DOUBLE FEATURE!!!! CR # 5 & 6

Welcome to another DOUBLE FEATURE REVIEW!!!!!!!!

This weeks double feature is two very different movies released around the same time. One is a sci-fi comedy with one of the best British comedy partners, and the other is a sci-fi drama with an actor proving he can be a leading man. These of course are...

Let's Begin...

PAUL

PLOT
Graeme and Clive are two British nerds who come to America for the first time for, what else, but the San Diego Comic-Con and for a road trip to America's most famous alien spots like Area 51. One night on the road, Graeme and Clive see a deadly car crash. When they go to see if anyone needs help, they find an Alien named Paul. He ask for their help in getting him back home. They agree and take him on the road with them. But they are being chased by secretly secretive government secret agents.One is a badass, and too who are... basically Larry and Curley.


PROS
The CG for Paul is great, Especially considering its budget. While it's not Avatar level, it's done very well and all of the interactions with Paul and the actors are very well done.

Speaking of actors, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are great as always. They have great chemistry together and seem like long time friends. While I know that they are friends in real life, I don't how long.


Seth Rogen also does a great job as Paul. While he is playing Seth Rogen, he's playing Seth Rogen as an alien, big difference there. Everyone else holds their own too. Jason Batemen as the (I can't believe I'm saying this) Badass agent is great, along with Kristin Wiig  as the die hard christian who questions her religion after finding out the existence of Paul is funny.

The references in this movie are very funny if a bit random, more on that later! There is even a reference to Mac and Me!!!!! (look it up kids).


CONS
Edgar Wright isn't there. What I mean is that this is the first time Pegg and Frost are working on a nerdy script without Wright and it shows. Many of the references and even some of the jokes seem out of place. Wright is the master of comedy right now and he could have made this movie even better.




CONCLUSION
While Edgar Wright could have made this movie a Run To, what we get is still funny an great. I recommend it.


RATING
WALK TO

NOW, TO OUR FEATURE REVIEW...
LIMITLESS!!!

PLOT
Our story begins with Eddie Morra at the edge of the balcony of his Luxury apartment/ Fortress with men beating down his door and him about to jump. Well that is terrible way to end the movie, so we go back a couple of weeks where Eddie looks like a crazy homeless man. While he's not homeless, he is a writer with writers block. Not only that but his hot girlfriend breaks up with him too. Today is just not his day, but then he meets his ex-brother-in-law who invites Eddie out to lunch. While there, Eddie explains his troubles. So, his EBIL gives him a tiny, clear pill that supposedly will let him access 100% of his brain. At first, Eddie doesn't believe him, but after he takes it, he becomes addicted. Now with one tablet a day, he gets back with his girlfriend, gets involve with criminals, and the stock market (which is basically the same thing as with getting involved with criminals). At some point it has to all come crashing down, but is it all at the same time?


PROS
The visuals and soundtrack are just perfect for this movie. When ever Eddie is not on the drug, it's very grey, gloomy, and lifeless. But when he's on the drug, it's colorful, hyper, and full of life. One impressive seen is where he blacks in and out over an 18 hour period and you feel as confused and disoriented as Eddie does.

This was Bradley Cooper's "Hey Hollywood, LOOK AT ME, I CAN BE LEADING MAN, LOOK   AT   ME!!!!" movie and he does prove that. It feels like he really believed in this project, at least I hope so since he is one of the executive producers. He does great when having conversations with Robert Di Nero.

The story and script are tight and top notch. There are little to no holes in the plot and the dialogue is very fluid and delivered well. 


The trailer makes it seem like Di Nero is some sort of all knowing villain when really he's just on of Eddie's associates. While it can be argued that he does become a villain at the end, I see it as a clever way to wrap up some loose ends.


The film takes it's audience seriously. It doesn't hold you hand explaining things over and over again every 10 mins. No, it  believes your a smart person and wants to take you on an intelligent trip.




CONS
...Moving on...

CONCLUSION
This is the first movie I can't find any major cons with, all of the criticisms I have with it would be nit picking, and no one likes nit picking...NO ONE! If that's not enough reason to give this movie my highest rating, I don't know what is.

RATING
RUN TO!!!


