The September Issue
02.23.2010 | By Jack Rico |
Rated: PG-13 for brief strong language.
Release Date: 2009-08-28
Starring: Documentary
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.theseptemberissue.com/
Go to our film page
02.23.2010 | By Jack Rico |
Rated: PG-13 for brief strong language.
Release Date: 2009-08-28
Starring: Documentary
Director(s):
Distributor:
Film Genre:
Country:USA
Official Website: http://www.theseptemberissue.com/
02.23.2010 | By Karen Posada |
‘Cop Out’ is well-rounded movie in the sense that each character contributes something different to it, it is this characteristic that makes it entertaining. It is not an original piece though, it is like seeing another sequel of such movies as ‘Lethal Weapon’, although the humor in it does make it stand out more. There are a lot of stereotypes that took away from the movie as well as some bad choices on secondary characters.
The story revolves around two NYPD officers who get into a whole lot of trouble for a baseball card that leads them to solve a major gang plot. Jimmy Monroe (Bruce Willis) seems to have done everything wrong in his life, so he wants to fix his mistakes by paying for his daughter’s wedding. The only issue is that he has the salary of a cop therefore can’t afford the wedding, unless he sells a rare, mint-condition baseball card he owns. His partner, Paul Hodges (Tracy Morgan) is devoted to help him despite of him having his own problems such as dealing with insecurity issues in his marriage. In their journey they loose their card to Dave (Seann William Scott) who becomes their assistant and leads them to the mexican gang who not only is in possession of the card but are also the ones to blame for other crimes in the area. Their leader Poh Boy (Guillermo Diaz) is bloodthirsty and wants nothing more than to expand his drug-dealing business out of Brooklyn, he begins by capturing Mexican beauty Gabriela (Ana De la Reguera) who holds the key for him to accomplish his master plan.
Director Kevin Smith did a good job at casting, Bruce Willis and Tracy Morgan. They make a great team, Morgan is hilarious and comes up with the weirdest funniest things to say and do; while Willis with his strong character carries the movie forward as the responsible role he depicts, although he looks most comfortable in the action scenes. Sean William Scott has a love/hate relationship with Morgan, that is very funny in a ‘annoying younger brother’ kind of way. Diaz plays the role of a villain with a comedic side which he does well and De la Reguera is a tough damsel in distress that balances things out. The rest of the latino crew does a horrible job starting by their Spanish. Cory Fernandez should be ashamed of his performance as well as his nonexistent Spanish. I was disappointed with all the stereotypes in the film towards hispanics (mexican gangs, brute unintelligent men, violence, etc).
Overall the film is entertaining, a good laugh. There is lots of unnecessary cursing so make sure to go with adults only. Check out our interview with Willis and Morgan so you can look out for their favorite scenes in the film, as well as the Spanish they picked up on the set.
02.23.2010 | By Jack Rico |
So our fearless reporter Karen Posada had to go out and hunt for the truth on what’s going on with Bruce Willis and ‘Die Hard 5’. Since MTV posted it’s version of the events we decided to also present our own on video of the action from the Cop Out junket in NYC.
From the looks of it, it’s not officially happening… yet! They are in strong negotiations to shoot in 2011. He was serious when he said it, but he’s confident that it is.
He is definitely shooting RED in Toronto about a former black-ops agent who reassembles his old team in a last ditch effort to survive a threat by a high-tech assassin. The cast is pretty legit… Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Richard Dreyfuss, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Brian Cox, and Oscar winner Ernest Borgnine (Marty).
One thing he did want to squash were the IMDb reports of him filming The Last Full Measure and Morgan’s Summit. Sounds like they fell apart at the very end.
02.18.2010 | By Jack Rico |
‘The Ghost Writer’, Roman Polanski’s new film is a political thriller that is set up almost exactly like Hitchcock’s more campier classic suspense films such as ‘Dial M for Murder’ or ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’. It has twist and turns, along with some seldom silly dialogue with obvious winks for the audience. The acting is okay and the pacing is mixed. It begins well, drags through the middle and ends dynamically. Overall, a pleasing and modestly engaging film that is enjoyable. You’re money won’t be thrown away here.
The story, based on a book by Robert Harris, unfolds with a ghostwriter (Ewan McGregor) who is hired to complete the memoirs of a former British prime minister (Pierce Brosnan) who then later uncovers secrets that will put his own life in jeopardy.
This isn’t Polanski’s first stab at thrillers. He shot one 22 years ago called “Frantic” with Harrison Ford and that one went very well for him. I’m not sure why he would take so long to entertain us with another one? When you compare this movie to the great classic political thrillers in history such as ‘All The President’s Men,’ ‘The Manchurian Candidate,’ (1962) or ‘JFK,’ it is not as entertaining nor as intriguing as the those, but it also isn’t shameful by any stretch of the imagination.
It just happens that both Scorsese and Polanski have new movies out this Friday, February 19. Though they are vastly different directors, their latest films are thrillers. Shutter Island is the most absorbing and entertaining of the two. But if you can’t get tickets to that, The Ghost Writer is definitely a great option and it’s a bit easier to figure out.
