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Archive for the ‘Reviews by Genre’ Category

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

July 27th, 2009
Moon - Sam Rockwell, kevin Spacey

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen

Rating: ★★★★½

Movie: Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

Studio : Dreamworks

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 150min

Website : transformersmovie.com

Trailer :  http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9u4f4

 

Review:

When I saw Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen I had already heard the bad reviews: it was too long with no storyline but that Megan Fox’s boobs in slow motion made it tolerable. I wasn’t a fan of the cartoon as a kid but I loved the first Transformers movie, so I went in assuming that I would be disappointed.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a high energy action movie, it starts out mid battle between Autobots and Decepticons and never really drops from that intensity. There is a loose story, Sam Witwicky (Shia LeBouf) is going off to college and trying to escape the responsibility that comes along with the Autobots. Though each character from the last film makes a reappearance with a brief story revolving around Sam leaving, his parents (Julie White and Kevin Dunn) are both excited and distraught and his girlfriend, girlfriend Mikela (Megan Fox) wants to break off the relationship, but in reality White and Dunn were inserted for comic relief and Fox for sex appeal. The bulk of the movie is exactly what the title says: cars, trucks, and other electronics transforming into larger than life warriors battling for the protection / destruction of earth.

These stock characters and slim storyline didn’t take away from the movie, I didn’t go into the theater thinking that I was going to see a drama, I was prepared for an action movie with huge explosions, and that is exactly what Michael Bay delivered. The 2 ½ hours flew by from fight scene to fight scene with enough emotional attachment for Optimus Prime from the first movie to pull on some heart strings. The fight scenes were a bit messy, with so many machines fighting each other it was hard to keep track of who was an Autobot and who was a Decepticon but I was enthralled, anxious to see how the movie resolved itself, and never once looked at my watch to see how long I was in the theater. Explosions and fight scenes are what the audience expects from an action movie, and that is exactly what Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen was made to be.

-Andrea Janov

Action, Adventure, In Theaters, Sci-Fi ,

Moon – Mystery SciFi Thriller

July 24th, 2009
Moon - Sam Rockwell, kevin Spacey

Moon - Sam Rockwell

Rating: ★★★★½

Movie: Moon (2009)

Studio : Liberty Films UK

Info : Click Here 

Runtime : 97min

Website : sonypictures.com/classics/moon/

Trailer : http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x9jn9l

 

Review:

It’s been a while since I thought of Gerry Anderson’s Space1999, but Moon, directed by Duncan ‘I’m-David-Bowies’-kid-Jones made me feel all nostalgic for that long-ago TV series…and a whole lot more. This is a throw-back to the science-fiction films I grew up on, heavy on character, idea and story (remember ‘story’ kids?) and less on any real effects. I had thought this kind of science fiction filmmaking was over and I was tickled to see the use of miniatures (I assume), imaginatively treated sets, clothes and neato vehicles making a comeback. Used to be I could suspend belief quite easily because effects didn’t take me out of the element of the film but because of the recent spate of ridiculous CGI it’s been a long time for me to really get into and believe a film of a fantastic nature.

 Moon had me believing I really was ‘up there’ with Rockwell and his dilemma. 
Sam Rockwell playing Sam Bell, treats us to an unnerving 97 minutes, centered round the perfect dusty tightness of cinematographer Gary Shaw’s movements and sets. As we should all come to expect from Rockwell, his performance is top rate, in what can only be described, in the strictest sense of the word, a ‘dual role’. I knew the guy could act ever since I saw him as Chuck Barris in Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind but watch the guy in this movie and you’re convinced he is one of the best of his generation.

Helped along by his GERTY robot (voiced by Kevin Spacey) a mystery is slowly revealed to explain just what and who Sam really is. And while laconic movies of this type usually implode after the secret is out, it is a testament to the power of Nathan Parker’s screenplay (Jones wrote the story but then handed screen writing over to Parker) and Rockwell’s amazing acting chops that keeps one engrossed with Moon, on the Moon, about Moon ‘til the very end.
 
