Maleficent

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This film is based off the Maleficent character from the animated film Sleeping Beauty. There are two kingdoms, that of the humans and of the mythical creatures known as The Moors. Maleficent, a fairy living in the Moors, falls in love with a human boy who wishes to become king. This boy becomes king by stealing Maleficent's wings and claiming to have slain her. To get revenge Maleficent curses his infant daughter, Aurora. But, as Aurora grows, Maleficent learns forgiveness.

This film was directed by Robert Stormberg. Interesting enough, this is Stormberg's directorial debut. This film takes a familiar fairytale story and changes it. Maleficent is no longer the epitome of evil. Instead she becomes a dark hero with a very unfortunate past. I think this story was established to play to a recent audience's adoration of the darker characters. That being said, the remainder of the story lacks the great emotional depth that it needed. The film is saved by its use of unexpected comedy and it leading actress (Angelina Jolie). Many of the other characters are not given much opportunity to expand or show their importance. Sadly, that also includes the use of three good fairies. They are the most unimportant characters in the film. Once the characters are understood, the story is too predictable. There is also an avoidance of actual darkness in this film. Even though the story is dark, the film tries to avoid becoming to violent. This film takes a lot of visual cues from its original animated film. The special effects were great on screen. The background was also impressive to look out. Angelina Jolie played the role of Maleficent. Her presence gave the film its breath of life. Elle Fanning played the role of Aurora. She was good at playing the innocent good hearted character. But, she was unable to stand out from the cast. Sharlto Copley played the role of King Stefan. He was good opposing Jolie on screen. However, more could have done to emphasize this character's emotions. Sam Riley played the role of Diaval. He was great at supporting Jolie on screen.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is an enjoyable family film to watch, but there was not enough emotional pull for the secondary characters. The story, having great humor, lacked in offering true depth. 

Answer to last blog: Actor Daniel Bruhl, Rush, starred in the film Inglorious Basterds.

Que: What year was the animated film Sleeping Beauty released?

1958

1959

1960

1961

Rush (2013)

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This film is based off the 1976 Formula One motor racing season, and the two racers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. The film follows their rivalry during the racing season. 

This film was directed by Ron Howard. This film is a historical sport's drama and biography. For the most part it is true to the events, but it does have some tweaking to it. The story is centered around the hubris of these people. Their hubris is the driving force in this film. The story presents each of the characters flaws like a charm. It uses it as strength instead of weakness. The heart of the story does come through with the characters struggles and the fact they choose to proceed. There was an unexpected turn of events in the story that made the film stand out. This film has several amazing races sequences that do not over power the film or the characters. If anything those sequences add to the film by adding to the characters. Beware, there is nudity in this film. There is some violence, but nothing too extreme. Daniel Bruhl played the role of Niki Lauda. He created the perfect image of a man who lives through precision. The pain of this character is subtle. Chris Hemsworth played the role of James Hunt. He was great opposing Bruhl, and in creating the driven character. The character is very open, but keeps so much hidden.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It is a sport's, and biographical, film done right. This film is just as much about finding a friendship in rivalry as it about hubris.

Answer to last blog: Actress Ashlynn Yennie, The Human Centiped (First Sequence), returned for the film's sequel. 

Que: What other film has actor Daniel Bruhl stared in?

(50) Days of Summer

Up in the Air

Inglorious Basterds

District 9

The Human Centipede (First Sequence)

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Lindsay and Jenny become stranded after getting a flat tire. Seeking assistance they go to Dr. Heiter's house. After finding his third victim, Katsuro, Dr. Heiter decides to use them in his experiment that combines three people and turns them into 'the centipede'.

