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Movie Reviews

The Avengers
Karen Posada
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2012/05/03 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Avengers

05.3.2012 | By |

The Avengers

‘The Avengers’ hasn’t even opened in theaters in the United States and it has already made about $260 million worldwide which covers its cost, which was $220 million, this alone describes the craze and buzz this movie has created. It’s hard to deny even not being a part of phenomenon, that this is a great action packed movie. We all like: Superheroes, special effects, alien attack, fights, space ships, saving the world, comedy. The special effects are fantastic, from Iron Man’s suit to The Hulk and the evil aliens. There are many weak points in the storyline, but if you’ve been wanting to go watch this movie more than anything is because of the action it has, I doubt many people want to watch it for its dialogue or depth. One thing this superhero movie does best is shine a light on all the beloved characters, although some or a bit more important than others it is all about team work.   

 

In this comic book brought to life the espionage agency S.H.I.E.L.D. calls in the superheroes after an energy source of unknown potency, tesseract, opens a portal through outer space and the Norse god Loki (Tom Hiddleston) crosses over and steals it, hypnotizing some of the scientist that had been working with the energy source, Clint Barton or Hawkeye (Jeremy Reener) and Selvig (Stellan Skarsgård). At this point Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) has no choice but to go against the government’s wishes and reactivate the Avengers Initiative. So, while the superheroes are gathered we get to see a bit of what each one of them has been up to, with a little background explanation on who each one of them is. We first see Russian spy Natasha Romanoff better known as Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), she is sent to India to get Bruce Banner aka The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) because he might be the only one that can track the tessarct. Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg) goes to collect the multimillionaire scientist Tony Stark or Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). Steve Rogers aka Captain America (Chris Evans) is asked to join since the energy source was found in the ocean after his freak accident that made him a superhero. Finally the demigod Thor (Chris Hemsworth) crashes the scene as he’s trying to get his brother Loki to change his mind and leave planet earth alone. All these different personalities, which the government views as freaks, must come together to save the world before alien forces take over the planet.      

 

The movie is 143 minutes long and at times it does start dragging, when the superheroes can’t get along because of their egos, but fortunately the culminating action scenes saves anything that was wrong with the film. Personality wise Iron Man is the most likeable character, because of his calm, funny, and sarcastic views on life and the other characters. It is always awesome seeing a girl kick ass and Johansson does a great job keeping up with these superheroes when she’s basically the only human. There’s an unnecessary and uncharacteristic point where she’s portrayed as being weak, but minutes later she’s ready to kill huge robot like monster aliens. For some reason Captain America becomes the leader, perhaps because of his military background and although many seem to dislike his goodie two shoes personality, however, he’s able to carry out an organized team effort. Thor is just the odd extraterrestrial being, that knows this evil forces good enough and cares for planet earth to be able to give the superheroes and advantage. There’s no denying though that The Hulk is probably everyone’s favorite superhero, it could be because he’s not a thinker but a doer and although he’s hard to control somehow the beast realizes what his place is and when to SMASH.

 

There’s a fierce competition of popularity between Iron Man and The Hulk, they both steal the show and are even more superheroey than most when the situation calls for it. I have to admit that at times there is too much going on at once and some characters seem to be forgotten, while others are sitting around or being chased unnecessarily, but it all comes together so masterfully, ironically enough when disaster breaks out. The 3D effects are not glorious, so save your pennies and watch it on the regular screen; also, make sure to sit around after the movie is over as there are two extra scenes at the end. The Avengers is an unstoppable force that will continue to succeed, there being talks of another Hulk, Iron Man and Avengers 2 movies.     

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Karen Posada
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By

2012/05/01 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

05.1.2012 | By |

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ is charming, I would say even funny at points, but despite of the star-studded cast the story is too feeble to be worth your money at the movies. This film brings together English actors that are considered royalty to many because of their extensive CVs and talent; this alone will make many people want to check out this dramedy. But once more the formula of putting too many stories together in one movie is exhausting and unsatisfying.

