This first trailer sure does set the stage for what to expect with Anne Hathaway showing off some impressive vocals to go along with some strong looking sets and visuals…..
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
[Trailer] Les Miserables
I was a little unsure of what to make of this latest adaptation when I first heard about it. Casting rumors ran wild and thankfully they settled on some impressive names, with an impressive proven director.
This first trailer sure does set the stage for what to expect with Anne Hathaway showing off some impressive vocals to go along with some strong looking sets and visuals…..
This first trailer sure does set the stage for what to expect with Anne Hathaway showing off some impressive vocals to go along with some strong looking sets and visuals…..
Monday, May 28, 2012
MOVIE REVIEW: CHERNOBYL DIARIES
IN THEATERS
CHERNOBYL DIARIES
An extreme vacation turns terrifying when a group of friends visit the Chernobyl disaster site, and learn that some nightmares never die. Conceived and produced by Paranormal Activity's Oren Peli, Chernobyl Diaries gets underway as six thrill-seeking tourists hire a fearless tour guide, and travel to the abandoned Russian city of Pripyat. Back when the Chernobyl nuclear reactor was up and running, Pripyat was the place the workers called home. But 25 years after one of the worst power-plant accidents in history, the city serves as an eerily silent testament to the dangers of nuclear power. Later, after getting unexpectedly stranded in Pripyat, the tourists and their guide realize they are being hunted. Now the harder they try to flee, the faster their numbers dwindle until only a few are left standing. Only then will the unspeakable terror that stalks these deserted streets finally emerge from the shadows to launch one last relentless, terrifying attack. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Brad Parker
Cast: Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Jesse McCartney, Nathan Phillips, Jonathan Sadowski, Milos Timotijevic
Release Date: May 25, 2012
Rated R for some Bloody Images, Pervasive Language and Violence
Runtime: 1 hr. 26 min.
Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller
Review:
The Chernobyl Diaries provides some creepy atmosphere especially during the earlier portions of the film. First time director Brad Parker does a decent job of building up his film and providing some solid, if uninventive, scares. There aren’t many surprises to the whole thing except that it’s not a found footage style film, not that it wouldn’t be easy to confuse it with those kinds of films since the shaky cam effect is in full effect. The plot, co written and produced by Oren Peli, feels like a mash up of Hostel and The Hills Have Eyes. Most of the tropes from the stupid American tourist getting into trouble they can’t handle work their way through the film. The characters are fairly bland and clichéd with some becoming much more grating than others. They are picked off in short order so you don’t have to deal with most of them for very long and you get to enjoy some decent scares.
C
CHERNOBYL DIARIES
An extreme vacation turns terrifying when a group of friends visit the Chernobyl disaster site, and learn that some nightmares never die. Conceived and produced by Paranormal Activity's Oren Peli, Chernobyl Diaries gets underway as six thrill-seeking tourists hire a fearless tour guide, and travel to the abandoned Russian city of Pripyat. Back when the Chernobyl nuclear reactor was up and running, Pripyat was the place the workers called home. But 25 years after one of the worst power-plant accidents in history, the city serves as an eerily silent testament to the dangers of nuclear power. Later, after getting unexpectedly stranded in Pripyat, the tourists and their guide realize they are being hunted. Now the harder they try to flee, the faster their numbers dwindle until only a few are left standing. Only then will the unspeakable terror that stalks these deserted streets finally emerge from the shadows to launch one last relentless, terrifying attack. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Brad Parker
Cast: Ingrid Bolsø Berdal, Jesse McCartney, Nathan Phillips, Jonathan Sadowski, Milos Timotijevic
Release Date: May 25, 2012
Rated R for some Bloody Images, Pervasive Language and Violence
Runtime: 1 hr. 26 min.
Genres: Horror, Suspense/Thriller
Review:
The Chernobyl Diaries provides some creepy atmosphere especially during the earlier portions of the film. First time director Brad Parker does a decent job of building up his film and providing some solid, if uninventive, scares. There aren’t many surprises to the whole thing except that it’s not a found footage style film, not that it wouldn’t be easy to confuse it with those kinds of films since the shaky cam effect is in full effect. The plot, co written and produced by Oren Peli, feels like a mash up of Hostel and The Hills Have Eyes. Most of the tropes from the stupid American tourist getting into trouble they can’t handle work their way through the film. The characters are fairly bland and clichéd with some becoming much more grating than others. They are picked off in short order so you don’t have to deal with most of them for very long and you get to enjoy some decent scares.
