Name: justopinion2013
Most Recent Reviews by justopinion2013
When a young woman is hit by a meteorite which turns her into a giant on her wedding day, she is taken to a secret government compound by force where she encounters a crazy group of monsters who were rounded up over the years. They're called into action to combat aliens and save the world.
Before I tell you how the movie was, let me just say that I didn't see this movie in 3-D because it wasn't playing in 3-D at any of my local movie theatres. Now, on with the review. Dreamworks Animation has made some wonderful acheivements in the past with "Shrek" and "Kung Fu Panda." Here, they do a very good job with the animation once again. It's fun to look at and you can't resist watching some of the beautifully colored scenes. We also do get some very funny voice work here from Stephen Colbert as the president and Seth Rogen who plays a charecter made of blue goop named B.O.B.
There is a major problem with this film though. The story doesn't have much originality to it. The film has good charecter development but there's really nothing special about the story which I felt bored with most of the time. Especially in the last 3rd of it which all about the alien leader trying to rule the world and we all know that this has been done before.
Mainly, I know kids will like this film with its itriguing animation and the slapstick humor. There is some hidden adult humor in here too but I dont know if parents will enjoy the film all that much. It's not a bad movie, just slow at times and I would've liked to have seen a better plot.
In the year 1959, during a school's opening year, the elementary school teacher asks the students todraw what they think the future will be like and the drawings will be put in a 50 year time capsule. All of the students have a typical drawing with flying cars except for a young girl named Lucinda. In fact, she isn't even a drawing. She's writing down a bunch of numbers that mean some sort of code. 50 years later, each student now at that school gets a drawing. Or in another young man's case, numbers. The student named Caleb takes the piece of paper to his dad. The dad (Nicolas Cage) discovers that the numbers are a code for every major fatal event in the last 50 years. There are three events left and he has to save the victims of those events before it's too late.
The first two events that are shown in the film are absolutely stunning to watch because of the special-effects and the way the camera shots are handled and how everything is so well put together during those scenes. We do get some nice work here from Nicolas Cage as he's constantly moving around trying to save people from deadly happenings. Another thing in the movie that stands out is the music. The pacing and the beat of it is perfect and keeps the audience engaged to the screen.
The two actors that actors that accompany Cage-one plays his son and the other plays Lucinda's daughter-are not right at all for this picture. Throughout the film, they're either trying way too hard to act in their roles or they're just flat-out boring and nobody wants to scene that type of acting. Also, the movie has a ending that just doesn't work and it feels like sort of a let down as you leave the theatre, almost as if you've been cheated by the story.
Overall, I'm cofident that the film could've been worse, I'm confident that the film could've been better, but I'm also confident that the average american audience will enjoy this production will all of its intense action that sweeps you off your feet. If you like the movie "Deep Impact" or even the "Final Destination" films then odds are you will enjoy "Knowing" if you see it.
Based off a graphic novel, the film takes place in an alternate world during the year 1985. Nixon is still the president and the world is becoming somewhat corrupt. A group of superheroes called The Watchmen have been outlawed and are now just costumed vigilantes. After one of their own is murdered, they decide to go against the law and unite once again. But as they dig deeper into the investigation, they discover a much more diabolical that includes the Russians having nuclear war with us.
There are two scenes in the film that I will remember for a long time because I loved them so much. The first one is a scene that explains how Dr. Manhattan (one of the superheroes, the big blue guy that you see in the preview.) came to be. What makes the scene so good is Billy Crudup who plays Dr. Manhattan, and the music. Crudrup narrarates with the exactly right tone of voice that makes the scene so intriguing. He makes you actually feel sorry for his charecter the fact that he is talking about his own accident that turned him into a giant blue figure. The great music adds to the intensity and fearness of that scene. The second scene I love is when Rorschach goes to jail. It's one of the few scenes when you can actually notice his wonderful acting because hee doesn't have his mask on. His facial expressions are great and I love his deep, scratchy (better than Christian Bale as Batman ) voice. The visual style in the film is also well put together.
For the first two thirds of the movie, I was thinking, "This film is the number 1 film of 2009 so far!" But as the movie came to the two hour mark and there was still 45 minutes left, it was then that I gradually got more dissapointed as time went by. The reason for this is it's all sort of confusing towards the the end and you don't care about the charecters anymore. I've heard that the graphic novel has a different ending so the writers should've probably stuck with that instead of changing it.
But when I looked back at Watchmen as a whole, I realized that it's a well made film. It does deserve its R rating because of a lot of blood and ample amounts of nudity. So if you don't like action or violence then maybe Watchmen isn't for you. But the director's style worked for me and I really enjoyed it.
