Starring:
Leonardo DiCaprio (Romeo + Juliet 1996, Hoover 2012)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Brick 2005, Live With It 2010)
Tom Hardy (Eddie and the Cruisers 1983, Last Will 2010)
Ken Watanabe (Batman Begins 2005, Shanghai 2010)
Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins 2005, At Swim-Two-Birds 2010)
Dileep Rao (Drag Me To Hell 2009, Avatar 2009)
Ellen Page (Hard Candy 2005, Super 2010)
Marion Cotillard (Nine 2009, Little White Lies 2010)
Pete Postlethwaite (Romeo + Juliet 1996, The Town 2010)
Michael Caine (Batman Begins 2005, Gnomeo and Juliet 2011)
Lukas Haas (Brick 2005, Crazy Eyes 2010)
Even though the previews made this movie seem too good to be true, I STILL was not disappointed. In fact, this movie was even better than expected, and my expectations were high. I entered the theater with NO idea what I was really in for, and left the theater raving and wanting to see Inception a second and third time while still in theaters.
The film features a few of Director Christopher Nolan's personal favorite people (Michael Caine, Cillian Murphy, and Ken Watanabe). It was cool to see this Batman Begins cast together again.
The film was extremely modern as well, and took the "heist" movie genre to an entire new level.
In order to understand what this movie is about (because the trailers may be ambiguous) you must understand two words/ideas. The first is "extraction."
Extraction is the idea of entering a person's mind through their dreams with the intent and purpose of taking information from the person's mind--information that they would never divulge in the waking world.
Inception is the idea of entering a person's mind through their dreams with the intent and purpose of planting an idea in a person's mind--an idea that will take and remain in the waking world. An idea that the person will act upon.
What surprised me about this movie was the amount of action in it. I went into the theater expecting an intellectually intriguing film (which it was), but I was not expecting it to be so completely action-packed.
I love this movie.
Factoid: In both Shutter Island and Inception, DiCaprio plays a man who's wife haunts his mind.
Also, this is Michael Caine's fourth film he's done with Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight, and Inception).
Monday, July 19, 2010
Monday, July 5, 2010
The Last Airbender (July 1, 2010) PG-13
Starring:
Noah Ringer (Cowboys and Aliens 2011)
Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire 2008)
Nicola Peltz (Deck the Halls 2006, Unbound Captives 2011)
Jackson Rathbone (Twilight 2008, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 2011)
Sychelle Gabriel (The Spirit 2008, Falling Skies 2010)
It's like this movie exists only for its own sake. I walked out of the theater with a feeling of "so what?" I'm sure if I was a fan of the anime TV show "Avatar: The Last Airbender", I'd be singing a different tune. But I shouldn't have to watch the show to enjoy the movie. This isn't Twilight.
The special effects were nothing to look away from, don't get me wrong, but the story and feel of the overall movie was nothing new.
I was especially disappointed that this movie was directed by M. Night Shyamalan. I expected this to be one of the best movies this year simply because Night Wrote, Directed, and Produced it. It was not one of the best movies; not by a long-shot.
I made the mistake of watching this movie in 3-D also. All that did was screw up my peripheral view, and made the movie less enjoyable. There's no need to see this movie in 3-D. I think the 3-D thing was an after-thought...
Factoid: Me and Sychelle Gabriel share the same birthday, but not the same birth year.
Factoid: The casting of this film (in Philly) was met with severe criticism from fans who believed white actors should not be playing the traditionally Asian characters.
Factoid: This film's production budget was $150 million, and had a marketing budget of $130 million.
Noah Ringer (Cowboys and Aliens 2011)
Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire 2008)
Nicola Peltz (Deck the Halls 2006, Unbound Captives 2011)
Jackson Rathbone (Twilight 2008, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1 2011)
Sychelle Gabriel (The Spirit 2008, Falling Skies 2010)
It's like this movie exists only for its own sake. I walked out of the theater with a feeling of "so what?" I'm sure if I was a fan of the anime TV show "Avatar: The Last Airbender", I'd be singing a different tune. But I shouldn't have to watch the show to enjoy the movie. This isn't Twilight.
The special effects were nothing to look away from, don't get me wrong, but the story and feel of the overall movie was nothing new.
I was especially disappointed that this movie was directed by M. Night Shyamalan. I expected this to be one of the best movies this year simply because Night Wrote, Directed, and Produced it. It was not one of the best movies; not by a long-shot.
I made the mistake of watching this movie in 3-D also. All that did was screw up my peripheral view, and made the movie less enjoyable. There's no need to see this movie in 3-D. I think the 3-D thing was an after-thought...
Factoid: Me and Sychelle Gabriel share the same birthday, but not the same birth year.
Factoid: The casting of this film (in Philly) was met with severe criticism from fans who believed white actors should not be playing the traditionally Asian characters.
