Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)

Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)


User Reviews

For years I have been a huge fan of the Ice Age series and had been expecting this new movie for months! Needless to say I was counting the days until the release of the movie and the hilarious teasers were really making the waiting difficult ...
I saw it tonight and have to admit that I feel really disappointed ... Was I expecting too much ? We were a group of young adults who grew up with the movies, or at least liked them a lot and we felt let down. The storyline feels a little weak, I thought there would be a lot of adventure and action, as in the 3 previous ones where you don't see how time flies ... This one, if not boring, is too simple, not to mention incredibly predictable. There is no twists and turns. When you think about the first episode, yes, you realize how poor the scenario is in this new one.
I admit there's been a real effort to create an original story that might bring the characters in another world and make them live another adventure, different from the previous ones. I think this part is a total failure. Not to mention the "song" they put in the movie, it was nothing but ridiculous and irrelevant, especially for a movie series as famous as Ice Age. I thought it was unnecessary.
But since I laughed a few times and feel really bad about writing such a "negative" review, I have to admit that some of the scenes were absolutely hilarious and the characters have been kept as funny as they used to be, especially Sid (and his incredible grandmother). It's just a pity that the funny parts are so negligible ... You smile a lot, you laugh sometimes, but certainly not during the whole movie.
Maybe I am too old to appreciate this movie as I should have, as I'm sure the kids will love it and the movie will have a lot of success this summer. I don't wish it the contrary, I just watched it with my not-so-kid-anymore-but-very-nostalgic-eyes and went out of the theater with the feeling that something from before was clearly missing ...

Storyline

When Scrat accidentally provokes a continental cataclysm with a storm, Manny is separated from Ellie and Peaches on an iceberg with Diego, Sid and Granny but he promises that he will find a way to return home. While crossing the ocean, they are captured by the cruel pirate Captain Gutt and his crew. However they escape and Manny plots a plan to steal Captain Gutt's ship and return to his homeland in a dangerous voyage through the sea. But the cruel pirates seek revenge against Manny and his family and friends.


Cast

John Leguizamo, Ray Romano, Chris Wedge, Denis Leary, Seann William Scott, Jennifer Lopez, Queen Latifah, Peter Dinklage, Nick Frost, Josh Gad, Nicki Minaj.

The Master (2012)

The Master (2012)


User Reviews

I was fortunate enough to see this movie much earlier than most. To me it seems like Anderson is really hitting his stride with this one. It was odd to me that upon exiting the theater the thing that I wondered about most of all is what the hell is he going to do next!
The Master is not an easy movie to sit through, and at times you don't even know what the movie wants. But then you realize that the movie doesn't want anything. All it asks is for you to observe. More so than his earlier movie, "The Master" and "There Will Be Blood" really venture into the realm of the movie as being a purely cinematic presentation of a life. Anderson doesn't pass judgment or any point of view, he merely stretches the canvas which allows his characters to speak for themselves.
Yes, there is a beginning, middle and an end, but is there? Do we really have a sense of catharsis at the end of "There Will Be Blood"? or do we simply understand "man" a little better?
Anderson insisted, as I'm sure he would say the same for this film, that "There Will Be Blood" wasn't a metaphor for anything. It was what it was. No hidden meaning, no sophisticated and often formulaic subtext. It's simply man. As Hoffman's character says in the trailer for "The Master" - "But above all, I am a man".
The movie deals with an interesting idea of the leader vs. the soldier, master vs. slave. It breaks down the anatomy of a relationship so you may interpret it in any way you'd like.
It's beautifully shot on 65/70mm movie which is the way I saw it and the way I recommend for you to see it if you get a chance to. Feels almost as if Anderson is giving the finger to the digital revolution by shooting his film on a resolution so high that digital can only dream of getting there in about ten years or so.
The acting and the dialog is superb as you'd expect. Phoenix and Hoffman are on a different level here, especially Phoenix in a role of a life time. There are definitely times in this film that he completely disappears into that role. There is also some great supporting work from Laura Dern and others.
It would be difficult to place this film in his body of work. More than anything it feels like the natural continuation of what he started with "There Will Be Blood". Not to say that he will continue on this path but just that this is definitely a more narrowly focused film than some of his earlier ensemble work.
I found it to be less engaging than some of his other work and yet there was never a dull moment. You're always on your toes, trying to understand what's going on and where the movie is leading you.
It really is simply, just like man, a fascinating piece of work.