C
Sunday, May 27, 2012
MOVIE REVIEW: MEN IN BLACK 3
IN THEATERS
MEN IN BLACK 3
The Men in Black are back, and this time Agent J (Will Smith) must take a trip into the past in order to save both the future and his taciturn partner Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) in the third installment of the hit sci-fi comedy series. After 15 years of working with aliens from all across the cosmos, Agent J is sure he's seen it all. But just when he's getting the hang of the game, he learns that history has inexplicably been rewritten. In this new timeline of events, Agent K has been dead for 40 years, and Earth will soon come under attack from an extraterrestrial force with the power to claim the entire planet. Now, in order to set the past straight and head off an invasion of epic proportions, Agent J must travel back to the year 1969, when Young Agent K (Josh Brolin) was just a fresh new face on the force. But Agent J only has 24 hours to find the source of the coming catastrophe and discern how his longtime partner ties into the situation -- should he fail he'll be stuck in the past forever. Jemaine Clement, Alice Eve, and Emma Thompson co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Emma Thompson
Release Date: May 25, 2012
Rated PG-13 for Sci-fi action violence, and brief suggestive content
Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.
Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Review:
The first Men in Black was one of my favorite blockbuster films when I was in college, I went the see it a multitude of times during its initial run. Its comedy and stars chemistry just hit me perfectly. As much as I loved the original the sequel was an utter mess, filled with too many talking animals and some of the worse product placement I’d been witness to in a film. The long wait for a third film has brought back some of the good fun from the original while injecting some new blood while keeping it fairly familiar. Barry Sonnenfeld learned his lesson from the 2nd film and keeps the focus on K and J’s interactions instead of silly secondary characters. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith jump back into their roles with incredible ease. Tommy Lee Jones is only asked to bookend the film but his turn as K has always been one of my favorite things about these films. Josh Brolin makes his absence easier to deal with as he delivers a spot on performance as a younger K. Brolin does more than just mimic Jones; he infuses the performance with a good sense of heart and depth. He and Smith share a strong chemistry, had they not worked well together the film would have fallen apart. Jemaine Clement, whose villain looks like Hugo Weaving on steroids, is fun but underused. Michael Stuhlbarg delivers a strong supporting performance which is touching and heartfelt. The plot is fairly typical sci-fi fare, its light and fun but bringing enough emotional depth to bring the franchise full circle. Some of the script does feel a tad lazy and some of Smith’s dialogue and one liners fall flat. The finale does feel very familiar to the first film’s climax which emphasizes the laziness to a greater degree. Regardless, the film is enough fun to keep you grinning for its run time.
B-
MEN IN BLACK 3
The Men in Black are back, and this time Agent J (Will Smith) must take a trip into the past in order to save both the future and his taciturn partner Agent K (Tommy Lee Jones) in the third installment of the hit sci-fi comedy series. After 15 years of working with aliens from all across the cosmos, Agent J is sure he's seen it all. But just when he's getting the hang of the game, he learns that history has inexplicably been rewritten. In this new timeline of events, Agent K has been dead for 40 years, and Earth will soon come under attack from an extraterrestrial force with the power to claim the entire planet. Now, in order to set the past straight and head off an invasion of epic proportions, Agent J must travel back to the year 1969, when Young Agent K (Josh Brolin) was just a fresh new face on the force. But Agent J only has 24 hours to find the source of the coming catastrophe and discern how his longtime partner ties into the situation -- should he fail he'll be stuck in the past forever. Jemaine Clement, Alice Eve, and Emma Thompson co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Jemaine Clement, Emma Thompson
Release Date: May 25, 2012
Rated PG-13 for Sci-fi action violence, and brief suggestive content
Runtime: 1 hr. 44 min.