02.17.2010 | By Jack Rico |
The new psychological thriller, “Shutter Island,” based on the popular novel by Dennis Lehane, comes from the dexterous and practiced hands of legendary director Martin Scorsese. The film is deluged with a plethora of twists and turns, brilliant acting by Leonardo DiCaprio and jarring scenes of suspense created and framed to perfection by its helmer. You should be excited to see this film… the entertainment value is high and the production quality is of the highest caliber. It’s definitely a must see movie!
For those of you who unfamiliar with the plotline, we’ll reveal only a succinct version. The film adaptation tells the tale of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the cost of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a prisoner from the island’s fortress-like mental ward. Not much can else be revealed because anything more can ruin the movie experience.
One thing you will take away from this movie is Scorsese’s prowess in the visual department. Some of the camera shots seen make you wish the projectionist could pause them and play it over and over again. After seeing all of DiCaprio’s films, Shutter Island, in my humble opinion, is perhaps one of the top 3 best performances of his career (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Shutter Island and Basketball Diaries, in order). That is what you await at your local theater this weekend.
A major subtext in the movie’s theme is a question asked by all of us, at one point or another in our lives: Am I mad, or is the world around me mad? What’s real and what is not? (I’ve been there before). Just like Hitchcock, the story is constantly deviating us from our path of clarity, creating scenes that don’t really exist and submerging us into a nightmare we can’t manage to wake up from.
At first, the film seems to be just another intriguing noir detective story but it is so much more than that. The references and homages in the film are multiple, everything from “Out of the Past” to “Shock Corridor” and “The Snake Pit” to Hitchcock’s “Spellbound.”
“Shutter Island” is a world where nothing is what it appears to be. It’s suspenseful, mysterious, ambiguous and insane. Now that sounds like a fun movie!
02.17.2010 | By Jack Rico |
The new psychological thriller, “Shutter Island,” based on the popular novel by Dennis Lehane, comes from the dexterous and practiced hands of legendary director Martin Scorsese. The film is deluged with a plethora of twists and turns, brilliant acting by Leonardo DiCaprio and jarring scenes of suspense created and framed to perfection by its helmer. You should be excited to see this film… the entertainment value is high and the production quality is of the highest caliber. It’s definitely a must see movie!
For those of you who unfamiliar with the plotline, we’ll reveal only a succinct version. The film adaptation tells the tale of two U.S. marshals, Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo), who are summoned to a remote and barren island off the cost of Massachusetts to investigate the mysterious disappearance of a prisoner from the island’s fortress-like mental ward. Not much can else be revealed because anything more can ruin the movie experience.
One thing you will take away from this movie is Scorsese’s prowess in the visual department. Some of the camera shots seen make you wish the projectionist could pause them and play it over and over again. After seeing all of DiCaprio’s films, Shutter Island, in my humble opinion, is perhaps one of the top 3 best performances of his career (What’s Eating Gilbert Grape, Shutter Island and Basketball Diaries, in order). That is what you await at your local theater this weekend.
A major subtext in the movie’s theme is a question asked by all of us, at one point or another in our lives: Am I mad, or is the world around me mad? What’s real and what is not? (I’ve been there before). Just like Hitchcock, the story is constantly deviating us from our path of clarity, creating scenes that don’t really exist and submerging us into a nightmare we can’t manage to wake up from.
At first, the film seems to be just another intriguing noir detective story but it is so much more than that. The references and homages in the film are multiple, everything from “Out of the Past” to “Shock Corridor” and “The Snake Pit” to Hitchcock’s “Spellbound.”
“Shutter Island” is a world where nothing is what it appears to be. It’s suspenseful, mysterious, ambiguous and insane. Now that sounds like a fun movie!
02.15.2010 | By Jack Rico |
It was a cold day in New York City as I arrived at one of New York’s top hotels, Le Meridien, to attend an exclusive press conference with Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, author Dennis Lehane, amongst others, to discuss ‘Shutter Island‘, Scorsese’s new cinematic effort.
First off was Lehane and his crew. Every one got off questions, including me. Then Scorsese’s crew came in and only 4 questions were asked – I was one of the lucky ones to get one in.
What you will hear in the audio slide to the left to you are the questions I asked DiCaprio, Scorsese and Lehane, in order. Essentially, this audio encompasses DiCaprio’s thoughts on his acting, how difficult it was to film these scenes, along with Scorsese’s directorial style and Lehane’s thoughts on the film adaptation of the book.
Without further adieu, here is the official interview from the stars of ‘Shutter Island‘.
02.10.2010 | By Jack Rico |
So we finally have a real date for what is to be the reimagining or reinvention of the new, younger Spider Man films. It also will feature the 3D technology for an ultimate movie going experience. Across our email we received the new press release from Columbia Pictures regarding the news:
“Spider-Man will swing into theaters worldwide in 3D beginning July 3, 2012, it was announced today by Jeff Blake, Chairman of Sony Pictures Worldwide Marketing & Distribution. The new film which is still untitled, will begin production later this year directed by Marc Webb from a screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Avi Arad and Laura Ziskin will produce the film from Columbia Pictures and Marvel Studios.
