Author: Darren Lucas

Big Film fan and general entertainment fan

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Movie Review

Armageddon (1998)

Directed by Michael Bay

Written by J.J Abrams

Starring: Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, Ben Affleck, Liv Tyler, Will Patton, Steve Buscemi, William Fichtner, Owen Wilson, Michael Clarke Duncan, Peter Stormare, Ken Campbell, Jessica Steen, Keith David, Chris Ellis, Jason Issacs

this movie is about an Asteroid the size of Texas coming to collide with Earth. This is an all out action blockbuster.

Starting with a normal day in New York city only for small asteroid pieces come crashing down destroying buildings having people running scared.

NASA later discover the asteroid the global killer coming towards Earth, so with all the resources they set out to find the best way to solve this rather large problem. lead by Dan Truman (Billy Bob Thornton) and some of the smartest people on Earth, the best option is to land and drill into the asteroid and planet a nuclear bomb, simple. Now they find the best driller on Earth.

Meet Harry Stamper (Bruce Willis) and his crew Chick (Will Patton) Rock hound (Steve Buscemi) Oscar (Owen Wilson) Bear (Michael Clarke Duncan) Max (Ken Campbell) and finally AJ (Ben Affleck) who is secretly seeing Harry daughter Grace (Liv Tyler). These men are chosen to go into space with astronauts Colonel Willie Sharpe (William Fitchner) and Co-Pilot Jennifer Watts. now with a montage we see the astronauts training and their last night on Earth.

Having to Dock with Russian space station and meeting Lev Andropov (Peter Stormore) we get another action scene before they go off into there main mission.

Brucie shines in the lead role, billy bob is great as the grounded determined head of NASA. Steve Buscemi as rock hound steals nearly every scene he is in. Mr Bay delivers a masterpiece in action movies. filled with happiness and laughter, but this will leave most people in tears at the end with one of the saddest endings there is out there. But it America that’s wins or becomes the hero nation as it often becomes over these end of the world movies.

Overall this movie gets a solid 96%

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Movie Review

Blade Trinity (2004)

Director: David S Goyer

Starring: Wesley Snipes, Kris Krisofferson, Dominic Purcell, Jessica Biel, Ryan Reynolds, Parker Posey, Mark Berry, John Michael Higgins, Callum Keith Rennie, Paul Levensque, Paul Anthony, James Remar, Natasha Lyonne, Patton Oswalt

The third movie in the Blade series and guess what? they ran out of original ideas for villains and went with Dracula well Drake (Dominic Purcell) is his official name. So basically the baddie vamps lead by Danica (Parker Posey) her brother Asher and their bodyguard figure Jarko Grimewood (Triple H). These guys decide to raise Drake to help take over the world blah blah blah.

On the good guys side Blade (Wesley Snipes) has to deal with the death of Whistler ( Kris Kristofferson) when he is saved by Whistlers daughter Abigail (Jessica Biel) yes this is a major storyline plot hole but it gets explained as an unwed lock baby. she is aided by Hannibal King (Ryan Reynolds) and the rest of the Night Stalkers.

Both sides have ways to stop the other the vamps try to become day walkers by using Drake’s blood while the night stalkers want to create a virus that could take out the vampires forever.

David S. Goyer directs and does an OK job if u believe reports of how Wesley Snipes was meant to have behaved thought out shooting. Ryan Reynolds and Triple H steal the movie with great supporting performances.

Overall this a good movie just for a little blood splatter and fun action one liners and sequences i will give it a 81%

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Movie Review

Shutter Island (2010)

Director:Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo, Ted Levine, Jackie Earle Haley, John Carroll Lynch, Emily Mortimer, Patricia Clarkson, Max Von Sydow, Michelle Williams

Following The Departed Martin Scorsese directs this mystery thriller.

Set on Boston’s shutter island two US Marshall’s Teddy Daniels (Leonardo Dicarpio) and Chuck (Mark Ruffalo) are set to Ashcliffe Hospital to investigate the disappearance of one of the patient. Guided around the island by Dr John Cawley (Ben Kinsley) and the wardens men, they start to discover a bigger picture. With a storm hitting they get stranded on the island giving them more time to investigate the goings on on the island. Haunted by nightmares of his dead wife Dolores (Michelle Williams) he starts to question his own sanity on this difficult case.

the atmosphere through out the whole movie is brilliant Leonardo delivers one of normal excellent performances with quality supporting cast. The story keeps flowing through out leading you one way only to turn you the over.

overall this is a most see 95%

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Movie Review

My Soul To Take (2010)

This is the latest from writer director Wes Craven (original nightmare on elm street). This is a new slasher thriller.

Starts with a story about a murder being hunted only to turn out a everyday family man with split personality or souls depending on the legend you hear. After his sane personality figures out he is the ripper the cops head out to stop this killer. after discovering he has killed his pregnant wife he goes after his little girl on for the cops to stop him. transferring him to the hospital an accident loses the body into the river.

16 years later we have seven teenagers who were born the same day the ripper died. These seven of all different social groups meet and a ceremony every year to guard from the ripper’s return. only it got interrupted by the police. now the ripper is back but who is he?

This film has similar feel to a lot slashers with some twists turns to keep you guessing on who the killer is. it lacks in suspense of the great slashers but is worth a view if you like a horror slasher movie, it also gives little character development to the surviving cop who is trying to figure out what is going on. The overall storyline is nice with the whole high school politics and their weird scoring punch system and a good job from an unknown cast too.

