My sister and I watched this recently as just something to do. We had both seen this movie before and enjoyed it, so we decided to watch it again.
I am not a big fan of horror movies, but I wouldn't really classify this one as part of that genre. Yes there is a bit of horror movie violence but it's not over the top. This movie is really much more of an unconventional love story, and though I'm not the biggest fan of chick flicks/romance movies, the storyline was really unique. It follows the tale of a zombie named R (played by Nicholas Hoult) who falls in love with a human girl (played by Teresa Palmer).
What I enjoyed about this movie was how the movie was narrated. Because R can't speak, the audience goes through the movie with R's internal point of view. His thoughts are easy to connect to and his point of view adds to the comedic parts of the movie. The movie has it's funny moments and it tends to stay on the lighter side of things. I also really liked how the movie was an interesting take on Romeo and Juliet, which can be seen through the characters names and certain events that occur throughout the movie.
Overall, I liked this movie and thought it was really interesting. While it was a romance movie and once and a while tended to have those usual cliches found in those kinds of movies, I liked how it was a different spin on that genre. I enjoyed the internal narration of R and how it really kept the plot moving. I thought this film was a unique one and I recommend it to anyone looking for a romance movie, a comedy, or just something interesting.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=07s-cNFffDM
Monday, December 30, 2013
Tuesday, December 24, 2013
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
I saw this at midnight with a few of my good friends as a great way to end my birthday and because my friends and I are big fans of The Hobbit. Just a heads up though, this film picks up right where An Unexpected Journey ends, so I would highly recommend watching the first Hobbit movie before going to see this.
This movie was a great second part to The Hobbit trilogy. While the first film was light and on the happy side, this film goes darker. It explores the evil that was discovered in the first as well as explores the darkness that appears to be developing within each character. It was interesting to see how this contributed to the plot as a whole, and how you can see it affecting each character differently. I was especially impressed with the transition of Bilbo's character, going from the light and cheery hobbit and the growth he has in this film.
What was also great about this film was the action sequences and the new locations that appeared. The sequence in which the dwarves are floating in barrel is one of the best parts of the movie. A lot goes on during this, but the spectacle and the constant action kept me thrilled and on the edge of my seat. The locations of Lake Town and Mirkwood are standouts amongst the many locations that were studding and really added to the narrative. One of the other cool parts of this movie is the appearance of Smaug (played by Benedict Cumberbatch). The trailers of this film did a really good job of hiding Smaug's appearance, and when he finally appears in the movie, it is a sight to see. The entire sequence inside the mountain is really well done, and this in turn leads to a great conclusion of the film that makes you want to see the third film in the trilogy.
Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. It was a great sequel that had really cool action sequences and was all together a well-made movie. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the first film, anyone who liked the LOTR trilogy, and anyone who is looking to watch a good fantasy movie.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfflhfn1W-o
This movie was a great second part to The Hobbit trilogy. While the first film was light and on the happy side, this film goes darker. It explores the evil that was discovered in the first as well as explores the darkness that appears to be developing within each character. It was interesting to see how this contributed to the plot as a whole, and how you can see it affecting each character differently. I was especially impressed with the transition of Bilbo's character, going from the light and cheery hobbit and the growth he has in this film.
What was also great about this film was the action sequences and the new locations that appeared. The sequence in which the dwarves are floating in barrel is one of the best parts of the movie. A lot goes on during this, but the spectacle and the constant action kept me thrilled and on the edge of my seat. The locations of Lake Town and Mirkwood are standouts amongst the many locations that were studding and really added to the narrative. One of the other cool parts of this movie is the appearance of Smaug (played by Benedict Cumberbatch). The trailers of this film did a really good job of hiding Smaug's appearance, and when he finally appears in the movie, it is a sight to see. The entire sequence inside the mountain is really well done, and this in turn leads to a great conclusion of the film that makes you want to see the third film in the trilogy.
Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. It was a great sequel that had really cool action sequences and was all together a well-made movie. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoyed the first film, anyone who liked the LOTR trilogy, and anyone who is looking to watch a good fantasy movie.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfflhfn1W-o
Monday, December 23, 2013
Contagion
My mom and I just watched this film just to pass the time. I noticed this at my local library, so I checked it out because it sounded interesting.