Factoid: This film's production budget was $150 million, and had a marketing budget of $130 million.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Grown Ups (June 25, 2010) PG-13
Starring:
Adam Sandler (Reign Over Me 2007, The Zookeeper 2011)
Kevin James (Hitch 2005, The Zookeeper 2011)
Chris Rock (The Longest Yard 2005, Death at a Funeral 2010)
Rob Schneider (The Animal 2001, The Chosen One 2010)
David Spade (Black Sheep 1996, Hollywood and Wine 2010)
Maria Bello (A History of Violence 2005, Abduction 2011)
Salma Hayek (Bandidas 2006, Puss in Boots 2011)
Madison Riley (Fired Up! 2009, The Prankster 2010)
This movie is my facebook status. It's completely histerical.
I wondered, before, if so many comedians in a movie would be funny or overkill. They were hilarious, and had great chemistry.
Probably my favorite part was when David Spade was passed out drunk, then Adam Sandler and Kevin James started messing with him. I almost fell forward out of my chair.
I wouldn't necessarily say this is a "theater" movie, except that you don't want to watch Madison Riley work on her car on anything smaller than a big screen...
Great movie, check it out.
Factoid: The scene in the movie where David Spade mentions getting "wasted" in front of everyone's kids is based on real life times where Spade visited Adam Sandler's family.
Adam Sandler (Reign Over Me 2007, The Zookeeper 2011)
Kevin James (Hitch 2005, The Zookeeper 2011)
Chris Rock (The Longest Yard 2005, Death at a Funeral 2010)
Rob Schneider (The Animal 2001, The Chosen One 2010)
David Spade (Black Sheep 1996, Hollywood and Wine 2010)
Maria Bello (A History of Violence 2005, Abduction 2011)
Salma Hayek (Bandidas 2006, Puss in Boots 2011)
Madison Riley (Fired Up! 2009, The Prankster 2010)
This movie is my facebook status. It's completely histerical.
I wondered, before, if so many comedians in a movie would be funny or overkill. They were hilarious, and had great chemistry.
Probably my favorite part was when David Spade was passed out drunk, then Adam Sandler and Kevin James started messing with him. I almost fell forward out of my chair.
I wouldn't necessarily say this is a "theater" movie, except that you don't want to watch Madison Riley work on her car on anything smaller than a big screen...
Great movie, check it out.
Factoid: The scene in the movie where David Spade mentions getting "wasted" in front of everyone's kids is based on real life times where Spade visited Adam Sandler's family.
Knight and Day (June 23, 2010) PG-13
Starring:
Cameron Diaz (The Holiday 2006, The Green Hornet 2011)
Tom Cruise (Valkyrie 2008, Mission: Impossible IV 2011)
Peter Sarsgaard (Flightplan 2005, Green Lantern 2011)
Marc Blucas ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer" 1999-2002, "True Blue" 2010)
I really liked watching Tom Cruise being a crazy, rogue secret agent. The movie is really about him. This movie is to Tom what From Paris With Love was to John Travolta.
Cameron Diaz was great too, of course. She and Tom had great chemistry.
I don't have much to say about the film. Even with Tom's hilarious performance, this movie doesn't make an enormous contribution to the cinema world, and will most likely be forgotten in the coming years.
It was fun to watch though.
Factoid: In an interview, Tom Cruise refers to Knight and Day as a "story of boy meets girl."
Cameron Diaz (The Holiday 2006, The Green Hornet 2011)
Tom Cruise (Valkyrie 2008, Mission: Impossible IV 2011)
Peter Sarsgaard (Flightplan 2005, Green Lantern 2011)
Marc Blucas ("Buffy the Vampire Slayer" 1999-2002, "True Blue" 2010)
I really liked watching Tom Cruise being a crazy, rogue secret agent. The movie is really about him. This movie is to Tom what From Paris With Love was to John Travolta.
Cameron Diaz was great too, of course. She and Tom had great chemistry.
I don't have much to say about the film. Even with Tom's hilarious performance, this movie doesn't make an enormous contribution to the cinema world, and will most likely be forgotten in the coming years.
It was fun to watch though.
Factoid: In an interview, Tom Cruise refers to Knight and Day as a "story of boy meets girl."
Monday, June 28, 2010
Toy Story 3 (June 18, 2010) G
Starring:
Tom Hanks (Big 1988, The Lost Symbol 2012)
Tim Allen (Galazy Quest 1999, Brothers 2011)
Joan Cusack (War, Inc. 2008, Hitman 2 2012)
Ned Beatty (Captain America 1990, Shooter 2003)
Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice 1988, The Other Guys 2010)
This is definitely Disney's best movie since, well, Toy Story 2! I laughed, I weeped, and I sat on the edge of my seat in anticipation the whole movie. What a great, creative plot! What hilarious characters!