P.S.  Next Time I do a classic review, I'm going to start a new segment I like to call "From the Queue" tune in 2 weeks from now to find out what that means.
   


 







   
 
 

  

Conan The Barbarian: NR # 9

I was thinking of doing a double review of this and "The Help", but this deserves it's own review. My thoughts on The Help? Walk To. NOW, onto this weeks big release, which is...

Let's Begin...


PLOT
Conan, literally Born on the battlefield, proves himself to be one of the most ruthless Barbarians of his village after slaughtering a village of creepy natives at the young age of 9. But once his dad and village is destroyed, Conan vows to avenge his father's death by killing the one who killed his father. (I didn't put effort into this for a reason)

PROS
The first 30-40 minutes. Basically his childhood and the best gore moments of the film. It starts off promising with his childhood being the most badass part of this movie, but it just goes downhill from there...

CONS
The action sucks. While some set pieces are very inventive like the Sand warriors who pop out of the ground and can just pop right back in, that's it. I can tell you 3 reasons why it sucked
1. Terrible editing
2. The action is filed to close to...well the action
3. The 3D makes the screen so dark, you can't tell what's going on. along with the other 2 problems. 

The 3D was pointless. Only little things were in 3D like a weapon or a person, but that's about it.

Their is an extremely forced love interest for Conan which comes out of nowhere.

The best gore moments are in the first 30-40 minutes. While there are some here and there, it's not enough to top the first 30-40 mins

The actor for Conan is HORRIBLE. This is very ironic since every other role his played has been basically Conan. All he does is growl and talk like Batman from the Dark Knight. At least Arnold had some emotions besides "ANGRY!!!!!". Heck, the kid actor for Conan was better than him!


Conan as an adult never seems as Barbaric as he does when he was a child. He just growls and stabs people. Kid Conan cut off a guy's NOSE, HIS NOSE!!!!.






CONCLUSION
I hate this movie. So far, it's my worst movie of 2011. I was more interested in my watch and thinking about how much I wanted it to end. Don't go see this...PLEASE.

RATING
RUN AWAY  

   

Hobo With A Shotgun CR: #4

Our movie today is deemed by many to be "THE CRAZIEST THING I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE" (Quote from Sam Goodrich of Sam's New and Classic Reviews Blog) This is...
  

 

 Let's Begin...

PLOT
We follow an insane Hobo played by Rutger Hauer who drops off in this one town (who the people who live their call it Fu*k Town) which may be the most corrupt, crime filled, messed up town in THE WORLD. So of course he decides to stay there. While in that town, he finds that the citizens of this town are being terrorized by an old man and his two preppy sons (OH THE HORROR!!). But when they go to far, this Hobo doesn't just sit back and take it, No, he goes into a pawn shop with the intent of buying a Lawnmower to start a lawn mowing business (remember, he's crazy) but instead buys a shotgun and DELIVERS VIGILANTLY JUSTICE, ONE SHELL AT A TIME!!!!

PROS
This film is supposed to be a modern day 70's exploration film, which were movies that were made a extremely low budgets with massive amounts of violence and gore. Now I have only seen one of these movies, which is considered the tamest one ever made, I have to say, this went above and beyond the call of duty in terms of that.

Rutger Hauer does an amazing job as the Hobo. While everyone else in supposed to be acting like a bad actor, he is the only one really giving his all. I feel like no one told this is supposed to be "So Bad it's Good" movie.

The action and gore in this movie is AWESOME, if a little too extreme, more at that later!

Halfway through the movie, Two new characters are introduced only known as The Plague.
While a lot of people found them too ridiculous, I though they fit right in.

This movie has some awesome lines. For example "Don't worry he's only killing the crooked cops. WE'RE ALL CROOKED COPS!" 


This movie doesn't try to make a badass character. What I mean is that in movies like Machete where they spend too long trying to make a badass image, this movie just does something cool then move on.


CONS
The violence can get a little too extreme. One example is that for no reason except to up the anti the bad guys burn a school bus with children in it. Now I know that the kids are ok and no one actually dies, just the thought goes to far in my opinion

CONCLUSION
Now I can sum up my entire review in one question: If the title "Hobo With a Shotgun" sounds like the most awesomest thing EVOR (those words are real words, I just made them real words) Then go see this. If you think, wow that sounds stupid, then stay away. Plain and simple. While I was really excited to see this, It was more crazy then I could handle. I still like it, so far it's in my top 10 of favorite films this year, but it's not for everyone.