Genres: Comedy, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Review:
The first Men in Black was one of my favorite blockbuster films when I was in college, I went the see it a multitude of times during its initial run. Its comedy and stars chemistry just hit me perfectly. As much as I loved the original the sequel was an utter mess, filled with too many talking animals and some of the worse product placement I’d been witness to in a film. The long wait for a third film has brought back some of the good fun from the original while injecting some new blood while keeping it fairly familiar. Barry Sonnenfeld learned his lesson from the 2nd film and keeps the focus on K and J’s interactions instead of silly secondary characters. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith jump back into their roles with incredible ease. Tommy Lee Jones is only asked to bookend the film but his turn as K has always been one of my favorite things about these films. Josh Brolin makes his absence easier to deal with as he delivers a spot on performance as a younger K. Brolin does more than just mimic Jones; he infuses the performance with a good sense of heart and depth. He and Smith share a strong chemistry, had they not worked well together the film would have fallen apart. Jemaine Clement, whose villain looks like Hugo Weaving on steroids, is fun but underused. Michael Stuhlbarg delivers a strong supporting performance which is touching and heartfelt. The plot is fairly typical sci-fi fare, its light and fun but bringing enough emotional depth to bring the franchise full circle. Some of the script does feel a tad lazy and some of Smith’s dialogue and one liners fall flat. The finale does feel very familiar to the first film’s climax which emphasizes the laziness to a greater degree. Regardless, the film is enough fun to keep you grinning for its run time.
B-
Thursday, May 24, 2012
[Trailer] The Great Gatsby
I’ve watched this trailer a few times and I’m still a little taken aback by it. Personally I’ve been a fan of Baz Luhrmann, even enjoyed his over bloated Australia, but I’m going to hope some of the odd choices can be written off to a strange marketing campaign. I’ll hold judgment until I see more but for right now I’m a tad confused at what direction this is going to take….
Friday, May 18, 2012
MOVIE REVIEW: THE GREY
ON DVD
THE GREY
Liam Neeson stars in producer/director Joe Carnahan's tense adventure thriller about a group of tough-as-nails oil rig workers who must fight for their lives in the Alaskan wilderness after their airplane crashes miles from civilization. With supplies running short and hungry wolves closing in, the shaken survivors face a fate worse than death if they don't act fast. Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts, and Frank Grillo co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Joe Carnahan
Cast: Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts, Joe Anderson
Release Date: Jan 27, 2012
Rated R for bloody images, violence/disturbing content including bloody images and for pervasive language
Runtime: 1 hr. 57 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller
Review:
The Grey is and isn’t a complicated film. On its surfaces it’s a stripped down survival story. Looking a little deep you’ll find that Joe Carnahan is working with some Hemmingway-lite themes and subject. The allegory is symbolism is fairly obvious but never overbearing. It’s got an almost metaphysical feel to it while its plot plays out like a nature version of The Warriors or Neil Marshall’s recent Centurion. Carnahan delivers a piece of filmmaking that’s brutal and pensive at the same time. At its center is Liam Neeson at his weatherworn gravelly best. Making the character Irish lets the Neeson focus on his character which is the most realized of the group of survivors. The supporting cast, including a nearly unrecognizable Dermot Mulroney in a quiet yet effective role, does the best they can with limited characterization. It’s one of the film’s most obvious failing, if they’d given the supporting players more life the life and death situations would have achieved a far more potent effect. Carnahan shoots a lovely film, using the winter landscapes to establish a strong sense of isolation, matched with some incredibly effective creature effects for the wolves who feel truly menacing throughout. The Grey is the kind of film that feels like could be easily forgettable after you’ve finished watching it but after it settles it does leave an impression.
B-
THE GREY
Liam Neeson stars in producer/director Joe Carnahan's tense adventure thriller about a group of tough-as-nails oil rig workers who must fight for their lives in the Alaskan wilderness after their airplane crashes miles from civilization. With supplies running short and hungry wolves closing in, the shaken survivors face a fate worse than death if they don't act fast. Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts, and Frank Grillo co-star. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Joe Carnahan
Cast: Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney, Dallas Roberts, Joe Anderson
Release Date: Jan 27, 2012
Rated R for bloody images, violence/disturbing content including bloody images and for pervasive language
Runtime: 1 hr. 57 min.