 

In this film 7 British retirees are lured to spend their retirement in exotic India, in what once was a beautiful palace, now a place in ruins for the elderly. They are enticed by the owner of the hotel Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) who is the most positive person on earth no matter the circumstances. Evelyn Greenslade (Judi Dench) a recent widow begins to learn how life works, since her husband was the decision maker of the household. Graham Dashwood (Tom Wilkinson) tired of his job, goes into early retirement to relive past memories of his life in India. Douglas & Jean Ainslie (Bill Nighy, Penelope Wilton) venture into a cheaper life, where they hope to find peace in their marriage. Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) is a sour woman that has no choice but to go on this trip for health reasons. Norman Cousins (Ronald Pickup) is a helpless romantic, who despite his age is still looking for love. Finally, Madge Hardcastle (Celia Imrie) realizes time is catching up with her and although she’s had various divorces this might be her last chance at finding true love.  

 

There’s no denying that this film is full of warm, heartfelt moments but notwithstanding its length there are many holes in the story and the predictability of it leaves very little mystery behind it. Like most movies that use this formula of trying to tie seven stories into one, it fails because the public can’t connect with any of the characters. Of course these actors are still top notch, their stories are interesting and India is a perfect exotic place because of the noise and the color, but the film tries to embark on too many subjects which makes it hard for it to fulfill even one.  

 

They say, as we get older we go backwards and live over our teenage years and childhood; so at some point in this film these grandparents begin acting like teenagers, which becomes a bit irritating more than it is funny. We get some clichés along the way, that: it’s never too late to start over, a person who risks nothing has nothing, and we all have a fear of making the same mistakes again. The movie hopes to be inspiring and it might touch people that have had to start over at a later age in their lives, but although there are obstacles here it fantasies it all too much and it becomes a Disney movie where the characters are too old and most of their problems have extremely easy solutions. However, if you still feel like catching these actors that have made cinematic history, I suggest doing it from the comfort of your home.  

The Pirates! Band of Misfits
Karen Posada
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By

2012/04/26 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

04.26.2012 | By |

The Pirates! Band of Misfits

Here’s another great family adventure, ‘The Pirates! Band of Misfits’ is a fun, clever, colorful and fantastic film for children and adults to enjoy. Aardman Animations executed such a detailed film, which is no surprise seeing that they did ‘Arthur Christmas’, and all the ‘Wallace & Gromit’ films along with director Peter Lord who also did ‘Chicken Run’. This was a great combination of talent that is easily perceived on screen. I had the chance to see the film in 3D and although I think the graphics are beautiful, you can enjoy it just as much on the regular screen. 

 

Pirate Captain (Hugh Grant) has a crew that idolizes him, even though they are very unsuccessful as pirates. Pirate Captain decides to enter the Pirate of the year Award, one more time despite of having lost various times. His main pirate rivals are: Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven), and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek); these two are great fighters, treasure hunters and mock Pirate Captain and his crew endlessly. Either way Pirate Captain is determined to win the award this year, with his right hand the Pirate with a Scarf  (Martin Freeman) and his comedic crew. He not only has to worry about his fellow pirates, but also for Queen Victoria (Imelda Stauton) who hates pirates and will do anything to see them go extinct. On his journey Pirate Captain will encounter endless adventures and memorable people, but he will learn one of the most valuable lessons of all: how important friendship is.

 

 This is Grant’s first animated film and he told me in our interview that the story and his character itself really attracted him and he felt connected to them automatically; so much so that if they decide to make a second part he won’t allow anyone to take his place. Just seeing the images of this movie you can appreciate all the detail that went into it, for example the ship built for the crew was hand crafted, had 44,569 parts, weighted 770 pounds, was 14 feet long and 15 feet high. The intricate work can be perceived in each scene. In the U.K. the film is called ‘The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists ‘, because wonderfully enough it mixes in some science by having Charles Darwin (David Tennat) be one of its characters. Also, the mascot of the ship’s crew is a dodo bird, Polly that was just adorable!

