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Archive for June, 2011

In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town witness a catastrophic train crash while making a super 8 movie and soon suspect that it was not an accident. Shortly after, unusual disappearances and inexplicable events begin to take place in town, and the local Deputy tries to uncover the truth – something more terrifying than any of them could have imagined.

I would include a synopsis but it would have spoilers and this is too good of a movie to see and already know the plot. While this movie was obviously targeting youngsters, I found it to be an all around fun and entertaining move. A few plot twists here and there and they kept the mystery going. At almost 2 hours, there was not a dull minute. And it wasn’t filled with four-letter language.

So far, this may be one of the best and most entertaining movies of the Summer. Don’t miss it and see it in XD or in Imax.

Rating: 4.8 out of 5.

At a German concentration camp in occupied Poland during 1944, young Erik Lensherr is separated from his parents by Nazi guards. The child’s desperate mind remarkably bends a metal gate until a guard knocks Lensherr unconscious (the same footage that’s in the first X-Men movie). Scientist Sebastian Shaw, who has observed this through a window, calls Lensherr up to see him. Placing a metal coin on a desk, he orders Lensherr to use his magnetism power to move it. When Lensherr cannot, despite his best efforts, Shaw shoots and kills Lensher’s mother in front of him. In his rage, Lensherr’s out-of-control magnetic power kills the two guards and destroys two rooms, to Shaw’s delight.

Around this same time, in Westchester County, New York, mansion, a young Charles Xavier meets a young, shape-shifting girl named Raven, scrounging for food in the kitchen, disguised as his mother, who is looking through the fridge for food. Xavier accuses his “mother” of being an imposter, and asks what it has done with his real mother, as she would not make him a sandwich or hot chocolate, at which point, Mystique shifts back to her normal form. Overjoyed to meet someone else “different” like him, he says she can come live with his family.

In Switzerland in the movie’s present-day of 1962, Lensherr forces a banker (by ripping out one of the metal fillings in his mouth) to trace a bar of Nazi gold to Shaw’s address in Argentina. In a tavern there patronized by former German soldiers, Lensherr kills three men as he learns that Shaw has a yacht in Florida. Meanwhile, in England, Oxford University graduate Xavier is publishing his thesis on mutation; his foster sister Raven, a waitress, lives with him. Simultaneously in Las Vegas, Nevada, CIA agent Moira MacTaggart follows U.S. Army Colonel Hendry into the Hellfire Club, where she sees Shaw, Emma Frost, and Azazel. After Shaw threatens Henry, Azazel disappears with the officer; moments later he is in the War Room, advocating that U.S. install nuclear missiles in Turkey.

Shaw meets with Colonel Hendry on his yacht, and refuses to give Hendry his money, at which point Hendry pulls out a grenade and threatens to pull the pin, but Shaw takes the grenade and pulls the pin himself, and absorbs the blast (at which point we now learn that Shaw is a mutant, and absorbs energy, which also keeps him young), then taps Hendry, expelling the grenade’s energy into the Colonel, blowing him up.

MacTaggart seeks Xaviers advice on mutation, and takes Xavier and Raven to the CIA to convince the chief that Shaw is a threat. After convincing them that mutants exist they are to be taken to a covert facility, but first Xavier tracks down Shaw. Lensherr attacks Shaw, and when Shaw escapes in his submarine Lensherr tries to stop him, but Xavier stops him so that he does not drown. Lensherr joins Xavier and Raven at the CIA facility, where they meet Hank McCoy, another mutant that Xavier accidentally outs. McCoy and Xavier use a prototype Cerebro to locate mutants and recruit several of them to train to stop Shaw. Upon the recruiting process, we also see Xavier and Lensherr walk up to Hugh Jackman in a bar and introduce themselves. Jackman tells them to go to hell, and they walk off.

Shaw plans to meet with a Russian general, but sends Frost instead, who is then captured by Xavier and Lensherr. The facility is attacked by Azazel, Riptide and Shaw, with all the guards being killed. Shaw recruits Angel and kills Darwin by forcing him to ingest a massive amount of energy. When Lensherr and Xavier return they begin to train the mutants, though Raven is conflicted about hiding her natural form.

President Kennedy institutes a blockade. Shaw travels with the Russian fleet to ensure that the missiles get to Cuba. Xavier, MacTaggart and Lensherr fly to the blockade to stop the fleets from engaging. Shaw uses a nuclear core to charge himself up and a helmet to block Xaviers telepathy. While Azazel kills the crew of the Russian missile ship, Xavier uses his powers to make a Russian ship destroy the missile ship before it crosses the line.

Lensherr pulls Shaws submarine from the water, but an attack forces the jet and submarine to crash. Lensherr finds Shaw and removes his helmet and Xavier takes control of Shaw. Lensherr puts on the helmet, then kills him by forcing the coin that Shaw taunted him with through his brain.

