The Master (2012)

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Freddie Quell, a World War II veteran, struggles to adjust to a post-war society. Through chance, he meets Lancaster Dodd, known as the Master, aboard a ship bound for New York. Lancaster Dodd is the head of a religious organization known as The Cause. Dodd, discovers something in Quell and takes a liking to him.

This film was directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. For audiences who know, and fully enjoy, Anderson's work this will be no exception. This film touches on several hot button issues within people and character relationships. However, the story itself remains obscured in strange semantics.It has a complex way of explaining how a highly dysfunctional veteran finds something hopeful in a cult organization.The film ends with no clear resolution, because the characters remain unresolved. Making this film a highly character driven story.The cinematography is amazing in this film. It used to amplify a character's unknown inhibitions. This film is purposefully made jagged to expose an unspoken chaos lurking in the shadows. Even if the story is lacking the acting more than makes up for it. Joaquin Phoenix played the role of Freddie Quell. He was amazing in this role. Both physically and verbally he was this distasteful character. Philip Seymour Hoffman played the role of Lancaster Dodd. He was a great contrast to Phoenix. Both actors created different forms of chaos.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! Through its lacking story there is great acting and impressive cinematography.

Answer to last blog: Actor Adam Beach, Smoke Signals, starred in the film Cowboys and Aliens.

Que: What other film has director Paul Thomas Anderson directed?

Boogie Nights
Good Will Hunting
Alien Resurrection
Life is Beautiful

Smoke Signals

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This film is based on the short story "This Is What It Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona" from the book Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven written by Sherman Alexie. Victor Joseph is a young Indian man who finds himself needing to travel to Phoenix, Arizona after his father's death. Thomas, another Indian man from his tribe, offers a deal for Victor. He will pay for Victor's trip only if he can tag along.

This film was directed by Chris Eyre. This film thrives off its simplicity. The story has has several moments of unexpected humor. It also has a very meaningful story about the relationships of father and son. However,this film is highly bogged down with stereotyped references and unnecessary messages of the  Native American plight.The story does present how separate the Native American culture is from the rest of the world. It is also confusing on how much of this story is meant to be humor and how much is meant to be drama. Adam Beach played the role of Victor Joseph. He was great in his role. So much of his character is revealed during the film, and he keeps his performance true. Evan Adams played the role of Thomas Builds-the-Fire.He was great opposing Beach. He was also the only source of real comedy in this film. Irene Bedard played the role of Suzy Song. Naturally, she was great in her role. I would much enjoy to see her branch out as an actress, and perform non-specific Native American roles.

I give this film 2 out of 5 stars! It's story has so much potential, but it gets too bogged down by its own stereotypes. 

Answer to last blog: Director Shawn Levy, The Internship, directed the film Date Night.

Que: What other film has Adam Beach starred in?

The New World
Cowboys and Aliens
Dances with Wolves
Edge of America

The Internship

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Two salesmen, Billy McMahon and Nick Campbell, learn that the company they work for has folded due to the digital age. Desperately in search of a job, they decide to try an internship with Google. There they must compete against tech-savvy genius' for an opportunity at employment.

This film was directed by Shawn Levy. This film has a story with heart, and ideas of finding a well paying job, and Google. This film spends a lot of time showing how great Google is to work for, and how much fun it is. This makes it feel a lot like a commercial for Google. I doubt that everyone working at Google is a nerd and is a minor. The feeling of everyone being a minor is over played by 80's references and every modern nerd reference out there. The story relies a lot of the actor's interactions, but fails to pull them out of strange ramblings. There is adult humor in this film. The comedy is good for a few chuckles, but there are no moments of robust laughter. I doubt this film would have benefited if it was created in a different time. Vince Vaughn played the role of Billy McMahon. He was good at playing a familiar role.He was likable on screen, but spent too much time rambling. Owen Wilson played the role of Nick Campbell. He was also good at playing a very familiar role.He created a character full of hope, but spent a lot of time keeping up with Vaughn. 

I give this film 2 out of 5 stars! It has the makings of a great comedy, but its formulated script hinders it from being funny.

Answer to last blog: Voice actor Ken Page, The Nightmare Before Christmas, starred in the film All Dogs Go to Heaven.

Que: What other film has Shawn Levy directed?

Date Night
Kick-Ass
Scott Pilgrim vs. the World
Due Date

(Tim Burton's) The Nightmare Before Christmas

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Jack Skellington, a being from Halloween Town, discovers a portal in the forest that teleports him to Christmas Town. He discovers a new purpose. He decides to take over Christmas in hopes of understanding this festive holiday. 

This film was directed by Henry Selick, and was written and produced by Tim Burton. This animated feature is a non-stop animation that is not commonly seen in modern films. This film has a very original story and visual concept.The visual concept provides a great form of expressionism. Sadly, the style is no longer considered original even if only one person creates it. This film's story is filled with laughs, memorable songs, love and discovery, and minor adult humor. It can been seen as macabre at moments, but never in a bad way. It also changed the image of animation making it enjoyable to children and adults.The story also recreated the image of the popular holidays Halloween and Christmas.The story has been compared as a parallel to Dr. Seuss how the Grinch Stole Christmas.It also provided a new image to Disney. The film is a modern cult classic with people obsessing over its characters. Strangely, this film's character Oogie Boogie was considered racist by the Nation Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Chris Sarandon provided the voices for Jack Skellington. He created a very memorable character. He kept this character scary while giving him plenty of heart, and the curiosity of a child. Catherine O'Hara provided the voice for Sally and Shock. She did great in creating a character that would be Sarandon's conscious. Ken Page provided the voice for Oogie Boogie. He was amazing has the villain who opposed Saradon. He made this film silk instead of just destructive.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! A great film for family and for the holidays. 

