Movie Reviews and Ratings

Guatemalan Oscar Isaac joins thriller ‘Mojave’

2012/12/05 at 12:00am

Guatemalan Oscar Isaac joins thriller ‘Mojave’

12.5.2012 | By Mack Chico |

Guatemalan actor Oscar Isaac will be joining ‘Mojave,’ a thriller directed by William Monahan. Isaac who is one of the hottest rising actors in Hollywood will be a part of a story involving a desert escape by a criminal.

The director Monahan, won an Oscar for penning the Martin Scorsese crime drama The Departed, also wrote the script.

For those of you Latinos who don’t know who Isaac is, he was in The Bourne Legacy, Drive, Sucker Punch, Ten Years, Won’t Back Down and Madonna’s ‘W.E.’. Soon you can see him in Joel and Ethan Coen’s ‘Inside Llewyn Davis‘ about a musician in Greenwich Village.

‘Mojave’ will begin production in early 2013.

Jessica Chastain on possible Best Actress Oscar win

By Jack Rico

2012/12/04 at 12:00am

Movies

Jessica Chastain on possible Best Actress Oscar win

12.4.2012 | By Jack Rico |

The New York Film Critics Circle surprisingly voted yesterday wins in three different categories for “Zero Dark Thirty” as the Best Picture, Kathryn Bigelow for Best Director and Greig Fraser for Best Cinematography. Despite not winning in the Best Actress department, Jessica Chastain (protagonist of ZDT) is nevertheless one of the favorites to win it at the Oscars come February 24th, 2013.

I wonder if she was dejected by not winning and does she feel it’s a sign of things to come? But what if she wins every award from here on out, including the Oscar? In the video below, I sat down with Chastain herself to ask her directly what it would mean for her if she won Best Actress at the Oscars.

Chastain’s biggest competition will be Sally Field (Lincoln), Naomi Watts (The Impossible), and Helen Hunt (The Sessions). The first true litmus test for Oscar gold will be the winners of the BFCA’s Critic’s Choice Movie Awards on the CW this coming January. It’ll set the real tone.

Official synopsis: For a decade, an elite team of intelligence and military operatives, working in secret across the globe, devoted themselves to a single goal: to find and eliminate Osama bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty reunites the Oscar® winning team of director-producer Kathryn Bigelow and writer-producer Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker) for the story of history’s greatest manhunt for the world’s most dangerous man.

By Karen Posada

2012/12/04 at 12:00am

DVD Reviews Reviews

The Dark Knight Rises

12.4.2012 | By Karen Posada |

‘The Dark Knight Rises’ is by far the best action movie of summer 2012, while it does have some flows they are easily overseen. For those of you that have been waiting for the final chapter of the trilogy I suggest you do it right and watch it in IMAX, because it truly takes the film to an unbelievable level. Director Christopher Nolan really completed the task of the Batman trilogy on a high note, this was such a delicate project that could have easily gone wrong, but now that it is complete we can be happy to say that Nolan didn’t harm it but enhanced it. The beauty of the trilogy is that they complement each other, as some offer better things than others so there’s not really a point in comparing them; but I can say this one offers the most action out of the three.

The story picks up eight years after the Dark Knight (Christian Bale) damaged his reputation in order to give the city of Gotham a more appropriate hero in his opinion. Bruce Wayne is urged to come out of retirement when Selina Kyle aka Catwoman (Anne Hathaway), a young police officer John Blake (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and entrepreneur Miranda Tate (Marion Cotillard) show up at his doorstep. The final push come when him and Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) quickly realize that they merely put a lid on crime when Bane (Tom Hardy) the ultimate villain arrives to Gotham with catastrophic plans.