The two fleets fire their missiles at the mutants, but Lensherr, now fully in control of his abilities, holds the missiles in the air, then turns them on the fleet. In the ensuing fight Xavier manages to distract Lensherr, but when MacTaggart fires at Lensherr he deflects the bullets, with one paralyzing Xavier.

Lensherr takes Raven, Angel Salvadore, Riptide and Azazel and leaves. Xavier and the mutants return to the mansion, where he will open a school. He wipes MacTaggarts memory, and Lensherr breaks Frost out of the CIA headquarters, and in his new uniform he tells Frost to call him Magneto.

Perhaps the worst franchise movie of the Summer. I thought they had bottomed out with Wolverine, but this one is even worse. It is dull, boring, and poorly acted. It is a toss up who was the worst actor, James McAvoy (with his fake British accent), Kevin Bacon (with his stiff character), or Michael Fassbender (with his inability to have facial expressions). This movie is the biggest waste of 2+ hours. It will make money because of the title and all the kids will want to see it but it is perhaps one of the worst movies since the 1984 remake of Orwell’s 1984.

Rating: 0 out of 5

Annie (Kristen Wiig), is a maid of honor whose life unravels as she leads her best friend, Lillian (Maya Rudolph), and a group of colorful bridesmaids (Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Ellie Kemper) on a wild ride down the road to matrimony. Annie’s life is a mess. But when she finds out her lifetime best friend is engaged, she simply must serve as Lillian’s maid of honor. Though lovelorn and broke, Annie bluffs her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals. With one chance to get it perfect, she’ll show Lillian and her bridesmaids just how far you’ll go for someone you love.

Female takeoff on The Hangover. Kristen Wig is stupid and irritating, which fits the character. I hope she is not as dull and stupid in real life. You have to see this movie to fully appreciate the toilet humor. Crude, rude, and occasionally raunchy.

Rating: 2.7 out of 5

Same plot, same stupidity. Different location. Zach Galifianakis is even more stupid and irritating than ever. An occasional laugh but it is all “seen it before.”

Rating: 1 out of 5

The warrior Thor (Hemsworth) is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard by his father Odin (Hopkins) for his arrogance and sent to Earth to live among humans. Falling in love with scientist Jane Foster (Portman) teaches Thor much-needed lessons, and his new-found strength comes into play as a villain from his homeland sends dark forces toward Earth.

Good matinee fodder. Not everybody is into Sci-Fi/Myth/Marvel Comic movies but this one is not bad.

Rating: 3.9 out of 5

Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) travels to London to locate the person who has been impersonating him. The impostor has reportedly been recruiting a crew to search for the legendary Fountain of Youth. First Sparrow rescues his former first mate, Joshamee Gibbs (Kevin McNally), who is about to be hanged, though the two are captured. Jack is brought before King George II (Richard Griffiths), who wants him to guide an expedition to the Fountain before the Spanish find it. Heading the expedition is Jack’s old nemesis, Captain Hector Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), now a privateer in service to the British Navy after having lost Jack’s ship, the Black Pearl, as well as his leg.

Jack escapes, and is found by his father, Captain Teague (Keith Richards), who warns Jack about the Fountain’s tests. Jack soon discovers that the impostor is Angelica (Penélope Cruz), his former lover and daughter of the ruthless pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), who possesses supernatural powers and practices voodoo magic. Jack is forced to join Blackbeard’s crew and to lead them to the Fountain. Meanwhile, Gibbs, who memorized, then destroyed, Sparrow’s map, barters with Barbossa to lead him and his crew to the Fountain.

Aboard Blackbeard’s ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge, Jack learns that the Fountain’s water must be drunk simultaneously from two silver chalices once belonging to Juan Ponce de León. The person drinking from the chalice containing a mermaid’s tear has their life extended, while the other person dies, their years of life drained from their body. Blackbeard intends to use the Fountain’s power to circumvent his fated fatal encounter with a one-legged man, and sets a course for Whitecap Bay. There he traps a mermaid that Philip Swift (Sam Claflin), a captive missionary, falls in love with and names Syrena (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey). Blackbeard then sends Sparrow to retrieve the chalices from de León’s grounded ship. Sparrow arrives finding only Barbossa: the Spanish have already taken the chalices.

Barbossa’s only wants revenge against Blackbeard for having captured the Black Pearl, forcing Barbossa to amputate his own leg to escape. He and Jack plot to defeat Blackbeard, then steal the chalices from the nearby Spanish camp. Meanwhile, Syrena, who returns Philip’s love, is tricked into shedding a tear, which Blackbeard collects, then leaves her to die while forcing Philip to go with him. Sparrow returns with the chalices and Gibbs, who he had reunited with while helping Barbossa. Jack negotiates with Blackbeard to return his confiscated magical compass and to free Gibbs in exchange for the chalices and his leading them to the Fountain. Blackbeard agrees, and Gibbs departs with Jack’s compass.