Answer to last blog: Actor Orson Bean voice the character Bilbo Baggins in the 1977 animated film The Hobbit.

Que:What other animated film did Ken Page lend his voice to?

Thumbelina
All Dogs Go to Heaven
Anastasia
Rock-A-Doodle

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

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This film is based off the novel, The Hobbit, written by J.R.R. Tolkien, and is the second part to The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and is a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Bilbo Baggins continues his quest with Thorin Oakenshield, and his group of Dwarves, to reclaim Erebor from Smaug (a terrifying dragon). Gandalf the Grey, begins unraveling the mysteries of the dark forces arising.

This film was directed by Peter Jackson. This film is 161 minutes, making it only a few minutes shorter than its predecessor. This fantasy adventure film continues the familiar tale with some new additions. It has added much more of Gandalf's doings away from the dwarves, and brought some new information to the rise of Sauron. It has also added an unexpected love triangle into the story. Unfortunately, these changes weren't needed particularity to hard core fans of the series. The rise of Sauron only makes it feel more like a prologue than the original it was meant to be, and the love story is more to keep younger audiences interested. The story is great to watch unfold. Despite what is believed, Bilbo isn't really captured like the dwarves area. The return of the old character, Legolas (Orlando Bloom), brings with it a lot of reminders of the Lord of the Rings. However, the story is not as solemn as the Lord of the Rings franchise, because it does keep that childlike nature the novel had. This film also has less traveling and instead fills the time with more action sequences. It also leaves audiences with the promise of much more action to come. It does lose some of its childlike nature in furthering its grandeur of the world. I did not view it in 3-D, and it still looked amazing on screen. The computer animation for the creature creations was impressive, and Smaug was marvelous on screen. There isn't a lot of violence in this film, but it does hit some dark notes. 

Martin Freeman returned to his role of Bilbo Baggins. He recreated the image of  Bilbo in this sequel. In this film he is more courageous. It also become apparent that dark forces are beginning to change him. Richard Armitage returned to his role as Thorin Oakenshield. He was great in creating the stubborn dwarf king. Benedict Cumberbatch voiced the characters Smaug and the Necromancer.He was amazing in this vocal role. He brought an unexpected sophisticated personality to the role. This transformed the dragon into a character and not just a monster. Luke Evans played the role of Bard. He was good at establishing his character. Evangeline Lily played the role of Tauriel. She was great in creating a new female face to the popular elf race. Ian McKellen returned to his role as Gandalf the Grey. He gave his character a very new image. This film makes him appear as more of a soldier than the wise face of a protector.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It is a great sequel to the franchise. It is filled with more action, and presents some unique creatures into the series.

Answer to last blog: Actress Melissa McCarthy, The Heat, starred in the film The Back-Up Plan.

Que: Who was the original voice of Bilbo Baggins in the 1977 animated film The Hobbit?

Sean Bean

Noah Bean

Orson Bean

Richard Boone

The Heat

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Ashburn is an uptight FBI agent searching for a promotion. Ashburn is sent to Boston to track down a ruthless drug lord. Asburn finds herself paired with a foul mouthed cop named Mullins. Together, they fight to protect the streets of Boston.

This film was directed by Paul Feig. This film takes buddy cop films had applies a female perspective on it. This film brings a couple of female comedians and places them in a male dominated world of cinema, and parody's it well. It's sometimes raunchy jokes make it suitable to oppose recent comedy films. Naturally, this film isn't suitable for younger audiences, and some male audiences. A lot of the jokes are relate-able to female audiences. They also parody buddy cop films. This film isn't action packed, but there is enough violence to make up for it. Sandra Bullock played the role of Ashburn. She is good, but her usual uptight role comes off as strange. The more her character opens up, the more approachable she is. Melissa McCarthy played the role of Mullins.She was great in her role, but she does highly outshine Bullock.However, she is highly over the top.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a good female buddy cop film with plenty of violence and humor. However, the characters don't feel too approachable.

Answer to last blog: Actor Henry Winkler, Here Comes the Boom, starred in the television show Happy Days.

Que: What film has actress Melissa McCarthy starred in?

Kick-Ass

The Back-Up Plan

The Other Guys
Due Date

Here Comes the Boom

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Scott Voss is a teacher that decides to try and find a way to help Marty Streb from losing his job as the music teacher. To raise money for the school's music program, Voss decides to become a cage fighter in hopes of raising enough to keep the music program active.

This film was directed by Frank Coraci. This is a great sport's comedy film that plays off real world problems like schools failing and fear in the economy. It is also full of heart and comedy. The comedy isn't like most modern comedies. It reminisces of classic 90's comedy films that focus more on story than on the corny jokes. This film is also suitable for the family with the exception of fighting violence. The unique part of the story is that all the action is true to form. There are some obvious taking punches, but all the techniques used were realistic. The fighting also helps to tell the story. Kevin James played the role of Scott Voss. He was great in creating this heartfelt character. He created a character that people could root for and feel sympathetic to. Henry Winkler played the role of Marty Streb.He was hilarious in his role, as usual. This role is familiar, but offers the film most of its laughs. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It is a great sport's comedy film with heart.

Answer to last blog: Voice actress Idina Menzel, Frozen, starred in the Disney film Enchanted.

Que: What television show has actor Henry Winkler stared in?

The Mary Tyler Moore Show

The Carol Burnett Show

Sanford and Son

Happy Days

Frozen (2013)

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This film is loosely based on Hans Christian Andersen's story The Snow Queen. Elsa was born with the ability to create ice and freeze the world around her. After endangering her sister, Anna, Elsa tries to hide her abilities from Anna and the world. Thirteen years later, at Elsa's coronation her powers are revealed and she runs trapping Arendelle in an eternal winter. Her brave optimistic sister, Anna, travels to help her sister end Arendelle's eternal winter.

