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Sanctum (2011)
Get out while you still can
Sanctum pushes characters into intense and exciting life or death situation but quickly turns into an incoherent and claustrophobic downward spiral.
This movie claims to be a James Cameron production but the cinema giant was only an executive producer so this film sees little of his creative touch and it shows.
The film follows a group of cave divers trying to navigate the largest unexplored cave left in the world. When a tropical storm hits the cave begins to flood and their adventure begins early as the exploration crew is forced to go deeper into the cave to find a way out or drown.
This film is not for the claustrophobic. The entirety of the movie takes place in a dark and tight cave. The camera is up close to all of the action in the movie, which even makes the viewers feel enclosed. This makes the actions and locations of the characters hard to follow, one stretch of the cave starts to look just like the last and by the end the audience is just as relieved to get out of that cave as the one's trapped.
Despite the extreme peril the characters come out one sided. Almost no character development occurs before the team finds themselves stranded. Aside from a brief introduction, which shows nothing other than insanity or possibly suicidal tendencies, no insight is given into the characters. Even with these flaws the actor's do sufficient work. No one will be going up for an Oscar but the talent in this film definitely makes the characters more relatable.
It seems a person's mental state could be a focal point in a movie where people are forced to think logically and calmly in order to survive. But only a solitary scene near the end of the movie plunges deep into a human's motivation to live and just how far a person can be mentally pushed under this stress. If this factor was focused on it would have added a great deal of credibility to the film.
The tagline for this film says "The only way out is down" and that couldn't be truer. This movie has plenty of negative forces working against it and even less positive forces. Moviegoers should think twice before making the plunge into this movie.
Iron Man 2 (2010)
Delivers for general movie goers and hardcore comic fans
Robert Downey Jr. is back as Tony Stark in Iron Man 2 and brings all his wit and charisma he brought to the first Iron Man. Iron Man 2 has all the exciting battle scenes and clever dialogue Iron Man did and even manages to make it better than the first.
In Iron Man 2 Stark has to face off against the government for the rights to his own Iron Man suit while defending his life from new super-villain, Whiplash (Mickey Rourke).
This film delves deeper into the character of Stark than the first film did. Stark's hidden alcoholism begins to come into play and Stark's relationship with his assistant, Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow), is expanded on.
The premise of this movie isn't impressive. Whiplash is the son of a contemporary of Stark's father, Howard. Whiplash feels his father was forced out of business with Howard unfairly which is why he had to die in poverty. Whiplash is just the genius that Stark is and with the funding of Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell), the CEO of Stark's rival company, he builds his own suit to rival the Iron Man suit.
But Stark doesn't have to fight Whiplash alone. He has his old friend, James Rhodes (Don Cheadle), to help him. Rhodes steals an iron man suit from Stark and makes a few modifications and to the joys of comic fans everywhere enters War Machine. Iron Man 2 is nothing new for super-hero movies but it manages to prove that super-hero movies are not all bad. Iron Man 2 is just plain fun. The dialogue is better than the first Iron Man and same with the action sequences.
Downey is perfect as Stark, no other actor could pull of his arrogant humor as well. The studio made a wise decision in replacing Terrence Howard with Don Cheadle as Rhodes. The two actors play the characters a little differently but Cheadle is ultimately better.
Scarlet Johansson is also thrown into the mix as a government spy named the Black Widow. It seemed Johansson's sole purpose in the film was to be the 'hot girl fighting crime' that is stereotypical of all comic book movies.
Samuel L. Jackson plays Nick Fury, a character who will mean a lot more to comic book fans than the average viewer. This movie has a lot of little moments the die-hard fans will love. Also true comic geeks should be sure to stay for the scene at the end of the credits.
Iron Man 2 did what The Dark Knight did and proved that super-hero movies can actually be good film. Iron Man 2 is an exciting ride that should not be missed.
Clash of the Titans (2010)
bland and boring
The Greek Gods unleashed their melodramatic wrath on men last Friday with the release of Clash of the Titans.
Men have grown tired of following the will of the Gods and have declared war against them but the mortals don't stand a chance against the power of the gods.
Then enter Perseus, (Sam Worthington from Avatar) the mortal son of Zeus (Liam Neeson). Perseus doesn't want this war but is motivated by the death of his adoptive family by a god, Poseidon.
So there it is, the reluctant protagonist motivated by the death of his adoptive family to seek vengeance against his biological father aided by an eclectic group of allies makes for the typical fantasy-action movie.
This movie clearly tried to ride on the excitement of the action sequences and effects of the CGI and at times that was possible. The scorpion fight scene was particularly well done. But later in the movie as the plot begins to weaken more and more those scenes loose their impact.
