues the high octane adventures of James Bond from 'Casino Royale'. Picking up literally hours after the previous film left off, after being betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 fights the urge to make his latest mission personal. Having captured Mr. White, and in pursuing his determination to uncover the truth, Bond and 'M' interrogate Mr. White who reveals the organization which blackmailed Vesper to steal Bond's casino winnings is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined. Forensic intelligence links an MI6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where a case of mistaken identity introduces Bond to the beautiful but feisty Camille, a woman who has her own vendetta. Camille leads Bond straight to Dominic Greene, a ruthless businessman and major force within the mysterious criminal organization known only as 'Quantum'. On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano. Using his associates in the organization, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in Bolivia, giving General Medrano control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land which is, however, a main source of the South American water supply. In a minefield of treachery, murder and deceit, Bond allies with old friends in a battle to uncover the truth. As he gets closer to finding the man responsible for the betrayal of Vesper, 007 must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists, and even 'M' herself, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop Quantum from getting its way

Other Reviews

Critics:


Roger Ebert:
2 Stars
Michael Phillips:
2 1/2 Stars
EW:
Lisa Schwarzbaum: B
A. O. Scott: 2.5/5

Other Sites:


At The Movies:
Ben Mankiewicz: See It, Ben Lyons: See It
Fandango:
166 Oh No, 204 No, 762 So-So,1487 Go, 1445 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes:
T-Meter: 66% (Fresh), Top Critics: 35% (Rotten), RT Community: 73% (Fresh)
Metacritic:
Critics: 58 out of 100, Users: 6.5 out of 10
Yahoo Movies:
Critics: B Users: B-

My Review

Source Material: Direct sequel to the 2006 film Casino Royale

Action:
Amazing: The only negative thing was the shaky camera.

Acting and Dialogue:
Brilliant: Daniel Craig puts in a decent performance as Bond.

Cinematography:
Brilliant: It was decent but like I said before shaky camera.

Direction:
Brilliant: Pace was good, also a decent story.

Sound:
Brilliant: The sound track and score were both good

Special and Visual FX:
Amazing: Complements the action sequences.

Overall:
B, It's a Bond film, why not.

The Filmmakers

GEORGE LUCAS

14 May 1944, Modesto, California, USA

George Lucas is the man behind one of the greatest Sci-Fi/ Fantasy ever. American Graffiti might have put him on the filmmaker map but it was Star Wars that made him a house hold name. George Lucas is a writing genius and maybe even a producing genius but not quite a directing genius. I am not say he can’t direct it’s just he dose a better job writing and producing. Lucas needs something NEW. His filmography consist of six and half (the Clone Wars was only character/ universe) Star Wars movies, four Indiana Jones movies, and some odd jobs project to fill the gaps. He either just needs to quit while he still kind of ahead or reinvent himself as a filmmaker. Even with this down word spiral of movies, George Lucas will always be in my top ten all because of Star Wars.

Biography


Filmography


They Shoot Pictures, Don’t They?
.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

REVIEW: Role Models

The Synopsis

IMDb:
Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott star in Role Models as Danny and Wheeler, two salesmen who trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn't look half bad. Once the center's ex-con director (Jane Lynch) gives them an ultimatum, Danny and Wheeler are forced to tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their charges, Augie (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) and Ronnie (Bobb'e J. Thompson). And if they can just make it through probation without getting thrown in jail, the world's worst role models will prove that, sometimes, it takes a village idiot to raise a child.

Other Reviews

Critics:


Roger Ebert:
3 Stars
Michael Phillips:
2 1/2 Stars
EW:
Owan Gleiberman: B+
A. O. Scott: NA

Other Sites:


At The Movies:
Ben Mankiewicz: See It, Ben Lyons: See It
Fandango:
21 Oh No, 17 No, 51 So-So, 144 Go, 199 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes:
T-Meter: 75% (Fresh), Top Critics: 67% (Fresh), RT Community: 90% (Fresh)
Metacritic:
Critics: 59 out of 100, Users: 7.6 out of 10
Yahoo Movies:
Critics: B- Users: A-

My Review

Source Material: Original Comedy Written by
Timothy Dowling, Paul Rudd, Ken Marino, and David Wain

Action:
Common: Dramatic/ Comic driven.

