simmon4-1 Reviews

Ben 10: Race Against Time (2007 TV Movie)

It's Hero Time!

[8/10 · 25 November 2007]

You've watched the show, it's Ben 10 in his first live action movie from cartoon network! In this movie i thought that the plot was pretty good, the acting was kinda cheesy in parts, the music rocked, and the aliens (some of them) were awesome! on the aliens part they weren't really all that bad. Heatblast was a little short looking and his moves were not really captured the greatest, but the flames on him were sweet. Greymatter was captured just like the show, except for his voice which sounded like some crazy malevolent villain. Why couldn't they have just used the voices in the show? Diamondhead was personally my favorite in the movie! He was shown perfectly from the show, and talked like him too. The radiant crystal glow thing on him was the coolest! Lastly, Wildmutt was really cool looking when he was fighting, but up next to another character looked like kinda bad graphics. Though overall I liked it! I just hope they will include the other 6 aliens out of the original ten if they make a sequel to it.

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Best Spidy Movie Ever ! ! ! !

[10/10 · 18 November 2007]

OK,I liked Spiderman 2, but i thought that it was a little attention losing in some parts. Spiderman 3 though has got to be the best one of them all! Everyone else might think it's not as good as the others, but i beg to differ, because it was by far the top of them all! The effects were one of the best effects of any movie of the year of 2007, and the story line was pretty good itself. The Black spiderman was pertraed so well, it made peter parker look darker with the awesome make up on his face and the way they did his hair. Venom, do i have to say it. They made him great compared to the comic books and TV shows, and i was worried how they would do on him,lol. "You always have a choice", and my choice is thumbs up spidy!

X2: X-Men United (2003)

X-ellent Again!

[8/10 · 20 September 2007]

Though personally this movie is my least favorite X-Men film (for reasons I'll detail later), it is still an amazing movie with engaging plots, awesome characters, and killer graphics. I love the new Nightcrawler character. His teleportation powers were portrayed in a unique and masterful way. I love how he just poofs into black smoke and then re-appears behind his foe. My favorite scene in the movie was when Storm and Jean Grey encounter Nightcrawler in a church. That scene was just really moving and symbolic of how far mankind has fallen short of God's standards. Nightcrawler was a tortured soul, haunted by the sins of his past, and yet he found redemption of a sort as the movie progresses. Through an all-or-nothing leap of faith, Nightcrawler gains new powers and finds peace. In addition to the character of Nightcrawler, another plus this movie had was Ian McKellen (who played Magneto). The sinister sophistication with which McKellen portrays Magneto is awe-inspiring. I love the scene where Magneto and Mystique were laughing together in a corner over Rogue's new haircut.

Now, I'll explain why this movie was my least favorite of the X-Men trilogy. First off, I DID NOT LIKE THE VILLAIN. I found the scenes with Stryker in them to be boring and undramatic. As far as I am concerned, he was just a whiny bigot and perhaps the biggest jerk I have ever seen in any movie to date. Now, being a jerk is a fine quality for a villain, but only if that unsavory trait is accompanied by some sort of power. Yes, he had a small army at his disposal and a neat compound. But what threat did he alone pose to the X-Men? None really. Let's face it. A non-mutant bad guy in X-Men is just boring. Additionally, was it just me, or was that brawl between Wolverine and Deathstrike just kind of . . . well . . . boring? That was one cameo they could have left out, as I don't really think it served a purpose to the storyline. I also thought that Magneto joined up with the X-Men just a little too quickly and unconvincingly. But, a few flaws aside, X2 was a jewel of a movie that soars above the average film.

X-Men (2000)

An Amazing Movie--Magneto is Da Bomb!

[8/10 · 18 September 2007]

Enter Hugh Jackman as Wolverine. Enter Ian McKellen as Magneto. Enter Patrick Stewart as Professor Xavier. Enter Halle Berry as Storm. With a cast like that, how could any movie go wrong! The answer: IT CAN'T! I fell hook-line-and-sinker for this movie the moment I saw how awesome Magneto's metal-warping powers were portrayed. This movie doesn't limit his powers at all, allowing him to snatch hundreds of bullets out of thin air simultaneously and use a small metal plate to cross huge open chasms! Last but certainly not least is the fact that Magneto is portrayed by, as far as I am concerned, one of the greatest actors of all time--Ian McKellen. While McKellen's masterful role as Gandalf in Lord of the Rings was undoubtedly his crowning achievement, McKellen's portrayal of Magneto is a close second. He is charismatic, domineering, and yet has a shed of humanity left in him--a remnant of what he once was. I don't mean to spend so much time on Magneto (and I normally don't like villainous characters that much), but there is just no way around it. Magneto made the movie. Certainly, Patrick Stewart as Professor X and Hugh Jackman as Wolverine contributed greatly as well, and Halle Berry's portrayal of Storm was flawless. Overall, this movie is the whole package. Don't miss it!

Zathura: A Space Adventure (2005)

Outta This World!

