Lockout

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Snow finds himself arrested after being accused of espionage and murder. He is given an opportunity to redeem himself by rescuing the imprisoned president's daughter; Emilie Warnock. She was on a trip to MS One, a prison space facility where the criminals are kept under stasis control, to investigate how the prisoners are being treated. One prisoner escapes and releases the others entrapping Emilie and others inside the MS One. Snow is sent in to rescue only Emilie. 

This film was directed by James Mather and Stephen St. Leger. This film was also written and produced by Luc Besson. This film has a decent story. However, it failed to provide any deep emotional attachment for its audience. This film was made purely to be an action science fiction film. Which is unfortunate because it was a great basic idea. The plot twists fail to provide any further tension for the story. The story is full of great sarcastic humor between the characters. There isn't any backstory provided for any of the other characters other than for Snow. The ending of the film did not fit well with the film. There was no reason for Snow and Emilie to be arrested after falling towards Earth (with remarkable speed). It also seems odd that Emilie has the mental ability to fully understand someone with dementia to solve a mystery. It also left an empty spot by failing to explain anything about the memory card (use or purpose). It is filmed way to clean cut to provide any real dramatic tension to the story. There is also way too much computer animation in this film and its obvious. The animation looks visually cheesy. The backdrop is good or providing the film with a dark atmosphere. 

The cast worked great together. Guy Pearce played the role of Snow. He was great in his role. He did go over the top with the sarcasm. Maggie Grace played the role of Emilie Warnock. She was good in her role. She gave Snow a softer side. Vincent Regan played the role of Alex. He did good in his role. He did not over shadow Gilgun in anyway; which was needed for his character. Joseph Gilgun played the role of Hydell. He was great in his role giving the film a real villain to hate. Tim Plester played the role of Mace. He was good in his small role. 

I give this film 2 out of 5 stars! It had all the basics down, but failed to provide anything more. It was a good science fiction film with plenty of action.

Answer to last blog: Actress Amanda Seyfried also starred in the thriller film Chloe (as well as Gone).

Que: What other film has actress Maggie Grace worked with writer/producer Luc Besson?

Taken
The Experiment
Transporter 3
Unleashed

Gone (2012)

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Jill returns home from work and can not find her sister, Molly. She believes that the man who had kidnapped her has returned, and has taken her sister. The police refuse to believe her story, because no evidence was found. Jill sets out on her own to save her sister.

This film was directed by Heitor Dhalia. The story is great for this film, but it is a little too generic for the mystery thriller genre. The story does keep some mystery in that you can't tell if Jill is insane or not. The story didn't allow too much room for suspense. It is somewhat predictable. There also isn't enough centered around the villain to make him stand out as a villain. There isn't a reason to fear him. This film almost feels like it has no real monsters/villains. It remains too center on Jill's mental plight. The film is also very cleanly presented unlike most modern mystery thriller films. The backdrop of using the forest was great. It adds that layer of dark mystery.

The actors did good in this film, but not great. I just wis there was more character build up for the secondary characters. Amanda Seyfried played the role of Jill. She was great in her role. She the character a lot of emotional depth. Daniel Sunjata played the role of Powers. He was good in his generic role. Wes Bentley played the role of Peter Hood. He was also good in his generic role. Sunjata and Bentley literally made the good/bad cop duo. Jennifer Carpenter played the role of Sharon Ames. She was good in her small role. Emily Wickershham played the role of Molly.  She was great in her small role. She gave Seyfried's character some heart.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars! It has a good story, but it doesn't have enough thrill. It also lacks in a great villain.

Answer to last blog: Chris Butler was the in the Art Department for the two films Coraline and Corpse Bride.

Que: What other thriller film stared actress Amanda Seyfried?

The Final Destination
Chloe
Obsessed
The Unborn

ParaNorman

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Norman is your average kid... except that he can see and talk to spirits. His small town is haunted by a witch's curse. Once a year, she must read from a book to be placed back asleep for a year. If she wakes then the cursed dead shall rise from their graves. This year, Norman is told to read from the book, but when he fails to read it in time zombies arise from their graves. Now, Norman must fight to save his small town from the witch's curse.

This film was directed by Chris Butler and Sam Fell. This film is a horror film made for children. This has sort of become the norm for stop motion animation films. It was great to see this film poke fun and offer tribute to several of the classical films of horror. It is surprising that this film didn't come out closer to Halloween though. This film mixes both the stop motion animation with limited computer animation. The two work together very well instead of clashing. The story is great. It takes elements of true historical events, superstition, and recent beliefs in the supernatural and combines them. They are used to create a great story full of comical humor for both adults and children. There are moments that do make you jump. There isn't anything too gory or violent though. 

The voice acting for this film was great. Kodi Smit-McPhee voiced the character Norman Babcock. He was great in this role. He gave his character a lot of heart. Tucker Albrizzi voiced the character Neil. He was great in his role. He added great humor to the film. Anna Kendrick voiced the character Courtney Babcock. She was good in her general role. Christopher Mintz-plasse voiced the character Alvin. He was good in his general role, and added some humor to the film. Casey Affleck voiced the character Mitch. He was good in his film. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It has a great story that children and adults can enjoy. It is a dark film with some adult humor.

