11.8.2012 | By Jack Rico |
Updated December 2025
“The Best Bond Ever!” so says one critic whose Skyfall review is so fervent it is hard to take him seriously. In my professional opinion, Skyfall falls short of Daniel Craig’s quintessential Bond film, Casino Royale, a 007 motion picture unrivaled in its action, intensity, stunning cinematography, and arresting plotline. Read More
11.3.2012 | By Jack Rico |
So you saw the trailer to “The Man with the Iron Fists” and it adrenalized you to see it. I mean, it has all the elements you personally like such as: martial arts movies that are impressively choreographed, violently-bloody-driven action sequences, hokey jokes from the villains and heroes, Russell Crowe who is one of your favorite actors and one who adds credibility to the cast, a hip hop infusion from the respected Wu-Tang’s RZA to make it “cool” and Quentin Tarantinoputting his name and reputation on it. Yes, I thought the exact same thing too until… I saw the movie.
The story is an action-adventure martial arts throwback film, inspired by the kung-fu classics from the 80’s such as “Fury of the Dragon,” “Black Samurai,” “Godfather of Hong Kong,” “Fists of Double K” and “Five Deadly Venoms”. It tells the story of warriors, assassins and a lone outsider hero who all descend on one fabled village in China for a winner-takes-all battle for a fortune in gold.
On paper, it’s hard for any studio to dismiss this movie, but, not everything that is on paper works. Not to bog you down with sports analogies, but look at the powerful offensive minded New York Yankees who were swept in the playoffs by the Detroit Tigers for exactly not hitting, and your Los Angeles Lakers, who by far have the best starting lineup in basketball history, are 0-3 to start the season. So how does one explain these things? Chemistry. When you have great film elements at your disposal, it is the director’s job to have them flow seamlessly amongst each other, and not live individually. This is where you have to blame tyro helmer and screenwriter RZA (real name Robert “Bobby” Fitzgerald Diggs) for not having the experience to recognize the devil in the details. Is it all bad? No, but as a result, the movie is lifeless.
Visually, the movie is top notch. It is the jokes that aren’t funny and the acting as a whole is just abominable. All your left with then is the action to propel the film forward. In this regard, the martial arts sequences are intricate and ambitious. It truly is the movie’s only saving grace.
Overall, “The Man with the Iron Fists” doesn’t have that much to offer on the inside. It’s just flash, all steak and no sizzle. Do yourself a favor and save your money if you can. I recommend you catch a better selection of contemporary martial arts classics on Bluray/DVD that will surely provide you with a superior and more memorable cinematic experience:
– “The Raid: Redemption” (this year’s best action film marked by its harshly gruesome Indonesian martial arts sequences)
– “Ong-back” (no wires, stunt doubles, or CGI, just beat downs in every sense of the word)
– Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” 1 & 2 (they’re intense, engrossing, filled with rib-cracking laughs and you just can’t seem to get enough from them)
– Ang Lee’s “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” (one of the best of all time)
– Jackie Chan’s “The Legend of Drunken Master” (this is one of Chan’s career defining works)
– “Kung Fu Hustle” (perhaps the most entertaining movie on this mini list because of it’s bizarre, outlandish humor and exciting action kung fu scenes)
– “Chocalate” (a rarely talked about gem featuring a female fighter), “Hero” (some say better than ‘Crouching Tiger’)
– “Fearless” (one of, if not, Jet Li’s finest work)
As of the posting of this movie review, “Ong-bak” and “Fearless” are currently on Netflix streaming, thus allowing you watch these immediately.
