I am Disney's bitch. I will see any animated film they put out. However I either love it or hate it when it comes to Pixar films. This one looked cute but the plot seemed a bit vague in the trailers.
So off I went to see it opening day. I even dragged a friend along who never heard of the film as he just got back from Budapest. But that isn't important. What's important is Wall-E.
I love Wall-e. I have never felt so emotionally attached to an animated robot before. There was at least two points in the film where I was near tears for the cute little bugger and I'm okay with saying that.
The film easily pulls at your heart as it introduces the most lovable little guy. He doesn't even talk, he makes clicks and beeps and it's some how conveys emotion. The children around me were mesmerized by this character.
As soon as Eve shows up you just feel this connection. But for petes sake they are animated robots with broken dialog. But still we care and as our adventure unfolds it becomes a social commentary. One that's in your face but not offensive and perhaps it's because it is true.
All in all Wall-e surpasses every expectation I could have had for it. It's amazing to look at the ruined Earth, the story works.
To top it off we get a short before the film called Presto which was hysterical and had me laughing my ass off. It was charming, funny and cute and I won't ruin it for you.
Wall-e is the bets kids film this year, it's a must see and it's easily in my top 5 of 2008 thus far.
Entertainment Value - 5/5
Movie - 5/5
Friday, June 27, 2008
Friday, June 13, 2008
The Hulk (2008)
I really didn't like the last Hulk film. It was long and boring and frankly Ang Lee kind of sucks outside of Crouching Tiger. To be fair though I did have kind of high expectations for this new Hulk film but after being let down by Ironman I didn't know what to expect.
Well, The Hulk is everything it should have been last time and everything Ironman should have been. The action is awesome, the story is told well. The acting is really good and my only complaint comes from the final scene as it's obvious what they are aiming to do and while it may work in the end, it's a huge gamble nonetheless.
I don't know what else to say. Comic fans should enjoy the film as much as any movie goer and the special effects are pretty sweet. Plus, there are no giant poodles so that makes it instantly better than the last Hulk film.
Entertainment Value - 4/5
Movie - 4/5
Well, The Hulk is everything it should have been last time and everything Ironman should have been. The action is awesome, the story is told well. The acting is really good and my only complaint comes from the final scene as it's obvious what they are aiming to do and while it may work in the end, it's a huge gamble nonetheless.
I don't know what else to say. Comic fans should enjoy the film as much as any movie goer and the special effects are pretty sweet. Plus, there are no giant poodles so that makes it instantly better than the last Hulk film.
Entertainment Value - 4/5
Movie - 4/5
The Happening
I'm a huge M. Night Shyalaman fan. I've seen all of his films opening day and with that being said I've enjoyed all of them.
That is until I saw this film. I can sit here and say it's horrible but it isn't. It just fails to be anything worth while.
Plants are letting lose a chemical that is causing people to kill themselves. It's an inetresting idea and it is handled well. The film constantly throws an element at you, perhaps a reasoning for the attacks or whatever but in the end it just ignores it, throws away this one thread as if it never wanted to use it. Was there a suit involved in that decision?
But that wouldn't have saved the film as our fine cast some how provides one of the worst performances to hit the big screen in a long time. Think Book of Shadows bad. It's stiff and constantly wooden. No real emotion is shown.
It's a shame and the R rating seems tacked on to get people to see the film. Sure, it's a bit bloody and disturbing but I think a PG13 rating would have gone through without a problem.
All in all I can't recommend this film to anyone. maybe a dvd viewing if you're a fan but as far as a theatrical viewing goes, pass it over for something like The Hulk.
Entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 2/5
That is until I saw this film. I can sit here and say it's horrible but it isn't. It just fails to be anything worth while.
Plants are letting lose a chemical that is causing people to kill themselves. It's an inetresting idea and it is handled well. The film constantly throws an element at you, perhaps a reasoning for the attacks or whatever but in the end it just ignores it, throws away this one thread as if it never wanted to use it. Was there a suit involved in that decision?
But that wouldn't have saved the film as our fine cast some how provides one of the worst performances to hit the big screen in a long time. Think Book of Shadows bad. It's stiff and constantly wooden. No real emotion is shown.
It's a shame and the R rating seems tacked on to get people to see the film. Sure, it's a bit bloody and disturbing but I think a PG13 rating would have gone through without a problem.
All in all I can't recommend this film to anyone. maybe a dvd viewing if you're a fan but as far as a theatrical viewing goes, pass it over for something like The Hulk.
Entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 2/5
Sunday, June 8, 2008
You Don't Mess With The Zohan
Adam Sandler plays a super agent from Iraq or something and all he really wants to be is a hairdresser so he fakes his death and moves to New York to cut hair. The idea is kind of out there and after the first three minutes you realize your brain eneds to be shutoff because this isn't going to be realistic at all.
The laughs are pretty much hit, or at least for me. The theater was filled with laughter, the man in front of me snorted at one part. Just a good funny film and it works.
The sexual jokes are some of the best in the film and it pokes fun at gays, straights, all ethnic minorities and because we're all shallow it's okay because everyone takes a hit.
I won't say the film is perfect but for a mindless comedy it was pretty god damn funny and gets a full theatrical viewing recommendation.
Entertainment Value - 5/5
Movie - 4/5
The laughs are pretty much hit, or at least for me. The theater was filled with laughter, the man in front of me snorted at one part. Just a good funny film and it works.
The sexual jokes are some of the best in the film and it pokes fun at gays, straights, all ethnic minorities and because we're all shallow it's okay because everyone takes a hit.
I won't say the film is perfect but for a mindless comedy it was pretty god damn funny and gets a full theatrical viewing recommendation.
Entertainment Value - 5/5
Movie - 4/5
Shelter (LIMITED RELEASE)
I've been dreading this review. It's so tough to review a film from this genre. See, this is a gay film. It has a specific audience in mind. Offended by homosexual stuffs? Then don't see it, read this review or anything else.
With that said the film is about two friends, both surfers and the one is gay. The other has a girlfriend but he starts to have more than friendly feelings for his longtime friend.
The problem is that it follows every cliche, every bland plot line possible. The only appeal would be the guys and even that can be ruined by the halfhearted performances.
There is actually a scene where the one calls the other from across the way and you can figure the rest out. Just silly shit like that. I can't even believe I watched the first half in the theater (it was playing before my Postal screening a few months back). I don't recommend this one at all but my gay friend loved it so take that for what it is I guess...
Entertainment Value - 1/5
Movie - 1.5 / 5
With that said the film is about two friends, both surfers and the one is gay. The other has a girlfriend but he starts to have more than friendly feelings for his longtime friend.
The problem is that it follows every cliche, every bland plot line possible. The only appeal would be the guys and even that can be ruined by the halfhearted performances.
There is actually a scene where the one calls the other from across the way and you can figure the rest out. Just silly shit like that. I can't even believe I watched the first half in the theater (it was playing before my Postal screening a few months back). I don't recommend this one at all but my gay friend loved it so take that for what it is I guess...
Entertainment Value - 1/5
Movie - 1.5 / 5
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Kung Fu Panda
This movie looked hysterical from the previews. I dislike Jack Black but I'm willing to look past that.
Sadly this animated features falls into the trap set by most films this year, the best stuff is in the previews. I actually found the film to be nothing like I thought it would be.
Here's the crazy thing though. It's still pretty good. Sure my favorite scene from the trailer is in the ending but whatever. The plot flows, the action is good and it all looks great. A pretty solid film. Masterpiece? No but entertaining none-the-less.
Entertainment Value - 4/5
Movie - 4/5
Sadly this animated features falls into the trap set by most films this year, the best stuff is in the previews. I actually found the film to be nothing like I thought it would be.
Here's the crazy thing though. It's still pretty good. Sure my favorite scene from the trailer is in the ending but whatever. The plot flows, the action is good and it all looks great. A pretty solid film. Masterpiece? No but entertaining none-the-less.
Entertainment Value - 4/5
Movie - 4/5
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The Strangers
I was so excited for this movie. The trailer was creepy, it looked good. Along the lines up Funny Games (reviewed earlier this year).
Sadly the film fails in every sense. It's slow moving and often tedious. The acting, while good, relies on Liv Tyler screaming and Speedman just denying everything. Sad truth is that the audience I was with was overreacting to the film and was making it better than the actos were able to do.
The idea is simple. A couple goes to stay at their cabin and some people in masks show up and torment them. If you consider tormenting as pounding on walls and popping out for cheap scares. Out heroes are constantly running around their own, small home, and it feels too redundant.
The ass of an ending makes it even worse and I can't recommend this film at all and that's a shame because the trailer really was promising.
entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 1/5
Sadly the film fails in every sense. It's slow moving and often tedious. The acting, while good, relies on Liv Tyler screaming and Speedman just denying everything. Sad truth is that the audience I was with was overreacting to the film and was making it better than the actos were able to do.
The idea is simple. A couple goes to stay at their cabin and some people in masks show up and torment them. If you consider tormenting as pounding on walls and popping out for cheap scares. Out heroes are constantly running around their own, small home, and it feels too redundant.