The creators and actors of this movie didn't miss a beat since the last one. The movie takes place with Andy about to leave for college, and his favorite childhood toys are wondering where their fate lies... The attic, or the dump?!?!
But, as usual, there's no predicting what these toys will do and what measures they're willing to take to show their devotion to their true owner.
I seriously laughed so hard in this movie I was embarrassed... I laughed harder than my date, Ashlee, even though the movie was her choice not mine...
Factoid: Toy Story 3 made $110 million its first weekend; Pixar's best opening weekend ever.
Factoid: Sid, from the first Toy Story, appears as a garbage man in this movie.
Factoid: The plot and story for Toy Story 3 was 2-1/2 years in the making.
Tom Hanks (Big 1988, The Lost Symbol 2012)
Tim Allen (Galazy Quest 1999, Brothers 2011)
Joan Cusack (War, Inc. 2008, Hitman 2 2012)
Ned Beatty (Captain America 1990, Shooter 2003)
Michael Keaton (Beetlejuice 1988, The Other Guys 2010)
This is definitely Disney's best movie since, well, Toy Story 2! I laughed, I weeped, and I sat on the edge of my seat in anticipation the whole movie. What a great, creative plot! What hilarious characters!
The creators and actors of this movie didn't miss a beat since the last one. The movie takes place with Andy about to leave for college, and his favorite childhood toys are wondering where their fate lies... The attic, or the dump?!?!
But, as usual, there's no predicting what these toys will do and what measures they're willing to take to show their devotion to their true owner.
I seriously laughed so hard in this movie I was embarrassed... I laughed harder than my date, Ashlee, even though the movie was her choice not mine...
Factoid: Toy Story 3 made $110 million its first weekend; Pixar's best opening weekend ever.
Factoid: Sid, from the first Toy Story, appears as a garbage man in this movie.
Factoid: The plot and story for Toy Story 3 was 2-1/2 years in the making.
Friday, June 4, 2010
Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (May 28, 2010) PG-13
Starring:
Jake Gyllenhaal (Jarhead 2005, Love and Other Drugs 2010)
Gemma Arterton (Quantom of Solace 2008, Tamara Drewe 2010)
Ben Kingsley (Lucky Number Sleven 2006, Number 13 2011)
Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2 2004, Poe 2011)
Despite the predictable plot, steriotypical villians, and the fact that Prince of Persia was a video game adaption, this was a very entertaining and enjoyable movie.
Gyllenhaal delivered a great performance. The 29-year-old actor has shown me nothing but outstanding performances (and no, I've not seen Brokeback Mountain) since October Sky in '99, and I was concerned to see a serious actor stoop to the level of a video game movie. However, my worries were unconfirmed as I saw Gyllenhaal give the movie just the amount of performance it needed to be good.
The movie takes place in a fictional 6th century Persia ruled by white people who travel around conquering fictional cities. The plot picks up when Dastan, an adopted price of Persia, breaks orders and leads an invasion of a peaceful city that contains a powerful secret and a SERIOUS Bond-girl hotty.
Dastan, being smart, decides that a hotty would make his scenes more enjoyable, and decides to drag her through the entire movie. Thank you, writers.
Overall, it's not fair that such a good movie would be released right after 2010's heaviest hitters--Iron Man 2 and Robin Hood--but Prince of Persia is still a good movie.
Factoid: Gyllenhaal confessed, in an E.T. interview, that he "over-prepared" for his role physically because he didn't know what they were going to ask him to do, and he wanted to make sure he'd "hopefully be able to do anything."
Regarding all the muscle he gained for the film, Gyllenhaal says that after filming is done his muscle will "turn into fat, and I'm going to be happy."
Jake Gyllenhaal (Jarhead 2005, Love and Other Drugs 2010)
Gemma Arterton (Quantom of Solace 2008, Tamara Drewe 2010)
Ben Kingsley (Lucky Number Sleven 2006, Number 13 2011)
Alfred Molina (Spider-Man 2 2004, Poe 2011)
Despite the predictable plot, steriotypical villians, and the fact that Prince of Persia was a video game adaption, this was a very entertaining and enjoyable movie.
Gyllenhaal delivered a great performance. The 29-year-old actor has shown me nothing but outstanding performances (and no, I've not seen Brokeback Mountain) since October Sky in '99, and I was concerned to see a serious actor stoop to the level of a video game movie. However, my worries were unconfirmed as I saw Gyllenhaal give the movie just the amount of performance it needed to be good.
The movie takes place in a fictional 6th century Persia ruled by white people who travel around conquering fictional cities. The plot picks up when Dastan, an adopted price of Persia, breaks orders and leads an invasion of a peaceful city that contains a powerful secret and a SERIOUS Bond-girl hotty.
