MOVIE REVIEWS: INSIDIOUS

IN THEATERS

INSIDIOUS



Saw franchise veterans James Wan and Leigh Whannell team with Paranormal Activity writer/director Oren Peli to give the familiar haunted house story an exciting new twist with this tale of a family that moves into an old house and begins to suspect they are under siege from otherworldly forces when their young son inexplicably falls into a deep coma. As devoted parents Josh (Patrick Wilson) and Renai (Rose Byrne) struggle in vain to uncover the root cause of their son's condition, the stress of the situation gradually begins to take its toll on their once-strong relationship. Later, when darkness falls and specters appear to reach out for them from the shadows, the frightened parents realize they're dealing with powers beyond human comprehension. Barbara Hershey and Lin Shaye co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: James Wan

Cast: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Lin Shaye, Ty Simpkins, Angus Sampson

Release Date: Apr 01, 2011

Rated PG-13 for Violence, thematic material, terror, brief strong language and frightening images

Runtime: 1 hr. 42 min.

Genres: Drama Horror

Review:

Insidious is a welcome throwback to 70’s horror. . Stylistic, matched with effective music, this film is high on tension, low on gore, it’s the type of film that’s intent on winding you up and then smacking you in the face. It’s a kind of an expected surprise from James Wan who directed the original Saw. Wan directs with an aggressive style, using interesting angles to keep you off kilter and intrigued throughout. He does a fine job of building suspense with only occasional hiccups into absurdity. This film works best when the terror is in the shadows and never fully revealed. Wan doesn’t maintain this but veers into Sam Raimi territory, especially in the final act. The cast is strong even if they are asked to do much in the script. Patrick Wilson primary function is to be dismissive throughout but is given a tad more to do in final reel. Rose Byrne, who was born with the “my cat was just run over” look, is frazzled within 10 minutes of the film. Lin Shayne and her band of ghost hunters bring a change of pace to the film when they show up. I fear Insidious may not be everybody’s cup of tea, mainly because people can be terribly dismissive of tension as opposed to outright in your face gore. That being said, if you enjoy a slow build up this Poltergeist light will be right up your alley.

B+

[Trailer] Green Lantern via Wonder Con

Well this looks a lot better than the original trailer. I've always enjoyed the space police aspect of the Lantern stories and it's great to see some of that highlighted in the footage....

[Trailer] The Hangover Part 2

Full Trailer is out...







First reaction is that it all seems incredibly familiar, plot looks almost identical to the first film with a few changes here and there.

I was kind of hoping for something a tad more innovative but we'll see what the final product looks like....

New Action photos of Adrianne Palicki as Wonder Woman

Looks like they've tweaked the costume and I have to say it look a hellva lot better than the previously released shot....

Colors have been muted and the red boots are back.....



Adrianne Palicki in costume



Stunt Double in costume

Quick video from someone in the crowd...



Costume was always going to be problematic much like the Captain America one but this looks a lot better in my opinion.

MOVIE REVIEWS: STIEG LARSSON’S DRAGON TATTOO (THE MILLENNIUM) TRILOGY [Bluray]

MOVIE REVIEWS: STIEG LARSSON’S DRAGON TATTOO (THE MILLENNIUM) TRILOGY [Bluray]

ON DVD



The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo



Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared from a family gathering on the island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger clan. Her body was never found, yet her beloved uncle is convinced it was murder and that the killer is a member of his own tightly knit but dysfunctional family. He employs disgraced financial journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) and the tattooed and troubled but resourceful computer hacker Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) to investigate. When the pair link the disappearance of Harriet to a number of grotesque murders from almost forty years ago, they begin to unravel a dark and appalling family history. The Vangers are a secretive clan, and Blomkvist and Salander are about to find out just how far they are prepared to go to protect themselves.

Director: Niels Arden Oplev

Cast: Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace, Lena Endre, Sven-Bertil Taube, Peter Haber.

Release Date: Mar 19, 2010 Rated R for disturbing violent content including rape, grisly images, sexual material, nudity and language

Runtime: 2 hr. 32 min.

Genres: Art House/Foreign, Suspense/Thriller


The Girl Who Played With Fire



The second installment of author Stieg Larsson's best-selling "Millennium" trilogy gets translated to the big screen with this tale of a prominent magazine publisher who launches a comprehensive investigation into Swedish sex trafficking and political corruption. The publisher of "Millennium" magazine, Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) has built an empire on his ability to shake up the establishment. Approached by a young journalist with evidence that high-ranking Swedish officials are involved in sex trafficking and crimes against minors, the incensed magazine publisher launches a comprehensive investigation that threatens to implicate some of the most powerful politicians in the country. Noomi Rapace and Alexandra Eisenstein co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Daniel Alfredson

Cast: Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Annika Hallin, Per Oscarsson, Lena Endre.

Release Date: Jul 09, 2010

Rated R for Brutal violence including a rape, some strong sexual content, nudity and language

Runtime: 2 hr. 9 min.