Rated: Rated R for bloody violence, strong sexuality, language and brief drug use
Release Date: 2012-11-02
Starring: Eli Roth, RZA
Official Website: http://www.ironfists.com/
11.2.2012 | By Jack Rico |
There is a difference between doing a movie based on a video game and a movie about a video game. Films like “Doom,†“Super Mario Bros,†“Resident Evil,†and “Max Payne,†are prime examples of the former, and films such as “Gamer,†“Tron,†“eXistenZ†and “WarGames,†depict the latter description. But Disney’s animated 3D film “Wreck-It Ralph†is by far the best film about a video game ever done. This comment doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the best animated movie of the year – “Frankenweenie,†“Rise of the Guardians,†“Paranorman†and “Brave†might have something to say against that, but it should be amongst the favorites at the Oscars in 2013. Nevertheless, it is visually nostalgic, sensorially exuberant, vivaciously mirthful and emotionally moving.Â
Â
The plot is simple and has been done before, but it is always about the execution. For decades, Ralph (voice of John C. Reilly) has been overshadowed by Fix-It Felix, Jr. (voice of Jack McBrayer), the good-guy star of their game who always gets to save the day. Tired of playing the role of a bad guy, Ralph takes matters into his own massive hands and sets off on a journey across the arcade through multiple generations of video games to prove he’s got what it takes to be a hero. On his quest, Ralph meets tough-as-nails Sergeant Calhoun (voice of Jane Lynch) from the first-person action game Hero’s Duty, and feisty misfit Vanellope von Schweetz (voice of Sarah Silverman) from the candy-coated cart-racing game Sugar Rush, who may just be his first real friend. But everything changes when a deadly enemy is unleashed, threatening the entire arcade and Vanellope herself. Ralph finally gets his chance to save the day—but can he do it in time?Â
Â
For anyone who has ever played video games circa 1980’s and 90’s, novice film director Rich Moore, a cartoon veteran, does a magnificent job in getting his animators to reproduce the exact Nintendo and arcade images of yesteryear. It almost felt like it was 1988 in the movie and outside of the theater. He managed to capture vast inside references and minutiae like kids placing their quarters against the front border of the arcade to gesture that they were next to play, etc. It is that attention to detail that makes a difference in the emotional cinematic experience of the spectator.Â
Â
The 3D is surprisingly subtle, I’d actually say too subtle for a film of this nature. Instead of seeing pixels fly out of the screen, I had to lift my glasses to make sure I wasn’t watching 2D. When the result is this uneventful, the extra investment is completely unnecessary.Â
Â
This is a movie hard not to enjoy. Adults will appreciate it because it’ll remind them of their youth when they would run home from school to play ‘Q*bert,’ along with all the inside references and retro cliche’s, and kids today will have fun with it because it possesses all the color, fast paced imagery and gags they come to expect from today’s animated assemblage.
Â
Latinos, the highest movie going demographic in the United States, love animated movies more than any one else. They’re sure to make this movie a #1 hit at the box office!
10.29.2012 | By Karen Posada |
*Updated December 2025
The word that best describes Flight, starring Denzel Washington, is intense. Not only because of its beginning, but ultimately because of its subject matter. This is one of the most solid movies I’ve seen all year, which, although it’s a compliment, at the same time makes me think that it played everything mostly safe enough to be likeable. Read More
10.26.2012 | By Jack Rico |
*Updated 2026
In 2026, when ambitious movies are often praised simply for being ambitious, Cloud Atlas still raises the harder question of whether scale can survive messy execution.
10.19.2012 | By Jack Rico |
*Updated 2026
In 2026, when every studio wants familiar IP to become a franchise, Alex Cross is a reminder that recognizable material still needs the movie around it to work.
10.13.2012 | By Jack Rico |
With fists clenched from the very creepy first frame of the movie, ‘Sinister’ delivers a frightening and horrific cinematic experience that will leave you shaken to the core. It’s a demented movie with a truly deranged killer at its nucleus. To say it’s disturbing or perturbing is right along with what director Scott Derrickson wants you to feel and boy does he achieve it. There are the obvious dumb decision-making by our lead character Ethan Hawke, but between the eery music, the cold and dark cinematography, and the well directed suspenseful pace, Sinister is the best horror movie of 2012.
