The Woman in Black (2012)

Genre: Horror

Directed by: James Watkins

Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Ciaran Hinds, Janet McTeer, Liz White

Running time: 95 minutes

A widowed lawyer, Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe), leaves his son in London with the nanny and travels to a small village, where his task is to settle some paperwork and sell the home of a deceased woman who had no family left. Once on location, he doesn’t get much collaboration from the locals, except for one. In fact, most of them seem to be in a hurry to get rid of him. And he comes to find out that there is something terribly wrong with that house.

It was weird seeing Radcliffe in another role than the Harry Potter character. I must admit he did a good job here making me forget the young wizard. He has aged, which helps, and this is a totally different genre. Still, props to him, because he really made his character believable. You could feel his urge and desire to accomplish the task at hand, since his job was on the line. You could also feel his fear as he tried to conquer that house.

As for the movie itself, I have to say that it was a very effective horror film. It works on setting a certain atmosphere of tension. There is no gore, it is all about waiting for what will happen next. I’m a good spectator for horror, as it doesn’t affect me very much. The Woman in Black offered some scenes that literally sent shivers down my spine. I physically felt them course through my body. The tension is heavy and the atmosphere is dark, which makes for a great combination.

The film took a really weird turn towards the end, which kind of turned me off, but it remains an effective chills-giving horror flick.

Rating: «««

Pearl Jam Twenty (2011)

Genre: Documentary

Directed by: Cameron Crowe

Starring: Eddie Vedder, Stone Gossard, Jeff Ament, Chris Cornell, Neil Young

Running time: 120 minutes

Rock journalist and movie director Cameron Crowe has proven many times before that he is a fan of music. After all, he has been a contributor of Rolling Stone magazine and has given us that wonderful ode to rock n’ roll lifestyle and groupies that is Almost Famous.

In Pearl Jam Twenty, Crowe documents the history of rock band Pearl Jam over 20 years. From the beginning as Mother Love Bone, to the arrival of lead singer Eddie Vedder, to the war waged against Ticketmaster, to the longevity as a band willing to evolve with the times, a really interesting story is being told here.

Since the whole Grunge movement didn’t resonate with me in the beginning, me being more of a rock n’ roll and blues kind of guy, I discovered Pearl Jam a little late in life. I am sure glad I finally got into them, because I found in them a band that had something to say and that was going to do it with awesome music.

In my mind, Eddie Vedder has surpassed Kurt Cobain as an artist. Many won’t agree with me, but that is fine, and I do recognize the contribution Nirvana’s leader gave to music. That being said, Vedder endured through a tough childhood, evolved from a shy young man to a great front man, managed to stay current through over two decades and still to this day produces great music, both as a solo artist and as the leader of Pearl Jam.

Pearl Jam has fought some fights and stuck to their guns, made some choices that did not please everyone, but, through the years, they have managed to keep a large fanbase and stay relevant. Pearl Jam Twenty tells that story and it is one that should appeal to the lovers of their music. Others might discover a band worth checking out.

Rating: «««««

The Grey (2011)

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Joe Canahan

Starring: Liam Neeson, Frank Grillo, Dermot Mulroney

Running time: 117 minutes

A group of oil-rig workers find themselves stranded in the mountains of Alaska when their plane crashes. Those who survived the crash will have to battle the rugged elements and the rabid wolves roaming around the area if they want to have any hope of making it out of there alive.

It took me a while to get into this particular film. When the movie starts, we get kind of lost in the thoughts of the main character John Ottway (Neeson). Through his internal dialogue, we get a feel for the group we are seeing at work and the task at hand for them. That whole part seemed kind of uninspired in the delivery to me. I just could not seem to care. Once the plane crashes and the survivors have to spring into action, and Ottway gets out of his thoughts, things start to get interesting.

The scenes involving wolves attacking human beings are not for the faint of heart. They feel very real, even for a disillusioned soul such as I. We do feel the isolation of those men having to walk in deep snow and be on a constant lookout for the mean beasts walking around.

Definitely not the best Liam Neeson movie I have ever seen, but a very decent film. The Grey starts very slow, but, when business picks up, it pulls you in. For those who want to give it a shot, tough it out. It is the kind of movie that gets better as it goes along, ending with a nice little twist at the end.

