OMG! This movie was incredible. Leo does it again!! This is another one of his psychological thrillers. I saw Shutter Island earlier this year but this was hands down one of the most complex and interesting movies I have seen all year. I had my doubts when the first trailers came out. I didn't understand it at all but after seeing this movie, I'm so glad I went with my gut and bet on Leo to produce another amazing movie.
Inception starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy and Marion Cotillard was a mind-bending thriller where the mind is a powerful tool. DiCaprio plays Cobb, a man who has built his entire life on being able to enter a person's dreams, to find their deepest darkest secrets and extract them. This has kept him away from his two young children and has made his reality more difficult to live with. Joseph Gordon-Levitt, plays his partner Arthur who is just as skilled as Cobb in extraction. A huge part of Cobb's job has cost him his relationship with his wife that as the movie goes on, has a deeper meaning than initially thought. Cobb wants to return to his children but can't go back to the States because he is under suspicion for murder, the only way for him to get back is by the help of a Japanese businessman named Saito (Ken Wantanbe) with connections. The only problem is that Saito wants something in exchange, not an extraction but something called Inception. He wants Cobb not to steal a thought from someone's mind but to plant an idea which would in turn change the person's whole being to conform to that idea. It is next to impossible but Cobb assembles a team including Ariadne (Ellen Page), a college student who is a gifted architect, the one who assembles the dream world.
There are many layers into what constitutes a dream, with the subconscious playing a big part in filling the dream with things with projections of people, places etc. Sometimes it's hard to distinguish was it real and what is a dream. That's why the character carry totems with them, little items to remind them of what state they are in, a dreaming state or in reality. The only way to get out of a dream is to wake up, wake up to a kick (see the movie to understand) or kill yourself in the dream. It seems kind of straightforward, but as the movie goes on, it gets more complicated, with more layers, and dreams upon dreams. Cobb struggles with his past, and with his relationship with his wife Mal (Marion Cotillard) and this takes a toll on him.
I absolutely LOVED this movie. It really made you think about dreams, my subconscious, what is real, what isn't real and the price a person are willing to pay to discover those truths. The acting was superb and some of the dream sequences and fight scenes were incredibly well done. The timing and complexity of this movie is spot on and I'm going to see it again. Such a fantastic movie with a steady pace and the director Christopher Nolan has done it again. This is my favorite movie of the year so far. I honestly can't think of anything wrong with this movie, so this deserves special recognition.
Overall, I give this movie 9.0/10 totems! Go See It!
Friday, July 16, 2010
Predators
Predators starring Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne and Topher Grace was a movie that honestly I would have been better off not seeing. My mom and I just wanted to watch a movie, and by this point we had already seen Eclipse twice, so I wasn't going to push her on that. We decided on Predators. I liked the original Predator movie and the Alien v. Predator movie which brought together two of sci-fi's greatest creatures for a major battle. The movie started out abruptly with Adrien Brody falling out of a plane into a jungle with a parachute and he happens upon other people in the jungle who were in his same predicament.
The main idea of the movie is that they were the prey and this was a game, a hunt. Very simple, although it took the characters a while to figure that out. There were killer dog-like predator creatures as well as the Predators themselves. Then there were a few weird moments with a random appearance by Laurence Fishburne as a survivor of one of the Predator's hunting seasons, who was kinda crazy but had survived long enough to know a few things about the hunters. There were numerous fight scenes that were classic Predator style with cloaking devices and heat vision camera shots.
The one thing I did take away from the movie was about humanity and how humans for the Predators were the most exciting prey. But also, how for some, losing their humanity made them just like those Predators, cold and heartless and Topher Grace's character brought up some interesting points along that line about how even the monsters at home, the murderers and other killers, would feel normal among the Predators.
Overall, I give this movie a 5.1/10 Predators.
It wasn't terrible but it wasn't great either. It's more of a filler movie or a wait to watch on DVD.
The main idea of the movie is that they were the prey and this was a game, a hunt. Very simple, although it took the characters a while to figure that out. There were killer dog-like predator creatures as well as the Predators themselves. Then there were a few weird moments with a random appearance by Laurence Fishburne as a survivor of one of the Predator's hunting seasons, who was kinda crazy but had survived long enough to know a few things about the hunters. There were numerous fight scenes that were classic Predator style with cloaking devices and heat vision camera shots.
