Transformers: Age of Extinction

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This film is the fourth installment to the live-action Transformers films, and is based on the Hasbro toys and its subsequent shows. Five years after the battle of Chicago, humans have begun hunting all Transformer bots. Unsuccessful inventor Cade Yeager stumbles upon a Transformer vehicle (Optimus Prime). Cade struggles to help the transformers with their survival, keeping humanity alive, and protecting his daughter.

This film was directed by Michael Bay. Okay, this film has a lot going on without a coherent explanation. This is mostly because, it is trying to set up for its future sequel. There are also too many characters fighting for screen time that even the director didn't know what to do with them. None of the characters, even the transformers, are not developed beyond the sex icon and mucho man. The film didn't even really take the time to give them appropriate emotional interactions. The being said, there are moments when it provides its viewers with humor. The script is comprised of terrible bad-liners. The cinematography was used to cheesily emphasis its action sequences. Even though the fights are enjoyable as battles, most of them feel just as pointless as the plentiful explosions. The Transformers are great to watch aesthetically. The alien ship was also great to watch aesthetically. 

Mark Wahlberg played the role of Cade Yeager. As the main character, he needed to carry the heart of this film. However, the film only allows him to come off as snarky. Jack Reynor played the role of Shane Dyson. Another character that felt unneeded, but provided humor. Nicola Peltz played the role of Tessa Yeager. Her only purpose was too look good on screen. Stanley Tucci played the role of Joshua Joyce. His personality gave the film its unneeded humor, but he made it work. Kelsey Grammer played the role of Harold Attinger. In the brief time that he is on screen, his performance is exceeds the rest of the cast. It is unfortunate that he wasn't given more of the light. Sophia Myles and Bingbing Li played the roles of Darcy Tirrel and Su Yueming. These two girls were both developed differently, felt like they were interchangeable. The film only needed one.

I give this film 1 out of 5 stars! It is an over the top action film filled with unnecessary characters, and horrible writing.

This film can be seen on Netflix Instant Que.

Answer to last blog: Actor Michiel Huisman, The Age of Adaline, stared in the film World War Z.

Que: In which film did Peter Cullen not voice the Transformer Optimus Prime.

Transformers

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Transformers: Dark of the Moon

Transformers: Age of Extinction

The Age of Adaline

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Adaline Bowman was born at the turn of the 20th century, and a tragic accident gave her immortality. She choses to live her life secretly away from the people of the world. Years later, she meets a man (Ellis Jones) who makes her want to change.

This film was directed by Lee Toland Krieger. This film is a romance chick flick. I enjoyed that this film did not solely focus on mortality and immortality, but rather focused on the effects of it. It also keeps a lot of focus on timeless love. There is an expected twist during this film that pulls the story together in a nice way. The story uses a little science and a little magic to explain the events; which works for a romantic film. Watching the changing style and backdrops was great. There was a very timeless feeling to the cinematography and the fashion. The opening and closing of the film was very elegant to watch. Blake Lively played the role of Adaline Bowman. Her physical was great for this character. Her emotions remain subtle enough to be believable. Michiel Huisman played the role of Ellis Jones. Even though he was the main love interest, he did not stand out from the rest of the cast. Harrison Ford played the role of William Jones. In many ways, he felt like the true long lost live for Adaline. His performance really brought out the emotional complexity of the story.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a great romantic film that can be enjoyed by all audiences.

This film can be seen on DVD.

 Answer to last blog: Actress Halle Berry and actor Bruce Willis, Perfect Stranger, stared in the film The Last Boy Scout.

Que: What other film has actor Michiel Huisman stared in?

12 Years a Slave

Prisoners

Dallas Buyers Club

World War Z

Perfect Stranger

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Rowena Price, an ex-journalist, goes undercover to reveal business man Harrison Hill has her childhood friend's killer. In doing so, she uncovers various secrets from the people around her.

This film was directed by James Foley. This film is meant to be a technological thriller set as a neo-noir mystery. Even though it does make good use of technology, it fails to create a great mystery. The story becomes somewhat predictable as the carries on, and plays with overused cliches. It feels like the film goes through a shift in direction, and that's where it falls apart. Harrison Hill feels like a useless character that is wrought with cliches. The central character comes off as dull and depressed. It is unfortunate that the big reveal at the end feels as dead as some of the corpses. There is a little violence in this film, and no nudity. Halle Berry played the role of Rowena Price. She brought ver little emotional depth to this character. In many ways, the character needed more to be effectively believable. Giovanni Ribisi played the role of Miles Haley. His importance was very undermined btythe stories direction, and not in a good way. Bruce Willis played the role of Harrison Hill. He had the best performance out of the group.