Storyline

Returning from Navy service in World War II, Freddie Quell drifts through a series of breakdowns. Finally he stumbles upon a cult which engages in exercises to clear emotions and he becomes deeply involved with them.


Cast

Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Laura Dern, Jesse Plemons, Ambyr Childers, Rami Malek, Madisen Beaty, Kevin J. O'Connor, Patty McCormack, Lena Endre.

The Intouchables (2011)

The Intouchables (2011)


User Reviews

Do not look at this through the prism of "Foreign Films". You'd be wasting your time and miss something far too important.
Hollywood does scale like nobody else, leaving the competition gasping in its wake. France does intimacy, and brutality. Nothing is sacred. And rather than try to revive the New Wave or emulate Hollywood like most widely seen French movie of late, "Intouchables" harnesses its core strengths - ease with intimacy, willingness to ridicule anything and brutal honesty - and delivers one of the funniest, most honest and touching movie I have ever seen.
Sy is a failed robber, going through the motions and playing the stereotypical jobless émigré. Cluzet is a romantic and melancholy mind trapped in a useless body. The circumstances that bring them together are too funny to spoil here, but meet they do, and an awkward relationship quickly blossoms as they bring out the best in each other.
The film's simplicity is delightfully misleading: the script is a masterpiece of comedy writing, and however good the rest of the cast is, the central duo is magical. Sy's comic timing will have you in stitches, but it is his honesty and vulnerability that make you fall in love with the character. Cluzet isn't your typical sad-sack, instead, much of the finest pleasures in the movie consist in watch him use his keen mind to mess with the world around him (a subplot about an abstract painting really takes the biscuit, you'll know it when you see it).
This is one of the most unique, beautiful and honest friendships ever committed to movie. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry... a delightful celebration of everything in life that makes it worthwhile.

Storyline

In Paris, the aristocratic and intellectual Philippe is a quadriplegic millionaire who is interviewing candidates for the position of his carer, with his red-haired secretary Magalie. Out of the blue, the rude African Driss cuts the line of candidates and brings a document from the Social Security and asks Phillipe to sign it to prove that he is seeking a job position so he can receive his unemployment benefit. Philippe challenges Driss, offering him a trial period of one month to gain experience helping him. Then Driss can decide whether he would like to stay with him or not. Driss accepts the challenge and moves to the mansion, changing the boring life of Phillipe and his employees.


Cast

François Cluzet, Omar Sy, Anne Le Ny, Audrey Fleurot, Clotilde Mollet, Alba Gaïa Kraghede Bellugi, Cyril Mendy, Christian Ameri, Marie-Laure Descoureaux, Salimata Kamate, Absa Diatou Toure.

Killing Them Softly (2012)

Killing Them Softly (2012)


User Reviews

If you want to watch Scarface - go watch Scarface. This movie isn't. KTS is a 180 from the majority of crime classics and their many copycats.
The factor that clumps most crime genre flicks together is the top-down perspective. For instance, in the Departed it was the rats joining up with the heads of their respective sides of the law - Costello and Queenin. The same with Pauli in Goodfellas, the Don in Godfather.
KTS splits apart because it is a movie about crime from the perspective of the prey. The opening shot is a junkie in a cold, wet New Orleans wind, lost in a whirlwind of trash against harsh white sky. This is the view of hopelessness - its also the familiarity of many post-disaster neighborhoods. These characters absorbed into the criminal underworld, not because they are evil, but because they haven't many other options and they're too dumb to know the danger they are in. This is the what KTS communicates to us with the background broadcast of the '08 elections and financial meltdown.
When bullets fly in this movie - you feel it, because you feel for the characters, which is why having Cogan as its opaque center is so blisteringly effective. He is pragmatic, unapologetic and a completely objective lens to see through. He is the balance between the corrupt political overcast and slime at the bottom of the barrel.
"America isn't a country. It's a business."
Cogan is the the cleanup for the corporation. He snips the buds, ties up the loose ends. He is the inevitability of the business world.
"They are all nice guys."
The humanization of the characters drains you as one by one they slip into darkness. Cogan's jaws open and you understand that the characters are rats in a labyrinth, they are all gears that will eventually be discarded. The soundtrack rhetoric quite fluidly illuminates the movies' greater statement. With all the economic jargon in a ping-pong propaganda game there are people sleeping out on the streets - and a hungry dog has to eat. And all the way up the food chain, through a shady poker game in the back of some shut-down strip mall, to the podium and our new elected president, everyone is a hungry dog here.
This is a methodical film that takes its time with each individual scene. It plays with time and space, slowing down, drifting in and out and then exploding. Cogan walks through the sparks and smoke, he is our escort in understanding the nature and design of things, and he does with an unforgettable composure.
The elements of the movie - acting, cinematography, etc, adapt to its scope and drive, the purpose that the makers sat down and did it. Each end does its job, and considering where you end up there's not much room for improvement in any area. Is it the Godfather? No. But its something completely different, and for what KTS was intending to accomplish, it was excellent.
Don't be deterred by the negative reviews, but don't go in expecting the recycling of Scorsese and Copella. This a picture of its own kind, of its own vision. Let it move you.