Villain wise there’s no comparison to the Joker (Heath Ledger), he was such a well-rounded and unforgettable character that is hard for any of the new villains to match up to him. Nonetheless, Bane is a different type of character because what he may lack in wit he makes up for in strength, and his plans in large scale are what makes him the ultimate villain when at times even Batman doesn’t seem like a fair adversary. Hardy certainly became the monster behind the mask with his brute strength and cold heart, something he gave us a glimpse of in one of the best movies of 2011 ‘Warrior’. Hathaway is one of the best actresses in Hollywood because of her versatility and she proves that once more as Catwoman, she obviously dazzles in the cat suit but also gives depth to a character that we are not told much about, I won’t give much away about her performance except that she steals every scene she’s in, even some of the ones where Batman is present.

The best thing about ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ are all the surprises it delivers, it is so engaging that once it’s over you won’t feel like you spent almost 3 hours of your day in a dark movie theater. With all its up an downs it is a bit draining but quite fulfilling. Some scenes are painful to watch but the ones where there’s redemption and action truly make up for it. There are also some emotional moments that give the film a more rounded feeling. The new ride “The Bat” is quite awesome to see in action, as well as “the Batpod” showing off a couple of new tricks. The nicest thing about this film is that although Batman is the main character, and Bale was born to play the role as he shows endlessly time and time again it is not all about him. Some of the new characters such as Blake easily get our attention and that surely was done on purpose. Gordon-Levitt was the perfect choice for the role as he’s shown aptitude for these types of films like he did in ‘Inception’.

Although Bane is an excellent bad guy especially because of his look he is very hard to understand when he speaks, his speech is supposed to be sophisticated and intelligent and there were various angry comments about it when the prologue was shown last year; they went back to the studio to change it and it makes a huge difference but at times it’s still he’s hard to understand in a theater surround sound and all. Some scenes might disappointing the comic book fans, but honestly some of the changes help make the movie uplifting, relevant and even humorous. This is not a PG-13 type of movie like ‘The Avengers’ in every sense is more dark and needs every moment of comedic release it can get; this is definitely for a more adult audience. By Now Nolan has created his own world of Batman that can stand on its own, but here the complicated parts of the story come from the interaction between some of the new characters and the old ones as some seem forced, also some parts of Bain’s sinister plan get too convoluted. Finally, reality is forgotten at times which can be annoying but this is a movie after all.

Batman’s greatest appeal is that he’s a superhero without superpowers and that’s exactly what makes this last chapter the more appealing, because everyone that comes in to complement the story such as Catwoman, Bain and Blake are humans with different gadgets and abilities that cater to the audience. Nolan is a cinematic genius and he proves it once more by giving the viewers chills in some of the scenes, you get so invested in the story that there’s a connection with what happens in it; also because of the familiar landmarks shown that makes it the more real, although it takes away the whole “Gotham” myth which may bother some. To me this last part of the trilogy fulfilled all my expectations and the fact that a movie can keep you entertained for so long says a lot. Get ready to enjoy the most anticipated movie of the summer and the last chapter of a trilogy that many will cherish and already do.

First poster for "Star Trek Into Darkness"

By Jack Rico

2012/12/03 at 12:00am

Movies

First poster for "Star Trek Into Darkness"

12.3.2012 | By Jack Rico |

Today we received the first official poster for “Star Trek Into Darkness,” the sequel of the remake of “Star Trek” from director J.J. Abrams. From what we can see, there is a human figure on top of a stone rubble from a collapsed building or a derelict spaceship into a city.

The official plot of “Star Trek Into Darkness” is the following: In Summer 2013, pioneering director J.J. Abrams will deliver an explosive action thriller that takes Star Trek Into Darkness. When the crew of the Enterprise is called back home, they find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization has detonated the fleet and everything it stands for, leaving our world in a state of crisis. With a personal score to settle, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction. As our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death, love will be challenged, friendships will be torn apart, and sacrifices must be made for the only family Kirk has left: his crew.

The premiere of the first trailer is scheduled for this month of December, and is said to be seen preceding the screening of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey“.

“Star Trek Into Darkness” will be released on May 17, 2013 in the United States and will star John Cho, Bruce Greenwood, Simon Pegg, Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, Benedict Cumberbatch, Alice Eve and Peter Weller.