This film was directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. This film was originally meant to be a hand drawn animation, but it instead turned to animation. The possible end of hand drawn animation does have one advantage; an easier effort into 3D animation. I did not get a chance to see it in 3D, but it is easy to see how beautiful it would have been. The animation and the story is familiar to classic Disney films. The story is very heartfelt and has some twists in their original formula. The middle is kind of long moment of character jokes that allows for character development. It takes a long time to come to its rapid conclusion. The conclusion falls into an obvious fall of predictability. The animation was well done. The animated backdrops are fascinating to witness. This film also boasts the best musical songs in an modern animated film. Have fun trying to find the hidden easter eggs in the film. Kristen Bell voiced the character Anna. She was great playing the optimistic and innocent princess. Her character was highly predictable but lovable. Idina Menzel voiced the character Elsa. She created a very new image for the queen. She remained innocent but realistic.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It is a great animated film and a new disney classic. It is highly predictable, but the story offers enough twists to keep it interesting.

Answer to last blog: Nick Frost, The World's End, starred in the film The Adventures of Tintin.

Que: What other disney film did voice actress Idina Menzel star in?

Tangled

The Princess and the Frog

Oz the Great and Powerful

Enchanted

The World's End

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This film is the last of the Three Flavours Cornetto Trilogy (Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy or the Cornetto Trilogy). Gary King brings his four friends back to their hometown, after 20 years, to finish their epic pub crawl. However, this leads them into becoming mankind's last hope for survival.

This film was directed by Edgar Wright. This film is an opposite to Hot Fuzz. This changes it from the original formula to keep it fresh. This film maintains the heart and brain that audiences have come to love from Pegg, Frost, and Wright. The story is fitting to a group of men who get spend the night getting drunk and lose all inhibitions. At first the robots seem out place, but by the end of the film you just roll with it. The ending was unexpected but funny. The image of the robots were effective. It is unfortunate that you never see the actual aliens apart from the ominous light. Simon Pegg played the role of Gary King. He was surprisingly great in this reversal role. He did well playing the lovable screw up. Nick Frost played the role of Andy Knightly. He was great being the straight laced character who eventually loses control. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! This is a great comedic film. It might not compare to the other previous films, but it does hold its own.

Answer to last blog: Director Joshua Michael Stern, Jobs, directed the film Swing Vote.

Que: What other film has actor Nick Frost starred in?

The Invention of Lying
The Adventures of Tintin
Ghost Town
Run Fatboy Run

Jobs

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This film is an biopic film based on the life of Steve Jobs. It follows Jobs from his ascension from being a college drop out to a revered 20th century entrepreneur. 

This film was directed by Joshua Michael Stern. This film follows the general biographical archetype of someone rising to success, failing, and then rediscovering that success. This film doesn't glorify his personality or his life story. It does however, keep an accurate portrayal of Jobs. There are no deeper meanings in this story other than to never be afraid to stand out. It is unfortunate that the film doesn't play a little more off emotional detail that could explain how Jobs changed. There also is very little explanation as to the other people in Jobs' life and why they were important. Fans of Jobs' achievements, and those curious about his life, will find this a unique look into his life. Ashton Kutcher played the role of Steve Jobs. He was great in his role. He created the image of Jobs even if it wasn't wholly positive. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! The lack of connection to the film makes it a downfall. It is great for an overlook into Jobs' life and a look into his innovation.

Answer to last blog: Actress Brittany Snow, Pitch Perfect, starred in the film John Tucker Must Die.

Que: What other film has director Joshua Michael Stern directed?

In Bruges
Frost/Nixon
Swing Vote
Cloverfield

Pitch Perfect

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This film is loosely based off a non-fiction novel Pitch Perfect: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory written by Mickey Rapkin. Beca, a freshman at Barden University, decides to join the Bellas. The Bellas are an all girl singing group that competes against other groups including the male group from their university. Beca brings some much needed changes to make her group win.

This film was directed by Jason Moore. This film story is a parody of musical competitions. It follows a familiar story plot; the outcast decides to join a strange group and in the end changes years of tradition and discovers herself. However, what makes this film original is its humor. Interestingly enough, a lot of these film perform comedy mainly seen by men and make it work. Each of the girls have a different comedy style making their characters stand out on screen. Naturally, films like this are highly predictable. There is also some mild adult humor, but nothing too over the top. The film also take popular music and revisions it like most other recent musical films do. The cast worked really well together-playing off each other's comedic style. Anna Kendrick played the role of Beca. She was great creating a very familiar role. She was able to showcase her musical and acting talent as a leading role. Skylar Astin played the role of Jesse. He was good in his role, but did not really stand out from the female cast. Brittany Snow played the role of Chloe. She was good creating a character to oppose Kendrick. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a great musical parody film, but it plays off very familiar groundings.

Answer to last blog: Director Francis Lawrence, Hunger Games: Catching Fire, directed the film I Am Legend.

Que: What other film has actress Brittany Snow starred in?

John Tucker Must Die
The Prestige
Little Miss Sunshine
The Hills Have Eyes

Hunger Games: Catching Fire

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This film is based of the second novel, of the same name, in the Hunger Games Trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, and is a sequel to the film The Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen finds herself a target by President Snow after winning the 74th Hunger Games by keeping herself and Peeta Mellark alive when only one should have lived. This has caused a violent rebellion within the 12 districts of Panem. Despite all their efforts, Katniss and Peeta find themselves becoming contestants in the 75th Hunger Games Quarter Quell. 