This film was written and directed by Tom Six. Let's start by saying that this film plays to a specific set of horror fans. This story is not only strange and disgusting, but it also throws aside most of what is known about human anatomy. The story follows very cliched characters into acts of stupidity. Unfortunately, the story does not offer any attachment to them. In truth, it is of great benefit when the two leading female characters were silenced. In the end Katsuro proves to be the best character with an saddening speech. The creature design is simple and effective for frightening people. Its use of body horror is very effective to not only disgust its audience but to frighten tourists. This film did manage to produce a sequel. There are plans for a third sequel. Dieter Laser played the role of Dr. Heiter. Laser creates a decent villain, but does not met the status of cult villain. His dark campiness is too over the top. Akihiro Kitamura played the role of Katsuro. He gave the victims some emotional sympathy. Ashley C. Williams played the role of Lindsay. She was decent in her cliched role. However, she was unable to capture the true dilemma's of what was happening to her character. Ashlynn Yennie played the role of Jenny. She was decent in another cliched role. Sadly, she was unable to stand out amongst the cast apart from being the tail of the creature.

I give this film 1 out of 5 stars! It does good for basic horror fans that enjoy nothing more than a disturbing story. 

Answer to last blog: Director Bryan Singer, X-Men: Days of Future Past, did not direct the film Man of Steele.

Que: Which actor/actress returned for the film's sequel; The Human Centipede (Full Sequence)?

Dieter Laser

Ashlynn Yennie

Akihiro Kitamura

Ashley C. Willaims

X-Men: Days of Future Past

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This film is based off the X-Men characters created by Marvel comics, and the Uncanny X-Men storyline "Days of Future Past" which was created by Chris Claremont. This film is also a continuation of the X-Men film Trilogy, X-Men: First Class, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and The Wolverine. In 2023, the future has become a dystopia where the Sentinels, robots created to destroy mutants, have destroyed nearly all of the mutants. A lone few have survived. As a last hope, Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat sends Logan/Wolverine's subconscious to 1973. Logan must find a way to stop Raven/Mystique from murdering the creator of the Sentinels, Dr. Bolivar Trask, in hopes of changing future events.

This film was directed by Bryan Singer. This film is great and mystifying at the same time. It is a lot easier to follow if you have seen the X-Men Trilogy and X-Men: First Class. The story is told through two segments; the future and the past. The future is set in a dystopian future which means that it is purely made to present the chaos. It is also primarily shown to explain how and why Logan returned to the past. The future is told mainly through action sequences. The past is the main focus of the film. It is told through the characters more than its action. Which does not mean it is lacking in fighting sequences. The past is told mainly through character development. All the depth of the story comes from the past. It was great watching the interactions between past and present. This film does suffers from a few small writing snags that don't entirely fit with previous film and what is happening in this film. Such as what happened to the non-mutant humans in the future? How did the war turn into chaos this quickly? If the cure was taken from the blood of mutant, how was Hank nearly able to recreate it? However, those are easily overlooked when the film is looked at as a whole. There are a lot of minor mutant characters introduced in the beginning of the film that are of no importance to the story other than a quick plot explanation. There is a great use of Quicksilver in this film; which is going to counter the upcoming Avenger's film. This film has tons of violence but no gore. But, there is some nudity in the film. The computer animation in this film looked amazing on screen. There is only one bonus feature that appears at the very end of the credits. Keep an eye out for the next sequel to the X-Men franchise. 

Hugh Jackman returned to the role of Logan/Wolverine. He was very impressive in this film. Instead of being only the angry brute, he became the hopeful heart of the film. This character development worked great for the film. James McAvoy returned to the role of Charles Xavier. He pulled so much emotion for this character that it was painful to watch. Patrick Stewart played the role of Professor X. Unfortunately, he was shown as on screen as a throwback to the previous films. He did bring an encouraging presence to the screen. Michael Fassbender returned to the role of Erik Lehnsherr. He was amazing opposing McAvoy. He presented the darker image of being a mutant. Ian McKellen returned to the role of Magneto. He was another throwback character. But he was great to watch on screen. Jennifer Lawrence returned to the role of Raven/Mystique. She was so much better in this film than the previous. She created the image of what Mystique could and would become. Even though her eyes looked infected the remaining effects, for her character, were great. Nicholas Hoult returned to the role of Hank/Beast. He was great as a supporting character. Peter Dinklage played the role of Dr. Bolivar Trask. He created a great villain for the film during the few times he was on screen. Evan Peters played the role of Peter/Quicksilver. He was great providing comic relief to the film. Sadly, his character did not get enough screen time. Ellen Page played the role of Kitty Pryde/Shadowcat. She was good for her purpose. The film did not offer much opportunity to fully establish her character.