Rating: «««

Haywire (2011)

Genre: Action / Thriller
Directed by: Steven Soderbergh
Starring: Gina Carano, Michael Fassbender, Ewan McGregor
Running Time: 93 minutes

If we were to coin the phrase badass daughter of a bitch, Mallory Kane (Carano) would be a prime example. She works for a company that handles sensitive covert black operations all around the world. She goes to Spain and accomplishes her mission, but, when she goes to Dublin, she comes to find out she is being set up to be eliminated. She has to fight her way out and figure out who is to blame, so there can be hell to pay.

Carano, an MMA fighter, performed all her stunts in Haywire, and she really shined here. This ain’t no Oscar nominee, but the action is fast-paced and the story is compelling. And, as for Carano, she kicks ass, and I developed a kind of crush on her in those 90 minutes it lasted. We have a great action star in the making here.

I was quite surprised by the supporting cast in this one. To see Michael Douglas and Antonio Banderas in such minor roles at this point of their career is surprising, but it is a nice surprise.

Overall, Haywire is a good action movie that packs quite a punch. There are lots of fights scenes with a female action star that kicks asses and takes names.

Rating: ««««

Real Steel (2011)

Genre: Science-fiction
Directed by: Shawn Levy
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo, Evangeline Lilly
Running Time: 127 minutes

This futuristic tale is set in 2020, where human boxers are replaced by robots because of the violent nature of the sport. Former boxer Charlie Kenton (Jackman) is really focused on making it in the world of robot boxing. He has lost everything many times over, always betting everything on every fight. Debts are piling up. He comes to find out that his ex-girlfriend died, leaving their 11 year old son behind. He agrees to spend the summer with his son, for a certain amount of money, until his new parents come back from vacation.

The eternal tale of two people that don’t get along forced to be together who come to love each other has been told many times over in all shapes and forms. There is nothing surprising here, we figure the ending of Real Steel long before it happens. That said, it is a sweet little movie filled with good action and the acting is solid. Jackman and Dakota Goyo, who plays the kid, have a great chemistry here. So, in spite of the fact that this movie is predictable and cheesy, I give it merit based on the work of the actors.

Rating: «««

Contraband (2012)

Genre: Action / Thriller
Directed by: Baltasar Kormakur
Starring: Mark Whalberg, Kate Beckinsale, Ben Foster
Running Time: 110 minutes

This 2012 action thriller movie tells the story of Chris Farraday (Whalberg), an ex-smuggler who is now living a legit simple life with his wife. When his brother-in-law gets involved in an illegal deal that goes bad, he has to go back to his old ways to make it all good. While there is no honor among thieves, blood is thicker than water.

While Contraband did not reinvent the wheel or give us Oscar-worthy movie-making, what we get here is effective story-telling. The story is compelling, the acting is very good and the action is fast-paced and well planned-out.

Mark Whalberg has become a very good action star, in the vein of Bruce Willis and many others. The supporting cast is also very good. Great work by Ben Foster. As usual Giovanni Ribisi pulls off a very convincing bad guy. He sure has that knack for playing guys you cannot help hating. Overall, Contraband is a very entertaining movie.

Rating: ««««

Shark Night (2011)

Genre: Thriller / Horror
Directed by: David R. Ellis
Starring: Sara Paxton, Dustin Milligan, Katharine McPhee
Running Time: 90 minutes

Sara invites six of her university friends to join her for a weekend party at a lake house in her home town. The party turns to tragedy when sharks start attacking the vacationers. Then, it only gets worse when a former boyfriend of Sara comes along for revenge.

This is no great film by any stretch of the imagination. Plain and simple, this is no Jaws. This 2011 title is based on cheap thrills and fast-paced action. The filmmakers are really cashing in on cute girls in bikinis. To me, when that is your only calling card, you need to go all the way with it. It is not the case here, where we get softer than softcore. Plain teasing.

We are still served a few exciting scenes with the sharks, action that is well choreographed, and the girls are cute, but it is not enough to make this really memorable.

 Rating: ««

Melancholia (2011)

Directed by: Lars von Trier
Genre: Drama
Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Kiefer Sutherland
Running Time: 136 minutes

This Danish art film is based around the complex relationship of two sisters around the time of the wedding of one of them. As they are going through this hard time in their lives, a rogue planet is about to collide with the Earth.

