Men In Black 3

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This film is based off the Malibu/Marvel comic titled The Men in Black written by Lowell Cunningham. This film follows Agent J as he works on an assignment with Agent K to stop an alien named Boris that escaped from his lunar prison. Agent J discovers that Boris has travelled through time to change the course of events to act in his favor. Agent J goes back in time to try and correct time, and discover one of Agent K's secrets. 

This film was directed by Barry Sonnenfeld, the returning director from all of the Men in Black films. Fifteen years after the release of the first installment comes the third installment. This film surpasses the sequel, but not the original. It has several references to previous films, but nothing that is important to the film so there is no fear in missing something. The film has a moderately complex plot that is kept simple and very humorous. It explores Agent K's past, and essentially what created him. Time traveling does seem a bit much, but it oddly works for the film's story. The story is kept comical, but the comedy turns from Agent J to Agent K. While the story remains comical there is a heart touching ending sequence that gives the film its depth.The film does a great job with the time difference between modern times New York and 1969's New York. It was great seeing the differences in the people, places, and even the aliens. The special effects were amazing in this film. This film goes to computer animated levels that the previous could not do. The effects for the aliens was amazingly well done. The effects for Boris the Animal was freaky to watch. The only real problem arose when you had different actors portraying the younger counterparts. They try to act like their counterparts, but something is always going to be slightly off. Its inevitable. The music was good. Surprisingly the main theme wasn't performed by Will Smith. 

Most of the main cast returned for this film. It was great seeing familiar characters with a spin on them. Will Smith returned to his leading role of Agent J. He was great in his role providing the film with its sarcastic humour. Tommy Lee Jones returned to his role of (old) Agent K. He was great for the few minutes he appeared in the film. He created a highly mysterious K that left you wanting to know more. Josh Brolin played (young) Agent K. He was great in his role. He created a believable younger version of Jones. The only thing odd was that Brolin was softer-which suited the film's story. Jemaine Clement played the role of Boris the Animal (both 1969 and modern version). He was great portraying the two characters with little variation. He created a great opposing villain even under all that alien attire. 

I give this film a 4 out of 5 stars! It has that familiar comedy that fans of the original film are used to. This films explores more with computer animated technology, to create better looking aliens, and  creates a very different story for Agent's J and K. 

(Adorable Salad Alien)

Answer to last blog: Actor Jonathan Sadowski, from the Chernobyl Diaries, also starred in the horror film remake Friday the 13th. 

Que: What other film did actor Will Smith and director Barry Sonnenfeld work together on?

Independence Day

Hancock

Get Shorty

Wild Wild West

Chernobyl Diaries

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This film follows four friends, Natalie, Amanda, Chris, and Paul join an extreme tourism group with two others, Zoe and Michael, led by Uri. Despite the risk of radiation they enter Chernobyl illegally. After a brief tour, they find their vehicle disabled trapping them in this town. They soon discover that they're not alone, and fight to survive. 

This film was directed by Bradley Parker, his first film to direct. Oren Peli only produced this film (the director of Paranormal Activity). This film had stirred some controversy in that it brought a negative image of the survivors of the actual fall out. This has become common among films that base themselves off real events. This film does have several cliched characters commonly seen in horror films, but there is a pay off in its chills and scares. It doesn't have the same impact that Paranormal Activity had, because it goes into a different horror subgenre. Its more akin to The Hills Have Eyes and Wrong Turn. I was thankful that this film wasn't entirely presented with handheld digital devices, and instead only featured it in parts of the film. The story is limited to the first twenty minutes and it only hints at it. There isn't enough character development to fully feel for their plight. The special effects were great. Most of the film kept to darkness making it impossible to get a full glimpse of a monster or beast. The ending was good, but general for horror films. 