Storyline

Three amateurs stickup a Mob protected card game, causing the local criminal economy to collapse. Brad Pitt plays the hitman hired to track them down and restore order.


Cast

Brad Pitt, Scoot McNairy, James Gandolfini, Ray Liotta, Ben Mendelsohn, Richard Jenkins, Vincent Curatola, Sam Shepard, Slaine, Max Casella, Trevor Long.

Playing for Keeps (2012)

Playing for Keeps (2012)


User Reviews

Just saw Playing for Keeps at a preview screening last night. Few script surprises in this stock-standard romantic comedy. If you didn't see the end coming in the first 20 minutes, you weren't paying attention. Still, a pleasant date night diversion nonetheless.
Direction and photography were above average. All the actors played their parts up to the very limits of the script. Gerard Butler was quite believable in his role as the womanizing ex- soccer star ready to be a grownup. Female members of the audience voiced their approval of him right on cue throughout the movie. His lifelong real-world enthusiasm for soccer (particularly the Celtics) shone though in quite a number of scenes.
The entourage of swooning soccer moms was also a treat to watch. Judy Greer stole the show in her role as Barb. Her mercurial mood changes were simply hilarious. Dennis Quaid's turn as a mysteriously wealthy local businessman and paranoid husband was a hoot. I can't recall many roles he's played that offered the peculiar mix of affable good guy/sinister bad guy seen here.
Watch movie.

Storyline

George is a former professional soccer star who's moved to Virginia to be close to his ex-wife and son. He's broke, jobless, without a plan, and a constant source of disappointment to his son. When he takes over as his son's soccer coach, he has a new connection to the lad. He also gets the attention of three of the players' moms as well as the glad hand of a wealthy dad. His ex-wife's getting married, he has a lead on a sportscasting job, and he finds new ways to disappoint his son. Is there any way he can sort things out?


Cast

Gerard Butler, Jessica Biel, Uma Thurman, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Iqbal Theba, Sean O'Bryan, Dennis Quaid, Judy Greer, Noah Lomax, James Tupper.

A Late Quartet (2012)

A Late Quartet (2012)


User Reviews

Most reviews of "A Late Quartet" are nonsense. Don't see this movie if you expect to better your understanding of Beethoven's last compositions. Don't see this movie if you expect to listen to his Opus 131 uncut. Don't see this movie if you have a hyper-sensitivity to melodrama. This movie isn't in the least a melodrama even if, thank goodness, it is far less heady than anything Henry James or Jane Austen might have created.
What "A Late Quartet" is is a simple psychodrama that happens to deal with the lives of performing artists in New York, New York, a particularly artistic milieu. Are artists sometimes conflicted? Do they experience loss? Do they love? Do they debate whether instinct or methodical behavior yields the better result? Yes, yes, yes, and yes.
The story line is interesting enough, the acting is first-rate, the direction is tops from the top dog to the second assistant viola instructor of Ms. Keener. We liked the movie, which was apparently a big-budget production. That's a shame, because, judging from the box office numbers, it may never cover its costs.

Storyline

After a classical string quartet's 25 years of success, Peter, the cellist and oldest member, decides that he must retire when he learns he has Parkinson's Disease. For the others, that announcement proves a catalyst for letting their hidden resentments come to the surface while the married members' daughter has disruptive desires of her own. All this threatens to tear the group apart even as they are famous for playing Beethoven's String Quartet No. 14, opus 131, a piece that is played non-stop no matter how life interferes.