RATING
RENTABLE
 

   

 

 
    





 

Rise of the Planet of the Apes: NR #8

This weeks movie is a tricky one. It's one of the last summer movies I'm excited for, It's a remake/reboot of an old film franchise that failed at a remake/reboot already (I'm lookin at you Tim Burton), and it's one of the hardest movies for a mainstream audience to accept and go along with. Well, I'm happy to say that, for me at least, it succeeds on all of these fronts. This is...

Let's Begin...

PLOT
The plot starts with Will Rodman (James Franco), A scientist who is testing a drug to cure Alzheimer's. While testing on one Chimpanzee who goes crazy and forces Will to loss all of his funding, he discovers that the Chimp was pregnant. He takes this baby Chimpanzee home and soon discovers that the drug his mother had was passed onto him. He names this chimp Caesar and soon becomes attached to him while observing him at the same time. But, after a misunderstanding, Caesar is put into a Monkey sanctuary where the the monkeys are all abused. Caesar then decides that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH and plans an all out attack against Human kind.


PROS
Surprisingly, James Franco is believable as a scientist, even after the disaster that was known as last years Oscars, I thought we would never be able to take him seriously. I was proven wrong.

The CG for the monkeys, especially Caesar, is AMAZING. You may not know who Andy Serkis is, but you sure know who he's played. He's been the body for Golem in the Lord of the Rings movies, and King Kong in the King Kong remake. He does most of the movements and emotions for Caesar so that the Animation team can have an easier time animating Caesar. It's very good and really shows what emotions he's going through.

The last 45 minutes of this movie, The monkey uprising, may the best, most exciting, most AWESOME action if seen all Summer. I will give one example to justify my reason. A GORILLA BEATS UP A HELICOPTER, A HELICOPTER!!!!!!! If that's not reason enough, I don't know what is.

The movie does a good job at tiling in to the first Planet of the Apes, the original not the horrible remake (Still lookin at you Tim). There are little references here and there to the first movie and they work in my opinion

This movie works great as an engaging drama/sci-fy movie and as a CHIMPS GONE WILD action movie. I felt more attached to these characters then I have to any other characters all Summer. When Caesar get's abused or mistreated, I wanted that person dead.


They never blame the uprising on something stupid like Greed or Science, instead, they blame it one Humans and animal cruelty. Greed and Science wouldn't be stupid for another film, but in this one, it would have.



CONS
The three villains of this movie are very over the top. They all should have twirly mustaches and a Top hat they're so Evil. One is after money, one just doesn't care, and the last is just an animal hating douche. Not the best villains for a Sci-fy in movie opinion.

Fredia Pinto, who you may know from Slumdog Millionaire, is basically useless in this movie. At first it seems that she might be a reason for Caesar to revolt, but that just last for about 5 seconds.


CONCLUSION
By now you can probably tell that I love this movie. Well, I love it more than that. I think that this is the best movie I've seen all Summer! (besides Midnight in Paris) If you can accept the fact that you have to take monkeys seriously in this movie, THEN SEE THIS NOW!!!!

RATING
RUN TO   
 

   

Indepentent Double Feature CR/NR #7/ #3

This week, I'm gonna try something different. Instead of reviewing Two movies in two reviews, I'll review two movies in one review. Yes I know, I'm very good at innovation. But enough about my genius, Let's talk about our two Independent movies I saw basically back-to-back. Those films are...

PLOT: THE ILLUSIONIST
The time is the early 60's and Rock n' Roll is becoming HUGE while the vaudeville performers are slowly being shoved out. One of these performers is an aging French Illusionist. While he isn't the best Illusionist, he is doing less work then he had before. One day is offered to work at an Irish Pub and he takes the job. The crowed loves him (Probably because they're drunk) Epically a poor teenage girl who believes that his magic is real. This girl gives him new confidence, so he let's her tag along with him as he tries to find new work.

PROS 
95% of the movie is done in 2D animation. The only times that it seems like it was done with a computer was With the vehicles. 