The cast worked well together in creating a kind of realism to the horror. It is unfortunate that none of their characters were fully developed. Devin Kelley played the role of Amanda. She was great as the leading heroine. Jonathan Sadowski played the role of Paul. He was good at playing the leading hero. He made the film fully emotionally believable. Jesse McCartney played the role of Chris. He was good in his small role. Olivia Dudley played the role of Natalie. She was good in her small role. Ingrid Bolse Berdal played the role of Zoe. She was great in her role even if there is no background for her character. Nathan Phillips played the role of Michael. He was good being the sensible one. Dimitri Diatchenko played the role Uri. He was great using subtleties to give his character more depth. 

I give this film a 3 out of 5 stars! It's good for a general horror film. It doesn't stand out among its genre, but it does offer some good scares. It also does great in leaving plenty of mystery. 

Answer to last blog: Actor Jeff Bridges also performed in the popular role of Kevin Flynn in Tron, and acted as Obadiah Stane in Iron Man. 

Que: What other horror film remake has actor Jonathan Sadowski acted in?

Halloween

A Nightmare on Elm Street

Friday the 13th

The Hills Have Eyes

Look for men in black 3 review to come soon.

Look for the review of the chernoble diariei to come soon!

Iron Man (2008)

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This film is based of the Marvel comic of the same name. This film follows wealthy weapons manufacturer Tony Stark as he is captured by a terrorist group. Through them he finds the inspiration to escape using a unique suit. He returns finding a new respect for the weapons he'd once created. He upgrades the suit, and finds himself pulled into the battle of good vs. evil. 

This film was directed by Jon Favreau. This film takes a traditional comic based film and changes its style. This, and the new Batman franchise directed by Christopher Nolan, changed the way comic based films were presented in Hollywood. This film definitely changed Marvel's perspective on creating films, and paved the way for the Avenger's. It does remain true to its source material while updating it to best fit modern times. It is a super hero film, so it does keep the familiar storyline of such a story. The fighting sequences were well done. The action played more to the story instead of the story being action. There is enough action to keep it interesting, but the film isn't centered around the action. The story is more centered around Stark's persona, and how he became Iron Man. The story does get slow in some parts, but it works. The computer animation for the Iron Man suit was amazingly well done. The animation also done for the fighting was also well done. I did enjoy the small hints of S.H.E.I.L.D. in this film. Playing it small was well played because it didn't over shadow the story of this film. 

The acting was great for this film. They managed to breath fresh life into familiar stereotypical characters. Robert Downey Jr. played the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man. He found the perfect role to fit his acting style. He gave his character a ton of emotional depth that reaches audiences. Terrence Howard played the role of Rhodey. He didn't do much to stand out against Downey's performance, but he kept his best friend character interesting. Gwyneth Paltrow played the role of Pepper Potts. She did great at playing the hero'd girlfriend. She is the reason that Downey was able to give his character so much heart. Jeff Bridges played the role of Obadiah Stane. He was amazing in this film. He changed so much from his previously known films to create a character that could hold his own against Downey. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It's got an amazing story that changed the style of comic based films. It has a great cast that create a story that audiences can enjoy. 

Answer to last blog: Actor Tommy Lee Jones and writer Cormac McCarthy worked together on the film No Country For Old Men, as well as the film The Sunset Limited. 

Que: What popular film has actor Jeff Bridges performed in?

Sherlock Holmes

Tron

Running With Scissors

Red Tails

The Sunset Limited

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This film is based off the 2006 stage play written by Cormac McCarthy. This film centers around two men, White and Black. Black saves White after his attemptive suicide by jumping in front of the Sunset Limited train. Black takes White to his home to have a philosophical debate about the importance of God, life, and society. 

This film was directed by Tommy Lee Jones, and was was written by the McCarthy who wrote the original stage play. This film was featured only as an HBO special in 2011. Obviously, this film played to a very limited audience. This film was filmed as if it were the stageplay. This means that this film isn't for everyone, because it is purely based on their argument. There isn't any action in this film, and the story remains limited to their argument. The story itself is very deep with a philosophical, sociological, and religious debates. It is also a very dark story that'll make you think about your views of life. The backdrop was great. It gave the two actors an open and space to pose their arguments. It also gives the film a strange added depth. 