Lars von Trier, who is known for non-conventional films, is true to form with this 2011 opus. The movie starts one with a long artistic intro with no dialogue covered by classical music.  Then, the story is told in two parts, from the point of view of each sister.  From the beginning of part one, you can feel the tension in the air as we go through the wedding of Kirsten Dunst’s character. Even before we know what is going on, we can feel that something is wrong.

It has been said that the director was going through a depressed time in his life and wanted to show how people can fail to react to extraordinary situations when they are is that state of mind.  He did achieve that goal and the actors were convincing in their roles.

That being said, I found this movie a tad long and depressing. Maybe I wasn’t in the right kind of mood, but it did not grasp me fully.  Lots of artistic merit to this film, just not really my thing.

Rating: «««

Animal Kingdom (2010)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: David Michôd

Starring: Ben Mendelsohn, Joel Edgerton, Guy Pearce, Luke Ford

Running time: 113 minutes

This riveting Australian crime drama tells the story of J, a 17-year old boy whose mom dies of a heroin overdose. Left by himself, he has to call upon his estranged grandmother and she invites him to move in with her. The grandma is the matriarch of a crime family that specializes in armed robberies. Her grandson falls right in with the gang, but, once they start attracting too much attention from the authorities and things start to go wrong, the young man will have to decide where he stands.

It took me a while to get into this one, because of the Aussie accents of the actors, but the story managed to hook me. We go along for the ride as the young man, J, moves along from one dysfunctional home to another. The acting is real solid on everybody’s part and story is told in brilliant fashion. We are made to care about what happens to these people.

The last scene of the movie is definitely something to be seen. I won’t go into much detail here, so as to not spoil anything, but I highly recommend sticking around for the punch it throws at the viewer. I never saw it coming and I was highly delighted, as I love it when a movie surprises me. Well done.

Rating: ««««

Seven Days in Utopia (2011)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Matt Russell

Starring: Robert Duvall, Lucas Black, Melissa Leo

Running time: 98 minutes

Seven Days in Utopia tells the story of a young pro golfer who has as meltdown on a course during a major tournament. Trying to get away from the media frenzy that comes with that situation, he goes on a trip, but he gets distracted and has a minor car accident in the small town of Utopia, Texas. He spends seven days in that little community, trying to find himself and the love for the game of golf, with the help of a former pro golfer.

This cheesy little affair has quite the talented cast to tell its story. I mean, Robert Duvall is one heck of an actor and quite the seasoned veteran. The supporting staff ain’t too shabby either. Unfortunately, they are not given much to work with in terms of story.

There are some good lessons in life and in sports in this movie, but the tone is a little too preachy for my taste. What we get is a big plate of cheese, with a side of bible-thumping. The movie is so very predictable; it is hard to let yourself go, since you see the end coming a mile away. The Christian souls looking for a positive message should appreciate.

Rating: ««

The Help (2011)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: Tate Taylor

Starring: Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Octavia Spencer

Running time: 146 minutes

This remarkable period drama tells the story of black maids in the Jackson, Mississippi of the 60’s through the eyes of Abileen Clark (Davis), a woman who became a maid after the death of her only son. Like so many others, she would go on cleaning houses, cooking and raising white kids who would one day become their boss and not treat them any better than the generation before. Abileen’s life would change when she crossed the path Skeeter (Stone), a young white woman who is a rebel at heart and who wants to have a career as a writer. Skeeter wants her first book to tell the story from the maids’ point of view.

Mere words are difficult to find when it comes to properly describing this film. It is a powerful look at the issue of racism and the treatment of black people. It is hard to believe such situations really happened down south; unfortunately, racism is a very true thing. It came off even worse to me when it came from those hypocrites who would try to portray themselves as not being racists because of their supposed good deeds. People like that are still out there today, treating people they consider inferior (be it because of color or any other reason) like crap.

I highly recommend watching this one. The acting is solid on everyone’s part. This is the kind of movie that needs to be seen at least once in a lifetime, if not more. It will stick with you for a while.

Rating: «««««

Taxi (1978-1983)

Genre: TV / Comedy


Starring: Judd Hirsh, Danny DeVito, Marilu Henner, Tony Danza


Number of seasons: 5

Last Christmas, I received the boxset for this particular comedic TV series and, as I have just finished viewing the whole thing, I have decided to review it for this site.