The ass of an ending makes it even worse and I can't recommend this film at all and that's a shame because the trailer really was promising.
entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 1/5
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Sex & The City
News flash, I'm a guy and I loved this television series. Sadly this film falls flat and it's because of a few different reasons.
First of all, it's too long with little to no substance to it, not that the show ahd any but really, there is only so much you can do with these characters.
Instead of creating something memorable we get a typical rehash of Sex events. Are we surprised with what happens at the wedding? No, I was actually glad but whatever. Then we just plummet down the road of tediousness, some brief nudity near the end and so few laughs it was like I wasn't watching something based on Sex & The City.
Maybe the female fans will eat this up but frankly it's rather mediocre and non-fans just won't get the enjoyment as the fans will as not everything is explained. All and all it's a mediocre effort but really, did we expect anything else?
Entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 2/5
First of all, it's too long with little to no substance to it, not that the show ahd any but really, there is only so much you can do with these characters.
Instead of creating something memorable we get a typical rehash of Sex events. Are we surprised with what happens at the wedding? No, I was actually glad but whatever. Then we just plummet down the road of tediousness, some brief nudity near the end and so few laughs it was like I wasn't watching something based on Sex & The City.
Maybe the female fans will eat this up but frankly it's rather mediocre and non-fans just won't get the enjoyment as the fans will as not everything is explained. All and all it's a mediocre effort but really, did we expect anything else?
Entertainment Value - 2/5
Movie - 2/5
Monday, June 2, 2008
Postal
I love Uwe Boll films. They are masterpieces of bad and I love putting one in and watching some braincells die. I actually saw this a few months back at a screening in New York where Boll was present but I felt it wasn't right to review it until now.
This film generated a lot of grumbling, Boll wanted to take down Indy and he hates all of America it seems. But that's okay because god dammit Postal is the funniest film I have seen all year.
And not in the typical Boll way either. Fans of the game will catch a lot of references and anyone who knows anything about Boll will laugh at his cameo. I have never seen a film where someone in the audience snorted from laughing. Hell, the old lady with a walker behind me couldn't help but laugh at times.
Sure, the film won't make you smarter, feel warm and fuzzy but it vents everything you wish you could do. My favorite scene involves the welfare lady on the sidewalk. Oh how many times I have wished such a thing could legally happen.
Entertainment Value - 5/5
Movie - 4.5/ 5
This film generated a lot of grumbling, Boll wanted to take down Indy and he hates all of America it seems. But that's okay because god dammit Postal is the funniest film I have seen all year.
And not in the typical Boll way either. Fans of the game will catch a lot of references and anyone who knows anything about Boll will laugh at his cameo. I have never seen a film where someone in the audience snorted from laughing. Hell, the old lady with a walker behind me couldn't help but laugh at times.
Sure, the film won't make you smarter, feel warm and fuzzy but it vents everything you wish you could do. My favorite scene involves the welfare lady on the sidewalk. Oh how many times I have wished such a thing could legally happen.
Entertainment Value - 5/5
Movie - 4.5/ 5
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
I love Indiana Jones. It's one of my favorite series out there and to speak of the joy I had watching this movie just wouldn't do it justice. Perhaps my hopes were high, maybe it was because I had gone to L.A> on vacation and see it opening day there or perhaps it's just that good of a movie.
I make no sense and I realize this. The point is that the film will either be the be all of summer flicks for 2008 or a let down. You're going to fall into one or the other.
Some have found the film a tad too over the top but I found it highly entertaining all the way through and I was able to think outside the box and accept the campyness of the monkey scene. Which is honestly the only part of the film that made me question what they were thinking.
With a run time of two hours I found the film to fly by, it's funny and full of action and it really reminded me of the fun I had last year watching Tranformers.
Indiana Jones fans owe it to themselves to see this film and anyone else should see it as well. You may be let down but really, it's because you got your own hopes up.
*NOTE* this review has mild fanboy symptoms
Entertainment Value - 5/5
Movie - 5/5
I make no sense and I realize this. The point is that the film will either be the be all of summer flicks for 2008 or a let down. You're going to fall into one or the other.
Some have found the film a tad too over the top but I found it highly entertaining all the way through and I was able to think outside the box and accept the campyness of the monkey scene. Which is honestly the only part of the film that made me question what they were thinking.
With a run time of two hours I found the film to fly by, it's funny and full of action and it really reminded me of the fun I had last year watching Tranformers.
Indiana Jones fans owe it to themselves to see this film and anyone else should see it as well. You may be let down but really, it's because you got your own hopes up.
*NOTE* this review has mild fanboy symptoms
Entertainment Value - 5/5
Movie - 5/5
Sunday, June 1, 2008
June Release Dates
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)