There is no dialogue in the whole movie. While this doesn't affect me, I know that a lot of people hate subtitles, And this a french film. While there is some dialogue, it doesn't affect the story. This lets the animators do more expressive motions and facial animations. They are so good at this, that you can tell what going on at all times 

The film is only 1 hour and 15 minutes long. The reason this is good is because the story doesn't drag on, it ends at the right moment.

The animation is AMAZING. If you ever want to show someone great 2D animation, use this film. Nuff said.

CONS
The ending is very...well...depressing. That is only way to describe it. I would love to go into detail but that would ruin the movie. Let's just say the ending is very real. It ends in way that it doesn't piss you off because it was a bad ending, It pisses you off because you don't want to except it. Watch the movie and you'll know what I'm talking about. I don't want to put this in the Cons section, but I can only put it there due to my review structure.


CONCLUSION
To end this off I'll quote my favorite critic, The Co-host 3000 from Spill.com "If your more artsy than fartsy"
Then see this NOW, but if you are more interested than sold on I say give it a look.

RATING
WALK TO



Now, onto review #2

PLOT: BEGGINERS
Our story takes place WAY back in 2003 where we follow Oliver, A young man who has just lost his father to Cancer, who came out of the closet at the age of 75, mere months before his death. While trying to cope with his recent lose and depression, Oliver meets a girl at a costume party named Anna. Sparks start to fly between the two and they fall madly in love. This new relationship helps Oliver to come to grips with his own problems.

PROS
All of the actors do a great job. The one stand out is Christopher Plummer as Oliver's dad.

The connection between Ewan Mcgregor and Melanie Laurent is very believable.

The comedy in this movie is very funny, I laughed at all the jokes.

CONS
The film is advertised as a romantic-dramedy (romantic comedy- drama) but is a romantic drama, mostly a drama. This not a problem with the film, this is a problem with my expectations. I went in there in the mood for a romantic dramedy, and instead got a mumble sad drama. This can ruin a film like this for me. 


The movie moves at a snails pace. The movie is very tedious and boring. While I don't need explosions every 5 seconds, I just want something to happen to happen every once in a while.

The movie is very quiet. Now I'm pretty sure this is a problem with theater, but I could barley hear anything anyone was saying, and you need to hear them to understand whats going on.


CONCLUSION
I would have probably liked this more if I had seen it at home on a rented DVD and if I had known if this was drama. I could watch it alone with the volume up high and the mood serious. All in all, this is a good rental.

RATING
RENTABLE

   

   

  

  

Captain America: The First Avenger NR Review #6

Well, The Summer blockbuster season is almost over. July is near an end, and Oscar season movies you've never heard of but soon will, are on there way. What better way to end the superhero filled summer with a 2 hour long teaser trailer to a movie coming out in a year. JUST KIDDING! Marvel learned their mistake from Iron Man 2. But this is a good one don't worry. The spirit of America himself...


Let's Begin...

PLOT

Our story takes place 1940's America, you know what that means,WWII and Nazi hate is in full force and every able bodied man is sighing up to be drafted, except one. That non able bodied man is Steve Rogers, who has the body of a short, anorexic old man with the head of Chris Evans (Which only looked wired in one scene). Steve is a All-American good boy. He does what's right, never runs from a fight, and is determined, very determined. Because of this, He gets drafted to be one of the first of an army of men to become a SUPER SOLIDER!!!!! After the success of the procedure, The whole test is sabotaged by a Nazi science divsion named Hydra, Lead by Johann Schmidt. Johann has also gone through this procedure, but in its earliest stage. Now, he is even more evil and wants to TAKE OVER THE WORLD (OF COURSE). But, instead of using Steve as a weapon, they use him as a mascot for USO shows around the country known as CAPTAIN AMERICA. But, after a team of 200 men are captured or killed, leaving only 50 left, Cap goes in and rescues THEM AL-well more like 30% of them. Still they now use him as a new force against the Nazi's and Johann, who is now known as, The Red Skull due the fact that the Super solider serum basically burned off his face.

PROS
NOW, after that long plot section, what do i have to say about good ol' Cap

All of the actors are great, Chris Evans is great as Steve Rogers, Tommy Lee Jones is...well he's Tommy Lee Jones, and Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull was the biggest stand out.