This film featured two great actors who worked well playing off each other. They presented two very different characters who are trapped by their views of society. Tommy Lee Jones played the role of White. Through most of the film, he appears slightly underwhelming. It works for the character trying to find a reason to listen and change. Samuel L. Jackson played the role of Black. He is great in his role, but sometimes goes over the top for his role. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It is a great film that relies on the power of the two actors. It takes its audience into a very dark debate about the world. It's not for everyone though, because it is filmed as a stageplay. 

Answer to last blog: Actor William Mapother is known for his role in the film the Grudge, as well as Another Earth. 

Que: What other film did actor Tommy Lee Jones work with writer Cormac McCarthy? 

In the Valley of Elah

The Road

The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada

No Country For Old Men

Another Earth

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One night Earth makes the discovery of a second planet nearing ours that can sustain life. On the night of the discovery, Rhoda Williams stars into the sky and ends up in a tragic car accident with the composer John Burroughs. Four years later, Rhoda is released from jail and tries to make amends with Burroughs, and with herself. In a moment of desperation, Rhoda enters herself into a contest to win a trip to the second Earth. 

This independent film was directed by Mike Cahill. It is interesting the both the leading actress, Brit Marling, and the director worked on creating the script for this film. This is a great film for his directing debut into science fiction. The story plays a lot with the scientific theories of finding another Earth that could mirror ours. It also plays off the theories of what it would be like to meet one's self. Amongst all this scientific jumble it still manages to create two characters that are full of heart. The script does tend to get slightly documentary dull at times, but it does aid the film a lot. Some of the story might be confusing, because a lot of it is based on theory that interplays with the characters dialogue. The script also didn't allow for unimportant characters to emerge as anything other than generic. The special effects were amazingly well done. I found it impressive that, without much explanation, the second Earth continuously came closer to ours. It was a good simple effect that wasn't overplayed in the film. The camera styling was interesting in that all the scenes appeared to be bleached. It gave the film a dramatic, but hopeful, tone though. This film is definitely worth a watch particularly since we've become focused on finding other life in space. 

The acting was good. There wasn't many interesting other characters, apart from the two main ones. Brit Marling played the leading character Rhoda Williams. She gave kept her character very subtile, and managed to give her plenty of heart. William Mapother played the role of John Burroughs. He was good at creating a highly conflicted character. Kumar Pallana played the role of Purdeep. His small role did stand out. He showed the characters heart through his unusual understanding. 

So, I give this film 4 out of 5 stars. It's a great film that is worth seeing. It tends act more like a documentary at times, and the script remains limited to its two main characters. 

Answer to last blog: Actor Edward Norton played the role of Bruce Banner/Hulk in the film the Incredible Hulk.

Que: What other film has actor William Mapother stared in?

Sound of my Voice
The Grudge
Boxers and Ballerina's
The Ring 

The Avengers (2012)

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This film, the lastest created from Marvel Comics written by Stan Lee, follows Nick Fury's desperation to create a team within the espionage company, known as S.H.I.E.L.D., of incredible humans to fight the forces of evil when mankind can't. After Loki re-emerges and steals the Tesseract (a cube that contains unlimited potential power), Fury begins assembling the Avenger's with Black Widow/Agent Natasha Romanoff, Iron Man/Tony Stark, Dr. Bruce Banner/The Hulk, Steve Rogers/Captain America (and later Thor and Hawkeye/Agent Clint Barton). They are forced to overlook their differences in order to retrieve the Tesseract from Loki before Loki can open a portal allowing the war on Earth to begin. 