Acting and Dialogue:
Brilliant: I loved most if not all jokes Bobb'e J. Thompson is one of funniest characters, if not the funniest, in the film.

Cinematography: Common
: Comedies usually don't bring achievements in cinematography.

Direction:
Brilliant: Pace was good, also a decent story.

Sound:
Common: Sound track wasn't half bad

Special and Visual FX:
Common: none/ very little

Overall:
B, good movie for a laugh...bring a buddy and have a laugh.

REVIEW: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

The Synopsis

IMDb:
The sequel to 2005's "Madagascar", in which New York Zoo animals, Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo, still stranded on Madagascar, start to leave the island. All of a sudden, they land in the wilderness of Africa, where Alex meets the rest of his family, but has trouble communicating with them after spending so much time at the Central Park Zoo.

Other Reviews

Critics:


Roger Ebert:
3 Stars
Michael Phillips:
3 Stars
EW:
Lisa Schwarzbaum: B
A. O. Scott: NA

Other Sites:


At The Movies:
Ben Mankiewicz: See It, Ben Lyons: See It
Fandango:
36 Oh No, 47 No, 223 So-So, 823 Go, 1046 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes:
T-Meter: 58% (Rotten), Top Critics: 62% (Fresh), RT Community: 75% (Fresh)
Metacritic:
Critics: 61 out of 100, Users: 7.5 out of 10
Yahoo Movies:
Critics: B- Users: B+

My Review

Source Material: Sequel to the 2005 film, Madagascar, written by Etan Cohen

Action:
Brilliant: Enough to keep both adults and kids

Acting and Dialogue:
Brilliant: To test the dialogue to family film is there adult laughs...joke make only for adult ears that kids don't get but laugh because you are laughing...Yes

Cinematography: Brilliant
: The animation wasn't horrible but wan't spectacular either.

Direction:
Brilliant: Pace was good and just long enough NOT to bore the kids

Sound:
Common: "I like to move it, move it...I like to move it, move it...I like to move IT!"

Special and Visual FX:
Common: animation, none

Overall:
B, great movie for the family but will Bolt destroy this movie next week...most likely...If you can't get into Bolt then watch this movie again.

Dreamworks News

One of the blogs I follow The Movie Blog has share with us Film Fan news from Dreamworks. The news cover primarily what Dreamworks will be putting out in the next couple years. Read the complete article at The Movie Blog.


Tuesday, November 11, 2008

STUDIOS: Comic Book Movies

Marvel Studios

Location:

Beverly Hills California USA

Founder: Avi Arad (Wiki) Stan Lee (Wiki)

Parent Company: Marvel Entertainment (Wiki)

History (Wiki)

Filmography
D.C. Comics

Location:


New York City, New York

Founder: Malcolm Wheeler-Nicholson (Wiki)

Parent Company: Warner Bros. Entertainment (Wiki)

History (Wiki)

Filmography

STUDIOS: Others

Lucasfilm Limited

Location:

Presidio of San Francisco,
California, USA

Founder: George Lucas (Wiki)

Subsidiary: Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) (Wiki), Skywalker Sound (Wiki), THX (Wiki)
Animation Studio: Lucasfilm Animation (Wiki), Pixar Animation Studios (Wiki)

History (Wiki)

Filmography


Lionsgate

Location:

Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Santa Monica, California, USA

Founder: Frank Giustra (Wiki)

Subsidiary: Artisan Entertainment (Wiki)

History (Wiki)

Filmography

The Filmmakers

STANLEY KUBRICK

26 July 1928, New York, New York, USA

Stanley Kubrick only fits into my quest to find one director/ filmmaker per letter of the alphabet. I not saying I hate Stanley Kubrick’s work it just I haven’t even seen the half of it. I mean out of his whole filmography I have only seen The Shining and 2001: A Space Odyssey. I been meaning to see A Clockwork Orange but it just hasn’t happened. I just going to say he made a great run while he was still alive. He may be known as one of the greatest filmmakers to live but he doesn’t fit into my top ten. The people who know me know that I am a Fantasy/ Sci-Fi type of guy. With that being said, 2001: A Space Odyssey is the only film of his I respect, except for A.I.: Artificial Intelligence which was more of a Steven Spielberg film but Stanley Kubrick was given a posthumous producing credit. Like I said before it not that I don’t like Stanley Kubrick is that I haven’t gotten to know his work.