Answer to last blog: Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger played the role of Douglas Quaid in the 1990 film Total Recall.

Que: Director Chris Butler was involved the films Coraline and Corpse Bride as a ...?

Art Director
Character Creation
Assistant Director
Scriptwriter

Total Recall (2012)

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This film is a reboot from the 1990 film Total Recall; which was inspired by the 1966 short story, "We Can Remember It for You Wholesale, written by Philip K. Dick. This film follows Douglas Quaid, an assembly line worker who finds himself trapped by a constant nightmare. To escape his current life he goes to Recall to remember a different life. He opts for secret agent, but before the new memories can be implemented it is discovered that his current memories might not be real. Quaid sets out to try and discover what is real.

This film was directed by Len Wiseman. This film is more of a loose adaptation from the previous film. The characters remain the same, but the story is highly different from director Paul Verhoeven's film. The story is great because it manages to make both ideals legitimate. It is impossible to fully figure out if Quaid remains trapped in Recall or if everything is real. It makes the film a great mystery (is it Recall or Rekall?). The story also allows for great character growth adding to the films story. The script is also full of great single philosophical single lines. The film's special effects present some amazing technology. The idea of having a phone implanted into your hand was amazing, and fitting for current times. The lighted tattoo's add some amazing subtle imagery to the film. It was also nice that the technology was present, but it wasn't over done. It was also nice to see a science fiction film with robots that weren't trying to destroy mankind. The fight scene's were great. They kept to realism in this film which is uncommon in modern films. 

The cast worked great together creating this alternate world. Colin Farrell played the role of Douglas Quaid. He was great in this film. He made a sympathetic character that was shadowed by mystery. Kate Beckinsale played the role of Lori Quaid. She was her bad ass self. She was great being a villain who could outdo the men. Unfortunately that's all her character was. Jessica Biel played the role of Melina. She was great playing the female counterpart of Beckinsale. Bryan Cranston played the role of Cohaagen. He was great in his role. Bookeem Woodbine played the role of Harry. He was good in his small role. 

I give this film 5 out of 5 stars! It's a great philosophical film full of action. This film keeps you guessing from start to finish.

Answer to last blog: Actress Elizabeth Banks (Man on a Ledge) is known for her role as Effie Trinket (Hunger Games).

Que: Who played Douglas Quaid in the 1990 film Total Recall?

Tom Hanks
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Tom Cruise
Tommy Lee Jones

Man on a Ledge

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This film follows the mystery of a man who suddenly appears on a ledge in New York City. Lydia Mercer is pulled into this case to try and stop him from falling to his death. Nick Cassidy is attempting to prove his innocence and is taking a stand against David Englander. Joey Cassidy and Angie, are in the Englander building across the street attempting to re-steal the diamond that was claimed to be stolen by Nick Cassidy. 

This film was directed by Asger Leth. This film has a good basis. However, its execution fell short. This film has three different stories playing at once in a short time span. Having these three stories playing at once made the film feel slightly unfocused. The plot is very simple to follow and doesn't have a lot of surprises in it. It had an obvious villains, and an obvious twists. The moderate pacing of the film was good for building up the story. Some of the characters did get a little corny though. The small amount of action in the film was good. It added to the story instead of hindering it. Using New York as the backdrop was a great idea even if it is slightly cliché. 

The cast worked well together. Sam Worthington played the role of Nick Cassidy. He was good as he always is. He created a highly sympathetic character. Which works for being the films hero, but isn't as good for thriller film. It made it to obvious. Jamie Bell played the role of Joey Cassidy. He was good providing the film with some humor.  Genesis Rodriguez played the role of Angie. She was good adding humor to the film, and adding the curves as well. Elizabeth Banks played the role of Lydia Mercer. She was great in her role. She kept the film moderately suspenseful. Anthony Mackie played the role of Mike Ackerman. He was great in his role. The way the story was presented hindered his performance. Titus Welliver played the role of Dante Marcus. He was good in his role.

I give this film 3 out of 5 stars. It's a good film, but its not a good thriller film. Everything in the film is to obvious. It does have a decent story that makes it a good summer film.

Answer to last blog: Director Tomas Alfredson also directed the film Let the Right One In and the film Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. 

Que: What role is actress Elizabeth Banks known for?

Captain Elizabeth Bonny (Neverland)
Esme Cullen (Twilight)
Effie Trinket (The Hunger Games)
Erika (Underworld)

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

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This film is based off the 1974 novel, of the same title, written by John le Carre. During the years of the Cold War, George Smiley is pulled from semi-retirement. He is hired to spy on his espionage forces to find a hidden Soviet mole. 

