If you are one who is completely lacking movie knowledge and want to learn more about the following: Award Season, Filmmakers, Movie Studios, Movie Related Topics, and Movie Reviews, then visit here and comment on one of my post.
Let's Talk about the Avenger Movie coming in 2012. There is a lot of news and speculations too who is playing who. I want to boil it down and get your thoughts on the subject. I complied a list of founding members and popular recruits who are known for being on The Avengers Team. Founding Members
Title:The Men Who Stare at Goats Distributor: BBC Films Director: Grant Heslov Writer(s): Peter Straughan (screenplay)Jon Ronson (book) Staring: George Clooney, Ewan McGregor, Jeff Bridges, Kevin Spacey MPAA Rating: Rated R for language, some drug content and brief nudity. Running Time: 93 min (1 hr and 33 min) Synopsis: A reporter in Iraq might just have the story of a lifetime when he meets Lyn Cassady, a guy who claims to be a former member of the U.S. Army's First Earth Battalion, a unit that employs paranormal powers in their missions.
At The Movies: A.O. Scott: Skip It, Michael Phillips: Skip It Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 58% (Rotten), Top Critics: 41% (Rotten), RT Community: 65% (Fresh) Metacritic: Critics: 54 out of 100, Users: 4.0 out of 10 MRQE Metric: 61: (10.% A, 42.6% B, 35.0% C, 9.3% D, and 0.0% F) Yahoo Movies: Critics: B- Users: C
My Review
Source Material:Based on the book of the same title by author Jon Ronson, an account of Ronson's investigation of attempts by US military forces to use psychic powers. Acting and Dialogue:A-: For me the acting was good but then agian some bias comes into play because both Ewan McGregor and Kevin Spacey are by far in my top ten favorite actors. Art Direction: C: Comedy Bland meaning this film was made for laughs and not necessarily for art. Cinematography: C: I do like some of the different shoots used, but It too also follows the Comedy Bland style of filmmaking.
Direction: B-: It has a fun atmosphere and I think that comes from an actor turn filmmaker director, seen here. Screenplay: B+: The story is a good one, I think some of the execution failed but most of the pop culture reference worked, well if your a Star Wars Fan. Personally the funnier lines were the clueless nature of Ewan McGregor character toward the Jedi terminology., why? Well, he play a character from the Star Wars universe for three movies know as Obi-Wan Kenobi, who is a Jedi. So LOL. Sound and Music: B: Very Representative of the time period and content of the film.
VFX: B-: Very minor VFX were used to creat the different "powers" but nothing to extravagant.
Overall: B-: For me it works for a Comedy because I am a Star wars fan, but for the general public it won't. I think that's the case because it not a Judd Apatow style of humor.
Title:Disney's A Christmas Carol Distributor: ImageMovers (Walt Disney Pictures) Director: Robert Zemeckis Writer(s): Charles Dickens (novel) Robert Zemeckis (screenplay) Staring: Jim Carrey MPAA Rating: Rated PG for scary sequences and images. Running Time: 96 min (1 hr and 36 min) Synopsis: An animated retelling of Charles Dickens classic novel about a Victorian-era miser taken on a journey of self-redemption, courtesy of several mysterious Christmas apparitions.
At The Movies: A.O. Scott: See It, Michael Phillips: Rent It Rotten Tomatoes: T-Meter: 54% (Rotten), Top Critics: 44% (Rotten), RT Community: 83% (Fresh) Metacritic: Critics: 55 out of 100, Users: 7.9 out of 10 MRQE Metric: 66: (21.2% A, 34.4% B, 39.2% C, 4.8% D, and 0.0% F) Yahoo Movies: Critics: B- Users: B+
My Review
Source Material: Based on 2009 film adaptation of Charles Dickens' 1843 story of the same name. Acting and Dialogue:B+: Jim Carrey didn't pull off a Tom Hanks in The Polar Express, for those of you who don't know Robert Zemeckis also directed that film also. When I first watched The Polar Express the only person I knew was Tom Hanks was the conductor but with this film I knew every person was Jim Carry so it became to much Carrey in parts. Art Direction: A: The colors in the animation made it very believable world even thought it was made in a computer. Cinematography: A+: I think watching the film in 3-D helped the cinematography. It add that "I am living it now" experiences, especially the flying scenes. It might as well been snowing in the theater because again the 3-D gave it that look. Now If I take the 3-d out of the picture it still holds its own in the world of cinematography. Meaning it more of a ghost story set around Christmas time, and the the film maintains that creepy atmosphere throughout.
Direction: A: The direction was good It was directed by a well know guy and this is his third film using this technology. So it seem to run smoothly from beginning to end. Screenplay: C+: It's not that the story is crappy or even the source material. Form what I can gather it is a spot on adaption. But for me what brings down the quality is the fact that it was a story that has been adapted way tom many times.
Sound and Music: D: Christmas Music gets old fast. The only time of the year it is good for is the week of Christmas. But the score was decent.
VFX: A+: I am a big fan of motion capture and Robert Zemeckis work with it.
Overall: B-: I did enjoy the film overall, even with the faults. One thing I have to say why was this movie released in early November why not late November or early December if not Christmas week. The only thing I see as a explanation is Avatar and the IMAX screenings in December. Either way it is a Christmas type of movies so why not a release date closer to Christmas.