What do you guys think of the new poster?

‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2’ 3rd week on top!

By Karen Posada

2012/12/03 at 12:00am

Movies

‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2’ 3rd week on top!

12.3.2012 | By Karen Posada |

There are very few changes for this week; ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 2’ continues to reign at the box office, staying at number one for the third consecutive week with $17.4 million dollars. This was certain a very weak weekend at the box office, the hype from the Thanksgiving holiday has died down.

‘Skyfall’ continues its strong hold of the second spot with $17 million dollars, continuing to earn profits for Sony. Daniel Craig and director Sam Mendes should certainly be proud.

The biographical film ‘Lincoln’ also stays at number three with $13.5 million dollars. Without at doubt this has been a hit for Steven Spielberg. The rest of the places in the box office remain the same up to number seven with ‘Killing Them Softly’ coming in to change the rest of the Top 10, along with ‘The Collection’ at number ten.

The Top 10 in the Box Office are:

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 – $17.4 mil

2. Skyfall – $17 mil

3. Lincoln – $13.5 mil

4. Rise of the Guardians – $13.5 mil

5. Life of Pi – $12 mil

6. Wreck-It Ralph – $7 mil

7. Killing Them Softly – $7mil

8. Red Dawn – $6.6 mil

9. Flight – $4.5 mil

10. The Collection – $3.4 mil

‘Man of Steel’ – New poster hits the web!

By Mack Chico

2012/12/03 at 12:00am

Movies

‘Man of Steel’ – New poster hits the web!

12.3.2012 | By Mack Chico |

After much anticipation, the new poster of “The Man of Steel” has been revealed. It shows the DC superhero handcuffed while being escorted by a group of soldiers, an obvious indication of what will happen in the plot. The poster was posted on The Dark Knight Rises Facebook page which revealed the exclusive Man of Steel poster as a reward that had been unlocked.

It is expected that new movie stills, plus the highly awaited trailer will be released in the next few days. In fact, it is already certain that the trailer of the film, after the two almost identical teasers last July, will arrive during the premiere of “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” on the 14 of this month. At least that is what director Zack Snyder confirmed in a press statement last month.

With Christopher Nolan as producer, the film features Henry Cavill in the role of Clark Kent / Superman, Amy Adams in skin Lois Lane, Michael Shannon in the role of General Zod, Antje Traue as Faora, Laurence Fishburne which Perry White (editor in chief of the Daily Planet), Kevin Costner impersonating Jonathan Kent, Diane Lane giving life to Martha Kent and Russell Crowe playing Jor-El. In turn, Jadin Gould are (is Lana Lang), Ayelet Zurer (Lara Lor-Van), Tahmoh Penikett (Henry Ackerson), Michael Kelly (Steve Lombard) and, among others, Richard Schiff (Dr. Emil Hamilton).

“The Man of Steel” will hit theaters on June 14, 2013.

What do you think of the poster? Leave your comments below.

DVD Radio: Men in Black 3, Lawless, Paranorman

By Jack Rico

2012/11/27 at 12:00am

Movies

DVD Radio: Men in Black 3, Lawless, Paranorman

11.27.2012 | By Jack Rico |

This week from Miami, on the Enrique Santos Morning Show, Jack Rico reviews the new DVD/Bluray releases: the gangster/western movie LAWLESS, thestop motion 3D comedy thriller PARANORMAN, and the disappointing MEN IN BLACK 3.

You can hear our DVD review segment in Miami on the ‘Enrique Santos Morning Show‘ every Tuesday at 7:25 AM and 9:25 AM by Univision Radio ‘MIX98.3FM’ in Miami or the global network by visiting: http: / / www.enriquesantos.com/

Gael García Bernal joins Jose Agustin’s “Deserted Cities”

By Mack Chico

2012/11/27 at 12:00am

Movies

Gael García Bernal joins Jose Agustin’s “Deserted Cities”

11.27.2012 | By Mack Chico |

*Note: Watch Jack Rico’s recent interview in Spanish with Gael García Bernal.