This film was directed by Francis Lawrence. This film took the complications from its predecessor and improved them. Luckily, it holds true to the novel with minor variations. The direction in the story is much smoother and opens the story more. This deeper look into the character subtle behavior and the world in which live also allows the story to explore deeper into its political themes. It also uses subtle direction to open the film's story for its future plot. That being said this film also has a much darker story only to get darker. There is more violence in this film that it might not be appropriate for all children. The cinematography was great in this film. It gave enough room to keep a twist in the film. The computer animation on this film was great. It was used to give some effect to some of the terrors in the arena. The backdrops were great on film. It gave the impression that you never really knew where you were going to end up. The great acting allowed them to create amazing neurotic characters. Jennifer Lawrence returned to the role of Katniss Everdeen. She was great returning to this familiar role, and managed to keep true to the story character. She kept all of her characters emotions on a subtle note, but still made her feel important. Josh Hutcherson returned to the role of Peeta Mellark. He was much better returning to his role. He brought more life to his character.

I give this role 5 out of 5 stars! Even if this film may be inappropriate for the age group its marketing for, it is a great science fiction film. Its adult themes work well in this setting. 

Answer to last blog: Actor Michael Nyqvist, Europa Report, starred in the foreign film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.

Que: What other film has director Francis Lawrence directed?

I Am Legend
Juno
Enchanted
Atonement

Europa Report

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Through found footage, this tells the story of the Europa crew. They flew into deep space to recover samples from Europa, one of Jupiter's moons. The belief is that water is just below its icy surface, and possibly other forms of life. 

This film was directed by Sebastian Cordero. This modern science fiction, found footage, film plays on a very familiar storyline. Explorers go into space and encounter something unexpected. However, this film does feel more honest scientifically. The story actually uses found footage to add to the suspensefulness of the film. It also feels more like a documentary with inserted interviews and news reports. This makes it more sympathetic and almost more realistic. There is a lot kept hidden from view, such as the creatures themselves. The frozen moon itself is only briefly glimpsed. The cast was great, but not much was created for the personalities. Anamaria Marinca played the role of Rosa Dasque. She was great in her compelling role. Her desperation brought suspense to the film. Michael Nyqvist played the role of Andrei Blok. His emotions gave the film its sympathetic edge.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! This is one of the best found footage films I've seen recently. It keeps enough in the dark to keep it suspenseful. It just needed a little story for the characters.

Answer to last blog: Actress Vera Farmiga, The Conjuring, starred in the film Source Code.

Que: What other film has actor Michael Nyqvist star in?

Revanche
Seraphine
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Coco Before Chanel

The Conjuring

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This film is based off the lives of Ed and Lorraine Warren. Ed and Lorraine Warren, husband and wife, are paranormal investigators that research various cases and study them. Lorraine is a powerful psychic and Ed captures the facts as proof. In 1971 Carolyn Perron, and her family, are being haunted after moving into an old house in Harrisville, Rhode Island, by a demonic spirit. Carolyn requests assistance from Lorraine and Ed to stop this entity before it uses her to murder her family. 

This film was directed by James Wan. This film is made to be a real life case study that was kept hidden away. This film plays a lot on cases proclaimed by the Warrens. This is roughly the third film created about their case studies, and it won't be the last. However, like their cases everything is about the ghost entity is in some aspect demonic. Everything about the film is highly familiar to other supernatural films like The Exorcist, Poltergeist, and The Amityville Horror. This makes the film very predictable. The story plays heavily on the emotions that the cast presents. The film does a great job at presenting the two different stories of each of the families, but not as great in combining them. There is a loose connection using a doll that feels pointless after a while-even if it is really creepy. However, this film does offer a new perspective on supernatural films. It offers an explanation and a clear solution. Even with all its familiarity, this film uses old school techniques and minimal special effects to create a creepy and sentimental experience. The story is also highly left open for many potential sequels (which is intended). Vera Farmiga played the role of Lorraine Warren. The sympathetic emotions she brought to the role made the character believable. Patrick Wilson played the role of Ed Warren. He was good in his role. He gave a realistic approach to the character and to the story. Lili Taylor played the role of Carolyn Perron. She played the very familiar role of the tormented victim. Unfortunately, she wasn't able to provide anything new or different for the film.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a good thriller film, but it doesn't offer anything new to the genre. The predictability of the film isn't hindered by too much computer animation.

Answer to last blog: Actress Fiona Douriff, Curse of Chucky, starred in the film The Master.

Que: What other film has actress Vera Farmiga starred in?

The Tree of Life
The Descendants
Shame
Source Code

Curse of Chucky (2013)

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This film is based off the Chucky character created by Don Mancini, and is the sixth sequel to the Child's Play franchise. Nica, a paraplegic living with her mother, gets an unexpected surprise when a strange good guy doll is shipped to their house. After her mother's death, Nica begins to suspect that Chucky, the good guy doll, is the culprit behind the murder. Her remaining family is left vulnerable to his bloody chaos when they fail to believe her. 

This film was written and directed by Don Mancini. This film turns away from the recent comedic outlook on the Child's Play franchise and instead returns to its classic horror roots. It is also made to re-ignite the 80's franchise for modern audiences. The story is not unique because audiences already know the who-done-it, and the goal of the Chucky doll. The horror of the story is different because it doesn't follow a child, or young adults. However, the ending is very surprising because it keeps up to date with the previous films and brings a new change to the franchise. The ending reminds audiences that this is as much a sequel as a reboot. The only bad part is that the characters are very predictable. There are a lot of good moderate jump scares. Some of the death sequences are gorier. There are also plenty of hints of sexuality in the film, but its not over done. The acting was great for this film. It was a treat to watch father and daughter working together. Fiona Dourif played the role of Nica. She was great working alongside her father. She brought innocence and strength to the film. It'd be great to see her in future Child's Play films. Summer H. Howell, Summer Howell, played the role of Alice. She is great in her very limited role. It is unfortunate that she wasn't used more in the film. Brad Dourif was the voice of Chucky. As always, he is great in this role. He brings life to an unusual character. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a great B grade horror film for the fans of the classic films. It may not bring in new audiences, but it is good for laughs and scares.