This movie was really interesting. It was intriguing to see the spreading of the disease and the panic that comes with it. It reminds you of the national panics of H1N1 and the Bird Flu and the widespread panic that these outbreaks caused. This film, while it shows the attempts and mission to find the cause and cure for the disease, mainly tracks the panic and fear that spreads throughout the American population.
There are a lot of characters in this movie. The film does a good job of making sure that the characters don't get confused, but if you aren't paying attention (as what happened to my mom when she fell asleep for 10 minutes or so) you can miss a new character that is introduced and/or miss something important that involves many characters. On the positive side, it was interesting to see the subplots that each character had and how each one contributed to the plot as a whole.
Overall, this movie was well done. The plot and narrative of the film did a good job of keeping me interested and the ending really leaves you with something to think about. The film does at points show how the disease spreads, so if you are any bit of a germaphobe, this movie could freak you out a bit. Even if you aren't germaphobic, this film does a good job of making you feel like you should wash your hands right after the credits roll. I really enjoyed this movie and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a dramatic and suspenseful movie.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sYSyuuLk5g
This movie was really interesting. It was intriguing to see the spreading of the disease and the panic that comes with it. It reminds you of the national panics of H1N1 and the Bird Flu and the widespread panic that these outbreaks caused. This film, while it shows the attempts and mission to find the cause and cure for the disease, mainly tracks the panic and fear that spreads throughout the American population.
There are a lot of characters in this movie. The film does a good job of making sure that the characters don't get confused, but if you aren't paying attention (as what happened to my mom when she fell asleep for 10 minutes or so) you can miss a new character that is introduced and/or miss something important that involves many characters. On the positive side, it was interesting to see the subplots that each character had and how each one contributed to the plot as a whole.
Overall, this movie was well done. The plot and narrative of the film did a good job of keeping me interested and the ending really leaves you with something to think about. The film does at points show how the disease spreads, so if you are any bit of a germaphobe, this movie could freak you out a bit. Even if you aren't germaphobic, this film does a good job of making you feel like you should wash your hands right after the credits roll. I really enjoyed this movie and I would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a dramatic and suspenseful movie.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sYSyuuLk5g
Saturday, December 21, 2013
The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
I just watched this a couple days ago as something to do and as an attempt to get someone to watch these movies with me. Out of my whole family, I'm the only one who really likes the Lord of the Rings. I'm not a big fan of hardcore fantasy films, but these films are few of the exceptions.
I thought this film was a much lighter and happier film in comparison to the LOTR trilogy. There were lots of comedic moments, mostly coming from the dwarves, that lightened the mood. One would think it would be really hard to keep track who's who in the 13 dwarves, but they were all very unique which made them easy to separate from one another.While I most likely couldn't name all 13 (even though most of them rhyme with others and such) for you right now, the film gravitates to showing the ones you need to pay most attention to or draws focus to ones that say important lines. The other characters in this film are also well-acted, I especially enjoyed the characters of Bilbo (played by Martin Freeman) and Radagast (played by Sylvester McCoy).
The action in this movie was also really well-done. While my favorite scene is the dinner scene when you meet all of the dwarves, my favorite action sequences would have to be the major chase between the main characters and an Orc pack as well as the scene with the goblins. I wish I saw it in 3D to truly appreciate the hard work that went into these sequences, but they are still really great to watch in 2D.
If you are a fan of the LOTR trilogy and/or a fan of the books, this movie fits right in. It's great to see some characters from the trilogy appear in this film, but it is also great to see new characters that are well-portrayed. I will say though, if you have never seen the LOTR trilogy, do not feel like you have to watch those in order to understand this film. This film (and the next two that will follow) is a prequel to what happens in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. My mom has never seen the LOTR trilogy, so references and characters that are made and seen in this one did not resonate with her but also did not confuse her when watching this film. I do recommend watching the original trilogy if you are interested in them, though, because they are really good films and you appreciate the references that are made in this movie.
Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. I would recommend this to anyone who likes the LOTR trilogy and fantasy films.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDnYMbYB-nU
I thought this film was a much lighter and happier film in comparison to the LOTR trilogy. There were lots of comedic moments, mostly coming from the dwarves, that lightened the mood. One would think it would be really hard to keep track who's who in the 13 dwarves, but they were all very unique which made them easy to separate from one another.While I most likely couldn't name all 13 (even though most of them rhyme with others and such) for you right now, the film gravitates to showing the ones you need to pay most attention to or draws focus to ones that say important lines. The other characters in this film are also well-acted, I especially enjoyed the characters of Bilbo (played by Martin Freeman) and Radagast (played by Sylvester McCoy).