This movie was about a man that is born under uusual circumstances. He is born looking like he is 100 yrs. old on the outside, but on the inside he is only a newborn. As time goes by he gets younger and the film follows him as he does many things that include being a tugboat crewman and meeting the love of his life. The film goes up to present day and even includes Hurricaine Katrina tearing up New Orleans outside.
I absolutely love the style and art direction of this film. It really captures the mood and essence of itself making the audience get into the story more. This also should be nominated and win the best make-up oscar because of its detailed and stunning art work on all its charecters especially Brad Pitt. I could even see this movie being nominated for best picture. Its a lot like Forrest Gump but this one's atmosphere is more odd and strange.
There are a couple faults to this movie though.
The runtime is 2 hrs. and 48 min. long and the beginnig is rather slow. There is a few scenes where this random woman, played by Tilda Swinton, comes into the mix. She has an affair with Benjamin and then
just leaves. I felt like her charecter was somewhat not needed as much.
I highly reccommend this movie and overall, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is really good and, in my opinion, the second best movie of the year.
Based on a true story, this movie is about a proud military man, Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg who is a loyal officer and serves Germany happily, all the while hoping that his plan to kill Hitler will work and also hoping that it will happen before Germany and Europe are destroyed.
You can tell that this movie is good and well put together because it is 2 hrs. long but it only seemed to be about an hour and a half, so the film moves along very smoothly. The opening action scene is very intriguing as is the story from almost start to finish. Also, a lot of other critics are ripping on Tom Cruise's performace as he plays the charecter who is in charge of the plan to kill Hitler (Claus von Stauffenberg). They're saying that he is annoying, ruins every scene that he is in, and they're mad that he nor any of the other cast has a german accent. First of all, I thought Tom Cruise did a good and powerful job playing a true charecter that is hard to figure out. Secondly, even if the cast tried to put in a German accent, instead of screwing it up, they made a good move by keeping everything in their natural accents.
This movie definately doesn't end on a happy note. Eventhough the film tells us that Hitler eventually killed himself, why can't we see that on screen so the audience can have somewhat of a happy ending. Instead, the movie ends in a sort of bland way. I don't think i have ever seen any Hitler movie where it actually shows Hitler killing himself on screen. They almost always show the good people getting tortured and killed, but never Hitler. Also, did you notice i said "the story is intriguing from ALMOST start to finish"? Well, that's because there are a few scenes in this movie that drag on as Stauffenberg and his group just keep talking about how they're going to kill Hitler. Just do it already!
Overall, Valkrie is good, well edited, and well put together. The music is great and and adds to the intensity and good dialouge throughout the film, especially towards the end. This is not a chick flick though, but there is no doubt that history buffs will love Valkyrie.
This movie is set sometime in the early 60s and focuses on a nun who confronts a priest after suspecting him of abusing a black student. He denies the charges, and much of the powerful dialouge revolves around themes such as religion, morality, and authority.
This is one movie that really does prove something very important about American film. Speacial-effects and action do not matter in any type of movie. Truly, it always should be about the story. Especially in a film like this one when you have great writing (OSCAR WORTHY) and great acting (OSCAR WORTHY) all the way through that supports the script, especially by the three leading actors. Here is a sample of the great dialouge:
Priest: You have to stop this campaign against me.
Nun: You can stop it, at any time.
Priest: How?
Nun: Confess and resign.
Priest:You are attempting to destroy my reputation!
Nun: What are you doing in this school?
Priest: I'm trying to do good.
Nun: Even more to the point, what are you doing in the priesthood?
Priest: You are single handedly holding this school and this parish back!
Nun: From What?
Priest: From aggresive education and a welcoming church!
See what i mean? If only you could here and see the amazing acting that this cast puts on.
This movie does not have a very happy theme though. What's the theme? Well, in this case it's the plot. I left the theatre happy for the movie, but i myself was in a sad mood.
Anyboy over 12 will understand and like this film. Only because the charecters don't tell you straight out what's going on, yet they do, but in a covered up way. Otherwise, younger kids will just want to leave.
Overall, "Doubt" is a really good film and one of the best of the year. It's what true movie making is all about, and really what I come to the movies for. It's not about action or explosions, but about powerful dialouge and fantastic acting, and "Doubt" has just that.
In this late 2008 film, Clint Eastwood plays Walt Kowalski, who is a grumpy old man especially after loosing his wife. Not only that, he also has guns from being a Korean War veteran. I wouldn't mess with him! One day, a certain gang is fighting with neighbors on his lawn and things get ugly from there. Leading from one thing after another, one gang member even tries to steel his 1972 Gran Torino.