I give this film 2 out of 5 stars! Its too predictable to rise above familiarity.

This film can be seen on Netflix Instant Que.

Answer to last blog: Director Daniel Barnz, Cake, directed the film Beastly.

Que: What film has actress Halle Berry and actor Bruce Willis stared in together?

The Last Boy Scout

The Flintstones

Death Becomes Her

Fear

Cake (2014)

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Claire Bennett begins contemplating suicide after a woman in her chronic pain support group ends her life. Claire continues struggles with these thoughts and emotions while trying to overcome her personal tragedy.

This film was directed by Daniel Barnz. This film presents an emotional story about a woman trying to cope with the loss of her son from an accident. The story remains more focused on the present struggles, and slowly reveals little bits of the past. It really is a statement about overcoming loss and trying to find a reason to continue living. That being said, there is nothing really likable about the central character. After a while, it feels more like the story should've been told from the maid's perspective to liven it up a little. However dark this film is, there is still a glimmer of hope to it. Jennifer Aniston played the role of Claire Bennett. This is definitely a change in Aniston's career. Even though her character is unlikable, her snarky humor makes it worth the watch. Her performance also made the chronic pain believable. Adriana Barraza played the role of Silvana. She kept this film from being too devastating, and worked great with Aniston. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars1 It might not be award worthy, but it is a great dramatic film.

This film can be seen on Netflix Instant Que.

Answer to last blog: Actor Gael Garcia Bernal, Rosewater, stared in the film Letters to Juliet.

Que: What film has Daniel Barnz directed?

The Artist

A Seperation

Beastly

The Tree of Life

Rosewater

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This film is based on the memoir Then They Came for Me written by Maziar Bahari. Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari returns to his home in Iran to report on current political events. After reporting about violence against protestor, Maziar Bahari is detained by Iranian forces. He is held captive and is brutally interrogated for being a "spy".

This film was directed by Jon Stewart. The Iran state has already accused Jon Stewart of being funded by Zionists, and working for the CIA. Which is because it makes the Iranian government look terrible in their dishonesty. I cannot say how truthful it was to the source material. This film does offer a new perspective on Iranian politics and Iranian people. It also shows some very different locations of Iran. Even though there is a lot of political talk in the film, it is still easy to follow. There are a few moments that feel random, but it doesn't hurt the film. There is some subtle comedy used to break up the drama; which didn't need to be there. The conversations that Bahari had with his deceased relatives in prison was a great way to show the character's inner turmoil. Gael Garcia Bernal played the role of Maziar Bahari. It was great to watch his portrayal of this character. He offered a realism that gave this film life. Kim Bodnia played the role of Javadi (Rosewater). It was wonderful watching him working against Bernal. He made a humble villain that you could easily detest.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a great film that opens the world to a new perspective on Iran.

This film can be seen on Netflix Instant Que.

Answer to last blog: Director Joon-ho Bong, The Host, directed the film Snowpiercer.

Que: What film has actor Gael Garcia Bernal stared in?

Black Swan

Letters to Juliet

Inception

The Town

The Host (2006)

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Park Gang-Doo and his family struggle to rescue his daughter, Park Hyun-seo, after she is taken by a mutated creature. Things become tougher with the threat of a virus.

This film was directed by Joon-ho Bong. This South Korean film is both a creature flick and a virus flick. The story is fairly straightforward, with chemicals introduced into the water supply a fish becomes mutated and begins attacking humans years later. A family fights the government, and scientists, to recover a missing girl. There is also a political agenda behind the story. It loosely based around an incident in 2000, where a Korean mortician (working for the U.S. military) dumped formaldehyde down the drain; which is how this film this film begins. It strongly antagonizes America, and shows their own politicians as inept. There is also a few cultural references used. The film isn't very gore, but it is violent. The computer animation for the creature was great until it caught fire. There is moments when this film becomes a little cartoonish and corny, but it still holds itself together. Even though the virus aspect was meant to be a message, it still felt unnecessary to the overall story. The creature design, itself, was unique. There was meant to be a prequel, video game release, and an American remake of the film (but none have come to fruition). Kang-ho Song played the role of Park Gang-Doo. He was great at performing the part of the desperate and inept father. There were a few times when he felt too childlike to be believed. Ah-sung Ko, Ko A-sung, played the role of Park Hyun-seo. For the amount of time she was on screen, she was great. Her performance gave the film its life.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a decent creature flick with some good actors.

