Oz the Great and Powerful

 

Oz the Great and Powerful:

Oz the Great and Powerful is a fun movie. If you like the original Wizard of Oz as much as I do then you will definitely enjoy this movie as well. The story is about how Oz became the Wizard of Oz and how the three witches split between good and evil. The movie also pays a lot of homages to the original Wizard of Oz including beginning in black and white and transitioning to color. An all star cast delivers great performances from James Franco, Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz, Michelle Williams, Zach Braff, Tony Cox, and Bruce Campbell. Sam Raimi does a great job directing and the cinematography speaks for itself. I saw it in 2D but I would be willing to ass/u/me that the 3D would make this movie even better. I give this movie an A so get out there and see it!

Gangs of New York

 

Gangs of New York:

I love this movie. Always have and always will. Amsterdam Vallon played by Leonardo DiCaprio is the son of an Irish gang leader. During an all out battle between the Irish gangs and the American gang, led by Bill the Butcher played by Daniel Day-Lewis, Amsterdam's father is killed. After growing up in a corrections house Amsterdam comes back to the Five Points in New York to seek revenge on Bill the Butcher. The story is amazing, the acting is phenomenal, and the cinematography is great. You couldn't ask for a better trio than Scorsese, Lewis, and DiCaprio. This movie gets an A+ and I implore you to see it and to show it to your friends!

There Will Be Blood

 

There Will Be Blood:

There Will Be Blood is a movie about the shady and ruthless dealings of an early oil tycoon. There are a lot of interesting dynamics that make this movie amazing. The dueling natures of Daniel Plainview played by Daniel Day-Lewis and Eli Sunday played by Paul Dano, the father/son relationship between Plainview and HW played by Dillon Freasier, and of course all the dangers involved with getting an oil derrick working. Daniel Day-Lewis successfully creates one of the most despicable characters ever put on film. Watching Plainview one up Sunday over and over again is the highlight of the movie for me. It is the perfect representation of their individual acting abilities. The acting is phenomenal all around in this movie. The story is enlightening to the backhanded dealings of the early oil tycoons and the cinematography is well done. I give this movie an A+ and remember "I drink your milkshake."

Looper

 

Looper:

I will start by saying I liked this movie. I had really high expectations for this movie and unfortunately they did not quite live up to them but made up for it in other ways. Bruce Willis, Jeff Daniels, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt star in this futuristic sci-fi thriller. Mob bosses from the future send hits back in time where they are assassinated by Loopers. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is supposed to assassinate his future self, played by Bruce Willis, but fails and ends up in over his head. Bruce Willis needs his past self, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, to help him change the future. The story is fairly easy to follow but the ending leaves an important question unanswered. It is one of the endings that is good but could be better. I give Looper a solid B and recommend checking it out.

The Prestige

 

 

The Prestige:

The Prestige is a must see film. Starring Hugh Jackman, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, and Scarlett Johansson the story revolves around two friends turned enemies who are trying to ruin each others careers as magicians. They do this by improving their own shows while sabotaging each others. The acting is phenomenal. The setting and cinematography weave fantasy and history together beautifully. Christopher Nolan, director of the Batman Returns trilogy directed this masterpiece. I give this movie an A+. Do yourself a favor and check this movie out!

Zero Dark Thirty

 

 

Zero Dark Thirty:

Zero Dark Thirty was an interesting movie about an amazing achievement in U.S. history. I still remember where I was when I heard that Osama bin Laden had been killed. I was in the shower getting ready for work, listening to the Preston and Steve morning show and I gave a small cheer. The movie covers the events leading up to and including the death of Osama bin Laden. The downsides to the movie is common among intelligence gathering community movies. These downsides are guaranteed: You will be confused at more than one point about what is going on and you will be bored at one or more points. The problem with the confusion is that most people are not part of the intelligence gathering community and are not on the same page as people who are working the same leads. Special to this movie are a large number of middle eastern names that are hard to understand and even more so put a face to. Also intelligence gathering tends to be boring. The acting is excellent and the events leading up to the operation are interesting even if they are hard to follow or boring. Jessica Chastain steals the show with an amazing performance. I give this movie a solid B+.



The Bourne Legacy

 

 

The Bourne Legacy:

 

I have a few problems with The Bourne Legacy. The Bourne Trilogy starring Matt Damon was great. I enjoyed each of the films. The problem with the Bourne Legacy is that it feels like a reboot of the Bourne Trilogy. That in itself is not a bad thing because Jeremy Renner does a great job in the "Bourne" role. The bad thing is that we already know the Bourne story. 80% of this movie is laying the story out for a new Bourne series. That leaves only 20% of the movie for action, which was awesome, but just not enough. I would definitely see a 2nd and 3rd movie with Jeremy Renner as Bourne but keep these things in mind if you watch this movie. I can only give this movie a B- because it was way below expectations. 

Life of Pi

 

 

Life of Pi:

 

Life of Pi is easily one of the best movies I have ever seen. Seeing it in 3D was an added bonus. This is storytelling at it's finest. The special effects and cinematography help make this movie a wonderful adventure. You will laugh, cry, and be amazed as Ang Lee takes you on this epic journey. It is amazing to see the bond between Richard Parker, the Bengal tiger, and Pi form as they are stranded out at sea. The cinematography sweeps you up and makes the adventure come alive. There is also a twist at the end to make you think about the entire movie and maybe even your own life too. Life of Pi gets an A+ and I recommend seeing it in 3D for the full effect.