Answer to last blog: Richard Brooks directed the 1967 film In Cold Blood which was based off Truman Capote's novel.

Que: What other film has Fiona Dourif starred in?

Argo
Lincoln
The Master
Holy Motors

Capote (2005)

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This is a biographical film about Truman Capote, and the events that followed while the novel In Cold Blood. In Cold Blood is a non-fiction novel about the murders of the Clutter family in Kansas. 

This film was directed by Bennett Miller. This film has won countless awards namly for its acting. The story of this film is unique in that as it follows Capote's story and the creation of In Cold Blood, it also briefly follows the criminals Perry Smith and Richard "Dick Hickock. This film's story shows the struggle Capote went through while creating this story. It also shows the unusual relationship he made with the criminals. The ending leaves a question of Capote's true inner nature. The story of the film is slow and relies purely on the actors ability. The simple cinematography keeps to the dark nature of the characters. Philip Seymour Hoffman played the role of Truman Capote. He created a highly charismatic character that is haunted by his past, and whose current motives are unknown. Catherine Keener played the role of Nelle Harper Lee. She was great playing the role of Capote's understandable friend. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It is a great dramatic biographical film about Truman Capote and the novel In Cold Blood.

Answer to last blog: Actress Portia Doubleday, Carrie, starred in the film Youth in Revolt.

Que: Who directed the 1967 film In Cold Blood, based off the novel written by Capote?

Richard Brooks
Stanley Kubrick
Arthur Penn
Stanley Kramer

Carrie (2013)

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This film is based off the novel, of the same title, written by Stephen King and is one of many adaptations of the story. Carrie White, a shy outcast teenage girl, lives with her insane and bible crazy mother Margaret White. After finding herself pushed too far at prom, she unleashes her telekinetic abilities on unsuspecting classmates. 

This film was directed by Kimberly Peirce. This is pretty much a remake of the classic 1976 film. Having a female audiences does make this film feel more personal to the dilemmas of modern teenage girls. This film keeps it familiar without making it too stylish for modern audiences. It does, however, modernize it enough to keep it interesting. There was a lot that was strange in the original, because it was new. This film takes all of those quirks and makes them feel more appropriate for the characters. The film can feel slow to a lot of modern audiences, but this makes it more exciting. There isn't as much tension to add to the horror of the film mainly because its already been seen. To make it horror, it uses more violence during the end. It also adds more to established characters-even if at times it is a bit too much. Unfortunately, there is no real development of Carrie's powers. She just has them. Chloe Grace Moretz played the role of Carrie White. Moretz was great in this role. She opened her acting talents to evoke images of a troubled teenager. Julianne Moore played the role of Margaret White. Moore was amazing in this role. She really opened this character to the insanity just lurking below. But, this film does spend more time showing her psychological problems and doesn't present much of her bible fanaticism. Portia Doubleday played the role of Chris Hargensen. She was good in her role even if went a bit too dark side with it. Gabriella Wilde played the role of Sue Snell. Wilde brought an conflicted innocence to the film. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a great remake with more violence. It doesn't have much horrific tension to make it terrifying or impactful.

Answer to last blog: Actor Christopher Eccleston, Thor: The Dark World, starred in the popular British television show Doctor Who.

Que: What other film has Portia Doubleday starred in?

The Hurt Locker
Up in the Air
(500) Days of Summer
Youth in Revolt

Thor: The Dark World

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This is based off the character Thor created by Marvel Comics, and is a sequel to Thor and, in part, The Avengers. Jane Foster discovers the Aether, a force that the dark elf Malekith wants to use to destroy all nine realms and bring back eternal darkness. Malekith's forces prove too challenging for Asgard and Odin. Thor finds himself forced to reunite with his criminal brother Loki to save the life of the woman he loves.

This film was directed by Alan Taylor. This film continues a familiar and popular comic story. This film does have a similiar to its predecessor, defeat what is threatening the galaxy, only on a much larger scale. This film has much more to build on than its predecessors. The world of Asgard is established, the characters have been developed in two films, and the love story has been created. So, this film was able to build on the established parts with more fast action and more humor. It keeps a story by adding more to the romance and creating a plot for a future film. The characters humor and heroics give the film a more humbling realism with otherworldly backdrops. There is a lot of computer animation for the fight sequences and for the backgrounds. Both are highly effective for the film. The action is great to watch on screen. For marvel fans, there are actually two after the ending features setting up for future films. The bonds the cast have developed helped bring an exciting energy to the film. Chris Hemsworth returned to his role of Thor. He did great returning to his heroic role. He brought more emotion and maturity to the character. Tom Hiddleston returned to his role of Loki. He was amazing in his role providing dark humor to the film. Christopher Eccleston played the role of Malekith. He was good in his villain role. As a new villain in an established franchise it feels odd that he appeared out of no where. But the film manages to explain enough that he still feels important. Natalie Portman played the role of Jane Foster. She was good in her returning role. A bit more could have been done to make her character more than just the damsel. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! This had a great returning cast in this franchise film. It adds more action and more humor to an established story.

Answer to last blog: Actor Nicolas Cage, The Croods, lent his voice talents to the film Astro Boy.

Que: What popular British television show did actor Christopher Eccleston star in?