My rating 74%

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Movie Review

Megamind (2010)

Director: Tom McGrath

Starring: Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey, Jonah Hill, David Cross, Justin Theroux, Ben Stiller

Based on the idea of Lex Luther defeats Superman.

Megamind blasted to Earth from a dying planet and Metroman from a rival planet both grow up on Earth to become best of enemies. Megamind is out blue antihero and his faithfully second minion keep finding plans to first escape prison, kidnap Roxy and try and fail to defeat Metroman.

One day he does, then we are left with a super villain with no hero to stop him. feeling empty inside he starts to question is motivation until he decides to create a new hero. This plan like all his other fails and Megamind himself must now become the hero.

With a great list of voice talents including Will Ferrell, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey, Jonah hill and David Cross. this is one of your usual ABC animation of good is in all however evil you may well have been. Megamind is very likable anti hero who always wanted just to be loved and to be a normal person.

My Overall Score is a strong 85%

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Movie Review

Tron Legacy (2010)

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Garrett Hedlund, Olivia Wilde, Bruce Boxleitner, Beau Garrett, Michael Sheen

This is the follow up to the 1982 movie Tron Staring Jeff Bridges as Kevin Flynn Fighting on the grid of a virtual reality world. Fast forward twenty years we meet Sam Flynn, Kevin’s son a Twenty-seven year old tech at the firm Kevin once ran.

Sam receives a page from his father old arcade so he goes to investigate only for himself to get transported into the grid. Now a much darker world Sam get captured and sent to play on death games where he meets Clu who he believes to be his father but is just a clone of him. fighting in the games he is saved by Quorra and taken to his real father who is in hiding from Clu. Now some back story fills in some gaps and we are left with the race to escape.

Jeff Bridges delivers good performance as Kevin Flynn and Clu and Olivia Wild as Quorra is a good addition with he beauty and with her programmed robotic performance. Garrett Hedlund as Sam Flynn does a good job after being on of his only major film roles. Also a nice almost cameo from Michael Sheen. With a huge 170million dollar Budget it has been success with almost 400 million dollars made from it.

This film is visually brilliant but the truth is instead of a remake it really is just a revamped sequel. the grid games are similar only in 3d now and some added machines to use for transport.

Overall this is a good film that is well worth a watch with strong performances and good story and good visual effects. my rating is 88%

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Movie Review

Star Trek (2009)

Directed by J.J. Abrams
Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana and Simon Pegg

In this re launch of a franchise we learn how the team meet. After a mission looking for a ‘lightening storm’ in space kirks father sacrifices himself to save the crew of the Enterprise. We find out that this attack was by a Romulan mining ship lead by Captain nero. After hearing a distress call from Vulcan the Enterprise heads of to investergate and this is where the action starts.
 
Violence 5 out of 10 mainly space peril  

Story 9 out of 10 very well made story to recreate the story for the new generation

Special effects 10 out of 10 just brilliant

Acting 9 out of 10 strong cast of lesser-known stars stands out as one of the best this year

Stand out Performance Zachary Quinto play the young spook very well and has the looks to match what you would think a young spook would look like

Overall Movie Rating 10 out of 10 great sci-fi action thriller nearly everyone will enjoy this movie has something for everyone. A Must See

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Movie Review

The Bone Collector (1999)

Directed by Phillip Noyce
Starring Denzel Washington, Angelina Jolie, Queen Latifah and Michael Rooker

After an accident in a tunnel, a forensics expert is left as a quadriplegic who is able only to move his head and one finger. Setting his finger to a computer, he is able to manipulate his environment with the help of a loving nurse. Even so, fearing seizures that could leave him a vegetable, he plans his “transition” with the help of a hesitational doctor friend. That all changes when he is confronted with clues from a serial killer that obviously are pointed to forensics investigation. The case clearly re-invokes his interest in life. A sharp, young cop’s quick thinking saves the first crime scene. Recognizing her talent for forensics, he brings her unwillingly into forensics detection. Through radio contact, she becomes his eyes and legs on the scene.

Violence 8 out of 10 some very gruesome murders and terror situations

Story 8 out of 10 good story of cop hunting serial killer with a twist

Special effects 7 out 10 well done effects when need

Acting 8 out of 10 pretty routine acting each role is believable without any standing out that much more than another

Stand out Perfromance Denzel Washington play a quadriplegic must have been difficult but he pulls it of very well

Overall Movie Rating 8 out of 10 good for all action and thriller fans very well constructed and well played out keeps you guessing all the way to the end.

Categories
Movie Review

A.I Artificial Intelligence (2001)

Directed by Steven Spielberg
Starring Haley Joel Osment, Jude Law, William Hurt and Frances O’Connor

The movie follows the tall of a young boy David looking to become a real boy, David taken in by a family who have lost their own child in a coma becomes part of the family. But when the child awakens from his coma is simple cast a side. So David and teddy go of in search of the blue fairy hoping she can make him a real boy. David and Joe go to a future New York one that is underwater to search for the answers.
Language 1 out of 10 very clean for all ages
Violence    4 out of 10 most future robot destruction but with a human face looks worse

Story 8 out of 10 very good story like Pinocchio of the future generation

Special effects 10 out of 10 very impressive all round

Acting 9 out of 10 top draw very believable all characters

Stand out Perfromance Haley Joel Osment one of his best performances

Overall Movie Rating 8 out of 10 very well made movie keeps you interested from start to finish and good performances all round a must watch for all sci-fi fans and fairy tale believers out there