Paranormal Activity 4

 

 

Paranormal Activity 4:

 

If you like 1-3 you will like Paranormal Activity 4. I ask myself "Why did I Redbox this movie"? The reason I like these movies is that every scene is like a "What's wrong with this picture"? You stare at the screen waiting for something to move that isn't supposed to move. The story for these movies is enough to keep you coming back, barely. Without ruining anything the story seems to coming to a close. I think they could wrap it all up with 5 or 6 and that would be worth watching two more of these. I give Paranormal Activity 4 a B and if you can get it at Redbox it is worth the rental. 

Payback

 

 

Payback:

Payback is a movie... You have tough guy Porter, who is played well by Mel Gibson, exacting revenge on the people that did him wrong. Porter will stop at nothing and is not too graceful in his killing spree. Gregg Henry does a good job as the villain and the target of Porter. The story is nothing new, the cinematography goes well with the story, but this movie gets a C. If you want a movie you can vegetate during then this one is for you.  

Les Misérables



Les Misérables:

Les Mis is one of the first musicals I loved from start to finish. I am not a big fan of musicals mainly because I don't see the sense in singing everything instead of talking. However, the music in Les Mis is beautiful and exciting. It sweeps the viewer up into the events of the movie making it more engaging than a well acted movie. Hugh Jackman's performance has increased my respect for him as an entertainer. Russell Crowe, Anne Hathaway, Amanda Seyfried, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Helena Bonham Carter all do a fantastic job singing their songs as well. The cinematography is amazing. Les Misérables gets an A+. Go see it in theaters because their sound systems are nicer than yours!

Lincoln

 

 

Lincoln:

Lincoln is one of the best movies I have EVER seen. It is surreal to see such an American icon brought to life by Daniel Day Lewis. I spent much of the movie thinking "I would love to have a beer with Abraham Lincoln". We all know that Abraham Lincoln was a genius and an impressive leader who was able to bring America back together when all the odds were against it. How many of us know that Lincoln told parables, had casual conversations with friends and strangers alike, and loved to tell jokes? All of this is brought to life in this movie. Tommy Lee Jones, Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, David Strathairn, and James Spader are all amazing in their supporting roles. I give this movie an A+ and highly recommend that everyone see it.

Sword of the Stranger

 

 

Sword of the Stranger:

I saw a special Fathom Events trailer for this at a movie and thought, "I should see this special Fathom Event". So I did. Sword of the Stranger is one of my favorite movies. I am a sucker for people who go out of their way to help others, especially helping kids. I am also a sucker for samurai. This movie does a great job of showing how quickly kids can work their way into the coldest of hearts. There is also a ton of awesome fights. The story is well written which is not always top priority in these kinds of movies. I give Sword of the Stranger an A+.  

Twin Peaks

 

 

 

 

Twin Peaks:

What can I say about Twin Peaks? This was a bizarre and quirky show that did not disappoint. I literally watched every episode not having any idea of what was going to happen next. The story writing was great while the acting sometimes left me wanting. However, David Duchovny has one of the greatest cameos of all the cameos ever and to say anything more would be doing it an injustice. By the end of the series though each character had a special place in my heart, some in the "I would totally hang with you" parts and some in the "If you don't get killed off then I will do it myself" parts. However I would be quick to assume that most people who have seen this series to completion can't figure out the last 15 minutes and don't like the ending. I understand that and is why I give this series a B-.

The Man from Nowhere

The Man from Nowhere:

I found this gem on good ol' Netflix. It has quickly become one of the few martial arts/action movies I can put on anytime and love. I have a soft spot for helping kids which is what Bin Won's character sets out to do. Sae-ron Kim plays the little girl and gives a great heart string tugging performance. As a man who would lay down his life to protect the kids that I work with this movie resonates with me. There is also a crap load of action and some of the best knife fighting I have seen on film. The story is also really well written compared to other movies of this genre. I give The Man from Nowhere an A+.

Premium Rush

 

 

 

 

Premium Rush:

Premium Rush was a good movie and a solid B. The story was original and highly entertaining. The love story throughout was targeted at the teen audience and was not very interesting to me. There is a good surprise towards the end of the movie making it that much more enjoyable. Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Michael Shannon steal the show with their performances as rivals in the movie. If you are looking for an interesting and unique movie, Premium Rush will not disappoint.

 



Django Unchained

Django Unchained:

Django Unchained was an enjoyable movie and a solid A. I feel that if you like Tarantino's other movies then Django will be no exception. Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz all do an awesome job playing their characters. There are also a few good cameos by Jonah Hill, Quentin Tarantino, Samuel L. Jackson and Don Johnson. The story is engaging and you can not help but cheer for an ex-slave turned bounty hunter killing slavers. There is plenty of gun shooting and blood spilling littered with Tarantino's sick sense of humor. Unless you feel that the Confederacy should have never rejoined the Union then get out and see Django Unchained before it is out of theaters.