Categories
Movie Review

2012 (2009)

Director:  Roland Emmerich

Starring:John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Thomas McCarthy, Woody Harrleson, Danny Glover, Liam James, Stephen McHattie

Based on Mayan superstition this is the end of the world, now how do man survive this?

First off Dr Adrien Helmsley (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and one of his associates discover the world is overheating from the inside due to solar flares. so he gets a solution to the end of the world started up with governments all around the world. Now in 2012 things start to accelerate and time is running out.

Meanwhile a struggling divorced writer Jackson Curtis (John Cusack) gets a weekend camping with his two children. He takes them down to Yellowstone only to find out the Lake has nearly all gone and after approaching the army take them back to a base. Here he meets Dr Helmsley a fan and sounding like his only fan of his book. After the chatty chatty big fan speech the family get escorted of the land back tot he camp area. After arriving conspiracy nut Charlie Frost (Woody Harrleson) asks what is there and tells Jackson what he believes to be happening, Jackson just assumes he is crazy and ignores his warnings.

After dropping his kids back home he goes to his day job as a limo driver only to discover that Charlie might be making some sense, he rushes back to the house and get his kids ex wife and boyfriend. now we have one of the most amazing over the top car chase action sequences ever with a limo driving through town avoiding everything possible making it to an airport and fly away to safety for now.

After flying to the Yellowstone abandoned army base to refuel Jackson goes in search of Charlie. After finding him on top of a mountain over looking Yellowstone he learns of the crafts for safety or future of mankind, now for the next chase against nature this time in a camper van with a volcanic cloud after them,

Flying of to the next airport Jackson meets his employer who needs an extra pilot for the trip to China where the vessels are kept, after yet another over the top action sequence they are left to fend for themselves in the middle of the mountains of China, meeting a family who has worked on vessels and created a plan to sneak on a vessel.

Roland Emmerich follows up action blockbuster like Independence day, Godzilla and Day after tomorrow with another action blockbuster and he sure dose like destroying America in his movies.

This is a truly epic survival adventure if not very hard to believe it is full of cliche and cheesy one liners and overall just a good fun movie to watch, he throws up the question ‘what would we do in this situation?’ and puts out how money can buy you safety.

Overall i would give it an 82% as it keeps you holing onto what will happen next.

Categories
Movie Review

Buried (2010)

Director:Rodrigo Cortes

Starring: Ryan Reynolds

A man Paul Conroy (Ryan Reynolds) is buried in a coffin and has 90minutes to raise $5 million simple sounding movie right?

From the opening scene or Paul stirring awake realising where he is you just know you have to see this through to the end. Finding out he has a lighter, cellphone and the contents of his pockets. After making several phone calls trying to he starts finding solutions but just as one closes another one started.

This movie is one the most suspense driven movies you could possibly see Ryan Reynolds shines in this outstanding performance that will have you seating on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

Rating a nail bitting 90%

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Movie Review

Red (2010)

Retired and Extremely Dangerous that is Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) Marvin Boggs ( John Malkovich) Victoria (Helen Mirren) and Joe Matherson (Morgan Freeman) these characters are trying to figure out why the C.I.A after trying to kill them. Being lead by William Cooper (Karl Urban) our veterans play a game of cat and mouse which slowly unfolds the reasons for the hunt down by the C.I.A.

Full of lots of action sequences and one liners and a storyline that keeps you interested all the way through. Brucie does what he does best, John Malkovich shines as the one who has lost his mind and Karl Urban does a very good job as the government guy.

with all the twists and turns this movie is one for all action movie fans i will give it a solid 82%

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Movie Review

G.I Joe The rise of Cobra (2009)

Director:Stephen Sommers

Starring: Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Christopher Eccleston, Sienna Miller, Byung-hun Lee, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rachel Nicholls, Ray Park, Jonathan Pryce, Said Taghmaoui, Channing Tatum, Arnold Vosloo, Marlon Wayans, Dennis Quaid

From the director of ‘the mummy’, ‘the mummy returns’ and ‘van helsing’ Stephen Sommers brings us G.I Joe the rise of cobra. first of i have no idea any back story of an G.I Joe so all the characters i talk about are new to me.

We start of learning how Mccullen family traded weapons to both sides on war and getting caught and having to wear a mask for the rest of his life. fast forward to ‘the near future’ we see James MCcullen (Christopher Eccleston) owner of MCcullen Enterprise who develop weapons and they have now created a nano byte weapon capable of eating through metal. Leaving his weapons in the hands of a team of elite marines to deliver lead by Captain Duke Hause (Channing Tatum) and Ripcord (Marlon Wayans). The convoy comes under attacking by a team lead by The Baroness (Sienna Miller) using weapons they are unfamiliar with, Duke and Ripcord try to fight back only to be saved by the Joes Heavy Duty, Scarlett, Breaker and Snake Eyes.

After returning with the Joes to the base meeting General Abernathy (Dennis Quaid) the pass over the weapons after communication with MCcullen. Duke and Ripcord request to join the Joes and they were once scouted before they give them a chance cue the montage of the training program.

On the other side of the fence we learn that MCcullen actually organised the attack on the convoy. He and the mysterious Doctor (Joseph Gordon Levitt) have created super soldiers who know no fear. Along with the Baroness he has Storm Shadow and Zartan in his villain squad. The team attacks the Joes base stealing the weapons.

In there investigation into the Baroness who also happens to be Duke ex-fiancee the Joes stumble upon the team and of we go with a high speed chase through Paris.

overall this is a fun movie with some very well used flashbacks connection between Duke and Baroness also Storm Shadow and Snake eyes. yes this is an over the top action movie but it also doesn’t lose the viewer due to something always going on. filled with simple one liners you get the Stephen Sommers feel from start to finish.

My score will be 93%

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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%