At the Fountain, Blackbeard and his crew are attacked by Barbossa and also the Spanish, sent by their king to destroy the Fountain, believing its power is an abomination against God. After an intense battle, Barbossa stabs Blackbeard with a poison-laced sword, but Angelica is also wounded by it. Barbossa claims Blackbeard’s magical sword, and assuming command, leaves with Blackbeard’s crew. Philip, mortally wounded, escapes and returns to free Syrena. After finding the chalices that the Spaniards tossed into deep water, Syrena gives them to Sparrow, then retrieves the dying Phillip, taking him underwater to heal him.

Angelica intends to sacrifice herself for her father, but Sparrow deceives them, and Angelica unknowingly drinks from the chalice containing Syrena’s tear, thus killing Blackbeard and saving her. Although they declare their love, Jack, knowing she may avenge her father’s death, strands her on an island, intending for a passing ship to pick her up. Jack then finds Gibbs, who used Sparrow’s compass to locate the Revenge and retrieve all the captured ships that Blackbeard had magically shrunk and bottled, including the Black Pearl. The two head off, hoping to find a way to return the Pearl to its original size.

In a post-credits scene, Angelica, still on the island, finds Blackbeard’s voodoo doll of Sparrow, which has washed ashore.

Once again, we see the best of the franchise in this the 4th Pirates. Lets hope they keep coming and keep being better. Great in 3D.

Rating: 5 out of 5

Former cop Brian O’Conner partners with ex-con Dom Toretto on the opposite side of the law. Since Brian and Mia Toretto broke Dom out of custody, they’ve blown across many borders to elude authorities. Now backed into a corner in Rio de Janeiro, they must pull one last job in order to gain their freedom. As they assemble their elite team of top racers, the unlikely allies know their only shot of getting out for good means confronting the corrupt businessman who wants them dead. But he’s not the only one on their tail. Hard-nosed federal agent Luke Hobbs never misses his target. When he is assigned to track down Dom and Brian, he and his strike team launch an all-out assault to capture them. But as his men tear through Brazil, Hobbs learns he can’t separate the good guys from the bad. Now, he must rely on his instincts to corner his prey… before someone else runs them down first.

The best of the Fast and Furious franchise so far. Don’t miss this on XD or Imax if available in your area.

Rating: 5 out of 5

“When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her. Water for Elephants is illuminated by a wonderful sense of time and place. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.”

A good movie based on a book by the same name. I fear the movie may be considered more palatable than the book with regard to the ending. I much prefer that of the movie. One of the better movies with Robert Pattinson and an excellent venue for Reese Witherspoon and Christopher Waltz. A must see.

Rating: 4.7 out of 5

An action-thriller about a writer who takes an experimental drug that allows him to use 100 percent of his mind. As one man evolves into the perfect version of himself, forces more corrupt than he can imagine mark him for assassination. Out-of-work writer Eddie Morra’s (Cooper) rejection by girlfriend Lindy (Abbie Cornish) confirms his belief that he has zero future. That all vanishes the day an old friend introduces Eddie to NZT, a designer pharmaceutical that makes him laser focused and more confident than any man alive. Now on an NZT-fueled odyssey, everything Eddie’s read, heard or seen is instantly organized and available to him. As the former nobody rises to the top of the financial world, he draws the attention of business mogul Carl Van Loon (De Niro), who sees this enhanced version of Eddie as the tool to make billions. But brutal side effects jeopardize his meteoric ascent. With a dwindling stash and hit men who will eliminate him to get the NZT, Eddie must stay wired long enough to elude capture and fulfill his destiny. If he can’t, he will become just another victim who thought he’d found invincibility in a bottle.

OK plot. Cinematography and editing made me dizzy. Not as big a box office hit as they figured even with Bradley Cooper having scenes with his shirt off. The ending was good and it is ok to sleep through the first hour.

Rating: 1.8 out of 5

Valerie (Seyfried) is a beautiful young woman torn between two men. She is in love with a brooding outsider, Peter (Fernandez), but her parents have arranged for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Irons). Unwilling to lose each other, Valerie and Peter are planning to run away together when they learn that Valerie’s older sister has been killed by the werewolf that prowls the dark forest surrounding their village. For years, the people have maintained an uneasy truce with the beast, offering the creature a monthly animal sacrifice. But under a blood red moon, the wolf has upped the stakes by taking a human life. Hungry for revenge, the people call on famed werewolf hunter, Father Solomon (Oldman), to help them kill the wolf. But Solomon’s arrival brings unintended consequences as he warns that the wolf, who takes human form by day, could be any one of them. As the death toll rises with each moon, Valerie begins to suspect that the werewolf could be someone she loves. As panic grips the town, Valerie discovers that she has a unique connection to the beast–one that inexorably draws them together, making her both suspect…and bait.

An interesting take on an old Fairy Tale. Just when you think you have it figured out and say the movie is too predictable, it takes a turn and wakes you up again. If you like this genre, you should like this movie. I cannot stand Amanda Seyfried and her exophthalmosis, but she was appropriately cast in this move (what big eyes you have).

Rating: 3.8 out of 5