The one thing I did take away from the movie was about humanity and how humans for the Predators were the most exciting prey. But also, how for some, losing their humanity made them just like those Predators, cold and heartless and Topher Grace's character brought up some interesting points along that line about how even the monsters at home, the murderers and other killers, would feel normal among the Predators.
Overall, I give this movie a 5.1/10 Predators.
It wasn't terrible but it wasn't great either. It's more of a filler movie or a wait to watch on DVD.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse
Warning** This is a movie for the fans. If you haven't read the books, you may not understand everything that's going on right now. If you are a fan, go see it (if you haven't already) and if not, then maybe this isn't the movie for you. If you are willing, open your mind, put away your preconceived notions of vampires and just sit back and enjoy. I am a fan of True Blood, which is much more conventional, so really it's more about how much you are into that sort of genre.
Also, before I start this review, I must take a position on this post that may be different for those who are outside of the world of Twilight. I am a fan, but let me specify. I am a fan of the books by Stephenie Meyer. I think they are such a fast and entertaining read and Eclipse was my favorite of the four books. There is a distinction that people must make about this series, that it is a love story with vampires, not a vampire love story. The main focus is on the love between Bella and Edward (and at times Jacob), but the fact that Stephenie changed the perception of what it is to be a vampire, is a daring move.
Some might balk at even considering the Cullens as real vamps when compared to Lestat or a vampire from an Anne Rice novel. Stephenie was bold enough to create a new spin on a pretty cliche supernatural subject, and for that I think that the books deserve to be read for what they are, a story of young love. The image one has from reading a book is very very difficult to translate into a movie. It is rare to find a movie that hold true to your perceptions of the characters.
I believe that David Slade did capture a great deal of the third book in his movie that was lacking in the two previous movies. For those who don't know the plot (even if you aren't a fan, I'm sure you get the gist), Bella Swan is a normal, clumsy and awkward high school girl who finds herself living in Forks, Washington with her father, Charlie, the chief of police. She becomes attracted to a mysteriously pale yet extremely intriguing vampire named Edward Cullen. Edward is part of a family of vampires that are "vegetarians" who choose to live above their carnal natures and only feed off of animals. In the first books, Bella became the target of an unrelenting vampire hunter named James, who wanted to kill Bella just for the sport of it, but he was killed by the Cullen clan. New Moon brought about the most difficult part of Bella and Edward's relationship, when Edward leaves Forks to give Bella a normal life. It nearly kills them both and brings Jacob, Bella's best friend (who happens to be a werewolf/shapeshifter) into her life in a more meaningful way than she originally intended. Also, this movie sets up the revenge plot of Victoria, who wanted to avenge her mate's death (James) and in the vampire world, if you kill the mate of a vampire, they NEVER give up the fight to return the favor.
Eclipse is a delight for fans, after a mediocre adaptation of Twilight and a slow, filler that was the second movie. I can honestly say that Eclipse is the BEST of the three Twilight movies, not the Best movie ever made as some younger fans may say, but it was definitely filled with fun action scenes, and a few memorable scenes that really got to the love triangle between Bella (Kristen Stewart), Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner). Victoria is back (though with an actress change to Bryce Dallas Howard, who I think did a good job) and with a newborn vampire army lead by Riley, her right hand vamp.
One of the scenes that I just loved, was the proposal scene and so did my friend Kelly. She is Team Jacob and I am Team Edward and after watching that scene she leaned over to me and said, "I might have just changed teams." That's what I love about Edward's character, that in his simplicity and honesty, his love for Bella is truly unmatched by anyone including Jacob. David Slade, the director of the vamp flick 30 Days of Night, is a horror master who had to tone it down a bit for the PG-13 rating but still there were scenes where he didn't hold back, with limbs and heads being torn off in fight scenes and the great opening that was fast and suspenseful. The CGI wolves were much better than New Moon, so hopefully they will get better in the next two movies for Breaking Dawn (so excited!). The acting....oh the acting. The quality of acting has yet to reach great heights with the Saga, but they have all improved. Keep in mind that quite a few of these actors either had small roles before Twilight or none at all, so I give them credit for doing the best with what they had.