This show focused on the lives and adventures of the crew of a fictional taxi company, the Sunshine Cab Company.

It is the show that gave Andy Kaufman his biggest exposure. Though the late comedian was miserable all the way through and made the whole cast feel his pain, his character of Latka is very entertaining. From the voice to the made-up language, he was a sure bet to create laughter any time he appeared on screen. Down the line, to motivate Kaufman and shut him up, the creators gave his character a Multiple Personality Disorder, giving the comedian a chance to be creative and go in different directions.

The main star is Judd Hirsh, as Alex Rieger. He’s the only one in the bunch who does not aspire to be more than a cab driver and he is the one everyone relies on for advice.

That being said, Danny DeVito is the one who shines out the most out of this Sunshine Cab Company, as the overbearing, loud-mouth and cruel taxi dispatcher. Many other actors would have given us a character in which there is no redeemable quality to find, but DeVito makes Louie DePalma somewhat charming when he has these moments of sensitivity. I could not help root for that guy in the end, in spite of all the venom he could spew at any given time. He is the one who gave me the most laugh-out-loud moments.

The rest of the crew did a good job also, all having their moments in the sun. Tony Danza was playing the dumb jock boxer to a tee and Marilu Henner as the woman in a man’s world brought some good acting chops of her own. I give honorable mention to Christopher Lloyd, as Reverend Jim Ignatowski, a man spaced-out and burnt-out from all the drugs consumed in his life as a former hippie. He made me laugh quite often with his funny, though over-the-top, antics. He came later in the series and was a solid replacement for Jeff Conaway, whose character was going nowhere.1978-

The interaction between DeVito’s character and Elaine Nardo (Marilu Henner) will make quite a few feminists wince. That was another era and it sure would not fly these days.

Taxi was a very good TV show. Some good old-fashioned entertainment that made you laugh, all the while pulling on your heartstrings from time to time. Sometimes, storylines seemed to be abandoned from one episode to another, which bothered me a little, but I was greatly entertained all the way through, and it is all you can ask for from such a TV show.


Rating: ««««

50/50 (2011)

Genre: Drama / Comedy

Directed by: Jonathan Levine

Starring: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Green, Anna Kendrick

Running time: 100 minutes

When moviemakers try to mix drama and comedy in the same film, it sometimes creates confusion and makes you wonder, by the end of it all, what they were actually trying to accomplish. With 50/50, Jonathan Levine did not fall in that trap. In this case, the balancing act is performed quite well and what we get is a good little movie filled with laughter and emotional moments.

50/50 tells the story of Adam Lerner (Gordon-Levitt), a 27-year-old radio journalist who is living a quiet life spending most of his time with either his best pal Kyle (Green) or his artist girlfriend Rachael (Bryce Dallas Howard). Kyle never likes anyone Adam dates, including Rachael, but maybe he has a point this time. When Adam finds out he has some rare form of tumor on his spine, his life is turned upside down and he has to reevaluate his relationships with his best friend, with his girl and with his mom. Saying it is a trying experience is quite the understatement.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, an actor that has always kind of blended in the scenery of various movies in my eyes, really shines here. He really digs deep within himself and makes you believe his character. He makes you feel all the doubts and the pain, and the viewer can’t help embark on that journey with him.

Seth Green plays himself yet again – a brash pot-head who boasts loudly but has a deep-rooted sweetness inside him – and he does it quite well. I would love to see him venture out into something more profound down the line, but he knows his role here and he’s efficient with it. He’s the one who brings the biggest comedic moments here.

I would like to mention Anjelica Huston, who plays the mother of Gordon-Levitt’s character. She is quite good as a mother who has to cope with a son having cancer and who wants to take charge. She doesn’t go full-blown Shirley Maclaine in Terms of Endearment on us, but, in her own way, she makes that character really sympathetic.

All things considered, a very entertaining movie with a great cast of actors and actresses telling a compelling story.

Rating: ««««

My Week with Marilyn (2011)

Genre: Biographical

Directed by: Simon Curtis

Starring: Michelle Williams, Kenneth Branagh, Eddie Redmayne

Running time: 101 minutes

Based on two books written by Colin Clark, My Week with Marilyn tells the story of the making of the movie The Prince and The Showgirl, starring Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier.