According to Variety, Mexican actor Gael García Bernal and actress Ashley Hinshaw (“Chronicle”) have begun filming the movie “Deserted Cities” in Mexico City. The movie is a comic adaptation of influential Mexican author Jose Agustin‘s novel, and has director Roberto Sneider, the director of “Tear This Heart Out” Mexico’s pick for 2008 Oscar contention, at the helm.

The $3 million film will also have the production design of Eugenio Caballero, the craftsman behind Guillermo del Toro‘s “Pan’s Labyrinth”. According to Bernal, it will mix a “number of political angles between the couple, the other the relationship between the U.S. and Mexico, and another is between the archetypical Mexican macho and the contemporary feminist woman.”

Bernal is very respected in the indie circuit and in Mexican cinema. Most of his indie films are seen as must-see for movie connoisseurs and usually are highly admired with socio-political messages.

His latest movie “No,” has just been picked up by Sony Picture Classics, with a soon release.

The story for “Deserted Cities,” o “Ciudades Desiertas” in Spanish, goes like this: Susana, a female Mexican writer flees her home to attend an international workshop in the USA, leaving her husband Eligio (Bernal) behind and completely unaware of her whereabouts. A hot-tempered intellectual with a somewhat cynical and misanthropic sense of humor, he works his way to catch up with his wife, arguing to have only done so to find out why exactly Susana left.

They almost immediately suffer a cultural shock upon their arrival, although they are already well acquainted with the typical American lifestyle. The American residents, with a small town mentality, are depicted as largely more ignorant of the visitors’ culture and society; whereas the latter, especially Latin Americans, show a contemptuous reluctancy to try and fit in, perhaps Susana being the most remarkable exception. Throughout their journey, both try to pinpoint their relationship’s setbacks, as well as their own flaws.

The two attempt to show a sense of individuality and emotional disattachment from their spouse, each according to their respective point of view. While Eligio tries to make sense out of things, halfway acknowledging the extent of his feelings for his wife, still paradoxically giving in to outbursts of rage on occasions; Susana strains to convey an ideal of utter independence, as she feels the routine of her marriage holds her back. Motivated at first to prove her own self-worth, which she does find, she eventually experiences the certainty of her love for Eligio, in spite of all her efforts to stay away from him.

By Jack Rico

2012/11/26 at 12:00am

Reviews

Les Misérables

11.26.2012 | By Jack Rico |

‘Argo’ beware. ‘Les Misérables’ is now the the favorite to win Best Picture at the 2013 Oscar Awards. Director Tom Hooper has created a cinematic masterpiece drenched in powerful performances, both acting and singing, a stunning cinematography, memorable camerawork and a haunting score sure to provoke tears of joy and sadness.

Based on what is widely considered to be one of the greatest novels of the nineteenth century, and the world’s longest-running theatrical musical, Victor Hugo’s French book ‘Les Misérables,’ first published in 1862, is set against the backdrop of 19th-century France. It’s the enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption – a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Hugh Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Russell Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Anne Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette (Amanda Seyfried), their lives change forever.

I speak for many when I say, a great deal of people did not expect this film to be the masterpiece it is, nor to overshadow ‘Argo’s’ acclaimed and hyped campaign. ‘Argo’ had such a fantastic operation going on that it needed a titanic tour-de-force to derail it… and ‘Les Misérables’ did exactly just that.

Principally, what makes this movie so extraordinary, in this particular year, is the presentation of so much emotional heft on screen for such a prolonged time. No other movie, with the exception of Spaniard director Juan Antonio Bayona’s ‘The Impossible,’ can manhandle your emotions as forcefully. When you add the majestic scale of the production and the stylish cinematography, it truly becomes a sensorial experience.