I know there are a lot of Kristen Stewart haters saying she can't act or she only has one blank expression on her face, but I felt like she was more herself, more comfortable in this third movie. I've seen her other indie movies such as Panic Room, The Cake Eaters, Adventureland, Speak, and The Runaways, so I know she can act. All of the actors were more comfortable with themselves and that helps with the chemistry. The movie was quite fast paced compared to New Moon's slow pace but still there was a choppiness to the movie that unless you have read the books, you would feel a little lost. I just have to give a shout out to Dakota Fanning who is such a great actress, who chose such a small but powerful role of Jane, the small yet completely commanding vampire guard of the Volturi, the vampires who are considered the upholders of law in their world. With a look, Jane can make a person feel pain like they've never experienced before and Dakota just slips into that role so well.
So far, I have seen Eclipse twice and I plan to see it again before it leaves theaters. After seeing it the second time, it made me like it even more. Also, if I can say anything positive about the Twilight films that even those who can't stand the films would agree with, is the strong quality of the soundtracks. They had such a great soundtrack for this movie with Muse, Vampire Weekend, Bat for Lashes and the Black Keys. So far, Eclipse has made over 300 million dollars worldwide, which shows the dedication of the fans to the franchise no matter what.
Overall I give Eclipse, 6.8/10 newborns.
Also, before I start this review, I must take a position on this post that may be different for those who are outside of the world of Twilight. I am a fan, but let me specify. I am a fan of the books by Stephenie Meyer. I think they are such a fast and entertaining read and Eclipse was my favorite of the four books. There is a distinction that people must make about this series, that it is a love story with vampires, not a vampire love story. The main focus is on the love between Bella and Edward (and at times Jacob), but the fact that Stephenie changed the perception of what it is to be a vampire, is a daring move.
Some might balk at even considering the Cullens as real vamps when compared to Lestat or a vampire from an Anne Rice novel. Stephenie was bold enough to create a new spin on a pretty cliche supernatural subject, and for that I think that the books deserve to be read for what they are, a story of young love. The image one has from reading a book is very very difficult to translate into a movie. It is rare to find a movie that hold true to your perceptions of the characters.
I believe that David Slade did capture a great deal of the third book in his movie that was lacking in the two previous movies. For those who don't know the plot (even if you aren't a fan, I'm sure you get the gist), Bella Swan is a normal, clumsy and awkward high school girl who finds herself living in Forks, Washington with her father, Charlie, the chief of police. She becomes attracted to a mysteriously pale yet extremely intriguing vampire named Edward Cullen. Edward is part of a family of vampires that are "vegetarians" who choose to live above their carnal natures and only feed off of animals. In the first books, Bella became the target of an unrelenting vampire hunter named James, who wanted to kill Bella just for the sport of it, but he was killed by the Cullen clan. New Moon brought about the most difficult part of Bella and Edward's relationship, when Edward leaves Forks to give Bella a normal life. It nearly kills them both and brings Jacob, Bella's best friend (who happens to be a werewolf/shapeshifter) into her life in a more meaningful way than she originally intended. Also, this movie sets up the revenge plot of Victoria, who wanted to avenge her mate's death (James) and in the vampire world, if you kill the mate of a vampire, they NEVER give up the fight to return the favor.
Eclipse is a delight for fans, after a mediocre adaptation of Twilight and a slow, filler that was the second movie. I can honestly say that Eclipse is the BEST of the three Twilight movies, not the Best movie ever made as some younger fans may say, but it was definitely filled with fun action scenes, and a few memorable scenes that really got to the love triangle between Bella (Kristen Stewart), Edward (Robert Pattinson) and Jacob (Taylor Lautner). Victoria is back (though with an actress change to Bryce Dallas Howard, who I think did a good job) and with a newborn vampire army lead by Riley, her right hand vamp.