An original story, the fictitious plot takes place ten years ago, when true crime writer Ellison Oswald (Ethan Hawke) made his reputation with a best-selling account of a notorious murder. Now, desperate to replicate the critical and financial success of his first book, he moves his loyal wife (Juliet Rylance), over-anxious son (Mark Hall D’Addario) and artistic daughter (Clare Foley) into a home where a suburban family was brutally executed and a child disappeared, hoping to find inspiration in the crime scene. Instead he discovers a mysterious box containing Super 8 footage of the murders—plus several more equally gruesome homicides. As he watches the carnage unfold on film, Ellison realizes he has stumbled onto evidence of a decades-long killing spree. But rather than going to the local authorities, he keeps the movies to himself, hoping to publish another acclaimed book based on the crimes. As Ellison starts to piece together the mind-bending truth about the crimes and the murderer, unseen intruders and inexplicable goings-on disrupt his once peaceful household. Slowly, he begins to realize that his ambition has placed him and his family in the path of an ancient and bloodthirsty adversary who has marked them as his next victims.
The reason this movie works compared to missed opportunities like ‘Intruders’ from Juan Carlos Fresnadillo or ‘House at the End of the Street,’ is because it doesn’t live in an inauthentic world. Director Scott Derrickson dropped us in a truly sinister universe that looks genuinely real. The pace is slow allowing us to peel of the layers of horror scene by scene, which only makes our experience more miserable, to the point of exhaustion. The murder sequences Derrickson displays are played out in long, extensive and excruciating fashion. It feels like we are actually watching real murders transpire in real-time (trust me, it isn’t a pleasant way to spend 110 minutes).
Ethan Hawke is magnificent in this movie and has been delivering some gripping performances as of late (Daybreakers, Brooklyn’s Finest). His character is obsessed with fame and down right disregards his family altogether. His motivation for success makes you dislike him as much as the chilling murderer. Oddly enough, there is no one to really root for in the film and that in itself gives off a claustrophobic feel.
If you’re expecting funny killings like the ones Freddy Krueger had us laughing at in ‘Nightmare on Elm Street,’ then you’re going to the wrong movie. ‘Sinister’ is for men, not boys. You have to bring your cojones to this one to sustain the endurance of tension-filled suffering.
10.11.2012 | By Karen Posada |
Argo is a thrilling, nail-biting film that keeps viewers fully entertained with its captivating storyline and nearly perfect production. This political thriller captivates the audience by injecting dry humor and mild action while focusing on the task at hand without getting too politically confusing.
Director Ben Affleck did a fantastic job giving the film the exact feel for the time it is set in, the late 70s and early 80s. Everything from the shots to the outfits, cars, colors, and even music come together masterfully. It delivers what I would call one of the best dramas of its year.
Based on a true story, the film picks up when the Iranian revolution reached its peak. Six Americans escape an attack on the American Embassy in Tehran and take shelter at the home of Ken Taylor (Victor Garber), the Canadian Ambassador. CIA exfiltration specialist Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) comes up with an audacious plan to get the Americans back home.
With the help and support of Jack O’Donnell (Bryan Cranston), Lester Siegel (Alan Arkin), and John Chambers (John Goodman), he ventures into a mission that made history. The film gives a concise background on the facts without getting too profound or complicated.
It explains it all in a very original way. There are different uses of camera work, from aerial shots to handheld cameras. Although it gets dizzying at points, it makes it all the more believable and real, as the shots look like the original revolt.
This movie succeeds in getting the audience inside the story. Even though it doesn’t try hard at making a connection with the characters, since it only gives vital information, it manages to create a bond regardless.
I can’t recall the last time I was so tense watching a movie. It is so nerve-wracking at times that you easily feel scared for the characters because that’s how engrossing the story gets. Affleck effortlessly portrays the most levelheaded character in the film, controlling every situation without seeming mechanical.
He gives a solid performance even using body language to explain what he’s feeling or thinking. While some critics discuss how Ben Affleck plays a Latino character in real life (Tony Mendez), his performance here is undeniable. I’m happy to say that Cranston finally was given a character worthy of his acting skills.
This is something I’ve only had the opportunity of seeing in his TV show Breaking Bad. Here he’s the actor I’ve come to admire. Arkin and Goodman give us the comedic relief that helps with the tension created by other parts of the film.
It is done in the subtlest way without taking importance from the rest of the movie. Part of this comedy also comes from the film mocking governmental entities as well as even the director himself. The locations, sets, wardrobes, and cars help give the film authenticity, which is another key element to its success.