This film was directed by Joss Whedon. This film is a combination of several films, Iron Man, The Hulk, Captain America, and Thor. It can be watched without having seen these films, but it the story is more understandable having seen the other films. The story is as predictable as any other super hero film, but it does not fail fans of the characters. It is a staple for the superhero genre. The story lacks any real dramatic tension that would best present the characters; however, its satirical humour based off the characters personalities was great. Any real dramatic moments are cheesy, and lack any real importance. The humour that stemmed from the characters made the story a treat to watch. The story allows for amazing hero characters, that remain unaltered, and creates a fantastic villain. The story also allows for great moments of action. The action supports the story, and the characters, but isn't over the top. The special effects were slightly over the top, but looked amazing on screen and in 3D. It was great that none of the actors were fighting for screen time, but Iron Man is the star of the film. Which makes it good that he's got the personality for the film. It was also great to see that they found a winning combination for the Hulk. The other villains, the Chitauri, are there to provide an alien army for Loki and for a potential sequel. It unfortunate that there's no explanation for these guys (just like there's little explanation for S.H.I.E.L.D. itself), other than the Avenger's needed someone to fight. Loki is the dominant villain, so the film remains centered around him. Otherwise, the look for the Chitauri was great. The special effects for the Tesseract was greatly done, and used in the film. As always, remember to stay for an after the credit scene to see a new villain, but this time you have to stay behind for two extra scenes (the second after the credits finish). 

The acting was great, and the cast portrayed the amazing characters precisely. I was glad to see the same group of actors returning to their roles, except for Dr. Bruce Banner/The Hulk. It made it easier to see the continuity between the hero's films and this one. Robert Downey Jr. played the role of Tony Stark/Iron Man. His character's ostentatious personality, and his deep involvement with S.H.I.E.L.D. make him the most visible character. He did great at creating this character, as usual. He gives the film its intelligent humour. Mark Ruffalo played the role of Dr. Bruce Banner/The Hulk. Having the same actor portray both Banner and Hulk was a great decision. This actor gave the Hulk a character to root for. He gave the Hulk heart through comedic timing. Chris Evans played the role of Steve Rogers/Captain America. He was good in this role, but he got stepped on by Downey. His character remained that of a soldier essentially. Chris Hemsworth played the role of Thor. He was good in his role. His screen time was cut dramatically short. Samuel L. Jackson played the role of Nick Fury. He was surprisingly good in this role, even if he's not the ideal Nick Fury. Scarlett Johnansson played the role of Agent Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow. She was great as Romanoff. She held her own amongst the men. Jeremy Renner played the role of Clint Barton/Hawkeye. He was great in the minutes that he got to portray his character. Tom Hiddleston played the role of Loki. He amazing in this role. He created the ideal portrait of a villain, but still held true to his former character. Alexis Denisof played the role of the Other. His role was simple, the go between for Loki and the Chitauri soldiers. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! All in all it is good film that audiences can easily enjoy. It remains true to favorite characters.

Answer to last blog: Writer/Director Joss Whedon and writer/director Drew Goddard worked together on the television show Buffy the Vampire Slayer, as well as the Cabin in the Woods.

Que: Who perviously played the role of the Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk in The Incredible Hulk? 

Bill Bixby
Mark Ruffalo
Eric Bana
Edward Norton

The Cabin in the Woods

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This film follows the story of five friends who are drawn to a cabin in the woods for the weekend, and the story of the workers who are controlling them. The five friends stumble upon a strange basement full of strange mystical items. Those who are controlling them are facing a crisis in their sacrifice to ancient gods. 

Okay, what the fuck... at first watch-without any expectations of what film is-what the fuck? The commercials hinted at some humour, but mainly made it out to be a horror slasher style film. In reality, this is more a satire on the world of horror like the Evil Dead, Shaun of the Dead, or Zombieland. Anyway, this film was directed by Drew Goddard, who also co-wrote this film with Joss Whedon. This is Drew's first film to direct, and it wasn't a horrible venture. The pace is frequently ruined running between the two stories. When you get into a built up tension mode with the five friends then its instantly switched to the office workers. It gives the film create comedy but completely destroys the horror feel of the film. This film will also tell you how conservative your town is... in my town you must be 21 to see it, and I know why. The ending is a complete gorefest; think of it as a thousand ways to die horrifically. This film uses them all comedically. There was a lot of special effects for this film that was amazingly well done. It might've been somewhat over the top, but well done. I think many horror fans enjoy this film because of its comedy, and its references to other popular horror films. This film will also entertain other audiences who are just looking for a good time. 