One of the scenes that I just loved, was the proposal scene and so did my friend Kelly. She is Team Jacob and I am Team Edward and after watching that scene she leaned over to me and said, "I might have just changed teams." That's what I love about Edward's character, that in his simplicity and honesty, his love for Bella is truly unmatched by anyone including Jacob. David Slade, the director of the vamp flick 30 Days of Night, is a horror master who had to tone it down a bit for the PG-13 rating but still there were scenes where he didn't hold back, with limbs and heads being torn off in fight scenes and the great opening that was fast and suspenseful. The CGI wolves were much better than New Moon, so hopefully they will get better in the next two movies for Breaking Dawn (so excited!). The acting....oh the acting. The quality of acting has yet to reach great heights with the Saga, but they have all improved. Keep in mind that quite a few of these actors either had small roles before Twilight or none at all, so I give them credit for doing the best with what they had.
I know there are a lot of Kristen Stewart haters saying she can't act or she only has one blank expression on her face, but I felt like she was more herself, more comfortable in this third movie. I've seen her other indie movies such as Panic Room, The Cake Eaters, Adventureland, Speak, and The Runaways, so I know she can act. All of the actors were more comfortable with themselves and that helps with the chemistry. The movie was quite fast paced compared to New Moon's slow pace but still there was a choppiness to the movie that unless you have read the books, you would feel a little lost. I just have to give a shout out to Dakota Fanning who is such a great actress, who chose such a small but powerful role of Jane, the small yet completely commanding vampire guard of the Volturi, the vampires who are considered the upholders of law in their world. With a look, Jane can make a person feel pain like they've never experienced before and Dakota just slips into that role so well.
So far, I have seen Eclipse twice and I plan to see it again before it leaves theaters. After seeing it the second time, it made me like it even more. Also, if I can say anything positive about the Twilight films that even those who can't stand the films would agree with, is the strong quality of the soundtracks. They had such a great soundtrack for this movie with Muse, Vampire Weekend, Bat for Lashes and the Black Keys. So far, Eclipse has made over 300 million dollars worldwide, which shows the dedication of the fans to the franchise no matter what.
Overall I give Eclipse, 6.8/10 newborns.
Knight and Day
Knight and Day starring Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz was a mildly entertaining spy movie, that left me with a few chuckles but other than that was another B list movie with A list actors. Tom Cruise is quite funny as Roy Miller, the slightly zany yet dashing rogue agent, who after a crazy cross country flight finds himself in the company of June Havens, a woman on her way to secure her sister's wedding gift. After June gets involved with Roy, they go on a series of events including car chases, gun battles, train fights, all while being hunted by the CIA and other government entities. Roy's mission is to protect an energy source (the Zephyr) at all costs and June finds herself on the ride of her life. Both Cruise and Diaz have great chemistry on screen and they seem to charm their way through a mediocre plot that could have had slightly better draw with more resources on the editing and budgetary parts. Half the movie, June is drugged and we go from a desert island to Spain or to the mountains of Austria. Even with those minor issues, I still loved all of the locations, the humor, the adventure and how easily Tom and Cameron clicked. The movie does leave you with a few valuable lessons, like how to maneuver out of a behind-the-back attack grip across your arms or how to change someone's clothes without looking (see it to understand).
Overall, I give this movie 8.5/10 Zephyrs.
Overall, I give this movie 8.5/10 Zephyrs.
Tons of Movies and Tons of Reviews!
I have taken a slight break from blogging due to my change in jobs but now I'm back. I have 4 movies to review that I've seen since the end of June.
First, Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner.
Predators 2, with Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, and Topher Grace.
Finally what I just saw tonight, Inception, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, and Cillian Murphy.
All of these movies range from wildly entertaining to dreadfully predictable, so I'll tell you what I think you should see and what you should avoid investing precious time.
First, Knight and Day with Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz.
The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, starring Kristen Stewart, Robert Pattinson, and Taylor Lautner.
Predators 2, with Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, and Topher Grace.
Finally what I just saw tonight, Inception, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, and Cillian Murphy.
All of these movies range from wildly entertaining to dreadfully predictable, so I'll tell you what I think you should see and what you should avoid investing precious time.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
Coming up next in the review pool
I've been a bit busy with work but I will be doing reviews on Knight and Day as well as The Twilight Saga: Eclipse! I will see Toy Story 3 next month due to a commitment I made to my brother not to see it without him. He's in a summer program at Princeton. So this weekend look forward to some new reviews!!
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