 

Pirate Captain and his crew entertain easily because of their good nature, innocence and thrill for adventure. Pirates are such an overplayed subject, but somehow they continue to entertain in family films. So, if you are looking for a film that the whole family can enjoy this weekend I recommend this one, for the laughs, story and wonderful images it offers.

The Five Year Engagement
Karen Posada
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By

2012/04/25 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Five Year Engagement

04.25.2012 | By |

The Five Year Engagement

My biggest complaint about ‘The Five Year Engagement’ is that it is too LONG! No matter how many cutesy, funny or weird scenes they throw at us; this film doesn’t have enough substance to run for such a lengthy amount of time. Although very little changes throughout these five years, the passing of time is definitely felt and despite of the fact that there are various funny scenes and the characters are so patient the weight of time and tension in the story is easily felt by the public. For people that like romantic comedies and insist on going to the movies this weekend at least this might be a better pick than ‘The Lucky One’, although your money would be better invested in ‘Think Like a Man’.

 

This is the story of Violet (Emily Blunt) and Tom (Jason Segel) who live in San Francisco; he’s a chef and she’s a psychology student. They are madly in love and after a year of being together Tom pops the question, the couple starts to prepare for the event when Violet is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity at the University of Michigan. This complicates things but lovingly Tom supports her by putting the wedding on hold and moving to Michigan with her. In Michigan each one tries to cope with the change and every time they try to restart planning the wedding some other opportunity or obstacle comes up. The couple begins to have many ups and downs, which test their relationship and the whole movie revolves in finding out if their relationship is strong enough to survive and reach the final step or if they will break up.

 

There are countless funny scenes; one my favorite is between Violet and Suzie (Alison Brie) who plays her sister, when they have a serious talk in an Elmo and Cookie Monster voice. Most of the vulgar and strange comments come from Alex (Chris Pratt) who doesn’t seem to have a filter and always lightens the mood. Although there is chemistry between Blunt and Segel some of their conversations felt rehearsed and awkward, but that might have been more of a problem with the script than their acting.

 

The problem with having a five-year relationship on screen is having to live through the drama that’s obvious to appear, although there’s a lot of comic relief through it, when it reaches the lowest point there’s no comedy to save it.  Most of the twists in the movie are pretty predictable, which makes the length even more unnecessary.

 

As a romantic comedy this isn’t a bad film, but it certainly doesn’t stand out from the rest. At the end we are left with some minor questions, that I was okay to not have the answers to, because it might have meant another ten minutes. The biggest lesson this film gives us is very simple: in order for every relationship to work both people must be happy with their lives in order to be happy with each other. Long engagements are not such a rare thing nowadays, which means this movie might have some people curious to see it, but I would say there’s no need to run to the movie theater to catch this film; it might satisfy you a little more in a few months when it comes out in DVD.

Safe!
Karen Posada
0

By

2012/04/25 at 12:00am

Reviews

Safe!

04.25.2012 | By |

Safe!

This is such a kick-ass movie, it may start off slow but once the action starts in ‘Safe!’ it is relentless! Although the hero in this film is a down to earth guy, he has absolutely nothing to loose and that’s what makes him push himself and his story to the limit. The story- line is supposed to have some drama and have some emotional motivation, but this link is very weak and somewhat uninteresting; what makes this movie worth watching is the action.

 

The story is a bit convoluted, a former NYPD cop Luke Wright (Jason Statham) blows a rigged fight controlled by the Russian Mafia, which to punish him leave him with absolutely nothing and a promise to keep an eye on him for the rest of his life. While living on the streets and contemplating suicide, he runs into a Chinese girl, Mei (Catherine Chan), who’s running away from the mafia that ruined Luke’s life. He’s motivated to help the girl, who happens to be a math wiz being used by the Triads (Chinese Mafia).  Luke decides to save the girl’s life at any cost and automatically jumps into an underground war between the mobs as well as some corrupt cops, as they all try to get a hold of the girl.