The action in this movie was also really well-done. While my favorite scene is the dinner scene when you meet all of the dwarves, my favorite action sequences would have to be the major chase between the main characters and an Orc pack as well as the scene with the goblins. I wish I saw it in 3D to truly appreciate the hard work that went into these sequences, but they are still really great to watch in 2D.
If you are a fan of the LOTR trilogy and/or a fan of the books, this movie fits right in. It's great to see some characters from the trilogy appear in this film, but it is also great to see new characters that are well-portrayed. I will say though, if you have never seen the LOTR trilogy, do not feel like you have to watch those in order to understand this film. This film (and the next two that will follow) is a prequel to what happens in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. My mom has never seen the LOTR trilogy, so references and characters that are made and seen in this one did not resonate with her but also did not confuse her when watching this film. I do recommend watching the original trilogy if you are interested in them, though, because they are really good films and you appreciate the references that are made in this movie.
Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. I would recommend this to anyone who likes the LOTR trilogy and fantasy films.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDnYMbYB-nU
Tuesday, December 17, 2013
12 Years A Slave
This film is based on the memoir by Solomon Northup of the same title. I had to read sections of it for my Tarantino course in order to understand a real description of slavery in comparison to Django Unchained. Reading Solomon's actual account made me want to see this film more than I had already wanted to.
This movie was really good. It was incredibly compelling and saddening to see the true story of Solomon Northup play out onscreen. Each character is portrayed extremely well, especially the characters of Solomon (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Edwin Epps (played by Michael Fassbender). Epps is the cruel slave owner that buys Solomon, and Fassbender does a good job of making you hate him.
While the movie is long, it never feels long because the plot keeps you interested with all of the events and incidents that happen to Solomon. There are moments where it gets really intense, whether there is violence involved or not. Where violence is involved, those scenes can be tough to get through. The film doesn't hold anything back, and it really shows you the brutality that slaves faced during the time in which slavery was legal in America. This film also tugs at your emotions, you really feel the pain Solomon suffers throughout this movie. The theater I was in was not too crowded, but by the time the film ended, everyone, including me, was crying.
I highly recommend seeing this film. Everything about this movie was well-acted, well-plotted, and well thought out. While it can be tough to get through, it was really worth seeing. If you do have the opportunity to read the book beforehand or just in general, it's very interesting, thrilling, and easy to get through. I recommend this movie for anyone interested in seeing a good movie, anyone who enjoyed the book, and anyone who likes historical/period films.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiw1cYXQw4g
This movie was really good. It was incredibly compelling and saddening to see the true story of Solomon Northup play out onscreen. Each character is portrayed extremely well, especially the characters of Solomon (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Edwin Epps (played by Michael Fassbender). Epps is the cruel slave owner that buys Solomon, and Fassbender does a good job of making you hate him.
While the movie is long, it never feels long because the plot keeps you interested with all of the events and incidents that happen to Solomon. There are moments where it gets really intense, whether there is violence involved or not. Where violence is involved, those scenes can be tough to get through. The film doesn't hold anything back, and it really shows you the brutality that slaves faced during the time in which slavery was legal in America. This film also tugs at your emotions, you really feel the pain Solomon suffers throughout this movie. The theater I was in was not too crowded, but by the time the film ended, everyone, including me, was crying.
I highly recommend seeing this film. Everything about this movie was well-acted, well-plotted, and well thought out. While it can be tough to get through, it was really worth seeing. If you do have the opportunity to read the book beforehand or just in general, it's very interesting, thrilling, and easy to get through. I recommend this movie for anyone interested in seeing a good movie, anyone who enjoyed the book, and anyone who likes historical/period films.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiw1cYXQw4g
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2
I really enjoyed the first film (see my review below, or click the "Cloudy" tag at the bottom of this review to see both reviews), so I was pretty excited to see the sequel. This film basically picks off right where the first one ended, but it does back up a little so that way you can quickly catch up to what is going on.
While I did enjoy this film, I will say that the first film is better. The sequel does use the same humor that was found in the first one, and this film really takes creativity to the max. The effort that was made to create all of the food hybrids really add a fun vibe to the movie. Kids will definitely enjoy this movie because of all the cute animal hybrids, the silly characters, and the pretty simple villain.