After his 2011 Best Picture Oscar film, ‘The King’s Speech,’ director Tom Hooper has managed to elevate his filmmaking craft to another level. Perhaps his biggest impact to the film, and ultimately his legacy to modern filmmaking, was his decision to have the vocals from the actors sung live on set as opposed to lip-synch playback. This technique allowed the actors to change inflections and include impromptu emotions into their roles. Hooper also utilized many close-ups to capture and play up the affecting singing scenes of the lead actors. But what brought everything to life was the cinematography from Danny Cohen. The vivid color hues of red and blues were just icing on the cake on what is a beautiful looking film. It truly is blissful to watch.

When you think of the central characters on a film, one usually thinks of the actors, but in this particular film – a musical – the songs and score were the protagonists. The actors themselves were only the vehicles to Alain Boublil, Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer’s magical lyrics, music and libretto, which literally permeates every single frame. If you’re a thespian that can act and sing well, this is the role of a lifetime. Some of the most rousing and indelible scenes happen early in the film, as Jackman and Hathaway transcend the performances of “What Have I Done?” and “I Dreamed a Dream”, respectively. They sung it with so much pain and affliction, that it is hard to not be moved to tears by them. Expect both to be recognized with nominations, and even wins in the Best Actor and Supporting Actress categories throughout the award circuit. Overall, the music is as mellifluous and euphonious as you can get and the vocal performances by many of the leads are heart-wrenching and haunting.

This is not to say that everyone sounded as beautifully as Samantha Barks did in “On My Own”. There were misses such as Russell Crowe in the role of Javert, the villain and antagonist of Jean Valjean. His unmelodious singing and monotonous tone could have almost wrecked this work of art. I also wasn’t praising Eddie Redmayne as Marius. Nice kid, just thought Hooper could have done better. Moreover, a must know before seeing this film is that there is no dialogue. The words are sung for the entirety of the movie. This can be vexing to many who are not used to it, like myself when I experienced on Broadway the very first time. It’s an acquired taste and not for everyone.

Compared to the other contemporary musicals (Evita, Chicago, Nine, Phantom of the Opera, etc), ‘Les Misérables’ is in a league of its own. You could say it is the best modern movie musical done so far. It is also the best movie of 2012. Nothing else rivals its combination of acting, music, direction and storytelling. Not ‘Argo,’ not ‘Lincoln,’ and definitely not ‘Silver Linings Playbook,’ which is now out of the race, even if Harvey Weinstein is involved. ‘Les Misérables’ isn’t for everyone because it uses an unconventional storytelling method that the normal moviegoer might be averse to. But if you can put your personal tastes to the side, you will be introduced to a new experience that will move you like you haven’t been before. The music stays with you to the very end and the performances linger in the crevices of your mind and heart. ‘Les Misérables’ is, without a doubt, an experience you will cherish for years.

‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2’ stays at #1

By Karen Posada

2012/11/26 at 12:00am

Movies

‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2’ stays at #1

11.26.2012 | By Karen Posada |

Moviegoers set an all time high for this year at the box office, giving the industry a push. Over the Thanksgiving holiday ‘The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 2’ stays at number one with $43.1 million dollars, with a total of $227 million domestically and $577.7 million globally. This last chapter is not disappointing the studio and will surely continue to bring in more.

Last week’s number two ‘Skyfall’ remains with $36 million dollars, giving it a total of $221.7 million domestically since it opened. This is the highest domestic number of any Bond film. Sony could not be happier and will certainly begin the next Bond film soon.

‘Lincoln’ also stayed at number three with $25 million dollars, increasing its intake from last weekend. The film has sparked interest and curiosity because of the ravishing reviews and talks of an Oscar.

The Top 10 in the Box Office are:

1. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 2 – $43.1 mil

2. Skyfall – $36 mil

3. Lincoln – $25 mil

4. Rise of the Guardians – $24 mil

5. Life of Pi – $22 mil

6. Wreck-It Ralph – $16.8 mil

7. Red Dawn – $14.6 mil

8. Flight – $8.6 mil

9. Silver Linings Playbook – $4.6 mil

10. Argo – $3.9 mil