This film is directed by Tomas Alfredson. I can't say how this is in comparison to the novel. The film is one of the best spy films of this year. It's very slow pace, and I do mean s-l-o-w, allows the film to delve further into the depths of its mystery. This film relies more on its script and its characters rather than fast paced action. The script is intelligently written and full of suspenseful mystery. There is a great character revealing through the course of the film. However, the script also contains a lot of spy jargon, and contains a lot of various characters. It can make it confusing  during its first watch. It is also moderately obvious who is the guilty person. The film still carries that 1970's feel, but it feels almost timeless. 

The cast worked great together creating meaningful characters. Gary Oldman played the role of George Smiley. He was great creating the mysterious character. He never revealed what he was thinking making him the perfect spy. Colin Firth played the role of Bill Haydon. He was great in his role. He created the dark shady character really well. David Dencik played the role of Toby Esterhase. He was good in his role. He didn't do much to stand amongst the rest of the cast. Toby Jones played the role of Percy Alleline. He was great in his role, playing the distrusted character. Mark Strong played the role of Jim Prideaux. He was great in his role playing the character that pieced everything together. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It is a well written film, but its slow place makes it drag. It also takes a few watches to fully comprehend what is fully happening. 

Answer to last blog: Actors Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Christian Bale, Michael Cain all starred in the film The Prestige. (Each of them have played comic book characters in various films.)

Question: What other film has Tomas Alfredson directed?

Frost/Nixon

Milk

Let the Right One In

Doubt

The Dark Knight Rises

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This film is based off the DC comics character Batman. This is the final installment of the trilogy. Eight years later, villains begin to return to Gotham city. A young attractive woman, named Selina Kyle, robs Bruce Wayne, Batman, of his pearl necklace. At the same time there is an appearance of a terrorist named Bane. Wayne is forced, by Bane and Kyle, to leave his postion as a board member for his company. He decides to find a new board leader, Miranda. Wayne becomes Batman once more to save Gotham city from its reckoning. 

Now,  it is unfortunate about the recent shooting in Aurora, Colorado. It's something that should not have happened. My condolences to the families who are suffering through a tough time. 

This film was directed by Christopher Nolan. This film isn't a direct sequel after the The Dark Knight. Although, it does share a common story theme, this film takes place eight years later. The film has a quick start with several new and unexplained characters, and it makes the film feel like it has a gap. A big question comes in as to who the female character was that hung around Selina Kyle through most of the film. There was no reason for this character. It is also odd that she acts more like the known comic Catwoman than Kyle. The batman character remains intact, but the major villain characters don't. Nolan went for a softer Selina Kyle which doesn't exist in Catwoman's beginning. Also, Selina Kyle needed to have whip. Even if it was for a few seconds it should have been there. It's her signature weapon! Bane is generally known as a professor, but is not in this film. This a backstory more than anything else. It is unfortunate that these recent villains failed to match up to the previous' film Joker. Apart from changing several of the villains, the story was great. It isn't as dark as it predecessor because it creates the illusion of hope. This gives the film a more startling story. The more realistic approach makes it stand out from the recent Marvel films. Watching Gotham become destroyed is also a major switch for a superhero film. Also, creating a film that establishes a superhero's end is a very bold risk. Much of the story is clearly known by comic fans, but it is not as easily read for fans of the films. It is unfortunate that this story leaves so many loose ends-making it perfect for another sequel. The nuclear weapon used in this fim felt slightly out of place, but it worked for the story. The same goes for the technology that is used in this film. It is used to represent the destruction of the city, but it did not fit with the combat and the backdrop. The combat was great in this film. It made the film feel so personal. A lot of it is also done in quick images allowing for the violence to be implied, but not bloodily shown. 

The cast worked great together. They did great in finishing this epic trilogy. Christian Bale returned to his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman. He did great in this role except for his deep Batman voice. He presented a much more conflicted Batman in this film that made audiences want him to prevail. Joseph Gordon-Levitt played the role of John Blake. He was great in his role creating the ideal heroic character. Gary Oldman returned to his role as Commissioner Gordon. He was great in his role. It is a small but highly important role. Tom Hardy played the role of Bane. He was amazing as Bane. He created a character that was so menacing and yet understandable. Anne Hathaway played the role of Selina Kyle/Catwoman (burglar). She was good in her role. She did take Selina Kyle to a very different form. She was much more likable and cute. It just wasn't the Catwoman that is familiar to audiences. Morgan Freeman returned to his as Fox. He was good in his small role. He added another emotional character to the film. Marion Cotillard played the role of Miranda/Thalia. She was good even if she felt forced into the story. Michael Caine also returned to his role of Alfred. He presented a much softer side to Alfred. 

I give this film 4 out of 5 stars! It's a great emotional story full of intense action. However, so much of the film felt out of place. 

Answer to last blog: Actor David Cross is known for his role as Tobias in Arrested Development. (He did the voice for Minion in Megamind.)

Que: Actors Hugh Jackman and Scarlett Johansson also starred as comic characters for Marvel. Which film did they share the screen with actors Christian Bale and Michael Caine?

Casino Royale

The Departed

The Prestige

Babel