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! This film does a reboot/re-write impressively well. The small quirks are easily overshadowed by the performances.

Answer to last blog: Actress Paz de la Huerta, Nurse 3-D, starred in the television show Boardwalk Empire.

Que: Which film did director Bryan Singer not direct?

Man of Steele

Superman Returns

Jack the Giant Slayer

Apt Pupil

Nurse 3D

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Abby Russell works as a nurse, but also takes joy in murdering cheating husbands at night. She falls for her pupil, Danni, who just graduated to become a full time nurse. When Danni doesn't return those feelings, Abby becomes dangerously obsessed with Danni. 

This film was directed by Douglas Aarniokoski. This film was made to be a cheesy B horror flick. However, the story remains too straightforward and lacks in true dark comedy. The story itself is not intellectual in anyway. It plays a lot to angry women around the world. The characters remain very cliched and almost unnecessary. The villain, Abby, acts out from bitterness. The hero, Danni, is helpless victim who is pulled into chaos. Nearly every man is a cheating bastard, or a sexual predator. But, it is great seeing another female villain on screen. The only horror present in the film is in its overuse of gore. There is tons of blood and a very high body count. The film is very predictable, even through its gory finale. There may be a sequel coming for this film in the future. Paz de la Huerta played the role of Abby Russell. She made a great villain for this film. In many ways she presents the character as a violent sexual predator. Every motion is an intended seduction. Katrina Bowden played the role of Danni. She was good opposing Huerta. Her character is highly cliched in her victimization. 

I give this film 2 out of 5 stars! It has a standing within the horror community, but it fails to arise above its clichés. 

Answer to last blog: Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Godzilla, starred in the film Anna Karenina.

Que: What television show has actress Paz de la Huerta star in?

True Blood

Six Feet Under

Treme

Boardwalk Empire

Godzilla (2014)

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This film is a reboot for the Godzilla franchise featuring the Godzilla character created by the Toho Company. After the events of Japan's Janjira nuclear plant's destruction in 1999, Ford Brody is pulled into the mystery of what caused it. Creatures, the MUTO, feed of nuclear radiation. Years later, the MUTO awaken to breed. Godzilla emerges from the oceans depths to stop them.

This film was directed by Gareth Edwards. This film gives a dark tone to the popular monster flick, but keeps homages to the previous films. This film has moments of cheesiness, but it does give it human emotion. The far fetched views in the film strangely work in its favor. This keeps the film feeling familiar to old audiences. However, the film offers more dark moments to the plight of human survival. In truth, it is best to forget about science, and nature, explanations and just go with the flow. The characters and the story are very cliche for a monster film. It is uncertain if the film wanted to maintain an ideal that nature will take its own course, or will Godzilla arise as the hero. The new image for Godzilla works perfectly to create a more realistic image for the monster. The MUTO look good on screen even if they are kind of ridiculous at moments. The computer animation for this film is great except that the monsters move just a little too slow. The fight sequences are good, but would have been better if it was fully shown. Since the story primarily follows the humans it only offer glimpses of the battle and of the monsters. The use of shadows adds an unnerving tension to the film, but it is overused. The commercials for this film make Bryan Cranston appear to be the main lead for the film, but he is not. A lot of the actors in this film, even though they are supposed to be important, are reduced to either scrambling victims or cliched survivors. This is unfortunate because it does pull of any of the popular cast's strengths. Aaron Taylor-Johnson played the role of Ford Brody. He was good at playing the forgettable role. His character was so cliched that he felt like another piece to the scenery. However, he did give the film its human aspect. Ken Watanabe played the role of Dr. Ichiro Serizawa. He did okay in this film. His entire role had been reduced to standing around and praising Godzilla. Bryan Cranston played the role of Joe Brody. He brought a lot of life to the film. His on screen time was too limited.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a better film than the 1998 adaptation. It places a darker tone on the familiar stylings of the original.

Answer to last blog: Actress Naomi Harris, Mandela, starred in the film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest.

Que: What other film has actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson stared in?

