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