Genres: Action/Adventure, Suspense/Thriller
Review:
The Grey is and isn’t a complicated film. On its surfaces it’s a stripped down survival story. Looking a little deep you’ll find that Joe Carnahan is working with some Hemmingway-lite themes and subject. The allegory is symbolism is fairly obvious but never overbearing. It’s got an almost metaphysical feel to it while its plot plays out like a nature version of The Warriors or Neil Marshall’s recent Centurion. Carnahan delivers a piece of filmmaking that’s brutal and pensive at the same time. At its center is Liam Neeson at his weatherworn gravelly best. Making the character Irish lets the Neeson focus on his character which is the most realized of the group of survivors. The supporting cast, including a nearly unrecognizable Dermot Mulroney in a quiet yet effective role, does the best they can with limited characterization. It’s one of the film’s most obvious failing, if they’d given the supporting players more life the life and death situations would have achieved a far more potent effect. Carnahan shoots a lovely film, using the winter landscapes to establish a strong sense of isolation, matched with some incredibly effective creature effects for the wolves who feel truly menacing throughout. The Grey is the kind of film that feels like could be easily forgettable after you’ve finished watching it but after it settles it does leave an impression.
B-
Saturday, May 12, 2012
MOVIE REVIEW: DARK SHAWDOWS
IN THEATERS
DARK SHAWDOWS
Entombed for 200 years after betraying vengeful witch Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), 18th century vampire Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) returns to Collinwood Manor in 1972, only to find his estate in ruins and his family plagued by macabre secrets in Tim Burton's reboot of the popular supernatural soap opera. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Chloe Moretz
Release Date: May 11, 2012
Rated PG-13 for Language, Comic Horror Violence, Sexual Content, Smoking and Some Drug Use
Runtime: 1 hr. 52 min.
Genres: Comedy, Horror
Review:
Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows is an endearing film which shows his obvious affection for the source material. The script written by Seth Grahame-Smith, whose humor is most subtle than the trailer suggest, peppers the film with plenty of melodrama to fulfill several soap operas. He hits on the major points of the original series and provides a workable narrative, it’s not perfect but not the slap stick mess it could have been. While it’s more lighthearted than the original series it’s not the parody some expected. Johnny Depp, in his Burton required mime make up, chews up the screen creating an endearing take on Barnabas Collins. I can’t say it’s different enough to make it memorable but still it’s well done if not singular. Eva Green is equally vampified, showcasing an obvious on screen glee playing her character throughout. The best sequences involve interchanges between Deep and Green as they riff and joust with each other during various points in the films. Sadly, the remaining cast has to deal with thinly written caricatures. A radiant Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter get the most screen time but are given nothing to do. The rest aren’t required to do more than show up here and there and get out way. A fun finale caps off the film in fine fashion even if it leads to a totally unnecessary sequel set up. As a fan of the original series, I found Burton’s take an adequate homage to a cult classic.
C+
DARK SHAWDOWS
Entombed for 200 years after betraying vengeful witch Angelique Bouchard (Eva Green), 18th century vampire Barnabas Collins (Johnny Depp) returns to Collinwood Manor in 1972, only to find his estate in ruins and his family plagued by macabre secrets in Tim Burton's reboot of the popular supernatural soap opera. ~ Jason Buchanan, Rovi
Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helena Bonham Carter, Eva Green, Jackie Earle Haley, Jonny Lee Miller, Chloe Moretz
Release Date: May 11, 2012
Rated PG-13 for Language, Comic Horror Violence, Sexual Content, Smoking and Some Drug Use
Runtime: 1 hr. 52 min.
Genres: Comedy, Horror
Review:
Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows is an endearing film which shows his obvious affection for the source material. The script written by Seth Grahame-Smith, whose humor is most subtle than the trailer suggest, peppers the film with plenty of melodrama to fulfill several soap operas. He hits on the major points of the original series and provides a workable narrative, it’s not perfect but not the slap stick mess it could have been. While it’s more lighthearted than the original series it’s not the parody some expected. Johnny Depp, in his Burton required mime make up, chews up the screen creating an endearing take on Barnabas Collins. I can’t say it’s different enough to make it memorable but still it’s well done if not singular. Eva Green is equally vampified, showcasing an obvious on screen glee playing her character throughout. The best sequences involve interchanges between Deep and Green as they riff and joust with each other during various points in the films. Sadly, the remaining cast has to deal with thinly written caricatures. A radiant Michelle Pfeiffer and Helena Bonham Carter get the most screen time but are given nothing to do. The rest aren’t required to do more than show up here and there and get out way. A fun finale caps off the film in fine fashion even if it leads to a totally unnecessary sequel set up. As a fan of the original series, I found Burton’s take an adequate homage to a cult classic.
C+
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