There is something just really awsome about a great, older actor saying the F-bomb throughout a movie. I love how Clint pulls out his shotguns and kicks and punches those jerk gang members in the face. His dialouge is great. "Get off my lawn!" Eastwood's performance is one of the best of the year as he brings back some elements from his classics.
There is a fairly big problem with this movie though and that is the supporting actors. They all seemed like they were only good enough for a certain school play. Infact, it turns out that this is the only movie that most of them have done so far in their careers. I don't have a problem with first timers, but I do have a problem with bad first timers. What were the casting directors thinking?
Yet, I'm still recommending this film. Eventhough some of the supporting actors are terrible at acting, Clint Eastwood's performance and the good story thorughly make up for that. It is rumored that this is his last time on screen. If it is, everybody should try to go see this movie, and Clint Eastwood has had one of the greatest careers in cinematic history.
This movie focuses on Jamal Malik, an uneducated young boy living in the poor slums of India, who has nothing except for a brother and a friend. Years later, after many adventures, he ends up on a gameshow which happens to be the Indian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire." Things start to potentially turn around for Jamal as he makes it all the way up to the final question for 20 million rupies (1 million dollars in the U.S.). But is he cheating? No. Question by question, the film tells us how Jamal knows the answers through his life experiences.
This film makes many great acomplishments. The movie has great cinematography as it shows different cultures of India, with the help of well done editing and breathtaking camera shots. But the most phenominal part of the movie is the ending. The film is filled with great dialouge and acting, but the last scenes of the film are especially tense, and they really got me inside of the story, and I think that is what any movie's ultimate goal should be. Just wait until Jamal phones a friend. Your eyes will be glued to the screen and you'll see what I mean.
Suprisingly enough, this movie does have a couple faults here and there. For about 10-15 minutes, the film drags within the middle part. There was nothing really speacial or gripping during those couple of scenes because I felt that the movie was trying a little too hard to force the chemistry between the main charecters.
Overall, Slumdog Millionaire is a very well made film that inspires you to belive in yourself no matter what position you are in. My prediction is that this will win the Best Picture Oscar. Does it deserve it in my opinion? No. I'd rather see "The Dark Knight" or "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" win. But it is still an amazing movie and one of the best of the year.
After America had found out that our 37th president had been involved in a crime, we wanted to know more about Richard Nixon. After he announced his resignation, he decided to schedule an interview witth a famous interviewer named David Frost where they discussed the Watergate scandal and the end of his presidency and the interviews is what the movie mainly focuses on.
Eventhough this is based on a true story, the movie itself seems so real. The real strength of the movie though is the two leads. They are very powerful as they are not playing Frost and Nixon, they are being Frost and Nixon. Frank Langella, who is Nixon, has a well deserved oscar nomination. But, I think Michael Sheen does even a better job as he is Frost in the most real way possible. This film is also very well edited which is a good element to have for a Oscar contender like this one.
There were scenes in this movie where I said to myself, "Yes, this is interesting, but I want more." Especially during the non-interview scenes. I was hoping Ron Howard could've pulled off a masterpiece by making by making every scene in the movie just as engaging and powerful as the interview scenes.
Overall, Frost/Nixon is a solid, good movie just missing my top 10 best movies of 2008. Eventhough some scenes are not as enthrilling as others, this film is still masterfully acted the whole time. If your into politics or not, Republican or Democrat, you will enjoy this movie.
Paul Blart is a secuirity guard in a mall located in New Jersey. He is a certified cop but he doesn't have the greatest physical side and is overweight. One day, a gang takes over the mall and captures hostages. Paul is trapped inside the building and is the only person that can communicate with the SWAT team who are outside and kept away from the mall because of explosives that are scattered around the perimeter.
Kevin James does some good comedic work here as he turns slapstick humor into interesting humor. There are also one or two jokes in the film that aren't sex-related, mean, or violent, but at the same time made me laugh out loud. Now that is very hard for a writer to pull off these days.
There is a major problem with this movie though. The script is only funny when Kevin James makes it funny. He doesn't have much to work with as the writers could have made the script a lot more clever. Also, American Film needs to stop using the embarresing and dull fat jokes. They're just annoying now.
Overall, Paul Blart: Mall Cop is fair. Most of the comedy is stupid and it is all stuff we have seen before. But if you're looking for a family comedy with only a few original laughs then go see this movie. One more thing, there are two twists in this movie. The first time it works. The second time it doesn't. It almost seemed like the movie was trying to make itself too dramatic.