This film can be seen on Netflix Instant Que.

Answer to last blog: Actors Colin Firth and Mark Strong, Kingsman: The Secret Service, worked together in the spy film Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy.

Que: What other film has director Joon-ho Bong directed?

New World
Snowpiercer
Cole Eyes
The Terror Live

Kingsman: The Secret Service

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This film is based off the comic The Secret Service, written by Dave Gibbons and Mark Miller. Gary Unwin, Eggsy, is recruited into an ultra-competitive training program to become a member of the Kingsman (a secret service intelligence agency). As Eggsy is training, a global threat emerges from a twisted technical genius.

This film was directed by Matthew Vaughn. This film pays some homages to the classic James Bond films. However, like Austin Powers, its a satire on the genre. The plot is great, but the story falls flat with its overuse of comedy. There were emotional scenes that were ruined by the comedy. But, there were still moments when the comedy was well timed and worked. The ending of the film is just one long statement of 'what the f**k' am I watching. The ending really makes the film too cartoonish and over the top. This is definitely one of those films that just bother to make any sense, but hope you'll enjoy it anyway. The spy characters are the stereotypical gentlemen who can kill you; which makes the film enjoyable to watch. Even though there is a female character who becomes an agent, it is never shown why she deserved to be an agent. They never show her kicking butt alongside Eggsy. At least she has intelligence. There have been protest about the excessive use of violence to tell its story and showcase its comedy. That being said, there really isn't much gore in this film. Anyway, the violence is a little over the top but it isn't detrimental to the film. Yes, there will be a sequel.

Taron Egerton played the role of Gary Unwin, Eggsy. He did an amazing character transformation during the course of this film. Even though the over the top sequences, he was able to keep the character likable and believable. Colin Firth played the role of Harry Hart (Galahad). He brought class to the film with a hint of comedy. He worked well with Egerton. Mark Strong played the role of Merlin. For the limited time he was on screen, he was entertaining to watch. Samuel L. Jackson played the role of Valentine. A villain that detests the sight of blood... Strangely, it worked for the film. However, it would've been better if he didn't have the lisp. Sofia Boutella played the role of Gazelle. She is a complete bad ass villain, but her weapon of choice is just too odd and impractical.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! Its a decent spy comedy flick that can be enjoyed when your not thinking.

This film can be seen on DVD.

Answer to last blog: Actress Amber Heard, The Ward, stared in the film Drive Angry.

Que: What other spy movie featured actors Colin Firth and Mark Strong?

007: Skyfall
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy
Fair Game
Burn After Reading

The Ward

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Kristen is placed into a psych ward after caught burning down an old house. Kristen, and the other girls in the ward with her, become terrorized by a ghost of a former institutionalized girl.

This film was directed by John Carpenter. This film is familiar to horror genre fans. The story is simple, in that a group of young women are haunted by an angry spirit. The story does offer a plot twist to keep it from becoming to dull. The main character is defined enough to explain the story (as are the other characters). This films relies heavily on jump scares and some general creepiness. The zombie ghost was poorly animated, but still offered a creepy vibe. It being shot on location in an actual asylum gave the film a realistic feel. Amber Heard played the role of Kristen. She was great at creating a familiar female victim struggling to survive. However, her performance failed to stir all the emotions needed.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It is a decent horror film for audiences looking for some quick scares, but it fails to truly scare.

This film can be seen on Netflix Instant Que.

Answer to last blog: Actress Tilda Swinton, Snowpiercer, starred in the film The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe.

Que: What other film has actress Amber Heard stared in?

A Seperation
Midnight in Paris
The Tree of Life
Drive Angry

Snowpiercer

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This film is based off a french comic entitled Le Transperceneige, created by Jacques Lob and Jean-Marc Rochette. The world has become a frozen tundra after scientists fail to save the world from global warming. The last surviving humans gather onto a train that was created by someone who knew the impending doom. However, life on this train is divided by its own social barriers (the poor remain trapped in the back of the train and are subject to several cruelties by the upper class). Curtis decides to lead these people in a revolt that will grant him access to the front of the train.

