Returned 45 results for 'Category: Hollywood Movie Reviews'
Spectecular to See Monster Drama in Cloverfield
Tuesday, December 27th, 2011
Movie: Cloverfield
Year: 2008
Genre: Sci-Fi/Horror/Action
Director: Matt Reeves
Stars: Mike Vogel, Jessica Lucas and Lizzy Caplan
Snapshot of Story:
New York is invaded by alien monsters as witnessed by a group of people through their video camera recovered after the aftermath.
Movie reviews and Ratings of Cloverfield
Storyline:
The movie Cloverfield comes in the wake of other ‘reality’ movies such as Paranormal Activity that created quite a sensation during its launch. This movie attempts to do the same by capturing scenes through a video camera as witnessed by a citizen and add more realism to the whole story. Unlike Paranormal Activity, this movie had a much bigger budget to create the special effects of the huge monsters terrorizing New York city.
There were some complaints by viewers that the constant movement of the camera by the person capturing the scenes had a nauseating effect. From my point of view, I thought the camera shake was acceptable and I am pretty sure that the producers went to great lengths to get this part right. There was a good balance of camera shake and the actual footage of the events happening and I believe one needs to be somewhat immersed in the movie to dismiss the camera shake.
The movie on it’s first watch created a sense of realism as the few members of the group make their way through the chaos towards safety as portrayed through the eye of the lens. The special effects of the bridge falling and the haphazard appearance of the monsters and their siblings were very well done. There was one particular scene where the members witness the ensuing battle of the US soldiers firing against the monsters which was very well captured and added a heightened sense of franticness and pace.
Although the movie did somewhat focus on the lives of the members of the group at the start, this was dwarfed by the action scenes that followed. Only when Jason (played by Mike Vogel) pursued his love interest did the audience come back momentarily from the chaos and destruction that was surrounding them.
Final Thoughts:
Overlooking the ‘camera shake’ that a few people complained about, Cloverfield set another bar for a movie reality show and did it in style. This was a big budget movie and not the typical amateur point and shoot that one came to expect, ie. Paranormal Activity and Blair Witch Project. One felt quite immersed in the whole action movie due to some good acting and excellent direction by Matt Reeves.
Rating:
7.5/10
Tags: Jessica Lucas, Lizzy Caplan, Matt Reeves, Mike Vogel, movie reviews and ratings of Cloverfield, Spectecular to See Monster Drama in Cloverfield
The Most Advanced Animated Film in HD - Avatar
Wednesday, December 21st, 2011
Movie: Avatar
Year: 2009
Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Action
Director: James Cameron
Stars: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana and Sigourney Weaver
Snapshot of Story:
A paraplegic soldier arrives at a far distant world called Pandora where humans have setup mining operations for precious materials. The soldier sides with the natives of Pandora called Navi to defend their own home against a ruthless Colonel .
Movie Reviews and Ratings of Avatar
Storyline:
Avatar was a major worldwide blockbuster hit of 2009 coming from the camp of James Cameron who also happens to have the number one spot for the movie Titanic made back in 1997. This epic movie in typical Cameron style had one of the biggest budgets in movie making history and when you watch the movie, you will know why.
For Cameron, it is not sufficient to have a movie with just great special effects and action but it needs to be tied to an engaging storyline which Avatar delivers upon. At the beginning of the movie we are introduced to Jake Sully (played by Sam Worthington) who is a paraplegic and disembarks the ship that brings him to the remote planet called Pandora. We are introduced to the planet bit by bit as the story unfolds and the superb special effects have their place when the helicopter ascends to the skies and shows the wondrous planet in its full glory.
Jake Sully is recruited to become an Avatar of the indigenous race Navi in order to learn more about them and indirectly exploit their planet. There are many Avatars recruited by the mining company and Grace (played by Sigourney Weaver) heads this research part of the operation. Sully who is paraplegic becomes suspended in the sleep like state in order for his Avatar to come alive. This is a touching moment since he is now able to walk and roam like the others in his new Avatar form. He ultimately bonds with a small group of Navi and befriends them to learn more of their ways. Cameron does not focus on too much of the technical details of the Avatar such as when the Avatar goes to sleep when Sully comes out of his state of suspension. Cameron leaves this to the imagination of the audience.