Biography

Filmography

They Shoot Pictures, Don’t They?

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

REVIEW: The Haunting of Molly Hartley

The Synopsis

IMDb:
Molly (Haley Bennett) is a 17 year old girl who has physically recovered from a stab wound inflicted by her mother, but the psychological scars that remain run deep. To help her begin a new life after her trauma, her father has moved her into a new school. With her eighteenth birthday approaching, Molly is haunted by nightmares of her mother's attack upon her while dealing with the stress of being the new girl in school. Symptoms of psychosis that seem to be affecting her seem to foreshadow an onset of the mental illness that took control of her mother's life, but of several different explanations for her distress, the most unforeseen and terrifying is revealed as the truth. Ultimately, Molly discovers that her mother and others who share her mother's concerns want her killed in order to save her from a preordained life as a servant of the Devil.

Other Reviews

Critics:


Roger Ebert:
NA
Michael Phillips:
NA
EW:
Adam Markovitz: C-
A. O. Scott: NA

Other Sites:


At The Movies:
Ben Mankiewicz: NA, Ben Lyons: NA
Fandango:
67 Oh No, 32 No, 57 So-So, 39 Go, 50 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes:
T-Meter: 03% (Rotten), Top Critics: 14% (Rotten), RT Community: 23% (Rotton)
Metacritic:
Critics: 32 out of 100, Users: 4.5 out of 10
Yahoo Movies:
Critics: NA Users: C

My Review

Source Material: Written by John Travis and Rebecca Sonnenshine. Its plot has similarities to that of the 1976 horror film To the Devil a Daughter.

Action:
Defective: No worth it

Acting and Dialogue:
Defective: Were they acting?

Cinematography: Failed
: Pointless

Direction:
Defective: It looked good but is was really not at all.

Sound:
Defective: No soundtrack or score

Special and Visual FX:
Defective: None

Overall:
D- There was nothing good that came out of this film.

REVIEW: Changeling

The Synopsis

IMDb:
Inspired by actual events that occurred in 1920s-era Los Angeles, Clint Eastwood's The Changeling tells the story of a woman driven to confront a corrupted LAPD after her abducted son is retrieved and she begins to suspect that the boy returned to her is not the same boy she gave birth to. The year was 1928, and the setting a working-class suburb of Los Angeles. As Christine (Angelina Jolie) said goodbye to her son, Walter, and departed for work, she never anticipated that this was the day her life would be forever changed. Upon returning home, Christine was distressed to discover that Walter was nowhere to be found. Over the course of the following months, the desperate mother would launch a search that would ultimately prove fruitless. Yet just when it seemed that all hope was lost, a nine-year-old boy claiming to be Christine's son seemed to appear out of thin air. Overcome with emotions and uncertain how to face the authorities or the press, Christine invites the child to stay in her home despite knowing without a doubt that he is not her son. As much as Christine would like to accept the fact that her son has been returned to her, she cannot accept the injustice being pushed upon her and continues to challenge the Prohibition-era Los Angeles police force at every turn. As a result, Christine is slandered by the powers that be, and painted as an unfit mother. In this town, a woman who challenges the system is putting her life on the line, and as the situation grows desperate, the only person willing to aid her in her search is benevolent local activist Reverend Briegleb (John Malkovich).

Other Reviews

Critics:


Roger Ebert:
31/2 Stars
Michael Phillips:
3 stars
EW:
Owen Gleiberman: B
A. O. Scott: NA

Other Sites:


At The Movies:
Ben Mankiewicz: See It, Ben Lyons: See It
Fandango:
10 Oh No, 6 No, 28 So-So, 69 Go, 135 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes:
T-Meter: 54% (Rotten), Top Critics: 46% (Rotten), RT Community: 86% (Fresh)
Metacritic:
Critics: 63 out of 100, Users: 8.5 out of 10
Yahoo Movies:
Critics: B Users: A-

My Review

Source Material:
Based on A True Story, Screenplay written by J. Michael Straczynski

Action:
Brilliant: Even thought this film is dramatically driven the action keeps the audience.

Acting and Dialogue:
Oscar Worthy: Angelina Jolie showcase great acting all round.