Sherlock

Doctor Who

Downtown Abbey

Being Human

The Croods

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During the Pliocene era, Eep is plagued by the curse of curiosity. Eep meets Guy and is full of curiosity about this strange boy. After her, and her families, cave is destroyed their hopes rely on Guy's unique ideas. But, they quickly discover that their dreams may rest on the actions of the father, Grug.

This film was directed by Kirk De Micco and Chris Sanders. This film takes a creative look at the cavemen and the evolution of Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals as two separate species, and their very different methods of survival. Unfortunately, it is mainly compared to Pixar films and the animated television show The Flintstones. This film was made to be cheesy and adorable so it could apply to children. This film's story wasn't meant to be an emotionally driven fairy tale. The story does keep to the cliched family comedies, and overuses very cheesy jokes making it highly predictable and a simple story. However cheesy the jokes are they work on cue to make audience's laugh. It also stresses the importance of family and survival can only happen together. It is enjoyable to watch the families reactions to new inventions like cavemen would have done. I am glad that this film didn't make the cavemen more likable by losing the cavemen behavior. It is a fast paced adventure full of action. It is also visually imaginative with animals and backgrounds alike. This film does offer an impressive cast of voice actors. Emma Stone voiced the character Eep. She brought an impressive energy to this character. Ryan Reynolds voiced the character Guy. He was great creating an opposing calming energy to Stone's character. Nicolas Cage voiced the character Grug. He had the worst lines in the film that made his character lovable. 

I give this film-Dun Dun Dunnn-5 out of 5 stars! It is a great family animated film. It is full of cheesy humor and follows the simplistic story guidelines.

Answer to last blog: Actor Rick Yune, Olympus Has Fallen, starred in the film Die Another Die.

Que: What other film did actor Nicolas Cage lend his voice talents to?

Astro Boy

Fantastic Mr. Fox

Monsters vs. Aliens

Coraline

Olympus Has Fallen

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Disgraced presidential guard, Mike Banning, decides to fight the North Korean forces that have destroyed the white house and threaten the president. Mike, using the inside knowledge of the white house, is able to fight against the terrorist Kang.

This film was directed by Antoine Fuqua. This is purely made for action junkies. It also plays with the recent fears of terrorist attacks. The story is told through its smooth fast paced action. Its simple plot consists of Mike Banning has to work fast to rescue the president, the president's son, and other members of government from being held captive. It doesn't bring anything new to the action except for the location. This film is centered entirely around and within the white house. This film is very predictable and cliched to make America look great and foreign countries look bad. There is also a feeling that this film goes through an entire country of stunt men/women. The action is all quick and effective. There are also several well placed explosions. There is talks of a sequel in the making with a very new location-London. Gerard Butler played the role of Mike Banning. He played the average good American Soldier role. Aaron Eckhart played the role of President Benjamin Asher. He played the average role of the good hearted president. Rick Yune played the role of Kang. He made the perfect villain for this film. He was driven purely by a plan and his morales. 

I give this 3 out of 5 stars! Apart from being predictable, and cliched, it is a great action film.

Answer to last blog: Actor Max Burkholder, The Purge, lent his voice talents to the animated show Family Guy.

Que: What other film has actor Rick Yune starred in?

Casino Royale
Die Another Day
GoldenEye
Quantum of Solace

The Purge

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In the future, every year, America face a 12 hour period known as the Purge. All emergency services are unavailable during this time. All crime, including murder, is legal with no repercussions. This was established by the new founding fathers to lower the general crime rate in America. The Sandin's, a wealthy family living in the suburbs, find themselves being held captive after rescuing a bloody stranger. However, there 12 hour night is only beginning.

This film was written and directed by James DeMonaco. This film is a unique story about modern American's recent fascination with violence, and the need to release this violence. Like with any other tradition, there are several rules involved with this night. Certain weapons are not allowed, and anyone truly important is not to be harmed. It's violent themes also dance around poverty and wealth. The poor are often the victims because of their inability to protect themselves. With all of these films political themes, it does not spend anytime building on the hinted political views. Since this film takes place in the moderate future, it is considered a horror and science fiction thriller. In truth there really isn't anything about it that makes it science fiction worthy. The horror aspect in this film is good, but it is limited due to lack of real tension. As a thriller, it works well. There a lot of cliches in this film; like only the truly innocent can survive. There is also little character development other than the obvious. The villains remain fairly familiar to fans of the slasher genre. Interestingly, there are plans for a sequel. Ethan Hawke played the role of James Sandin. He did great creating the average view of the good natured American father. He doesn't do much to make his character stand out apart from the norm. Lena Headey played the role of Mary Sandin. She was great in her role. She started out predictable, but managed to give it a slight change in the end. It is good to see her in a non-queen role. Max Burkholder played the role of Charlie Sandin. He was good in his familiar of the son. Adelaide Kane played the role of Zoey Sandin. She was good, but not great. Her character didn't offer much to the film other than being an easy victim.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a good thriller film with a great original idea. However, it fails to truly build on its ideas past film cliches.

Answer to last blog: Actor Will Ferrell, Everything Must Go, starred in the dramatic film Stranger Than Fiction.

Que: What animated film has actor Max Burkholder lent his voice talents to?

South Park

The Simpsons

Bob's Burgers

Family Guy

Everything Must Go

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This film is based off the short story Why Don't You Dance? written by Raymond Carver. Nick Halsey, relapses into alcoholism and in the process loses everything. His wife leaves all his possessions on the front lawn, after locking him out of the house. Nick, to remain on the property, is forced to sell his possessions in a yard sale. A few of his neighbors, and old friends, are key to his rehabilitation. 