The movie relies on its special effects a lot. Not quite to the extent that Avatar did but still the effects are a big crutch for the movie to lean on and they are done well. The gigantic scorpions are frightening and the glowing hall of the gods was particularly stunning.
Neeson plays Zeus well, the authority can be heard on his voice. Ralph Fiennes, who always seems to play the villain, is Hades. He is great as the ruler of the underworld, a master manipulator. Worthington as Perseus is dull, he plays the protagonist with little emotion and makes the character bland. He also appears to the only person with a razor at this point in history. While everyone around him has biblically long beards he manages to maintain that constant tough guy stubble.
Clash of the Titans tries to mask a predictable story with over the top fight scenes and a pair of good actors but can't quite pull through and leaves viewers in disappointment.
Love Actually (2003)
A romantic comedy that does not suck
Love Actually is a British move about eight couples and their struggles with love.
Like Valentine's Day, Love Actually features an a-list celebrity cast; Hugh Grant, Liam Neesan and Kiera Knightly to name a few.
The plot of Love Actually is more real and down to earth than your typical American romantic comedy. Most of the character's stories are simple and you can see them in everyday life. The common issues some of these people are dealing with makes the characters more likable and makes the movie feel more personal.
Grant plays the prime minister of England and falls in love with a member of his maid staff. Neesan is helping his ten-year-old stepson tell the love of his young life how he feels. Colin Firth just found out his girlfriend is cheating on him with his younger brother and moves to the country where he falls for a woman who does not speak a lick of English.
At times the movie does feel a little rushed because of all the completely separate plots going on. At times it can get confusing and a lot of times viewers will be wondering why they haven't seen much of a certain characters in what feels like a long time.
All the actors in this movie did a good job for how little screen time they had. Only a really talented group of actors could draw an audience into the characters and story as quick as that group did.
Love Actually may not be completely realistic but it does what it aims for. It is a solid feel-good movie that does not make you cringe the entire film. This is not an artistically crafted love story, it's a simple movie meant to convey one simple idea; "love actually is all around."
Paranormal Activity (2007)
Parnormal causes big hype but does not live up to expectations
Trailers for Paranormal Activity claim it is the scariest movie ever made, but does it really live up to the hype?
Paranormal Activity features a lot of first timers. This is Oren Peli's first film as a director and features first time actors Micah Sloat and Katie Featherstone.
The film cost only 15,000 dollars to make and has currently domestically grossed 107,219,682 dollars according to boxofficemojo.com.
Paranormal was filmed entirely using a hand-held camera. Peli most likely did this to give the movie a more realistic tone and he succeeded in that aspect. Other movies such as Cloverfield and The Blair Witch Project were shot like this. The camera work was done well, it really added to the character of the movie.
Featherstone and Sloat's performances were not exceptional but could be expected from an actor or actress's first film.
The movie features very little special effects with added a good touch to the movie. It lets viewers imagine instead of creating its own images. This is probably more because of the film's low budget than artistic direction though.
The plot of the movie itself was only mildly interesting. It was difficult to like the characters. Most of the movie Sloat's character was trying to agitate the ghost most of the movie which didn't make his character very likable and Featherstone's character was annoyed or scared the entire movie which didn't give much for character development.
The scares were good and well done but was it the "scariest movie ever made"? I don't think so. The film wasn't quite on par with horror classics such as The Shining or Alien.
All in all Paranormal did well with the budget and camera work but couldn't keep it going with the characters or plot.
The Twilight Saga: New Moon (2009)
Dead acting and empty dialogue brings in the big bucks
Last Friday tween girls flooded movie theaters across America to catch the release of the next installment of the Twilight Saga, New Moon.
In this chapter of the series Edward, played by Robert Pattinson, breaks off his relationship with Bella, Kirsten Stewart, to protect her from himself and his vampire family. The only thing Bella can find to comfort her is seeking out danger with her childhood friend Jacob Black, played by Taylor Lautner, who ends up being a werewolf.
Most of the time Stewart was on screen she looked like she didn't want to be there. She couldn't seem to generate enough emotion for her part in the movie.
Pattinson followed the same suit as Stewart but he did manage to master brooding, which he appeared to do most of the little time he was on screen. Also his character was supposed to be attractive but so much makeup was put on him to stress his vampire- paleness he looked like a drug addict with good hair.
Pattinson and Stewart's characters were supposed to be passionately in love but the actors looked awkward and uncomfortable together. Their dialogue felt empty and looks that were intended to be intense and passionate seemed vacant.