Cast

Philip Seymour Hoffman, Christopher Walken, Imogen Poots, Catherine Keener, Wallace Shawn, Mark Ivanir, Madhur Jaffrey, Liraz Charhi, Megan McQuillan, Pamela Quinn, Brooklyn Parkinson Group.

End of Watch (2012)

End of Watch (2012)


User Reviews

The script is so well written, it almost hurts. Almost because it is really just good! And I loved the fact, that it got recognized in America too (at the Box office, it did open at Number 1). While I won't go into the story, the casting of Jake and his partner couldn't have been better. It feels like the guys know each other their whole life. Their interactions with social media and "real" life feel ... well real. Nothing in this movie feels like it is staged for entertainment purposes nor does the dialogue sound fake.
I did write drama, but there is also quite a bit of action in this one. The hand-held approach to some of the scenes does not take anything away from them, it actually heightens the experience most of the time. Of course as an Anna Kendrick fan, I would've loved to see more of her in the movie, but it does belong to our two "heroes" and what they are going through. It's nice to see a movie that keeps in touch with current events, have the courage and the quality to bring that "cop" experience on screen

Storyline

In South Central Los Angeles, street cops Brian and Mike are partners - balls-out cowboys patrolling the streets as Latino gangs are in a power struggle with Blacks. Brian and Mike get lucky a couple of times, making big drug and human-trafficking busts, so a Mexican cartel orders their deaths. We meet Mike's pregnant wife (whom he married out of high school) and watch Brian's search for a soul mate. There are internal squabbles within the ranks of the LAPD and lots of squad-car conversation. Can the lads escape the cartel's murderous reach?


Cast

bullet proof vest, u.s. marine, medal of valor, police sergeant, felon, golden gun, south central los angeles.

To the Arctic 3D (2012)

To the Arctic 3D (2012)


User Reviews

Through masterful and patient cinematography and editing, the movie documents a compelling story of survival. I was very much invested and fearful for the mother and her cubs, who were under the constant threat of attack by desperately hungry adult male bears, who were unable to otherwise feed themselves due to the effects of man's environmental recklessness on their habitat. Being a native IMAX movie, the picture quality is superb - way better than, say, Planet Earth or Arctic Tale. The presentation, the aerial shots, and the way the cameras take the viewer on the bears' journey is amazing. As for music, in addition to the Paul McCartney songs, there's also some beautiful original score by Steve Wood. Particularly the delicate celestial track that was also used on the Bluray's home menu screen gave me goosebumps. It's worth noting that a very tiny segment features footage shot using a remote controlled robotic digital camcorder, which (at the obvious expense of image quality) was able to capture the kind of up-close action that would've been impossible to get using the bulky and precious IMAX camera. However, rather than blow those scenes up to fill the entire screen, the movie has the honesty to put them in a sort of small ice-themed frame in the center, as if to say: "Look folks, these are some cool bits that we had to include but we're not by any means trying to pass them as 65mm movie". This is something I came to appreciate having watched Hubble 3D, a movie where the vast majority of the non-CGI parts are cheap consumer camcorder footage (Am I watching an IMAX 3D movie or a reality TV show?). Anyway, if you love having your HD screen filled edge-to-edge with gorgeous full 16:9 65/70mm IMAX shots, you absolutely need to own To the Arctic 3D on Bluray.

Storyline

A journey into the lives of a mother polar bear and her two seven-month-old cubs as they navigate the changing Arctic wilderness they call home.


Cast

Meryl Streep.

The Sessions (2012)

The Sessions (2012)