 

Director Boaz Yakin welcomed us to the screening of this film very humbly and explained to us the connection between the action and drama in the film as well as his reason for choosing Statham. There’s no question as to why Statham was chosen for this role, he is built for this type of high fast paced action films. If you’ve seen any of the films throughout his career, then you know this actor who usually performs his own fight scenes and stunts delivers every time and this film isn’t an exception. Despite of the fact that Yakin meant for there to be some deep emotional motivation behind the story, this is very feeble and even the main character himself accepts to not being able to make a strong connection to this girl he’s saving. But that’s beside the point, because that sets the base to this crazy ‘Grand Theft Auto’ like story.  Chan might be meant as the part of the story that softens your heart, but this girl is far from that because she is independent, smart-mouthed and of course although she is a child she is still very strong in a lot of ways.

 

Yakin also told us here he wanted to represent the New York he grew up in, so this is a throwback type of action film bowing to some of the classics. You may hold your breath in some scenes, laugh and stay with your mouth open in others. So, get ready to be part of a story where a man and a girl give the City of New York a make over, while trying to survive this action thriller.  

The Raven
Karen Posada
0

By

2012/04/24 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Raven

04.24.2012 | By |

The Raven

‘The Raven’ is such an elegant film in every aspect: dialogue, setting, costumes, etc. Every scene is so delicate and it unravels rhythmically just like the poem, although at some points it does lack emotion and perhaps even tension. Director James McTeigue did a great job using the poem as a base, filling it in with a few facts about Edgar Allan Poe’s life and the city of Baltimore. More than anything I have to give him credit for inserting Poe into a poem of his by allowing him to play detective, it is an interesting twist to his work. This thriller/mystery film pays tribute to the author of the poem as well as the genre itself, by giving us an entertaining artistic story.

 

Edgar Allan Poe (John Cusack) is the one who takes us by the hand throughout this story; he’s daring to earn a living as a writer by trying to get his work published at a local newspaper. No one seems to have any sympathy for the man, who is pretty arrogant, except for a few fans and his girlfriend Emily (Alice Eve). Poe gains credibility with his poem ‘The Raven’ and a book of grotesque stories of his which is also popular. These macabre stories begin to take a life of their own when a madman feels inspired by them. Between Poe and detective Fields (Luke Evans) they must try to solve each crime to determine the killer’s next step and catch him.

 

Poe spent a great deal of his life being a critic, which is a job mocked in the movie as being “easy”, but as one of the biggest writers in the world he was not easy on anyone. One definitely wonders how he would feel about this project, which made him a character inside one of his masterpieces. Just by the premise alone people will either be curious or turned off automatically. Cusack does a fine job at becoming Poe, his dialogue is illustrious but at times his rhymes and poetic prose become a bit irritating. His counterpart Evans on the other hand had flat conversations with Cusack about his romantic life and work, which was supposed to reassure the public about his respect for Poe but instead the conversations felt empty. Some of the action scenes are not very engaging, but the mystery that surrounds them is interesting.

 

This movie has a darkness and refinement that set a perfect mood for the tale; even the gruesome scenes have a neatness to them. The film is satisfying to a certain degree, it doesn’t disappoint, but it also seems to not want to strive for more. It’s very clean from beginning to end without taking too many risks, which perhaps was wise; since putting someone as idolized as Edgar Allan Poe as a main character is challenging for both director and fans considering that this is Poe in a different perspective.  

Bernie
Karen Posada
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By

2012/04/24 at 12:00am

Reviews

Bernie

04.24.2012 | By |

Bernie

‘Bernie’ is a dark comedy based on a real life story, which is such an unusual thing to hear, since most movies based on real life are dramas. The majority of the film develops with a series of people sharing their thoughts on Bernie, as a person and what he did for the small town in Texas where this story took place, Carthage. The story is entertaining and although it only made me laugh out loud twice, it is very clever. Jack Black is at his comedic highest here; he did an outstanding job impersonating this character. Unfortunately, this isn’t sufficient to go buy a movie ticket.