In My Week with Marilyn, Colin Clark, who is coming out of university, dreams of working in the movies. His father does not understand such a pipe dream, but the young man leaves to find the first job that will bring him closer to that dream. That first job is as one of Laurence Olivier’s assistants on the set of The Prince and The Showgirl.

Eddie Redmayne is good enough as fresh-faced and big-dreaming Colin Clark, who finds himself way over his head, but still manages to swim, in a world of egos and temperamental people.

It is Michelle Williams, though, as Marilyn Monroe, who comes shining through the screen. She brings the deceased movie princess back to life with such force; it is a beautiful thing to witness. She shows us Marilyn’s vulnerability and fragility, her sensitivity towards everything around her that could hurt her. Marilyn was going into unchartered waters here; by going to England to play a role she had difficulty grasping, she was risking big and she felt out of place and insecure. Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) was not much help, not being much in tune with the young blonde’s artistic temperament.

This is a movie to see. Great acting on everyone’s part and a compelling true story being told.

Rating: ««««

The Rum Diary (2011)

Genre: Comedy

Directed by: Bruce Robinson

Starring: Johnny Depp, Aaron Eckhart, Michael Rispoli

Running time: 120 minutes

This 2011 movie is based on the novel of the same name written by Hunter S. Thompson. I haven’t read the book, so I cannot make any comparisons. That being said, I must admit I was quite a bit disappointed by the film.

Johnny Depp is convincing yet again here and the movie starts off interestingly enough. This is a story of a writer who cannot seem to find his voice and sell his books. Thus, he finds a job as a journalist in Puerto Rico. He counts on some colleagues to help him get acclimated to the area, but what he did not expect was to fall in love with a woman that is already spoken for, by a powerful man in San Juan. His problems are only just beginning at that point.

The premise of the movie is very interesting: A writer trying to find his voice. The road taken in this movie to get there is a big mess though. Soon enough, the film started going down too many different trails all at once, getting everybody lost along the way. This movie had potential. A great cast can make a big impact, but all we got is some rambling that became all so uninteresting in the end. Maybe the problem was the source material, but this movie didn’t do much to build upon it in a visual sense.

Rating: ««

Les chansons d'amour (2007)

Genre: Franco / Musical

Réalisateur: Christophe Honoré

Distribution: Louis Garrel, Ludivine Sagnier, Clotilde Hesme

Running time: 100 minutes

Pour se faire aimer de moi, une comédie ou un drame musical a toujours beaucoup de travail à faire. Ce n’est vraiment pas mon style de prédilection, car je décroche toujours au moins un peu quand je vois des gens se mettre à chanter sur de la musique au beau milieu d’une conversation, alors l’histoire doit être vraiment intéressante et les chansons doivent m’accrocher. Les chansons d’amour n’a pas tout à fait passé le test.

Ce film musical français raconte, en trois parties, l’histoire d’une relation de ménage à trois entre Ismaël, Alice et Julie. Comme de raison, ce genre de situation est compliqué pour tous les gens impliqués, qui doivent vivre avec des émotions différentes chacun de leur côté, ainsi que pour l’entourage, qui ne comprend vraiment pas.

Quelques-unes des pièces chantées par les personnages du film sont accrocheuses et intéressantes. Le hic, c’est que lesdits personnages ne le sont pas. Après 20 minutes, je me foutais éperdument de ce qui pouvait bien leur arriver, et je doute que c’était le souhait du cinéaste. Un film qui ne m’a pas marqué. Je donne une note un peu plus élevé que la pire, pour les quelques bonnes chansons. 

Rating: ««

Blitz (2011)

Genre: Thriller

Directed by: Elliot Lester

Starring: Jason Statham, Paddy Considine, Aidan Gillen

Running time: 97 minutes

This 2011 crime thriller is your typical formulaic Jason Statham vehicle. Here again, the action stars plays a bad ass guy who doesn’t play by the rules. In this one, he is a hot-headed police office in a rough area of East London. He does not like to do things by the book and he is getting some negative attention because of it. When a psycho killer starts going around the area killing cops, he has to dig deep into his bag of tricks to catch the well-organized and fast-thinking criminal.

We get lots of violence here in this fast-paced action movie/thriller: numerous fight scenes and gun shots and lots of blood flying around. This is not a thinking piece but more of a rush for the adrenaline-pumping movies fans. Entertaining for what it is.