This film was written and directed by Dan Rush. This is Rush's first directorial film. The story for this film is slow to develop, and revolves generally around learning more about the main character Nick Halsey as he discovers more about himself. It does manage to avoid using common place cliches. It also shows the simplicity of being able to read and understand people, and finding out that you could be wrong. Ending on a hopeful note keeps it from being too dreary. This film relies on the characters to tell the story, so there isn't much dramatic push. There also isn't a lot of violence. There are hints of sexuality but nothing too extreme. Will Ferrell plays the role of Nick Halsey. Ferrell has two acting roles, comedic and dramatic. Dramatic, that is used in this film, is full drain of his over the top personality. It works well for the slow pace of this film. 

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a good dramatic film with a happy ending that audiences can enjoy.

Answer to last blog: Director Larysa Kondracki, The Whistleblower, directed episodes from the British television show Copper.

Que: What other dramatic film has actor Will Ferrell starred in?

The Departed
The Queen
Stranger Than Fiction
Dreamgirls

The Whistleblower (2010)

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This film was inspired from the account of Kathryn Bolkovac. In 1999, Kathryn Bolkovac was a Nebraska police officer who decided to go to post-war Bosnia and work as a UN peacekeeper with DynCorp International. While there, she discovers that several of the other UN peacekeepers, native police, and others are involved with the sex trafficking trade. Bolkovac struggles to fight against the corrupt system.

This film was directed by Larysa Kondracki. This film isn't based off the novel written by Bolkovac, but is instead based off her account. This film deals with a serious subject matter of human sex trafficking, and does not shy away from the subject. DynCorp International, the company mainly mention in the film, have spoken in response that they will try to stop such acts from happening, and have in some aspects downplayed the accuracy of the film a little. The story follows Bolkovac through her troubling discoveries and her attempts to stop it. The story also shows how an international institute functions, and the difficulties of handling accountability due to diplomatic immunity. Since the film's story tries to keep true to the accounts, the film has an unhappy ending in that that the villains are not punished. The story also doesn't allow the antagonists any characterization other than being bad. There's no lifting of the veil to see their failing morales. There is a lot of graphic violence in this film, but it is not the worst that I've seen in several modern hollywood films. It does use the violence to engrain in audiences minds how bad this situation is. It can be too much for humanist and christian audiences. Rachel Weisz played the role of Kathryn Bolkovac. She did amazing creating a heroine that audiences could relate to. She pulled the audience into her desperation to end the sex trafficking in Bosnia and save the as many girls as possible.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It is a good dramatic film that keeps a truth about the horrors that Bolkovac was facing. The violence might be overplayed, but it is fitting.

Answer to last blog: Director Chris Wedge, Epic, directed the film Robots.

Que: What British television show has Larysa Kondracki directed episodes for?

Sherlock
Copper
Downton Abbey
Being Human

Epic

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This film is loosely based off a novel entitled The Leaf Men and the Brave Good Bugs written by William Joyce. Seventeen year old, Mary Katherine (M.K.) finds herself at her father's house. Her eccentric father Professor Bomba has spent his entire life searching for tiny soldier men known as Leafmen. Nod, a young independent Leafman finds himself wanting to become a soldier after Queen Tara's death at the hands of Boggans.

This film was directed by Chris Wedge. I did not get to see this film in 3-D. In 2-D it is still nice to watch the changing to scale from large to small. This film gets compared a lot to Pixar animated films. The story is very predictable and familiar to those who follow nature type of films. It's predictability eliminates its dramatic edge, but it is still a very adorable. The story doesn't solely focus on the love relationship between the two main characters. The characters are kept to a basic and familiar setting that keeps them from being anymore interesting than the secondary comedic characters. This film also cleverly hints at protecting the greenland as a theme. The basic story is accompanied by some great animation. There are several moments of awe in their animated creativity. This film is a great family adventure film for children. There are several celebrity voices in this film. Amanda Seyfried voiced the character Mary Katherine, or M.K. She was great creating the average confused teenage daughter looking for meaning in her life. Josh Hutcherson voiced the character Nod. He was good creating the role of a character who doesn't want to face his destiny.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a great family adventure film. It's story is familiar and basic, but it has a great foundation of ideas. It also has some great animation.

Answer to last blog: Writer Evan Goldberg has written (technically) 6 films that featured actor Seth Rogen.

Que: What other film has Chris Wedge directed?

Chicken Little
Hoodwinked!
Robots
Madagascar

This Is the End

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This film is based off the short film called 'Jay and Seth Versus the Apocalypse'. Comedic actors Seth Rogen and Jay Baruchel find themselves trapped inside James Franco's house after attending a party. They are trapped with James Franco, Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, and Craig Robinson in Hollywood, Las Angeles.  Together they must survive the end of times.

This film was written and directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. This film takes a group of actors and has them play exaggerated variations of themselves. It also includes several other popular celebrities living around Hollywood. This film is great for audiences who are fans of these comedians. Naturally, this film is full of drug usage and like any other film featuring McBride contains a lot on the subject of penis'. This film does have lazy story writing, and the plot is very simple minded. I will confess, that for me, once the characters were off the drugs the film got a lot better. This film succeeds due to its raunchy and dark humor. There are a lot of homages in this film which is great for frequent film goers. The violent effect are very cheesy, but the demon effects are great on screen. Yea, most of the demon creatures are anatomically correct. Interestingly enough, there are talks of a sequel. Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Danny McBride all played the exaggerated variations of themselves. They were good at creating their roles comedically.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! This film's raunchy humor covers the film's dim script. Fans of these comedians will not be disappointed (obviously).

Answer to last blog: Actress Katarine Isabelle, American Mary, was in the film Ginger Snaps.

Que: How many films has Evan Goldberg written that involved actor Seth Rogen?

6
7
5
4

American Mary

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Mary Mason is an ordinary medical student trying to find a way to make money. Instead of stripping in a nightclub, she finds her skills as medical student paying off. She loses interest in the medical profession, and finds a career in extreme body modification and surgical torture. 