 

Bernie (Jack Black) is a mortician or funeral director as he likes to call it, he’s a perfectionist therefore he is the best at his job in every aspect of it. He even takes on tasks he’s not asked to do such as comforting the widows, by checking on them after their husbands’ passing. Accomplishing this duty he makes friends with Marjorie Nugent (Shirley MacLaine) who inherited a fortune, after her banker husband died. Marjorie is a spiteful woman that no one in town can stand, not even her family, but somehow Bernie gets in on her good side. Everyone in town loves Bernie and when he’s accused of Marjorie’s death they refuse to believe it, except for Sheriff Danny Buck Davidson (Matthew McConaughey).

 

Black is what makes this film, he carries on his whole performance without an ounce of mockery and that’s what makes his character so funny. The movie pokes fun mainly at small town people in the south and they even talk about the rivalry of the different parts of Texas with one another. MacLaine plays a cranky old lady very well and it is easy to dislike her. McConaughey with his Texan accent and strong character fits in perfectly as the Sheriff, who is one of the few voices of reason in this film. The format of the film of interviewing “towns people” is amusing, but what’s even more amusing is making a real life murder into a comedy.

 

The film has various elements that make it worth watching, but it is better to do it relaxed at home. Usually, we go to the movie theater to watch comedies that make us cry laughing and that’s not the case here. You’ll just smile and raise and eyebrow more than once because of the situations, silliness and characters in it.

 

Texan director Richard Linklater took this crime from the 90’s and decided to give it life in a way most directors wouldn’t have. He also mocks the south showing a few stereotypes, but mainly showing religious old people, which always say the darnest things. Apparently the people from Carthage didn’t care for this film because they say it’s one sided. Although I wouldn’t say this film was hilarious, I think it’s worth watching when it comes out on DVD, because it was so cleverly developed that it deserves a shot. 

 

Lockout
Karen Posada
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By

2012/04/10 at 12:00am

Reviews

Lockout

04.10.2012 | By |

Lockout

‘Lockout’ is a fun action film despite its predictability. The concept of it is interesting and although you may know how it will end, it is all about the ride. Although I enjoyed the action my favorite part of the film was Guy Pearce, his character is just a smart mouth agent who’s looking out mainly just for himself; his sarcastic humorous comments make most scenes entertaining. This isn’t the best action film out there, but if you want to have fun at the movies and have a couple of laughs, this is definitely a good choice, despite of its’ flaws.

 

Agent Snow (Guy Pearce) is convicted of a crime against the U.S. government, that he denies having committed. Despite that he is offered to take on a mission upon MS One, an experimental prison in space where the 500 most dangerous criminals on planet Earth are kept in artificial sleep. He must rescue Emilie (Maggie Grace), the president’s daughter who has gone out to the station in a humanitarian mission and has fallen hostage to inmates who’ve broken free.   

 

Directors James Mather and Stephen St. Leger are two Irish boys from Dublin who sought out to make a futuristic action thriller that was entertaining. They reached their goal, however with a little more effort it could have been an even more entertaining film. They inserted a bit of themselves, which we perhaps can see in many of the inmates. Snow, Pearce’s smart mouth character is charming in his own jerk-like way although at points he does get dangerously close to being too macho therefore a bit irritating; but obviously he’s the one that carries the film on his shoulders. Honestly, I mainly hated Grace’s character, she was such a helpless girl throughout most of the movie that she was just annoying to watch, although she does redeem herself at the end.

 

My biggest problem with the movie is that the storyline didn’t convince me, starting by the fact that I could figure out the outcome since the beginning and there are some holes and various weak points. At times the storyline tries to get complicated and layered which takes away from the simplicity that would have enhanced it. The special effects are not that great, one scene in particular is just a videogame shot shaming the movie.

 

This is just a good time at the movies; it takes you on a wacky futuristic story in outer space, where a man and a woman alone face the world’s worst criminals. The arena they are in is unusual, defying authority is their motto and getting out alive is their goal. So if you can put the technicalities aside, get ready to go on a crazy journey with an insane guide that somehow has a good head on his shoulders and enjoy the video game like scenario where the bad guys outnumber the good ones. 