Lautner played his character better; he made Jacob Black a likable person. He had some solid comedic moments but wasn't up to par in the emotional scenes.
The plot itself is not presented well. The movie is dry and slow for the most part. When an important moment does happen it is too quick and not completely explained. Someone who has not read the books might not completely understand what happened at the movie's climax or other plot turning points.
The movie itself was pretty hollow and superficial. The film is supposed to convey a great love story but it lacked meaning. It was hard to like the characters. Director, Chris Weitz, seemed to care more about putting shirtless boys on screen than character development.
The best part about the movie was its soundtrack. Every song chosen set the right tone at the right moment.
In short, if you are looking for a meaningless but flashy movie featuring vampires, werewolves and lots of shirtless boys then New Moon is for you. But if you are looking for an engaging plot and talented acting and directing then you should stay as far away from this movie as possible.
American History X (1998)
American History X shows the hold hate can have over people
American History X is not a movie you will enjoy because its not a movie that you are meant to enjoy. It is extremely graphic and violent, but that is where it draws its power. This movie is meant to teach you a lesson and it does so in a very powerful way.
Edward Norton plays a Neo-Nazi who is blaming everything wrong with America on immigrants and people who aren't white.
This movie centers on Norton's character's racism and that is a main theme of the movie. Most people would draw that this movie shows us that hatred of other races is wrong but i think it is just using an extreme circumstance and extreme hatred to convey a different but similar theme. This theme is summer up in the final sequence of the film; "Life is too short to live it full of hate"
This movie is brilliantly shot and edited with music that wraps you into the film. Norton is brilliant as always and draws you into the movie, just as a good actor should. Don't watch American History X if your are looking for a movie with a feel good moment at the end, watch it and appreciate what the film is trying to show you.
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
Carrey excels in an uncharacteristic role and achieves brilliance
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless mind came out of no where and blew my mind. A friend recommended the movie to me and i was skeptical at the premise. Jim Carrey plays Joel who tries to erase the memories of his ex-girlfriend Clementine, played by Kate Winslet, because she erased him from her memory. To me the movie sounded like a silly comedy movie but it is in fact just the opposite. The tone of Eternal Sunshine is rather dark and serious most of the time.
I was hooked instantly with Jim Carrey's narration. It was brilliant, i instantly empathized with his character. At first you see Joel depression caused by his break up with Clementine. Later in the movie you see several of Joel and Clementines good and bad memories. Along the course Joel realizes his mistake in erasing Clementine and internally struggles with himself and the people performing the process of removing his memories to keep his memories of Clementine.
I felt deep empathy for Joel every memory sad, funny, happy or cruel i felt it as Joel did. Jim Carrey is great in this role. His character is just average Joe, a real easy person to relate to. Winslet creates a unique but still believable character in Clementine. She played the role great. Winslet and Carry's chemistry was great.
The shots were great but every so often the distorted memories got a little to crazy, it was a little disturbing and kind of over the top but maybe that was what the director intended.
Anyone can like this movie. Those who like craft in their movies and those who just like a good love story. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is a one of a kind love story with brilliant acting, great editing and sound with a terrific plot.
S. Darko (2009)
S. Darko is how one sucks a f***
I saw Donnie Darko not long before the release of S. Darko. I've watched Donnie Darko countless times so i originally viewed it and was interested in the sequel. I felt this movie would fall to the usual sequel stereotype of being ridiculous, cheesy and trying to ride on the fame of the original and i was right.
S. Darko takes place seven years after the event of Donnie Darko. The film starts with Samantha Darko (Donnie's sister who was ten in Donnie Darko) and her friend Corey on a road trip to Los Angeles but their car breaks down just outside of a small town called Conejo Springs, Randy, the local dark and moody kid, gives the pair a ride to the mechanic. Corey becomes immersed in the town's party scene with Randy.
From there the movie just tries to recreate the mood of Donnie Darko and dramatically fails. They even parallel some the memorable lines from the first one "Why are you looking at me funny?" "Why do you look so funny?" It is clear director Chris Fisher saw the original film well enough to make a copy but didn't follow the depth or meaning behind any of the original movie.
The acting was definitely sub par, it seems the casting crew went for beauty instead of talent which is not what Donnie Darko was ever about. Surprisingly the special effects were pretty standard, nothing to ridiculous but nothing to write home about either. This movie followed the typical teen movie guideline, hot chicks, crazy stuff and action.
S. Darko will fall short of Donnie Darko fans expectations. Even a person who knows nothing about Donnie Darko will have trouble enjoying this movie.
S. Darko is how one sucks a f***