Rating: «««

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008)

Genre: Drama

Directed by: David Fincher

Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Taraji P. Hanson

Running time: 166 minutes

This romantic fantastical drama is a long movie, standing at close to three hours, and it took me a few late nights tries until I finally managed to make it through the whole thing, but was it ever worth it. This movie manages to be heart-warming in some places and heartbreaking in others.

The movie starts in 2005, with Daisy Fuller as an old woman, on her death-bed. She asks her daughter to read her the diary of her first love, Benjamin Button. We are then taken on a trip into the life of a man who was born with the appearance and illnesses of an old person. His mother died giving birth and his father abandoned him on the front steps of some nursing home in New Orleans. As he would grow up, he would grow younger, meaning that, during his life, he would always cross the path of people going in an opposite direction from his.

Brad Pitt, an actor who has been known for very uneven performances through his career, is very solid and believable in his different portrayals of Benjamin Button (at different ages and looks). He makes you feel for this man who can never find himself on an equal level with someone his own age. Cate Blanchett does some fine acting work also.

As for the director, David Fincher, he travels through the different period of this story in seamless fashion all the way through the 166 minutes of this movie. This kind of running time can be a little off-putting, but it is well worth the investment in time. There were a few places where it dragged a bit, but overall, a very good film that will stick on your mind for a while.

Rating: ««««

The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Starring: Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller
Running time: 109 minutes

 

 

Having seen a few of Wes Anderson’s movies, namely The Darjeeling Unlimited and Rushmore, and in the process of seeing his latest one, The Grand Budapest Hotel, I decided it would be a great idea to see what most certainly is his better known work to date: The Royal Tenenbaums.

This 2001 comedy (that also contains small hints of drama) tells the story of the Tenenbaum family. All three children were child prodigies in their respective fields. When their father, Royal Tenenbaum, divorces his wife and leaves the family behind, they go into a severe slump that will get worse and worse and last for decades. One day, the paternal figure comes back home. At first, he tries a ruse to get everyone back together, but he soon realizes he misses his family and he needs to finally make things right.

The Royal Tenenbaums has a serious ensemble cast to offer. I mean such big names as Gene Hackman, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray, Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson and Danny Glover: a lot of actors and actresses with much experience under their belt.

I love Wes Anderson’s style. His use of colors in his sceneries and especially the use he makes of music is pure magic. Sometimes, out of nowhere, a song will blend in with the story and accentuate everything in such a way as to make you feel the desired feeling a little more, be it sadness or happiness.

All members of the cast offer solid performances here. The tone is definitely off-beat, which can be a little off-putting at first if you’re not in the right mood or if you don’t open your mind to let the movie sink in. At first, I was hesitant to get into this film. I was sitting on the edge, wondering what the heck it was I was watching. Well, The Royal Tenenbaums won me over. While it probably will not become a favorite of mine that I will go back to through the years, it a nice little film that won my respect by sinking into me slowly hours after I finished watching it. Highly recommended for the fans of the non-formulaic comedies.

Rating: ««««

Thor: The Dark World (2013)

Genre: Superhero
Directed by: Alan Taylor
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston
Running time: 112 minutes

 

This is the second installment in the Thor series, and number three is expected a few years from now.

While I thoroughly enjoyed the first movie, the second one left me kind of cold. The same cast is back, and they are all still doing a fine job. It is a superhero movie, so one is not to expect Oscar-worthy acting. For the genre, everything was what it should be as far as that goes. My biggest problem was with the storyline. Maybe it was just me; maybe I was not enough of a geek and comic book enthusiast to fully get into this one. In the end, it all felt so convoluted to me.

Thor: The Dark World starts where the first installment finished. Loki (Hiddleston) is imprisoned for his crimes on earth. Thor (Hemsworth), on the other hand, takes the task of fixing up the mess created by his younger brother, Loki. When old enemies of Asgard come to destroy their world, Thor has to seek the help of his brother to save their world and protect Dr. Jane Foster (Portman).

Fans of the genre very well could like this one. Superhero movies have never been my favorites, though I have watched and liked many. This one I could not get into. There is a lot going on, the pace is fast. I just got lost in all the talk, much of which was gibberish to me.  At least, the ending made me want to see the next instalmment in this franchise.