The actors worked great together. It was also nice to see familiar faces among the actors-if you know Joss Whedon that is. The surprise guest was slightly shocking, but great to see. Kristen Connolly played the role of Dana. She was good in her role of playing the highly innocent virgin who survives hell. She gave the film its heart. Fran Kranz played the role of Marty. He was great at playing the stoner. He gave the five friends their comedy, and quickly become the best character. Chris Hemsworth played the role of Curt. Thor was good was playing the jock (he's known for the role now). He created a very different persona which is great and rarely seen. Anna Hutchinson played the role of Jules. She was good playing the role of the slut. She didn't get much chance to do more to her role. Jesse Williams played the role of Holden. He was good, but failed to stand out too much. Richard Jenkins played the role of Sitterson. He was good in his role. He gave his character comedy and a kind of intelligence. Bradley Whitford played the role of Hadley. He was pure comedy for the film. I also loved his ironic death. Brian White and Amy Ackner played the roles of Truman and Lin. They were good in there small roles. They added some humanization to the film. Jodelle Ferland played the role of Patience Buckner. She was great at portraying the monster zombie girl, as she generally is. Even if she's hard to recognize at first, a lot of horror fans will remember her. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It's a great mix of gore and comedy. It's something that a lot of people are going to enjoy (if they can watch it). 

Answer to last blog: Director James McTeigue is known for directing the film V for Vendetta (and the Raven). 

Que: What other project has writers/directors Drew Goddard and Joss Whedon worked together on?

Buffy the Vampire Slayer

Serenity

Cloverfield

Dollhouse

The Raven

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This film follow the mysterious last few days of Edgar Allen Poe's life. A grisly murder is investigated by detective Fields. He discovers that the murder is based on a story written by Poe. He uses him to gain further insight into the murder. Poe begins to help in solving the crime, but quickly finds that he is the target of the deranged madman. 

This film was directed by James McTeigue. First off, this isn't a film for children. There isn't any sex, but there is plenty of gore. This is meant to be based off Poe's works with some twists integrated. That also means that the film's story is told as if it was a Poe tale. The story has a lot of meaning to it, and it works for most of the film. However, the ending gets hindered by this. Written, the ending is highly powerful and very moving, but, in movie form, it fails to give off the full impact that was intended. It drops its dramatic tension and its pace. The story also failed to give a terrifying villain. His character has build up, but in the end he's turned into some pathetic fanboy. The story did create a great mystery. Also, the ending credits took it over the edge. It seems to be a new thing among filmmakers to create these over the top credit sequences, but it doesn't always work for films. As cool as it was, it just left the film with a strange techno vibe. The gore was good even if it was slightly overdone. It gave the film a more horror than thriller fill. There isn't a lot of action, but the small amount of action was good. It suited the film's needs rather than it being the other way around. I'm glad they kept moderately true to Poe, his world, and his stories. Having them mixed together is being done a lot now, but it still creates a good story. 

The actors worked good together in creating this very dark world. John Cusack played the role of Edgar Allen Poe. He was good in this role keeping the emotion in his eyes and his outbursts. Luke Evans played the role of detective Fields. He was great in this role. He gave his character that detective feel and kept humanity to the film. Alice Eve played the role of Emily Hamilton. She was good at playing the damsel, but her character was limited to only being a damsel. Brendan Gleeson played the role of Captain Hamilton. He was good at playing the protective father for Emily Hamilton. He does allow his character to grow during the course of the film which worked great for the film's story. Kevin McNally played the role of Maddux. He was good at his small role. He gave Poe a more humanizing appearance, and gave the film some gentleness. Sam Hazeldine played the role of Ivan. He was okay in his role, but he could've done more to stand out amongst the rest of the cast. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! The ending does hurt the film's pace, but I feel the symbolic impact makes up for it. The mystery in the story is riveting enough to carry it through-which isn't seen too much anymore.

Answer to last blog: Actress Freida Pinto is also known for her role in Planet of the Apes (as well as Miral).

Que: What other film is director James McTeigue known for?

Elektra
Constantine
V for Vendetta
Sherlock Holmes