The action, for lack of a better word, AWESOME! The hand to hand fights are done really well and the director decided that it would be good if you could actually tell what the hell was going on, unlike some movies



The movie takes place in 1940's. Now, this may not seem like a big deal, but trust me, they could have easily put this in modern times, instead they spanned it all over the WWII era.

The Steve Rogers origin story scenes (the first half of the movie) are great. You really sympathies with the character and get to see who he is

Like I said before, they don't try to cram The Avengers into this whole movie, notice how I say whole. More on that later.

This is more of a personal one, but during the USO scene, His costume looks a lot like the ridiculous, "No way anyone would take you seriously" costume from the HORRIBLE 1990 Captain America movie, which is kinda of a funny throw back.

The CG for Steve Rogers before the Super Solider, is VERY good. I'm not what they did, if they put his head a smaller body or they shrunk his head, but it darn good.


CONS
The Red Skull was under used. He would be in scene for about 3 minutes then we wouldn't see him for almost 20 minutes.

After Steve becomes Captain America, he also becomes a bland character. He just isn't special anymore and is more just like a special grunt.

The Red Skull can be hard for audiences to take serious. While I thought he was intimidating sometimes, other times his teeth were brighter then his bright red face. I toke him seriously, but I think most people won't.


CONCLUSION

In conclusion, this was a good movie. Good action, good acting, but nothing that really stands out. Well except for the bonus at the end of the credits (STAY TILL AFTER THE CREDITS, YOU WON'T BE DISAPPOINTED). I still say go see it


RATING

WALK TO

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 NR #5

Well I finally did it. I went to my FIRST midnight screening. It wasn't as crazy as I thought it would be, but still fun.

But you didn't come here to hear about my midnight screening story. No, you came here for the review of the biggest movie event of the decade, maybe even the MILLENNIUM!!!! Which is of course is...


Yes Winnie the Pooh. The return of the long running series is...wait, you didn't mean this movie. Oh, you came here for this movie didn't you...


Let's Begin....



PLOT
(Sorry if I get this wrong, I'm not to great at my "Potterolgy")

Our story begins right after the events of Part 1, Voldemort has found the Elder Wand, Potter and pals have destroyed the first horcrox, Dobby is dead (R.I.P Dobby), and potter and pals are hiding out in the Wesley's summer home. Harry has decided that ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, I HAVE HAD IT WITH THESE MOTHERF$%KIN DARK WIZARDS ON THIS MOTHERF$%KIN EARTH. So he starts a quest, again, to find the last 2 horcroxes, again, and defeat Voldemort, again.



PROS
The acting is great, epically Danial Radcliffe as Harry, who in one scene, has to show an emotional level that few could pull off and still be taken serious, and he did it.

The action scenes are GREAT. Each one is very exciting, very intense, and very fun to watch.

Nevil gets to be a BADASS in this movie. I won't say which, but Nevil destroys one of the Horcroxes in the most satisfying way you could possibly do.

The movie feels like it's apart of Part 1. What I mean is that the way it begins, it seems like this whole 2 hour film was just cut from Part 1, like a continuing film series should do.

The movie is not BORING. The one problem a lot of people and critics had with Part 1 was that it was too slow and to boring. This one saved all the good action scenes. I though I was about to fall asleep but the movie kept waking me back up!

The movie is actually funny. The only reason this movie's lighthearted comedy scenes are funny is because the film has this very tense feel to it, so when they crack a joke, it's the funniest thing on earth.


CONS

The so called "FINAL BATTLE!!!!" is very underwhelming. the reason is that they try to focus on to many things at once, and not just the fight between Harry and Voldemort.

The beginning of the third act gets WAY to slow, this is only a Minor problem, but it still was a problem.

The ending to this movie scares me a little, the reason is that it could possibly lead to more Potter books. I don't want another one of these, this series is just FINE, LEAVE IT ALONE!!!!


CONCLUSION

To end this review I'll say this, My review won't matter. If you love Harry Potter, then you've already seen this or will before the end of July, If your not, then go see Winnie the Pooh and support 2D animated films. Either way, I loved this movie.


RATING

RUN TO

P.S. The first trailer for the next Batman movie is one of the trailers before the movie. That should give you another reason to see this movie. CAN'T WAIT FOR SUMMER 2012!!!!!