The Cabin in the Woods
Karen Posada
0

By

2012/04/10 at 12:00am

Reviews

The Cabin in the Woods

04.10.2012 | By |

The Cabin in the Woods

Just from seeing the preview of ‘The Cabin in the Woods’ you automatically know this will not be your typical horror movie. As a person who has seen the movie I know there is very little about it that I should tell you, because the thing that works best for this film is all the surprises it has. I’m glad no one ruined that for me, the advertising department has done a great job at making the public curious without giving too much away. I just wish the movie wouldn’t have gotten so out of hand, I think the ideas it has are fantastic, but unfortunately it is taken too far to the point of ruining the movie.

 

This is the story of five friends: Dana (Kristen Connolly), Curt (Chris Hemsworth), Jules (Anna Hutchinson), Marty (Fran Kranz) and Holden (Jesse Williams) that decide to escape the city by going to a cabin in the woods. Soon they begin to realize that there is something off about this remote place. This might sound like a story you already know but this horror film turns the genre inside out.

 

The best acting in this movie comes from Richard Jenkins and Bradley Whitford, their years of experience really enhance this story even more, as the unravel the horrors and purpose behind this story. The five friends provide us with the scenery of a typical horror movie combination of personalities, but some stick out more than others. I really enjoyed more than half of this film, which says a lot because it is very hard to find a good scary movie nowadays. Unfortunately, my enjoyment turned into a lot of eye rolling the last 15 minutes of the film. To me it became a joke that was taken too far to the point of being ridiculous, which killed me because I really liked the main concept behind the film.

 

I truly think it is original, but at the same time it’s a good combination of great horror films and there’s a reason for that. It is weaved in with comedy, which is quite refreshing, along with many other elements which really makes for an interesting story. The problem with these various elements is that they become suffocating for the audience towards the end of the film, they all clash together into a movie that becomes 10 different genres at once and ends with a punch. If you want to go to the theater to experience this crazy film with an open mind knowing that you might be disappointed after the roller coaster ride go ahead, otherwise I say it is probably better to watch it as a fun slasher flick on night at home.     

Detention
Karen Posada
0

By

2012/04/10 at 12:00am

Reviews

Detention

04.10.2012 | By |

Detention

The best word to describe ‘Detention’ is- WEIRD! This movie is so wacky in every sense: the storyline, the characters, even the images. This is a mash-up of various genres: horror, comedy, teen-movies, and romance. It is hard enough for just one movie to accomplish something good in just one genre, therefore one that tries to encompass various is bound for disaster. The movie does make you laugh more than once, mainly because of the witty dialogue, but also because of the ridiculousness of it. This might only be worth a watch if it’s on TV on a day where you have nothing else to do and there’s absolutely nothing to else to watch.

 

The movie explores high school life for seniors in Grizzly Lake. There are the popular kids among them Clapton Davis (Josh Hutcherson) and Ione (Spencer Locke) and the outcasts like Riley Jones (Shanley Caswell) and Sander Sanderson (Aaron David Johnson). Not only are they all trying to survive high school, but they are also trying to survive a killer named Cinderhella who’s slashing one student at a time.

 

The movie tries to be fun and cool and it accomplishes it at some points, by having the characters talk to the audience, making small movie montages about each character’s life and even taking us through a journey in music and fashion. The movie is like ‘Mean Girls’, ‘The Breakfast Club’, and ‘Scream’ all in one. But the storyline goes on a tangent and as it develops it becomes less and less interesting, because it gets more ridiculous by the minute.

 

The movie might ride off on Hutcherson’s success in ‘The Hunger Games’ and that’s a smart move on their part, but he should also be happy that this film didn’t do wide-release a year ago when it began to be promoted. Movies are expensive to make so it is hard to understand why a studio or director would decide to spend money on such a fruitless project, especially because it is said that director Joseph Kahn used his savings to make it. All in all there are better movies coming out this weekend than wasting your money on this one.   

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