Cinematography: Amazing
: Period Film like this bring out the best cinematography

Direction:
Amazing: Clint Eastwood in last past five years or so has put out some really good movies, this one matches the greatness of his other films.

Sound:
Brilliant: Good Score.

Special and Visual FX:
Common: None

Overall:
A- I recommend this film for film fans and people who love Oscar buzz film.

The Filmmakers

PETER JACKSON

31 October 1961, Pukerua Bay, North Island, New Zealand

Peter Jackson the kiwi director with a vision of detail. Most of you remember the small trilogy called Lord of the Rings; well Peter Jackson helmed that projected, on the set he was described as a hobbit because of his fashion since. After LOTR he moved on to a classic monster film King Knog, he remade producing another epic film with an emphasis on detail. He now is brewing a couple of film one with be a joint effort with Steven Spielberg called Tintin, while the other is the prequel to LOTR, called The Hobbit, on this film he is only producing but another great genius, the king of fantasy, Guillermo del Toro will be helming the movie. Peter Jackson may always have that enter hobbit in him but I believe he will become a filmmaking god.

Biography


Filmography


They Shoot Pictures, Don’t They?

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

STUDIOS: Universal


General Electric

Location:

Hollywood, Los Angeles,
California, USA

Founder: Carl Laemmle (Wiki)

Major Film Studio (Parent Division): NBC Universal(Wiki)
Major Studio Subsidiary: Universal Pictures (Wiki)
Animation Studio: NONE
Independent Film Companies: Working Title Films (Wiki)
Arthouse/"Indie" Subsidiaries: Focus Features (Wiki), Rogue Pictures (Wiki)

History (Wiki)

Filmography


Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Favorite Musical Movies

With the release of HSM3 and my fandom to the theater arts and musical movies, I have decided to put together a list of my Favorite Musical Movies. If you visit her regularly, then you remember my post, The "Greatest" Films in Classic Genres. Under the musical category I entered The Phantom of the Opera (2004). This is by far my favorite musical movie, part because of the cinematography. There are many musical movies lets see if your favorites make my list, here are the contenders:

1. The Phantom of the Opera (2004)
2. Moulin Rouge! (2001)
3. Wizard of Oz, The (1939)
4. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory (1971)
5.
Grease (1978)
6. Across the Universe (2007)
7. Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2007)
8. West Side Story (1961)
9. Hairspray (2007)
10. Chicago (2002)

REVIEW: HSM 3: Senior Year

The Synopsis

IMDb:
As seniors in high school ,Troy and Gabriella struggle with the idea of being separated from one another as college approaches. Along with the rest of the Wildcats, they stage a spring musical to address their experiences, hopes and fears about their future

Other Reviews

Critics:


Roger Ebert:
NA
Michael Phillips:
NA
EW:
Owen Gleiberman: B
A. O. Scott: NA

Other Sites:


At The Movies:
Ben Mankiewicz: Skip It, Ben Lyons: Rent It
Fandango:
239 Oh No, 72 No, 241 So-So, 1002 Go, 2312 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes:
T-Meter: 66% (Fresh), Top Critics: 71% (Fresh), RT Community: 56% (Rotten)
Metacritic:
Critics: 56 out of 100, Users: 4.7 out of 10
Yahoo Movies:
Critics: C+ Users: B+

My Review

Source Material:
Original Story, continuation of other High School Musical films.

Action:
Defective: Lame, that all I am going to say, LAME.

Acting and Dialogue:
Common: Zac Eron is the only decent actor from the whole HSM cast, second place would go to Vanessa Hudgens. all the other are just Disney "cookies-cutter-marketable-teens."

Cinematography:
Common: Besides the Disney "shininess" nothing

Direction:
Common: A theater director/ choreography turn filmmaker not the best idea, just didn't work out this time.

Sound:
Common: The first film had the best soundtrack from there it has gone down hill.

Special and Visual FX:
Common: None, most lighting and stage work hint the title of the film.

Overall:
A strong C, I only recommend this film to families and preteens who like HSM. I am a fan of the theater arts and musical movies but this movie did nothing for me...first one was the best (as a TV movie).