Overall, while I did enjoy this movie, the first one is definitely better. I liked how the plot of the sequel easily transitioned from the first and developed from there. I think that those who liked the first will like the second, but not as much. I would definitely recommend watching the first one because while this movie does do a quick backtrack of what happened in the first movie, the first film gives you an idea of what humor is used and what the characters are like. This will allow you to decide whether or not you want to watch the sequel. I would recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a kids movie to watch and anyone who enjoyed the first film.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw6dECrl-BE
While I did enjoy this film, I will say that the first film is better. The sequel does use the same humor that was found in the first one, and this film really takes creativity to the max. The effort that was made to create all of the food hybrids really add a fun vibe to the movie. Kids will definitely enjoy this movie because of all the cute animal hybrids, the silly characters, and the pretty simple villain.
Overall, while I did enjoy this movie, the first one is definitely better. I liked how the plot of the sequel easily transitioned from the first and developed from there. I think that those who liked the first will like the second, but not as much. I would definitely recommend watching the first one because while this movie does do a quick backtrack of what happened in the first movie, the first film gives you an idea of what humor is used and what the characters are like. This will allow you to decide whether or not you want to watch the sequel. I would recommend this movie to anyone who is looking for a kids movie to watch and anyone who enjoyed the first film.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jw6dECrl-BE
Saturday, December 14, 2013
Jackie Brown
This movie was based on the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard, and is the only film by Tarantino that he did not base on his own ideas. In comparison to his other films, this film is not as violent, so anyone who is not the biggest fan of violence but is interested in seeing a Tarantino film should check this one out.
Jackie Brown is much more of a crime caper, following many different characters and half a million dollars. The film has many characters, but it does a good job of making sure that none of the many characters blur together or get confused. Each character has their own unique personality and are portrayed very well by the characters who play them. The plot is also very interesting in how it shows each character's motivations for the money and the elaborate scheme to get the money. The climax of the movie contains one of the most intricate and exciting scenes, and it is really well-done.
Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. Even though this is the second time I have see this, it is still a fun movie to watch. I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys Tarantino films, crime capers, or just looking for a good movie to watch.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7HkBDNZV7s
Jackie Brown is much more of a crime caper, following many different characters and half a million dollars. The film has many characters, but it does a good job of making sure that none of the many characters blur together or get confused. Each character has their own unique personality and are portrayed very well by the characters who play them. The plot is also very interesting in how it shows each character's motivations for the money and the elaborate scheme to get the money. The climax of the movie contains one of the most intricate and exciting scenes, and it is really well-done.
Overall, I really enjoyed this movie. Even though this is the second time I have see this, it is still a fun movie to watch. I would recommend this movie to anyone who enjoys Tarantino films, crime capers, or just looking for a good movie to watch.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G7HkBDNZV7s
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Prisoners
My parents and I saw this when it was playing in theaters after hearing and seeing good reviews about it. While the movie is on the longer side, it does a good job of feeling like it's playing in real time. What makes it feel this way is how realistic it was through the actions and acting of the characters as well as the major events that occur throughout the movie. The movie felt so real, that it actually gave my sister nightmares (who had seen it prior).
The acting is incredibly well-done and it is so interesting to see how each parent handled their child's abduction differently. It really makes you think about how you would react in this sort of situation and how you could handle yourself as the situation continues. The best performances are found in Keller Dover (played by Hugh Jackman) and Detective Loki (played by Jake Gyllenhaal). Their acting is what keeps the plot moving forward, and it is done successfully.
Overall, I thought this film was really well-done and I highly recommend it. There are some scenes that are a bit tough to get through, but I don't want to spoil anything. The mystery in this film is constructed well, and the ending really leaves you with something to think about. I recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good mystery or drama film to watch.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpXfcTF6iVk
The acting is incredibly well-done and it is so interesting to see how each parent handled their child's abduction differently. It really makes you think about how you would react in this sort of situation and how you could handle yourself as the situation continues. The best performances are found in Keller Dover (played by Hugh Jackman) and Detective Loki (played by Jake Gyllenhaal). Their acting is what keeps the plot moving forward, and it is done successfully.
Overall, I thought this film was really well-done and I highly recommend it. There are some scenes that are a bit tough to get through, but I don't want to spoil anything. The mystery in this film is constructed well, and the ending really leaves you with something to think about. I recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good mystery or drama film to watch.
Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bpXfcTF6iVk
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