Genres: Suspense/Thriller

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest



Author Stieg Larsson's "Millennium Trilogy" winds to a close with The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, director Daniel Alfredson's adaptation of the best-selling novel following punky protagonist Lisbeth Salander (Noomi Rapace) as she fights to prove that she's innocent of committing multiple murders. As Lisbeth lies in intensive care, the corrupt officials in high office attempt to take advantage of her incapacitated state by accusing her of murder. But fiercely independent Lisbeth isn't about to play the scapegoat, and the more her accusers work to ruin her life, the harder she and her loyal friend Mikael Blomkvist (Michael Nyqvist) must push back to prove them wrong. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Daniel Alfredson

Cast: Noomi Rapace, Michael Nyqvist, Annika Hallin, Per Oscarsson, Lena Endre.

Release Date: Oct 29, 2010

Rated R for Strong violence, some sexual material and brief language

Runtime: 2 hr. 28 min.

Genres: Suspense/Thriller

REVIEW:

The cinematic adaptations of late Swedish author Stieg Larsson Millennium trilogy are truly impressive works on various levels. The quality of the films do vary but the characters and cast all do such a wonderful job that it’s hard to be thoroughly engrossed in the overall story. The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo functions best as a standalone film, if you watch it on its own and enjoy the characters there are two more films waiting for you. If not, then you’ll probably enjoy a familiar if well done thriller with a strong cast. The Girl who Played with Fire and The Girl who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest are far more intertwined with Fire being the best of the three films in terms of story and intrigue, mainly because it focuses more on Lisbeth. In the role of Lisbeth Salander, Noomi Rapace just owns the screen every moment she’s up there. She gives Lisbeth a perfect blend of strength, alienation and scarred psyche. Rapace makes the character readily interesting and always the most engaging of the characters throughout the span of the 3 films. Michael Nyqvist doesn’t fare quite as well with her performance as Mikael Blomkvist. Nyqvist is up and down throughout the series, occasionally fully committed while at other times almost sleep walking through scenes. Story wise, the first 2 films offer the most intriguing plots while the finale lacks the proper send off the series deserves, adding in an ambiguous nefarious government entity that’s never fully explained. Directors Daniel Alfredson and Niels Arden Oplev display wonderful talent behind the lens and shoot the films with distinctive style and vigor. An American remake of The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo is already shooting with David Fincher directing with Rooney Mara cast as Lisbeth and Daniel Craig as Mikael.

The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo B+

The Girl Who Played With Fire A

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest C+

Series as a whole B-

MOVIE REVIEWS: PAUL

IN THEATERS

PAUL


Two average sci-fi geeks get caught up in the ultimate interplanetary adventure after picking up an extraterrestrial during a road trip to Area 51 and becoming the targets of a nationwide manhunt. Graeme (Simon Pegg) and Clive (Nick Frost) are two British sci-fi geeks on holiday in America. After a trip to Comic-Con to meet their favorite author, Adam Shadowchild (Jeffrey Tambor), Graeme and Clive load up their RV and hit the road for a tour of some of the most famous UFO hotspots in the American Southwest. They know we're not alone in the universe, but they won't be satisfied until they get a firsthand glimpse of the famed Area 51. However, somewhere deep in the Nevada desert, the two UFO enthusiasts narrowly avoid crashing into a speeding car when they happen across a most unlikely hitchhiker. Paul (voice of Seth Rogan) is a pint-sized alien who has spent the last 60 years in Area 51. He's been cooped up in the care of the U.S. Government for far too long, and he's starting to get a little homesick. Though Graeme and Clive are more than willing to help their wisecracking new friend get back to his mother ship, Special Agent Zoil (Jason Bateman) of the FBI is closing in fast. And he's not the only one; in their race to get their new friend home, Graeme and Clive have also become unwitting kidnappers, and the enraged father of their not-so-unwilling captive, Ruth (Kristen Wiig), is determined to rescue his daughter at all costs. Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, Blythe Danner, and David Koechner co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi

Director: Greg Mottola

Cast: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Jason Bateman, Kristen Wiig

Release Date: Mar 18, 2011

Rated R for Language, including sexual references, and some drug use

Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.

Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Review:

Paul is kind of a difficult film to review, mainly because of Pegg & Frost previous cinematic gems. Their first outing without Edgar Wright in the director’s chair is still lots of fun filled with scifi allusions and nods and winks but it feels like it’s missing something. It’s strangely broad and unfocused, Pegg & Frost are allowed to fade into the background way too often. Director Greg Mottola seems unsure of how do deal with the script and actors so he just plays it safe for the most part. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are always fun to watch on screen and this is no different. Seth Rogen does solid work as the voice of titular alien but in all honesty he’s pretty much playing a character we’ve seen him play countless times and it’s kind of hard not to think of Roger from American Dad! as you watch Paul’s antics. Jason Bateman mastered the art of playing the straight man and it’s a bit of a shame he’s not allowed to stretch his comedic legs a tad more. SNL players, Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader have a bit more to do and they’re both good fun in their roles. Paul isn’t quite up to Shaun of the Dead or Hot Fuzz standards but it’s still a fun and capable comedy.

B-