This film was directed and written by Jen and Sylvia Soska (who also make an appearance in the film). First off, this is a highly bloody and gory film. So, obviously not meant for children or for the squeamish. Even though this story is gory it has a feminine touch not commonly seen in horror movies. Even with its feminine touch, it still follows a familiar gory story plot line. A woman gets angry for being attacked and gets revenge in the worst way. The acting was great for the film. The characters made the film believable. Katharine Isabelle played the role of Mary Mason. Her dryness in the film made her more frightening, and believable as a surgical murderer. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It takes a new look at the horror slasher genre. It is a great film for gory horror film goers.

Answer to last blog: Director Danny Boyle, Sunshine, directed the film 28 Days Later.

Que: What other horror film has actress Katharine Isabelle starred in?

Ginger Snaps

Final Destination

American Psycho

Urban Legends: Final Cut

Sunshine

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Fifty years into the future, the Icarus II is sent into space in hopes of reigniting the earth's sun. After the mission goes off course to look into Icarus I, accidents begin to happen as the ship endures damage. The crew also begin dying off, and hope of a successful missions dims.

This film was directed by Danny Boyle. This science fiction film took inspiration from several films. Apart from scientific inaccuracies, the story is great. It is a great idea that plays off real fears of the sun dying out. This film does give several familiar sequences from former science fiction films. Midway through, it turns into a type of slasher flick. It is an odd change, but it gives the film some action. It is full of predictability and cliches.  There are several small gestures of humanity, but this script runs primarily off a logical physics perspective. So, at times it can seem a little cold and calculated. This film has great special effects and a great back drop. It also gives a new image to the spacesuit. Unfortunately, there isn't enough deep characterization to feel deeply for the characters. Cillian Murphy played the role of Robert Capa. He was great in his very logical role. His character begins as highly logical and almost cold. But, as the film progress', he reveals his emotions. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a great film, even if it felt like things were added solely for excitement. 

Answer to last blog: Chucky's girlfriend is named Tiffany and has appeared in two films.

Que: What horror film has director Danny Boyle directed?

28 Days Later

30 Days of Night

28 Weeks Later

Ghost Ship

Child's Play (1988)

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A new product toy has come onto the market-Good Guy Dolls. Young, Andy Barclay receives one for his birthday from his mother, Karen Barclay. Shortly after, strange murders begin happening around Andy. Detective Mike Norris suspects Andy as the culprit. However, Andy points out another culprit-his Good Guy Doll, Chucky. 

This film was directed by Tom Holland. This film has become a cult classic among horror movie fans. It has inspired a film franchise and some comics. This film also garnered some controversy from people claiming that this film would incite violence among children. It was also was cited for having some involvement with two actual murder cases in the United Kingdom. This film's story begins as a "who done it" type of film. Has the film unfolds, it is discovered that the actual killer is the doll-Chucky, or Charles Lee Ray. This 1988 film, was widely seen as creative and imaginative. It took the image of slasher and placed it into a new setting. This film also created a blend of horror and comedy. The doll was modeled after the popular Cabbage Patch Kid dolls. His name was also created from three famous murderers; Charles Manson, Lee Harvey Oswald, and James Earl Ray. This gave the character a very unique, and horrific, image. This film also had some great special effects and cinematography to present the image of the doll being alive. The great acting also made it all the more convincing. Alex Vincent played the role of Andy Barclay.  For his age, he was amazing in his role. He gave an authentic fear to the character that made Chucky frightful. Catherine Hicks played the role of Karen Barclay. She was great in creating the image of a desperate mother. Chris Sarandon played the role of Detective Mike Norris. He was great in his limited role. He provided a rational mind to the film. Brad Dourif acted, and voiced, the role of Chucky, or Charles Lee Ray. He was amazing in this role. His voice acting made the character truly terrifying, and his insane laughter made it all the more so. 

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a popular horror film that still frightens many audiences. It enjoys making fun of its own absurdity while keeping it violent.

Answer to last blog: Director Rob Zombie, Lords of Salem, lent his voice talents to the film Slither.

Que: What is the name of Chucky's girlfriend?

Claire
Stephanie
Tiffany
Marie

Lords of Salem

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Heidi Hawthrone, is a troubled radio DJ who is sent a strange wooden box containing an album with the inscription a "gift from the lords".  After listening to the song, Heidi is haunted by images of the towns violent past and of Margaret Morgan. Playing the song on the radio brings to life the old curse cast by Morgan. 

This is written, directed, and produced by Rob Zombie. Naturally, this being a Rob Zombie expect violence, creepy strangeness, nudity, rock music, dreadlocks, and (of course) Sheri Moon Zombie. Surprisingly, this film doesn't overuse swear words like previous Rob Zombie films. This film also has a very limited connection to Rob Zombie's 2006 song The Lords of Salem. The song also is not used in this film. Also, since Rob Zombie maintains all rights to this film's creation, this film is not made for mainstream audiences. This film has a simple story that ends very strangely and with little explanation. All the horrors in this film don't come from jump scares or unsettling storytelling, but through visual scares. Indeed, many of the images are creepy. Although a good general horror film, a lot of it feels like an elongated music video. Sheri Moon Zombie plays the role of Heidi Hawthrone. She was great in creating all the horror images needed for the film. However, more could have been done with her character to make her more compelling. 

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a good horror film with plenty of horrific images, but the story is too lacking. 

Answer to last blog: Actor Dominic Cooper, The Devil's Double, starred in the film My Week with Marilyn.

Que: What film did Rob Zombie lend his voice talents to?

The Hills Have Eyes
Slither
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Black Christmas