User Reviews

It's a beautiful and inspiring story. John Hawkes is brilliant in his portrayal of polio-afflicted quadriplegic man, who's quite intellectual and charming. With just his facial expressions and dialogues, Hawkes charms you throughout the movie. Helen Hunt is flawless, as always, and pretty comfortably gets into the shoes of a sex surrogate. William H. Macy and Moon Bloodgood are amazing as the supporting characters; they have some of the best dialogues in the movie.
Mark O'Brien's story is intriguing, inspiring and quite moving. His intention to lose his virginity through a sex surrogate leads him to experience love, both physically and emotionally. Mark O'Brien's story proves that physicality doesn't play such a big role when it comes to affecting and attracting people, in the long run; intellect and charm are greater factors. He affects and attracts the lives of three beautiful women.
The nudity and sex in the movie is not vulgar or erotic; it's more on the emotional and intimate side.
Some of the memorable dialogues from the movie include: 1> "I understand that even among non-believers, the most common expression of sexual ecstasy is 'oh God'". 2> Vera: "Today, they're working on simultaneous orgasm." --- Clerk: "What's that?"
As Betsy Sharkey from Los Angeles Times aptly says, "In a country that embraces cinematic violence with such ease but blushingly prefers to keep sex in the shadows or under the sheets, the grown-up approach of 'The Sessions' is rare."

Storyline

At the age of 38, Mark O'Brien, a man who uses an iron lung, decides he no longer wishes to be a virgin. With the help of his therapist and his priest, he contacts Cheryl Cohen-Greene, a professional sex surrogate and a typical soccer mom with a house, a mortgage and a husband. Inspired by a true story, The Sessions, follows the fascinating relationship which evolves between Cheryl and Mark as she takes him on his journey to manhood.


Cast

John Hawkes, Helen Hunt, William H. Macy, Moon Bloodgood, Annika Marks, W. Earl Brown, Blake Lindsley, Adam Arkin.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)


User Reviews

I just saw the movie at the Pgh premiere and it was amazing. I was hoping I wouldn't be disappointed because I loved the book so much. The movie is very true to the book. A few things have been omitted or changed but it doesn't change the mood of the story. I think the casting choices were spot on. Emma Watson has a scene in which she tears up and cries and it was amazing. I also appreciate how Chbosky made the parents thoughtful people, unlike most teen comedies. I am definitely going to see this movie again because there was so much to take in. Very well done.
It's also lovely to see my hometown as the backdrop. Pgh is a beautiful city and coming out of the Fort Pitt tunnels into the city is an experience that isn't quite captured well enough in the movie. It's still a powerful scene and I teared up watching it.

Storyline

Based on the novel written by Stephen Chbosky, this is about 15-year-old Charlie (Logan Lerman), an endearing and naive outsider, coping with first love (Emma Watson), the suicide of his best friend, and his own mental illness while struggling to find a group of people with whom he belongs. The introvert freshman is taken under the wings of two seniors, Sam and Patrick, who welcome him to the real world.


Cast

Logan Lerman, Emma Watson, Ezra Miller, Paul Rudd, Nina Dobrev, Mae Whitman, Erin Wilhelmi, Johnny Simmons, Joan Cusack, Melanie Lynskey, Kate Walsh.

Pitch Perfect (2012)

Pitch Perfect (2012)



User Reviews

Hideously predictable, cheesy and formulaic. The music is horrific chart pop drivel to match its commercial Hollywood style production. I waited to laugh throughout the entire movie but there was just nothing to laugh at. It is one of the very worst movies I've ever seen. You might just about like it if you happen to be a 10 year old girl.
If you have seen any of the 'comedies' where a group of 'quirky misfits' compete in an obscure competition and triumph 'against the odds' and the girl and the guy fall in love at the end and live happily ever after then you have already seen this one - just probably executed in at least a mildly amusing manner.
Please don't spend your money on this movie. It's just the marketing people of Hollywood cashing in on the dumb and gullible who cotton onto the latest crazes like Xfactor and Britains Got Talent, the latter of which, predictably sparked a series of 'street dance' videos which I'm am sure everyone who loved this movie also enjoyed. There are no original ideas here.

Storyline

The Barden Bellas are a collegiate, all-girls a cappella singing group thriving on female pop songs and their perfect looks. After a disastrous failing at last year's finals, they are forced to regroup. Among the new recruits is freshman Beca, an independent, aspiring DJ with no interest in the college life. But after she meets Jesse, from the rival all-male a cappella group, Beca has a new outlook and takes it upon herself to help the Bellas find their new look and sound and get back into the competition.


Cast

Anna Kendrick, Skylar Astin, Ben Platt, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Rebel Wilson, Alexis Knapp, Ester Dean, Hana Mae Lee, Kelley Jakle, Wanetah Walmsley.