Dastan, being smart, decides that a hotty would make his scenes more enjoyable, and decides to drag her through the entire movie. Thank you, writers.
Overall, it's not fair that such a good movie would be released right after 2010's heaviest hitters--Iron Man 2 and Robin Hood--but Prince of Persia is still a good movie.
Factoid: Gyllenhaal confessed, in an E.T. interview, that he "over-prepared" for his role physically because he didn't know what they were going to ask him to do, and he wanted to make sure he'd "hopefully be able to do anything."
Regarding all the muscle he gained for the film, Gyllenhaal says that after filming is done his muscle will "turn into fat, and I'm going to be happy."
Robin Hood (April 9, 2010) PG-13
Starring:
Russell Crowe (Gladiator 2000, Westworld 2012)
Cate Blanchett (The Aviator 2004, Indian Summer 2011)
Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes 2009, Green Lantern 2011)
Kevin Durand (3:10 to Yuma 2007, Real Steel 2011)
Oscar Isaac (The Nativity Story 2006, Sucker Punch 2011)
Danny Huston (30 Days of Night 2007, The Warrior's Way 2010)
Matthew Macfayden (Pride and Prejudice 2005, The Three Muskateers 2011)
Max Von Sydow (The Exorcist 1973, Truth and Reason 2011)
William Hurt (The Village 2004, Shadows 2010)
I knew, as soon as I saw that Danny Huston (Who's vampiric performance in 30 Days of Night made Salem's Lot look like a Twilight prequel) was going to play King Richard (typically a character who inspires hope) I knew that Ridley Scott's version of Robin Hood wasn't going to be wearing TIGHT tights!
Russell Crowe, who's delivered outstanding performances for the past decade since Gladiator, played history's famous quasi-fictional character Robin Hood. He brought the character in both a traditional, but, also, totally different direction as other Robin Hood films. They stayed true to his ever-famous archery abilities, and his persuit of the Lady Marion, but also surprised me with much of the plot and story.
Mark Strong played the new Robin Hood villian, Sir Godfrey (at least I never heard of him before) with skill, and I would have been impressed had his performance in Sherlock Holmes not been so much better.
I could go on about Danny Huston, Cate Blanchett, and William Hurt's dramatic performances, but it would get redundant after a while and you REALLY should experience this movie for yourself in theaters. I'm sure, since it's good, that it won't be in theaters much longer...
Robin Hood shot a bulls-eye. Did I seriously just write that?
And did I mention it's a prequel?
Factoid: True to his record, Russell Crowe recently stormed and cursed his way out of a BBC radio interview when the interviewer accused Crowe of having an Irish accent in Robin Hood. I love Russell Crowe. He and Christian Bale need to freak out on people more.
Russell Crowe (Gladiator 2000, Westworld 2012)
Cate Blanchett (The Aviator 2004, Indian Summer 2011)
Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes 2009, Green Lantern 2011)
Kevin Durand (3:10 to Yuma 2007, Real Steel 2011)
Oscar Isaac (The Nativity Story 2006, Sucker Punch 2011)
Danny Huston (30 Days of Night 2007, The Warrior's Way 2010)
Matthew Macfayden (Pride and Prejudice 2005, The Three Muskateers 2011)
Max Von Sydow (The Exorcist 1973, Truth and Reason 2011)
William Hurt (The Village 2004, Shadows 2010)
I knew, as soon as I saw that Danny Huston (Who's vampiric performance in 30 Days of Night made Salem's Lot look like a Twilight prequel) was going to play King Richard (typically a character who inspires hope) I knew that Ridley Scott's version of Robin Hood wasn't going to be wearing TIGHT tights!
Russell Crowe, who's delivered outstanding performances for the past decade since Gladiator, played history's famous quasi-fictional character Robin Hood. He brought the character in both a traditional, but, also, totally different direction as other Robin Hood films. They stayed true to his ever-famous archery abilities, and his persuit of the Lady Marion, but also surprised me with much of the plot and story.
Mark Strong played the new Robin Hood villian, Sir Godfrey (at least I never heard of him before) with skill, and I would have been impressed had his performance in Sherlock Holmes not been so much better.
I could go on about Danny Huston, Cate Blanchett, and William Hurt's dramatic performances, but it would get redundant after a while and you REALLY should experience this movie for yourself in theaters. I'm sure, since it's good, that it won't be in theaters much longer...
Robin Hood shot a bulls-eye. Did I seriously just write that?
And did I mention it's a prequel?
Factoid: True to his record, Russell Crowe recently stormed and cursed his way out of a BBC radio interview when the interviewer accused Crowe of having an Irish accent in Robin Hood. I love Russell Crowe. He and Christian Bale need to freak out on people more.
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