There are some scenes that add to the already felt tension of the film which feel a little too fictional or planned. This can take away a bit of the realistic aim of the film. Also, I think it works that we don’t get much of an inside look at the lives of the characters, except for vital pieces.
However, a little more could have been given to add to the connection the audience has with the six Americans in Iran. This movie has the ability to literally keep you at the edge of your seat. It provides some of the most intense, nail-biting scenes I’ve ever experienced in a movie theater.
Scriptwriter Chris Terrio gave such a solid compact story that Affleck was able to create a class-A film. He had help from producers Grant Heslov and George Clooney. You truly feel like a part of the film, so much so that at points you want to elbow some of the characters for their actions.
The film gives an inside look into a story that was classified until 1997. Many people might remember living through it. Having been part of history, some may already know the outcome of the film, but it stands on its own. It is all about the top-secret intense operation it takes us on.
It remains a strong competitor against heavyweights like Les Misérables for historical significance.
10.10.2012 | By Karen Posada |
*Updated November 2025
I got invited to see In Montauk, an independent film by Kim Cummings, in one of the coolest screening rooms I have ever been to, at the ReRun Theater in Brooklyn. Once you walk past the restaurant/bar area, you walk down the hallway leading up to the theater, which is decorated with art by local artists and the movie theater itself is painted with wonderful colors and images. It has a bar inside the theater that offers popcorn and any alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks to enjoy while watching the movie. What tops it all are the seats, which are comfortable car backseats. This place is full of originality and is a perfect place for a very original film.
10.4.2012 | By Karen Posada |
Some movies are able to better their material with a sequel, but most of the time they are unnecessary and are just a result of the studio’s greed; as is the case with ‘Taken 2’. I won’t deny that I was curious to see how this movie would turn out; I enjoyed the first one despite some of its obvious flaws, but in that one the action was on point and that helped carry it along and keep the audience entertained with an interesting storyline. This second part has an empty script, too much repetitiveness and too many flaws to consider it an upgrade from the previous one. In my opinion they should have just left the project alone instead of trying to make a couple of extra bucks with a second one.
Â
In this part of the story retired CIA operative Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) is finishing up a job in Istanbul, where his ex-wife Lenore (Famke Janssen) and daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) come to join him. They don’t get to enjoy much of their time away from home when a gang of Albanians led by Murad (Rade Serbedzija) comes after them to avenge the deaths of all the men Mill killed when his daughter was kidnapped in Paris.
Â
In our interview Neeson told me that being 60 he wanted to portray a man who is getting too old for all this havoc and it shows as some of the fight sequences seemed too programed and even when he’s running he barely seems like a threat. Although Grace has shown potential as an action star in ‘Lock-out’, here she reverts to the weak girl from the previous film; where although she’s able to do more to help the situation she still is completely lost in this world her father knows so well. There’s not much to say about Janssen’s character or her acting, as it is disappointing all around.
Â
The biggest problem with this film is the storyline; it feels empty because it tries to base itself on the previous film and there’s just not enough material to do that. I did enjoy the humor this one had which lacked on the first one, even though at points it’s almost mocking itself as well as the first one. Although we finally see a break where the retired CIA agent is human and is exhausted, he’s still treated too much like a hero and the scenarios are no longer believable. The action becomes too repetitive to the point where it gets dull and you know there’s nothing more that the movie will provide to wake you up.
Â
 My biggest advice to the Mills family is…stay on American soil! There’s actually a hint to perhaps a third part to the franchise and I beg the studio to please leave it alone. We go to the movies to visit worlds where unbelievable things happen and even though a lot of the things here are farfetched it’s no longer new, innovative, or captivating. This has a different director from the first one; French director Olivier Megaton who recently did ‘Colombiana’ says he doesn’t consider himself an action director and took on this project despite of agreeing that there was no need for a sequel. He tried to make a movie that would stand on its own, but he certainly didn’t achieve it. For me it’s hard too see talent like the one the cast has specially Neeson be wasted in projects like this one. You would do yourself a favor by watching ‘Looper’ a second time before going to spend 91 minutes on this one.  Â