Red Dawn (2012)

Red Dawn (2012)


User Reviews

This is a remake of a 1980s movie where America gets occupied by the Soviet Union and Cuba . Hardly a credible premise but you have to meet it on its own right wing terms . Originally this remake was going to feature an occupation of America by the Chinese . Hardly a credible premise but the fact American movie get shown in China nowadays means there's a massive potential market and being worried about losing money the producers then changed the enemy invasion force to the North Koreans . This is where the whole movie collapses from the outset
Some people have defended this movie on the grounds that such an invasion could be possible down to the fact that NK has an army of one million people under arms . Indeed it does but this misses out that it lacks any logistical capacity . While amateurs talk tactics professionals talk logistics . NK lacks any force projection . By this I mean it lacks any capacity to invade neighbouring countries . It has no real serviceable navy and even a possible invasion of South Korea would involve hundreds of thousands of troops being transported in either trucks or on foot so any surprise attack on America by NK is laughable . The screenplay does try to get around this unconvincing premise by stating the Koreans have launched an attack by EMP weapons that have destroyed America's communication systems and are are being helped by the Russians though it's never stated why the Russians would be brothers in arms with North Korea.
John Milius wrote the original RED DAWN as a right wing wish fulfillment . The world has changed beyond all recognition since then so what's the political subtext ? Is there one ? I'm not sure . One of the protagonists is a former veteran of the Iraqi conflict and leading the band of guerrilla fighters he makes the point " When I was abroad we were the good guys because we brought order . Now we're the bad guys because we bring chaos " I fail see the thinking behind this . Order=good , chaos = bad ? How is that then ? Surely it should be democracy good , tyranny bad ? If you're expecting any profound discussion about the difference between a terrorist and a freedom fighter you're watching the wrong film because the remake of RED DAWN is more concerned about setting up action packed set-pieces where brave Americans kill nasty Asiatic commies
Even then the action scenes collapse when you give them any thought . Don't the North Korean soldiers have things like road blocks where anyone passes through has to be searched for weapons ? There's also a lack of internal continuity . You can guarantee that when the script demands it there's literally thousands of NKs patrolling the streets of the city then when the guerrillas launch an attack there's only a handful of North Koreans who are cannon fodder , then the good guys are back in their camp safe and sound . Why didn't the thousands of communists just head them off in the pass?
The original movie was bad enough but this one is worse . You can perhaps say this remake has better action scenes but for an action scene to successfully work then there has to still an element of credibility involved and everything about this movie lacks any credible element and feels anachronistic in any point it might be making . Indeed in the 1980s American control was criticised in case America became a target of foreign invasion . Try claiming people should be allowed access to guns in case of a sneak attack by North Korea and listen to the laughter.

Storyline

The city of Spokane, Washington is awakened by a North Korean paratrooper invasion. Marine Corps veteran Jed Eckert and his civilian brother, Matt, escape with a group of friends to an isolated cabin in the woods, where they witness the execution of their father at the hands of the ruthless Captain Cho. The brothers unite with their friends to form a guerrilla resistance group--the Wolverines--to drive the invaders from their home.


Cast

Chris Hemsworth, Josh Hutcherson, Isabel Lucas, Adrianne Palicki, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Edwin Hodge, Michael Beach, Connor Cruise, Alyssa Diaz, Matt Gerald, Josh Peck.

Cloud Atlas (2012)

Cloud Atlas (2012)