Sully falls for one of the Navi called Neytiri and the special bond between them is carried throughout the movie. Most of Cameron’s movies centers around a strong union and bond between two central characters within the movie and Avatar is no exception. Cameron is able to convey a heightened sense of feelings and realism through the eyes of these characters to the audience. This was typified in one of the scenes where Sully and Neytiri find themselves exploring the forest at night of and the audiences gasp at the foliage and plants of the Pandora’s forest. Cameron obviously spent a great deal of time to get this scene right as it was the very first time that the audience witnesses the awe and sensation of Pandora. The fact that he recruited biologist and paleontologists to bring about this scene is a testament to his vision of producing something just right.
As Sully becomes more immersed with the clan he develops a deep affection for the Navi race and their beliefs and culture. This however is at odds end to the ruthless dictatorship of the mining company whose sole aim is for profit and they see the Navi race as a hindrance towards their objective. Under the leadership of Colonel Miles Quaritch (played by Stephen Lang) the soldiers are sent to show their might and displace the Navi population away from their operations. Cameron is clearly sending an underlying message in this part of the movie and possibly showing his resentment towards super power politics of today.
There is a final battle with the Navi and the Colonels army where the Navi’s prevail. Cameron cleverly brings about the supernatural forces lying within Pandora where the Navis are intrinsically connected to.
Final Thoughts:
Although Avatar failed to receive many Oscars for its block buster hit in 2009, unlike the previous movie Titanic, it nevertheless set another milestone in cinematography. The resounding success throughout the world and topping the all-time box-office chart is an indication of its wide appeal. Look out for the next Avatar which is said to be taking place under water, a favorite theme of James Cameron.
Rating:
9/10
Tags: James Cameron, Movie reviews and ratings of Avatar, Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, The Most Advanced Animated Film in HD - Avatar, Zoe Saldana
Movie Reviews and Ratings of Thor - The God of Thunder
Saturday, December 17th, 2011
Movie Review: Thor
Year: 2011
Genre: Fantasy/Action
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Stars: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman
Snapshot of Story:
Thor is born into the royal family of the fabulous city of Asgard, a far distant planet from earth and possesses fantastic powers and strengths nothing like that seen on earth. He is cast out of the realm by his Father (King) for disobedience and has to battle with the evil elements of the universe before being restored to his full glory.
Movie Reviews and Ratings of Thor - The God of Thunder
Story:
Thor came about in the midst of many Marvel movies such as the Green Hornet, Captain America and has a unique quality and entertaining value all of its own. The story though typical is well executed by the director and adds a charm, romance and chivalry into one package that leaves you feeling satisfied at the end.
Unlike the other movies with the exception of the X-Men, the story telling of these much loved Marvel comic heroes can be difficult in the two hours permissible. The Green Hornet fell mercy to this but Thor takes you on a fantastic journey that propels you through the action including the romantic scenes between the two stars Thor and the scientist Jane Foster (played by Natalie Portman).
As always Anthony Hopkins manages to bring a strong presence to the role as King of Asgard and the characters of the two rival sons come out as both believable and strong. When Thor is evicted from his home planet and lands on earth we see a representation of a character that strives for more with his power but lacks the discipline of a responsible and a wise mature man. This is nicely carried forward into the predicament that he finds himself on earth and how his personality becomes shaped by people around him. In particular his gentle side of his character comes out when he is in the presence of Jane and the more toned down he becomes as he interacts with the other humans.
The final culmination of the movie happens when he is again given a chance to come back into his domain and kingdom and we can immediately see the new Thor. This was the very quality Thor’s father was looking for inside of his sone and it was a fitting end to the whole movie.
Final Thoughts:
Thor is an interesting movie in that it does not try to buck the standards of movie making but the director has taken a different approach and addressed the ‘plot’ which makes a good movie. Most other movie makers will attempt to use all the latest techniques of movie making and therefore overshadow the whole plot. One notable movie that does this is Transformers where the overuse of special effects can lead to a confusing plot as in the last helping of the Transformers series. The director Kenneth Branagh manages to capture a fantasy movie that encapsulates all the action, romance and chivalry into one highly entertaining package.
