The Dark Knight Rises Trailer 3 Breakdown
Looper Trailer
(Ian) I think I’m in for LOOPER. Joseph Gordon Levitt and Jeff Daniels are what sell it for me.
New movie with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Bruce Willis!!!!
Titanic 3D: A
Plot: Vagabond Jack Dawson wins a steerage class ticket on the maiden voyage of the unsinkable Titanic. There he meets spoiled socialite Rose DeWitt Bukater who is traveling back to the United States to marry her fiancé and begin suffocating life of cotillions and parties. They meet, fall in love and then the ship sinks.
Review: Titanic was the first film I saw in the theaters that was live action. I was absolutely mesmerized by the visuals of the ship, the sweeping interior and exterior shots, the beautiful lighting and intricate detail that was put into every single moment. I loved the simple love story, the carefree steerage characters and the ferociously smug first class characters. I loved the beautiful softness and build up of the first half and the tragic, haunting heartbreak of the second half. I couldn’t help but root for the doomed lovebirds as they fell in love, fought for their love and fought to stay alive. Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet were so young, but brought so much life and spirit to the film. Billy Zane was such a magnificent villain and was even better watching him the second time around.
Watching it again in 3D, I felt the same emotions of awe, grandeur and adventure. It’s nice to see Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet in stories and roles that aren’t so moody and sad. The 3D definitely added depth and tangibility to the film, but it wasn’t much of a difference as the original, to be honest. I know it was a basic money grab to play off the 100th anniversary of the sinking. I loved having another chance to watch the film that launched my love of the movies on the big screen once again. Thank you James Cameron.
The Hunger Games: A-
Plot: Set in a dystopian future where class warfare has ended with the elite being the winners, the rest of society becomes enslaved to them. In order to remind the poorer Districts who rebelled against the wealthy Capitol of their disruption to order and causing chaos, the Hunger Games was established to placate the masses. The 74th Hunger Games, however, will cause a disruption in order once again by the choosing of Peeta Mellark and the volunteering of Katniss Everdeen. Their reluctance to be a part of the Games and allowing the Games to change them will set the stage for hope and revolution.
Review:I have read the series so my review will be based on it as an adaptation. The themes of this film ring true to the book. I felt that, while obviously not much more can be done to show the viewer the dire circumstances of District 12, I did enjoy the imagery that harkened back to Depression-era America. A bit more backstory of Katniss’s character could have been shown to flesh her out a bit more. The rest of the story, however, plays well. The use of game show commentors and behind the scenes look at the production of the show was a great tool to remind the audience that the Games are truly for entertainment and how depraved society has become. They do not glorify the violence, but instead display the Capitol and the Districts populations as depraved and indifferent to the killing of teenagers by teenagers as well as the fake elements created by the Gamemakers. The differences between the rich Districts and the poor Districts could have been more pronounced as well to add more tension and drama to the story.
The filmmakers also took a different route in keeping the film omniscient rather than narrated by Katniss as in the book. That would not have suited the film at all. The acting across the board was top notch. I fully believed Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss and the rest of the cast we great with what little they had to work with, especially Elizabeth Banks and Woody Harrelson as Effie Trinket and Haymitch Abernathy.
Obviously the book will always be better than the film, but for once, the first film in a book adaptation franchise did not bow to Hollywood or pander exclusively to the book’s fans. It is one of the most well done adaptations I have seen. Rather than jumping from one major scene in the book to the other, it seemless transitions a story that makes sense on screen and is a compliment to the book. Rather than being faithful to the book, it was faithful to the story. That statement seems odd, but theme and character are more important that being carbon copies of the book.
Robert Pattinson stars in new Cosmopolis teaser: watch now
Cosmopolis, the upcoming film from David Cronenberg, has released a new teaser trailer in which Robert Pattinson shows there’s more in his locker than sallow-faced pouting…
“Cosmopolis”- adaption by Don Delillo
The Host Teaser Trailer
(Ian) This is likely to be next springs Hunger Games / Twilight. Who the hell knows what it will really be, but I’m always more likely to see something with Ronan than without. Anyone read this book? What kind of a story is it?
“The Host”- adaptation of Stephanie Meyers’ novel
21 Jump Street: B+
Plot: Schmidt (Hill) and Jenko (Tatum) are two recently graduated police officers who went to the same high school, but were enemies (Jenko being the dumb jock and Schmidt the insecure nerd) After becoming best friends in the police academy, they are transferred to 21 Jump Street, a crime division focused on undercover cops placed in high schools. Their first case is to infiltrate the suppliers and find the dealers of a new drug without falling back into high school mode or blowing their cover.
Review: I am not a fan of Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill or remakes of TV shows into movies, BUT I loved this movie! The script was hilarious and witty. The film is able to poke fun at itself and yet doesn’t allow itself to get bogged down with boring stereotypes. The acting was amazingly seamless and believable. Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are perfect in their roles and the evolution of their characters. Dave Franco is also a refreshing new talent who will definitely be seen more and more. The story was ridiculous, but surprisingly sweet. Watching the dual evolution/devolution of the main characters was a fun dynamic to watch as well as the great cameos peppered throughout the film. Had it not been for the slightly blasphemous use of an abandoned church as the headquarters with an annoying captain, this would have had a higher rating. I cannot wait for the sequel. Please don’t mess it up.
Watch the new trailer for Snow White And The Huntsman online now
Snow White And The Huntsman has released a second full-length trailer, and excitingly, it looks even more epic than the first…
EPIC!!!!
Dr. Suess’s The Lorax:B-/C+
Plot: Young Ted wants to impress his neighbor, Audrey, who wants nothing more than to see a tree. Living in Thneedville, the most perfect plastic town, there are no trees in or outside of the wall. In search of a tree, Ted finds the Once-ler who tells him the story of the trees and their protecter, the Lorax.
Review: A cautionary tale about how corporate greed corrupts good people and rapes the planet, The Lorax is a bit too heavy handed in it’s message. While it’s a true message and a serious one, the simple and lighthearted spirit of the source is lost. Tackling such heavy topics as corporate greed, corporate responsibility, sustainability, deforestation and many more topics is a lot for a children’s film. Wall-E gave the same message in a much better and more elegant fashion.
The characters are funny and entertaining. The voice talents were excellent and impressively star studded and the animation was topnotch. Dr. Seuss’s bright, cotton candy world was wonderful to behold and Thneedville was a hilarious caricature of today’s city/suburban life.
Bottom Line: Dr. Suess’s simplicity and imagination are wonderful to behold, but the film’s preachiness gets distracting.