[8/10 · 18 September 2007]

I always loved Jumanji as a child and wished fervently for so many years that there would be a sequel/spin-off to it. Just when I had about given up hope, this movie comes along in a blaze of extraterrestrial glory! At first, I doubted that Zathura would be as good as Jumanji, and I even waited until it came out on DVD to see it. However, I am proud to say that my doubts were completely unfounded. While I can't exactly say that Zathura was better than Jumanji, it was certainly every bit as great as it. I loved the whole shift from jungle mayhem to galactic fury. The "events" that the game caused to happen where enjoyable and surprisingly unpredictable. There was even a major twist at the end that I honestly did not see coming. I love it when a movie can surprise me, and this movie certainly has its fair share of surprises! In addition to that, the characters and relationships in this movie are extremely real and you feel as though you are viewing a genuine, everyday American family. If "board game" movies continue to be this entertaining, then I adamantly look forward to the next installment!

Zoom (2006)

Better than Sky High! It's a Blast to Watch!

[7/10 · 18 September 2007]

Regardless of the negative feedback that is directed at this movie, I rather enjoyed it. It's just one of those movies that are fun to watch. Tim Allen was, as always, an asset to the movie and I was so ecstatic to finally see Chevy Chase back in a comedic role! The music was fantastic as well and really seemed to meld seamlessly with events of the movie. I thought it was very appropriate to play "I can be your hero baby" during the Superhero prom.

The action scenes are decent and the super kids' powers are actually somewhat cool. The main reason I did not like Sky High was because the powers were overly stupid. There was a kid who glowed in the dark for goodness sake! But in this movie the main superhero powers (speed, invisibility, engorging, telekinesis, and super strength) are fun to watch portrayed in the film.

THERE IS A MASSIVE SPOILER PERTAINING TO THE END OF THE MOVIE COMING UP, SO PLEASE STOP READING IF YOU DO NOT WANT IT SPOILED! First off, I thought Concussion (the bad dude and little brother to Tim Allen's character) was an interesting villain. His ability to generate concussion waves was pretty cool. I liked how he turned back to the "light side" at the end, but it seemed to me that he changed from villain to hero just a little too quickly to be realistic. Don't get me wrong! Every other aspect of the climactic battle was great, but I just wish the drama between Tim Allen and his brother would have been drawn out a bit longer (like it was between Luke and Vader in Return of the Jedi, though no movie could ever get it THAT good).

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and recommend it to anyone.

Yu-Gi-Oh!: The Movie - Pyramid of Light (2004)

Not the best Yu-Gi-Oh story ever, but it's not by any means the worst!

[6/10 · 17 September 2007]

First of all, I understand that animated movies that primarily target a certain fan base are absolutely butchered by critics. Secondly, I believe the logic in that is flawed. No one should criticize this movie unless he or she is a massive Yu-Gi-Oh fan well familiar with the story lines of the TV series and the general rules of the card game. To judge it without that essential knowledge is simply not fair. I enjoy Yu-Gi-Oh, but I would probably have hated this movie if I had went in to see it without any prior background knowledge of the characters, plot lines, and concepts. Now, since I do have a relatively thorough understanding of Yu-Gi-Oh under my belt, I can honestly judge this movie fairly.

I'll be honest. It had a lot of problems that hindered it. One problem was that, for the most part, the entire movie was one big 90 minute duel. Even for the most die-hard of fans, it can be easy to lose one's attention. Little kids may be especially impatient during an extremely long duel. Another con is that I didn't like the bad guy that much. I thought he was sort of boring and two-dimensional. It also, in all honesty, didn't take much to defeat him. I would have liked to have seen Yugi and friends struggle more to defeat the villain. After all, the sweetest victory is the one you have to work hardest for.

But while this movie does have its share of flaws, it is by no means crippled by them. First off, the music rocks! I love Step Up and the Kaiba song. Those songs get stuck on my mind for weeks! Second, the movie does introduce an assortment of new and spectacular monsters that could certainly become fan favorites. Among these new creatures are the Blue-Eyes White Shining Dragon and the Sorcerer of Dark Magic, arguably the best of their class. There was even a little clever humor here and there.

Overall, it's not great, but it is not nearly as bad as some say it is. I have never regretted purchasing it in any way.

The Christmas Shoes (2002 TV Movie)

A True Christmas Blessing

[10/10 · 17 September 2007]

I remember listening to this song on the radio as it happened to be one of my mom's favorites (and is now one of mine). As I mulled over the tear-jerking, yet strangely uplifting story of the song, I thought about how awesome it would be if a movie was made of it. Thankfully, by the grace of God, someone else must have thought so too! This movie is, simply put, a blessing to watch. It is sad, yes, but it is uplifting in the sense that it shows its audience how small, random acts of kindness can make a significant difference in someone else's life. As Rob Lowe laid that money down on the counter, that little boy's life (and his mother's) was forever changed for the better. The man who Lowe played was quite wealthy. It didn't cost him anything substantial to help out another human soul, and yet that small, perhaps seemingly insignificant act of kindness was as ripples in a pond. As the back of the DVD (which we bought without hesitation) says, "If we're open to it, the smallest of miracles can change our lives." If you keep an open heart and mind while watching this movie, you will be blessed. That is a promise.