Commenting on the announcement, Blake said, “Spider-Man is the ultimate summer movie-going experience, and we’re thrilled the filmmakers are presenting the next installment in 3D. Spider-Man is one of the most popular characters in the world, and we know audiences are eager and excited to discover Marc’s fantastic vision for Peter Parker and the franchise.”
02.9.2010 | By Karen Posada |
Unfortunately The Wolfman was exactly what I expected it to be, a movie where action prevails and the plot is predictable and hollow, it is basically secondary. I had a moment of hope during the climax of the movie that it was going to be better than I expected, I was wrong. I do give credit to the animation crew as well as those who worked on the settings because they are fantastic.
The main character, Lawrence Talbot (Benecio del Toro) belongs to a theater group in London; he’s a man who is lonely and hasn’t spoken to his family since he was a child. His father sent him to the U.S. to keep him away from his childhood traumas. He’s a man full of pain and suffering, he only returns
home because his brother’s fianceé Gwen Conliffe (Emily Blunt) writes to him about his brother’s disappearance and at his arrival asks him to solve the mystery of his murder. His father (Anthony Hopkins) greets him coldly but with loving words, he’s mysterious and he’s estranged from his family. He lives in a castle where we start to learn about Lawrence Talbot’s childhood and begin to see that although he had a privileged childhood he didn’t have it easy.
The movie develops at a nice rhythm, but since very early on we are able to make conclusions about how it will end. The Puerto Rican actor Benicio del Toro does the role of a man with a dark past and an even darker future perfectly; as a fan of the original movie and a collector of ‘wolfman’ paraphernalia, he studied his character well. I can’t imagine anyone else playing the main role, although there is not much to work from; Del Toro did a good job, especially in the scenes where his physical pain was very real. Hopkins was perfect for the role of the creepy and enigmatic father, it was almost like seeing Lecter with a ‘paternal’ side.
I knew the movie was a thriller but I didn’t know it was also supposed to be a horror flick; it does have moments that startle you but it is far more gory than scary. The cast did a good job and the panorama is beautiful, also the fact that it is placed in the times of Jack the Ripper makes it more attractive. It would have been a better movie if the plot were more engaging. It is definitely not for kids, although at some point it becomes a version of ‘The Beauty and the Beast’ but for adults.
02.8.2010 | By Namreta Kumar |
For anyone who loves the movie going experience this a perfect match. Chris Columbus has brought yet another beloved children’s book to life in his adaptation of Percy Jackson and the Olympians. The Lightening Thief is a charming lighthearted fare; that has smartly been adapted for the screen.
Percy Jackson’s (Logan Lerman) world changes when he discovers that he is a demigod. Soon he finds that his inadequacies serve him well; and that the Greek myths, the ones we all forget in grade school, are more than just ancient history.
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Chris Columbus does a great job of making Greek mythology feel like home in the Western world. In fact the juxtaposition of our modern realities to Greek mythology are what make the film charming to all ages. The CGI is all tailored to fit in well with the needs of the script and doesn’t over power it. Whereas other films of it’s nature have spent much more time working on some of the more flamboyant points of the novel Chris Columbus’ The Lightning Thief seamlessly blends all the elements together. While films like Harry Potter fail to capture the essence of the book, Percy Jackson and The Olympians does a remarkably better job.
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That being said some alterations have been made. For those of you that have read the book, sorry to say, as dictated by Zeus, the Kronos topic is closed for discussion. The “family†relationship that the book focuses on is the crux of this film. But don’t get too excited, if you hoped to see the jerk cousin from the book’s prophecy he doesn’t make the cut either. Although major arcs have been dismissed from this adaptation, it does a great job of keeping the heart of the book in the forefront.
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The cast also shares the credit for blending the two worlds seamlessly. They do an excellent job adapting the characters from the myths to the modern world. Brandon T. Jackson exceptionally modernizes the Greek satyr, Grover, by cleverly adapting modern style to the flirtatious and quirky nature of his character. Jake Abel carries Luke’s altered character off well, but due to some editing of the books for screen, it doesn’t all seem to add up on screen. Logan Lerman is the heart of the film. He not only ties together the film’s other cast and characters, but also reels in the audience. Percy Jackson feels like an accidental hero (to himself) in the book, and Lerman plays those insecurities and his perseverance well.
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When I left the theatre I remember feeling as light as my own childhood memories of going to the theatre. The best part about the film is that as an adult you get to re-live the wonderment of grade school mythology; and as a child you can almost believe that the old hero stories aren’t all lost. Percy Jackson and The Olympians: The Lightning Thief is an old fashioned good time at the movies.
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Also just a tip (especially for those that enjoyed the books): Don’t miss the end of the credits, I promise you will get your just reward.