-Ralph Greco, Jr.

In Theaters, Mystery, Sci-Fi, Thriller , , ,

The Hangover – Comedy

June 15th, 2009
The Hangover - Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms

The Hangover - Bradley Cooper

Rating: ★★★★★

Movie: The Hangover (2009)

Studio : Legendary Pictures

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 100min

Website : hangovermovie.warnerbros.com

Trailer :
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8l0df

Review:

The Hangover follows four friends as they recuperate from a wild bachelor party in Las Vegas the night before. Their action-packed fun comes to an abrupt halt when they realize the groom of the wedding is missing, and with misty eyes and splitting headaches, the crew must make sense of their hazy remnants of memories. Slowly but surely, the guys acquire clue after clue and jump from lead to lead in an attempt to retroactively reconstruct the night in order to save the wedding later the next day.

Already being hailed as a strong candidate for best comedy of 2009, The Hangover provides a perfect cast with raunchy yet sensible comedy in a fairly relatable situation: the crazy party scene of Las Vegas made possible by thorough intoxication. Comedic heavyweights such as Zach Galifianakis (Dog Bites Man) and Ed Helms (The Office) play extremely different characters, but effectively evoke the same type of uncontrollable belly-laughter that makes this film so praiseworthy. Stu (Ed Helms) is the most mature of the bunch, but is also the quickest to rebel as he finally has some freedom from his overbearing and emotionally abusive girlfriend, who constantly calls to check on him. Stu is that guy that everybody knows, the type that is plagued by incessant misfortune, but you just can’t stop yourself from laughing at his unlucky situations and pitiful lamentations. Alan (Zach Galifianakis) is the eccentric brother of the bride, a sort of peculiar character whose generally awkward and slightly clueless demeanor yields unintentional humor line after line.

The range of characters and consistent production of ridiculous humor greatly outweighs the drawbacks of this movie. The pace is a bit slow, but the story seems to get more and more intriguing as the viewer gets another piece of the events that transpired. All in all, The Hangover is a certifiably amusing tale with sustained comedy and an unconventional method of storytelling.

-Daniel S.

Comedy, In Theaters

Drag Me to Hell – Horror Thriller

June 10th, 2009
Drag Me to Hell - Alison Lohman

Drag Me to Hell - Alison Lohman

Rating: ★★★★☆

Movie: Drag Me to Hell (2009)

Studio : Ghost House Pictures; Universal

Info : Click Here

Runtime : 99min

Website : dragmetohell.net

Trailer :
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x8nkai

Review:
Drag Me to Hell marks Sam Raimi’s reinsertion to the horror genre, a director infamous for his cult series The Evil Dead. His latest endeavor follows Christine Brown (Alison Lohman), a loan officer from Los Angeles determined for a promotion to assistant manager. In an attempt to impress her boss, Christine forces herself to deny an old woman’s loan extension. The woman, named Mrs. Ganush (Loran Raver), gets on her knees and begs Christine to grant her an extension, but she does not falter. At the end of the day, Christine is assaulted by Mrs. Ganush, and after a brief tussle, she places a curse on her. Christine is to be tormented by demons for three days, in a sort of “Hell on Earth scenario”, before ultimately being dragged to Hell to burn for eternity. Knowing this, she must find a way to destroy the haunting demon before time expires.

Overall, the film is spot-on. Raimi provides a script full of suspense, sheer terror, and even some morbid humor. One would think that after 22 years of directorial projects outside of the genre, it would be tough to dive back in. However this is not the case, as Drag Me to Hell knows how to push all the right buttons to create optimal enjoyment for the audience. Unfortunately there are some pitfalls in the movie, albeit rather minor. The computer-generated effects are quite underwhelming at times, and even if the plot is enticing, it feels rather thin. Despite these complaints, Drag Me to Hell is an entertaining watch with loads of hair-raising moments guaranteed to keep you situated at the edge of your seat.

-Daniel S.

Horror, In Theaters, Thriller