Rating: ««

Seven Samurai (1954)

Genre : Drama / Foreign
Directed by: Akira Kurosawa
Starring: Toshiro Mifune, Takashi Shimura, Keiko Tsushima
Running time: 207 minutes

In this age of fast-paced action and short attention spans, Seven Samurai can seems a little out of place. With a running time of over 3 hours, and being a Japanese film sub-titled in English, it certainly is not something a lot of people would dare undertake. I sure was hesitant at first, but I decided to take the plunge. I’m glad I did.

Seven Samurai is a story of a village of Japanese farmers, in the 1500’s, who hire a group of samurai to defend them against a gang of criminals who raid their crop every year. It is a tale of honor, rituals, standing up for oneself, fighting spirit and respect for traditions.

Did this movie need to last this long? Probably not. Though I must say the cinematography is beautiful, amazing considering it was shot in the 1950’s. The acting is overly dramatic, but it goes with the territory here. Fight scenes are not greatly choreographed either, but that is forgivable.

All things considered, this is a great film, that can seem too much to take at first but that is worth the experience, for true cinema lovers.

Rating: ««««

The Imitation Game (2014)

Genre: Historical / Thriller
Directed by: Morten Tyldum
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Keira Knightley, Matthew Goode
Running Time: 114 minutes

The Imitation Game tells the story of Alan Turing, a brilliant mathematician who was a major part of the efforts to crack Nazi Germany’s naval Enigma Code. In his efforts, he greatly helped the Allied Forces win the Second World War. His life after the war was a hard one due to his homosexuality, which was illegal back then in Britain.

Benedict Cumberbatch did a magnificent acting job here. He was simply excellent. He inhabited that character fully and made us believe it. All the other actors and actresses involved were also solid.

I must also commend the director for his work. This movie covers three different periods of Turing’s life and does so in a non-linear fashion. In spite of that, the transition between these three eras is fluid as we go back and forth.

This film fully deserves the commercial and critical success it has received. Here is a line from the movie that stayed with me long after I exited the theater: "Sometimes it is the people no one imagines anything of that do the things no one can imagine"

 

Rating: «««««

The Other Woman (2014)

Genre : Romantic Comedy
Directed by: Nick Cassavetes
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Kate Upton, Leslie Mann
Running time: 109 minutes

Considering the cast involved in this 2014 romantic comedy, I was expecting a little more out of The Other Woman. And you also have to consider that it was made by the same director who gave us The Notebook. Unlike that movie and John Q, which was also made by Nick Cassavetes, the goal here is certainly not to make us cry.

The Other Woman is the story of Carly (Diaz), an attorney who thinks she has found the perfect man in the guy she has been dating for a while. Unfortunately for her, she comes to find out he is married to another woman. She becomes friend with the man’s wife, oddly enough, and with another mistress of his. Together, they strike up a plan to get revenge.

Such a storyline offered some potential for some good laughs. Unfortunately, the tone taken by the actors is so over-the-top at times that it becomes off-putting. What we end up with in the end is a slapstick mess. Played in a little more toned-down fashion, it could have been so much better.

Nonetheless, The Other Woman remains decent entertainment. The wife and I had a few laughs watching it on a cold night. Better than a lot of stuff in that same genre, but could have been so much more.

Rating: «««

The Last House on the Left (2009)

Genre: Horror
Directed by: Dennis Lliadis
Starring: Tony Goldwyn, Monica Potter, Aaron Paul
Running Time: 110 minutes

This 2009 horror film is a remake of the 1972 Wes Craven cult-classic of the same name. Here again is the story of a group of criminals who, after kidnapping and torturing two teenage girls, unwittingly take refuge in the guest house of the parents of one of their victim. When vengeance comes knocking, it ain’t a pretty picture.

While this remake could not expect to recreate the magic of the original, since it is so much harder in this day and age to shock people, it still manages to pack up quite the punch in the delivery. This movie changes some of the details of the original story and puts a lot more meat around the bone. While the original went straight to the point, the remake builds tension a lot more and creates a more detailed backstory for the main characters, which helps the viewers get involved in the story of these people. 

Wes Craven was still involved in this movie, working as producer this time. I think the remake gave him a chance to make the film he wanted to make originally.

It was also nice seeing Aaron Paul again, though in a different role than his Jesse Pinkman character in Breaking Bad.

Rating: ««««