REVIEW: Saw V

The Synopsis

IMDb: Following Jigsaw's grizzly demise, Mark Hoffman, the final apprentice to the serial killer is reigned a hero. Meanwhile, Agent Strahm is tested and puts the pieces together. While Strahm realizes that Hoffman is helping Jigsaw, five seemingly unconnected people face a horrible lesson of teamwork. Strahm follows all the leads he can get off Hoffman, including the death of his sister and why he joined Jigsaw. Hoffman and Strahm circle each other until it boils down to a gruesome and bone-crushing finale.

Other Reviews

Critics:


Roger Ebert:
NA
Michael Phillips: NA
EW: Gregory Kirschling: C-
A. O. Scott: NA

Other Sites:


At The Movies: Ben Mankiewicz: NA, Ben Lyons: NA
Fandango: 115 Oh No, 67 No, 192 So-So, 251 Go, 329 Must Go
Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 13% (Rotten), Top Critics: 10% (Rotten), RT Community: 58% (Rotten)
Metacritic: Critics: 19 out of 100, Users: 6.0 out of 10
Yahoo Movies: Critics: NA Users: B

My Review

Source Material: Original Story, continuation of other Saw films

Action:
Defective: Nothing to offer.

Acting and Dialogue:
Brilliant: I have always like the story behind the Saw film, including the twist at the end, even thought Saw V's ending was a little weak.

Cinematography: Common: Think cheap not in it looks cheap but it was easy to set up... I will order the horror genre special and the young lady would like the same.

Direction:
Brilliant: I give props to the men who can make cheap movies and then turn around and make a crap load of cash. even though I more particular to longer films this movie had a perfect running time, any long and i may have became board.

Sound: Common: Can you say rock n roll and screaming? That's all you need for this type of film.

Special and Visual FX:
Brilliant: Not a lot of digital FX but I give kudos to the Art Department for cook up realist dead bodies, old school FX is better than new school FX when it come to the Saw films.

Overall: A very low B- and very high C+, I don't necessary recommend this film but for the Halloween season its all we got. Well, when it comes to horror movies/ "scary movies." If you can wait until it come on DVD do so and rent it.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Movies I Recommend To See In 2009

I will continue updating as the year unfolds. If you don’t like my picks and want to know what’s coming out visit these site: Coming Soon, Kerasotes, and Movie Web

Trailers Brought to You By: The Movie Box

Number Ones for January:
National: Taken, Underworld 3: The Rise of the Lycans
Indies:
Comedy:
Family: Inkheart
New Years:

Number Ones for February:
National:
Indies: Fanboys, Youth in Revolt
Comedy:
Family:
Valentine Day:

Number Ones for March:
National: Watchmen
Indies: The Soloist
Comedy:
Family:
St. Patrick’s Day:

Number Ones for April:
National:
Indies: Crank 2: High Voltage
Comedy:
Family:
Easter Sunday:

Number Ones for May:
National: Star Trek, Angels and Demons , X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Indies:
Comedy: Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Family: Up
Memorial Day:

Number Ones for June:
National: Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen
Indies:
Comedy:
Family:

Number Ones for July:
National: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Indies:
Comedy:
Family: Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs
Independence Day:

Number Ones for August:
National:
Indies:
Comedy:
Family:

Number Ones for September:
National:
Indies:
Comedy:
Family:
Labor Day

Number Ones for October:
National:
Indies:
Comedy:
Family:
Halloween:

Number Ones for November:
National:
Indies:
Comedy:
Family:
Thanksgiving:

Number Ones for December:
National: Avatar
Indies:
Comedy:
Family:
Christmas:


THE FUTURE

2010

Alice in Wonderland
Iron Man 2
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time
Thor
The Last Airbender
Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I

2011

The First Avenger: Captain America
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II
Spider-Man 4
The Avengers
The Hobbit

The Best Movies for This Month

For the Month of October:

National: Pride and Glory
Indies: RocknRolla
Comedy: Zack and Miri Make a Porno, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist
Family: City of Ember
Halloween: Saw V
Oscar Buzz:
Rachel Getting Married
The Brothers Bloom (moved to December)
Body of Lies
The Changeling

Reminder for November: Movies I Recommend To See In 2008

Number Ones for November:

National: Quantum of Solace, Twilight
Indies: Milk
Comedy: TBA
Family: Bolt
Oscar Buzz:
The Soloist (moved to March 2009)
Australia
The Road