Silver Linings Playbook
Anna Karenina
The Perks of Being a Wallflower
The Cabin in the Woods

Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom

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This film is based off the autobiographical book Long Walk to Freedom that was written by Nelson Mandela. This film follows the lift story of Mandela. It starts from his childhood, to his time with the ANC, to his time in prison, and then into his South African presidential inauguration.

This film was directed by Justin Chadwick. The story of this film follows more of Mandela's beliefs and his words than the history. This makes his ideal the main focal point for the film. Which does offer an inspiration story about perseverance. It doesn't show to many faults that he had, and instead keeps focus on the great. The film does follow the highlights of his life, but it keeps to a very respectful way. This gives the film a lack of heartfelt emotion. There is no real pull for the audience to truly feel for his plight. However, this is some impact in seeing a little of what was tearing the South Africa apart. It follows the historical events fairly accurately. There aren't any overlong speeches, just small bits of them. A lot of the other characters are either depicted as enemies or unimportant. The cinematography was great on screen. They showed a different view of Africa that many do no see. Idris Elba played the role of Nelson Mandela. He carries a lot of his character's charisma with his on screen presence. The words spoken are thoughtful and given with enough depth to make a statement. The make-up affects were poorly done. Naomi Harris played the role of Winnie Madikizela/Winnie Mandela. She did great in opposing Elba on screen. She becomes an image of the hatred that was growing in the country.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a great portrayal of Mandela's life, but it lacks the emotional power.

Answer to last blog: Actor Dane DeHaan, The Amazing Spider-Man 2, starred in the television show True Blood.

Que: What other film has actress Naomi Harris stared in?

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Children of Men

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl

Diary of a Mad Black Woman

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (The Amazing Spider-Man: Rise of Electro)

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This film is a sequel to the Amazing Spider-Man film, and is loosely based off the Spider-Man character established by Marvel Comics. Peter Parker continues fighting for New York city as the famous Spider-Man. However, he still feels conflicted with the path his life heading. He is uncertain about his relationship with Gwen Stacey, is uncertain about his father's past, and is unsure if he should help his old friend Harry Osborn. With the rise of a new villain, Electro, Spider-Man is pulled into the mysteries of Oscorp and of his past.

This film was directed by Marc Webb who did direct the first Amazing Spider-Man film. This film is an obvious attempt at foreshadowing for future sequels. This film's purpose is to open the Spider-Man world to new characters and offer a transition into the future of the story. That being said, a lot of this film feels unresolved or uncompleted. The tone of the story is more comical, but it does have some weight to it. Since this is a set-up film, there are a lot of characters used. They did manage to find the appropriate balance so that it is not so overbearing. But it can get tiring trying to keep up with everything that is going happening on screen. This also led to some unfocused story, because all these characters needed to have their moments. It is still impossible not to compare these films to the Spider-Man films. Especially when they resurrect familiar villains. This film does have impressive computer animation. There are also plenty of fight sequences to enjoy. This film contains some impressive sound manipulation to add to the story. Interestingly, the after credits feature is for the X-Men. Which is a great sign for Marvel film fans-the stories might become connected someday. 

The star chemistry is great to watch on screen. Andrew Garfield returned to his role of Peter Parker/Spider-Man. He was great returning to the familiar role. As usual he makes an amazing Spider-Man, but is an decent Peter Parker. He is able to pull out more of the characters inner emotions than in the previous film. Emma Stone returned to her role of Gwen Stacey. Her character remains very familiar and is fun to watch on screen. She does great in creating their complicated relationship. Jaime Foxx played the role of Max Dillon/Electro. He plays the role with a familiar campiness that happens with the stranger villains. However, he did manage to make it work for the film. Dane DeHaan played the role of Harry Osborn/Green Goblin. He was great as Harry Osborn. As Harry he made an slimy villain that you just enjoyed watching. But, he was unable to compete with Willem Dafoe's green goblin. The film took an usual direction with the goblin that was kind of disgusting on screen, but it was effective. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a good superhero film, but it spends too much acting as a set-up film. There is so much happening and little resolution.

Answer to last blog: Director Alfonso Cuaron, The Grandmaster, directed the film A Little Princess.

Que: What television show has actor Dane DeHaan stared in?

The Walking Dead

Dexter

True Blood

Supernatural