brandnewthursday3 Reviews

Revolution (2012–2014)

A solid series and I hate to do this, but...

[10/10 · 19 March 2013]

I have to compare it to Firefly for one second. That show took the idea of a future and mixed it with the feel of the Old West; Revolution does the same thing and in that right they're both successful in setting that atmosphere. Further, after Firefly was canceled, I bet a lot of people were asking whether that idea could come to fruition; we all know that the 'the whole world is different now but people still act the same or even more anachronistic' idea had been done. I think Revolution really honed in on this and does a good job; it's like Fallout 3 (the video game) meets Firefly. Don't get me wrong, the characters are not as well drawn-up and the dialog is not as subtly funny, but it gets the job done.

I gave this show an 8 and so I will not point out its flaws, because all great TV series and movies have flaws. What I love about this show is that it digs at the very core of our biggest fear: what if electricity went out? I mean, in one episode, the idea of keeping all of one's pictures of their children on their i-Phone is mentioned. But people keep moving. It's a bit trite, though, the way the stories unfold; but the beauty is that some of these story arcs are brilliantly done. Billy Burke's Miles is no Malcom Reynolds (sorry, another Firefly reference) but his acting and back-story are worth watching. Charlie's a bit much sometimes but a great moral compass. I could discuss every character, but I won't; let's just say Aron is good comic relief and Monroe is one hell of a villain.

All in all, people complaining about this show don't understand that yes, it's a bit cheesy; yes, it's trite in some respects. But it's trying and that counts in a world where reality TV and crappy comedies rule the air. 8/10 for me. If it picks up the pace and gets even better, maybe a 9.

Halloween (2007)

i don't care if im not

[2/10 · 1 September 2007]

...expected to be seeing an exact remake, but there were so many lame plot holes. it was obviously the 70s in the beginning(sister's big headphones playing don't fear the reaper, which is a song from...THE 70s; the mother's car, michael's kiss t shirt, etc;) and then it's 17 years later and it looks to me like the movie was taking place in the 21st century(the cars, the dress, etc;) that aside, this was a snuff film. where the original made you wonder why michael was such a psychopath, this movie forces it on you, by showing michael's menacing past and disturbing present states. further, zombie's direction made me dizzy. too many closeups of insignifigant things. not enough character development. the only good actor in this movie was the babysitter(sorry malcom macdowell, you disappointed me) all in all, this movie is a gorefest with no heart.

Hot Rod (2007)

The Jerk meets Billy Madison

[10/10 · 6 August 2007]

Andy Samberg is the hero of the internet age. Through SNL digital videos such as Lazy Sunday and Dick in a Box, he has managed to coral a fanbase, score an emmy nod and land his own starring role in a movie. Being that sly, witty and subtle comedy is taking over the box office(The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up, etc)it's safe to say that plain old silly farce is having a hard time reaching the same audience.

Steve Martin made The Jerk a hit, with his genius way of creating a character who was so naive and stupid yet easy to relate to. Samberg is trying to recreate that same character type, but it seems as though audiences aren't having it. Be that as it may, he does it successfully and with such a delightful awkwardness that it may put Martin to shame(no offense Steve).

Although Hot Rod starts off a bit slow, with those watching feeling that it may not come out of its slump, it progresses into a laugh out loud comedy that will have you literally howling. For instance, in one scene, Samberg takes out his frustrations by, as he puts it, "punch dancing" in the woods. This is followed by one of the longest and funniest falls in cinema history.

Most critics probably feel that the movie is just youtube videos strewn together, yet they aren't taking it for what it is: A blatant farce on 80s under dog stories. There was not one serious moment in this movie. And that is a good thing. Highly recommended for anyone who wishes to laugh their asses off.

Transformers (2007)

Although a bit over the top, still a great movie with some superb acting from Labouf.

[5/10 · 4 July 2007]

I grew up in the late eighties/early nineties so Transformers(especially the toys) were something I'm familiar with. Fast forward to 2007 and I'll admit, seeing that the little cartoon from my early childhood was going to be made into a Michael Bay blockbuster got me a little giddy and weary at the same time. Giddy because I figured, Okay, robots on the big screen. That should be cool. The weariness came from hearing Michael Bay would take the directing chair. I went in thinking this movie would be all action(which it mostly was) but was pleasantly surprised by Labouf.

His comical timing, wit and true-to-life scared shitless-at-these-alien-robots acting was superb. I enjoyed the scenes he was in the most, obviously. John Voight was not at his top game, but still pretty good. And John Tutoro is always a treat to see in a movie. The rest of the cast was good, with all the side stories coinciding. Anthony Anderson was hilarious as a hacker with good intentions. Megan Fox is smokin' hot, and she's a decent actress as well.

The script to this movie was pretty well done, I must say. To take a campy cartoon and turn it into a big budget movie must have taken some balls. It was mostly unbelievable, but it's a movie, so all is forgiven. Some of the dialogue could be considered cheesy, but it was pulled off nicely by the cast. The story was a bit confusing and towards the end it got somewhat convoluted, but overall was easy to follow.

Transformers is a must see this summer. And look for Labouf to be like the next Dicaprio. He went from a kid in a Project Greenlight movie to a full fledged star of this summer's biggest hit.

and it will be this summer's biggest hit. The way threequels are going, it's bound to do better than the other movies that have come out.

Knocked Up (2007)

Genius Work from the mind/s behind Freaks and Geeks

[10/10 · 2 June 2007]

Forget about the controversy. Forget about the crap that people post on this movie's page. This is one of the funniest, most uplifting movies that has come out in a while. Little Miss Sunshine set the bar in the past year for comedies and movies in general. Offbeat characters, great scriptwriting and a plot that some may find either too much or not enough. Seth Rogen proves his worthiness as a Hollywood star(even though he did that in Freaks and Geeks). As a strung out, jobless pothead, Rogen plays Ben, a man in his early twenties whose only ambition in life is to have as much fun as possible. When he has a drunk encounter with Katherine Heigel, they end up with facing one of the most traumatizing(at first) experiences any human being can find themselves in: A one night stand that leads to pregnancy.

Despite the controversial title, this movie doesn't set out to gross the audience out with raunchiness or lewdness. Although, a couple of scenes may make some squeamish. What this film does is shed light on the beauty of building a relationship, or rebuilding one(as is the case with Paul Rudd and Leslie Man as Heigl's sister and brother in law). It may sound cliché, but love is definitely not something that just happens. It takes time to build.Whether it's due to unforeseen circumstances or whathaveyou, love and relationships take time and work and the end result can be a very rewarding one.

Knocked Up has one of the best scripts in cinema in probably the past ten years. Funny, touching and witty, it displays real emotion(especially through improved scenes). Every character, from Rogen's lazy buddies, to the higher-ups at Heigl's job at E! Entertainment, is well built and extremely fun to watch. Every scene in this movie deserves attention. This is a must see for anyone with a good sense of humor and wit to match.