This film was directed by Joon-ho Bong. Yes, this is another end of world, science fiction action thrillers. However, it does provide a kind of new spin on things. The story sounds cliche and overused. However, this film gives the story life by giving the main character a very dark history, and questioning the motives of the powerful and wealthy. It also stands out, because of its outlandish characters. Which does at times detract from the film's deeply emotional story. But it works to paint a strange picture of the people trapped on this train. There are some random moments that did not belong in the film, but it manages to keep this from being too cumbersome. However, the spoken lines were poorly chosen. Even though the computer animation is terrible, the idea of train's ever changing scape is a great concept. There is plenty of violence and action in this film to keep audiences entertained. Chris Evans played the role of Curtis. He was able to bring an emotional depth to this character that was complimented with a subtle chaos. Song Kang Ho, Kang-ho Song, played the role of Namgoong Minsoo. He was a great supporting actor that opposed Evans. Ko Asung, Ah-sung Ko, played the role of Yona. She was good, but could've been more than the clingy daughter. Tilda Swinton played the role of Mason. Her over the top performance worked wonders in creating an outlandish villain.

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It has the great foundations for an end of the world science fiction movie, but its over the top characters and poor script hurt it.

This film can be seen on Netflix Instant Que.

Answer to last blog: Director Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice, directed the film The Master.

Que: What other film has actress Tilda Swinton starred in?

The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Fantastic Four

Inherent Vice

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This film is based of the novel, of the same name, written by Paul Thomas Anderson. In the drug fueled 1970's, private investigator Larry Sportello, "Doc",  investigates the disappearance of his former girlfriend. The more he searches, the more disturbing facts he uncovers about the people around him.

This film was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. This is definitely a dark comedy stoner film. However, the plot of this film (no matter how ridiculous it is) is not as complicated as it at first appears to be. A drug fueled detective agrees to assist a former girlfriend with the dilemma facing her current lover. That is, until she mysteriously disappears. Then he begins his desperate search to locate her. The basic plot can get lost amongst the drug encrypted storytelling very easily. The story also presents the failure of the police department and the corruption within the city. There are moments when the film drags, but it picks itself up with some unexpected humor. Since this is a stoner film the characters behave not only strangely but idiotically. The cinematography is great for giving emphasis to the story, and re-creating a 1970's feel. Joaquin Phoenix played the role of Larry Sportello, "Doc". He was great in the role of this drug and sex driven character. He did manage to give this stoner more than one emotion on screen. Joanna Newsom played the role of Sortilege. She was a great narrator for the film-even if she did not appear very often on screen. She gave it that full 1970's feel.

I give this film 2 out of 5 stars! This stoner flick is full of drugs and sex, but fails to deliver a great and meaningful story.

This film can be seen on DVD.

Answer to last blog: Director Brett Ratner, Hercules, directed the film Tower Heist.

Que: What other film has Paul Thomas Anderson directed?

Spring Breakers

Seeking a Friend for the End of the World

The Master

Cloud Atlas

Hercules (2014)

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This film is based off the graphic novel Hercules: The Thracian Wars. After completing his twelves labors and being banished from Athens, Hercules becomes a paid fighter. He agrees to help Lord Cotys, ruler of Thrace, defeat a tyrannical war lord.

This film was directed by Brett Ratner. Sadly, this film was released in the same year as 'The Legend of Hercules' film. However, this film presents a very different image of the famous demi-god Hercules. He is brought down from the legend and becomes a very strong human man. It also takes all of his labors and paints are more realistic picture of how they occurred-with friends. As fantastical and epic as the story is, it still shows a familiar heroic character. The story itself is surprising, but very familiar to the genre. The unexpected moments of humor work to keep the film from becoming to dramatic. There is a lot of action, and some blood, in this film. There is also a lot of computer animation used, but it doesn't hurt the film. The creatures in this film are great to watch because we can see them as beasts that turn into something more believable. Dwayne Johnson plays the role of Hercules. Naturally, everyone will be distracted by his costume. However, his honest performance makes the film enjoyable to watch. John Hurt played the role of Lord Cotys. He was great at opposing Johnson, but could've stood out more as a villain. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It has a great cast working together in a decently done action film.

This film can be seen on Netflix Instant Que.

Answer to last blog: Actress Maika Monroe, It Follows, stared in the film The Guest.

Que: What other film has director Brett Ratner directed?

Hallpass

Tower Heist

Paul

Horrible Boses