The Polar Express (2004)

A Ride You Won't Regret Taking!

[10/10 · 17 September 2007]

This is a masterpiece of a movie. My mother, brother, and I must watch this movie 10-15 times during the Christmas season! It is one of those rare movies that you can know exactly what happens, when it happens, and how it happens, and yet still would be perfectly content to watch the movie again as the credits start rolling (which we have done at our house many times). You almost feel like you are raptured out of this mundane world and swept up in a dream while watching it. I could not help but be reminded of the magic feelings I had toward Christmas as a kid when I believed in Santa Claus. Words cannot describe Josh Groban's beautiful song "Believe" that was made especially for this movie. The graphics are incredible. Move over Pixar, because all of those movies pale in comparison graphically to this movie. The animation is so good that at times you forget it is animation! To sum this all up, I have just one thing to say. Put on your bathrobe, grab your ticket, and hop aboard! And get ready for the ride of your life!

The Santa Clause 2 (2002)

A Ho-Ho-Ho-Hilarious Holiday Sequel!

[8/10 · 17 September 2007]

So many movie fans seem to fear sequels, automatically labeling them as weaker than the originals. However, that certainly is not the case here! The Santa Clause 2 brings back all of the characters from the first movie, and it is amazing how easy and flawlessly they can jump back into their beloved roles. The neat thing about this sequel is that it doesn't just take the characters from the original movie and spin an entirely different story. Instead, it builds upon the first one. New characters such as the hilarious Tooth Fairy and the beautiful Mrs. Claus are introduced, as well as the new lovable elf Curtis.

Overall, a powerful sequel to a powerful movie. It's no wonder they made a third one!

The Santa Clause (1994)

Tim Allen was Meant for this Role!

[9/10 · 17 September 2007]

I love this movie because it is truly a movie that a person from any age group could watch and enjoy thoroughly. There are few movies that can take us back in time to that magical time when we believed in Santa Claus and left cookies and milk by the tree. This is one of those rare movies. Tim Allen was the absolute perfect choice for the role of the ordinary-dad-who-becomes-Santa. His character Scott Calvin is 100% believable throughout the entire movie. Bernard the Elf is hilarious and the portrayal of the North Pole was, as far as I am concerned, the best representation of the North Pole I have ever seen. When I saw this movie at age 6, I began thinking of the North Pole as I had seen it in this movie. Any movie that can bring the magic of Christmas into the hearts of every member of the audience is a movie of high caliber that will endure as a Christmas classic for generations to come.

Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

A Good Movie, Plain and Simple

[8/10 · 17 September 2007]

I never really got why a lot of people didn't like this movie. Granted, it can't compete with other Christmas classics like Christmas Vacation and The Santa Clause, but it is still a great movie that provides much laughter and ends up having a good, strong message that really captures what the true meaning of Christmas is about. Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis were quite hilarious together. I admittedly was not much for Jamie's hair cut, but that's my only complaint.

Other then just being a funny movie, this movie's message is to put aside our selfish desires that can be so prevalent around the holidays and give of ourselves expecting nothing in return, just like Christ (who is the true reason for the season) did. With a barrel of laughs and a message like that, you can't lose with this underrated, overlooked gem of a movie.

Christmas Vacation 2: Cousin Eddie's Island Adventure (2003 TV Movie)

Without Chevy Chase There Is No Christmas Vacation . . .

[2/10 · 16 September 2007]

It'll be a blue Christmas indeed if you subject you're family to this. I loved the original movie, and this one was not worthy of being its sequel. Actually, for all intents and purposes, it is not its sequel. Only one character from the original cast returns. Granted, that character happened to be the hilarious cousin Eddie, but he simply is not hilarious being the protagonist of a movie. His niche is that of the wacky relative who performs zany antics--alongside Chevy Chase. Chevy Chase was needed in this film for it to be a success, and he definitely was not there. As far as I am concerned, a movie is not a "Vacation" movie unless good ole' Clark Griswold is at the helm.

Christmas Vacation (1989)

Not Just Another Christmas Movie--But A Christmas Tradition!

[10/10 · 16 September 2007]

Every year when that special time of year rolls around, me and my family hang up wreaths, we put up the tree, decorate the house, and help my five-year-old cousin write a letter to Santa Claus. And--we watch this movie. For us, it's as much a part of Christmas as adorning the top of our tree with an angel or attending a Christmas Eve church service. We laugh constantly from onset to end and want to watch it again. Chevy Chase, simply put, is one of the funniest men ever to act. It is a sad shame that he does not do as many movie anymore. Without a doubt, this 'Vacation' soars above its other counterparts and ranks up there with the best Christmas movies of all time.