Rating:
7.5/10
A good movie to enjoy on your date
Tags: Anthony Hopkins, Chris Hemsworth, Kenneth Branagh, movie review and ratings of thor, Movie Reviews and Ratings of Thor - The God of Thunder, Natalie Portman
Horror Story of Learning Exorcism - The Rite
Thursday, December 15th, 2011
Movie: The Rite
Year: 2011
Genre: Horror/Thriller
Director: Mikael Håfström
Stars: Colin O’Donoghue, Anthony Hopkins and Ciarán Hinds
Snapshot of Story:
An American seminary student arrives in Italy to attend a course in exorcism, something which he has many doubts and events ensue that leads him to question his very own faith.
Movie reviews and ratings of The Rite
Storyline:
Michael Kovak played by Colin O’Donoghue is a student of religious studies but has strong doubts about his faith in Christianity. His instructor at college insists that he goes to Italy on an exorcism course which he hoped will open his eyes more.
Once Michael arrives in Italy he is given an assignment to work with Father Lucas played by Anthony Hopkins who performs regular exorcism on the locals. When Michael witnesses his first exorcism that Father Lucas performs on the girl, he begins to doubt whether the condition is not just a simple medical one. He persists in believing that Father Lucas is cleverly manipulating the situation to make it appear that the person is possessed.
It is not until later after witnessing a few more exorcisms that Michael begins to believe this in himself, in particular the unexplained phenomenon of certain events happening during the exorcism procedure. He confides with another class mate on this matter and is drawn more and more into the mysterious set of events occurring all around him.
Father Lucas eventually becomes possessed by himself and now Michael is at the point where his faith and the belief in the devil become more paramount to his cause. Towards the end we see Michael and Father Lucas battle it out with the devil and both ultimately triumphs.
Final Thoughts:
The movie starts well with the story unfolding to reveal the truth in the possession but then loses its focus and leaves the audience confused. Although acting by both Anthony Hopkins and Colin O’Donoghue was on par, the confusing plot and the events towards the end were a bit of a let-down. Although dark and sinister in its portrayal of the horror genre, it had more potential than what was produced by the director.
Rating:
6/10
Tags: Anthony Hopkins, Ciarán Hinds, Colin O'Donoghue, Horror Story of Learning Exorcism - The Rite, Movie review and ratings of The Rite
The Adventure Comedy with Animation: Rango
Tuesday, December 13th, 2011
Movie: Rango
Year: 2011
Genre: Animation/Adventure
Director: Gore Verbinski
Stars: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher and Timothy Olyphant
Snapshot of Story:
Rango is about a chameleon who has ambitions to be a great star and has his wish come true when he is thrown off the back of a pickup truck.
Movie Reviws and Ratings of Rango
Storyline:
Rango is a chameleon and dreams of becoming a star and then suddenly finds himself in the wilderness where his adventure begins. An amusing part of the movie is when the singing mariachi owls would appear from time to time to narrate the story.
Rango finds himself in a remote western town called ‘Dirt’ far from civilization and becomes the towns sheriff only to discover that the town’s water supply is almost dry. He goes about seeking the answers which has put the townsfolk under terrible duress all this time and tries to find a solution.
In his search Rango meets the Mayor of the town and suspects right away that something more is going on behind the scenes. He meets one of the hoodlums working for the mayor called rattlesnake Jake and also battles with the bird that terrorizes the town. When Rango is able to defeat the bird, the whole townsfolk rejoices and treat him like a Savior.
Rango ultimately prevails and his shortcoming are no match for his quick witted thinking and is soon able to unravel the town’s mystery and free everyone from the dreadlock.
Final Thoughts:
Rango is a very interesting animation in that it has some obvious complexity in its dialogue which requires more of an adult understanding. Despite this, the movie appeals well to the younger audience as well as having the entertainment quality demanded by adults. The complex characters appear dis-jointed at first but come together in the movie to make it a very enjoyable family watch.
Rating:
7.5/10
Tags: Isla Fisher, Johnny Depp, Movie reviews and ratings of Rango, The Adventure Comedy with Animation: Rango, Timothy Olyphant