User Reviews

"Impressive". That's the best description I could come up with after being asked by my brother and sister-in-law about my thoughts on Cloud Atlas immediately following the film's second-ever public screening we'd just attended. Not a very incisive assessment, I'll grant you, but my head was still spinning as I tried to make sense of what I'd just witnessed over the movie jam-packed two hour and forty three minute running time. This may be one the most ambitious and epic movie I've ever seen, demanding rapt attention from viewers as they're taken on an odyssey that spans the globe over 500 years and hopscotches between numerous interwoven story lines that incorporates just about every movie genre available, featuring actors playing several different roles each. Cloud Atlas is based on British author David Mitchell's best-selling 2004 novel and was a huge challenge for the filmmakers to adapt and finance (its estimated budget of over $100 million also makes it the most expensive independent movie ever made). The architects of this beautifully twisted madness are directors/writers/producers Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run) and The Matrix's Wachowski siblings, Andy and Lana (Lana was Larry until a gender transition that was completed about five years ago). The Wachowskis, notoriously press shy, were surprisingly on hand (along with Tykwer) to introduce the movie second screening the morning after its star-studded TIFF world premiere on September 8th at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
A movie this expansive should have a massive cast, considering how many characters appear - not so in this case, though. Principle actors Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugh Grant, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, and Xun Zhou each take on multiple roles that plays loose and fast with the actors' ages, races, and genders (Susan Sarandon, Keith David, James D'Arcy, and Doona Bae also have smaller roles). Having so many dimensions to explore with all of their characters must have been acting nirvana for this lot. For the most part, they pull off the various requirements of the roles, many of which require a significant amount of prosthetics and makeup. Several of the roles were so well disguised that I was completely clueless that a certain actor had played the role until the end credits visually made some of the big reveals (learning that Berry played the white Victorian housewife and Grant a war paint-layered native completely floored me). Sticking around until the end is an absolute necessity for Cloud Atlas - the oohs and ahhs from the sold-out audience as they discovered who actually played some of the parts was a wonderfully unique filmgoing experience for me. For all of the positive aspects that the race bending and gender bending idea brings to the movie, there is the faint whiff of novelty attached to it. Things do get a little silly when you have Weaving seemingly playing an Asian character whose makeup produces more of a Vulcan look (which may have been intentional, as it's for a sci-fi sequence that takes place somewhere in the 2300s), as well as in full drag playing a Nurse Ratched-like character. The latter obviously has parallels to Lana Wachowski's own life and although the nurse character provides some decent laughs, I was a little hung up on how it seemed one of the character's main functions was to generate laughs purely based on the surreal sight of Weaving playing one truly ugly looking woman. Perhaps I'm reading too much into it.
Weaving does provide one of Cloud Atlas' most memorable roles, as the seriously creepy Old Georgie, who terrorizes one of Hanks' many characters. Hanks does some of the best work I've ever seen from him, playing four different characters that range from an unscrupulous doctor in the 1800s to going far against type with maybe the movie standout character, a modern-day thuggish British writer named Dermot Hoggins who gets the ultimate revenge on a critic for a bad review. Berry is excellent with her predominant roles playing an ambitious reporter in 1970s San Francisco and a political figurehead (from what I could grasp) aligned with one of Hanks' characters in the far future, in one of the movie few story lines that doesn't quite work. Also great is Broadbent as both a composer and playing a man tricked into living in a retirement home, who provides the film's best comic relief.
The weighty Cloud Atlas principle themes of philosophy, reincarnation, oppression, and destiny, along with the movie highly challenging pace and complex non-linear storytelling construct will overwhelm many - that's okay, however. I was lost a number of times - not Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy-level lost, mind you, but definitely out of sync with what was happening on screen. This is the type of daring film that demands multiple viewings to completely grasp the filmmakers' grand scope and there's nothing wrong with a little audaciousness from Hollywood once in a while. Even with a big-name cast, it'll be very interesting to see how the otherwise difficult-to-market Cloud Atlas will fare at the box office come late October.

Storyline

Everything is connected: an 1849 diary of an ocean voyage across the Pacific; letters from a composer to his lover; a thriller about a conspiracy at a nuclear power plant; a farce about a publisher in a nursing home; a rebellious clone in futuristic Korea; and the tale of a tribe living in post-apocalyptic Seoul, far in the future.


Cast

Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, Jim Sturgess, DooNa Bae, Ben Whishaw, Keith David, James D'Arcy, Zhou Xun, David Gyasi.

Taken 2 (2012)

Taken 2 (2012)


User Reviews

First off, I enjoyed the Movie, and think it was worth the money I paid to see it. While other reviewers have been beating this movie down, I find that the story itself was carefully structured in the beginning and grants it believability from that point. By carefully structured, I'm mostly talking about the way an ex wife brings her daughter to Istambul to see her ex-husband.
The action sequences are, frankly, amazing. But not being an action junkie, I tend to go more for the story. What bothered me about the story was the portrayal of Kim Mills' boyfriend, and the resolution at the end of the Movie.
Just to note, the sequence on the rooftops of Istambul, someone mentioned it was believable, I wholeheartedly agree... let's just say one of the characters put guts and enthusiasm on display without suddenly becoming an expert... 'nuff said...

Storyline

The retired CIA agent Bryan Mills invites his teenage daughter Kim and his ex-wife Lenore, who has separated from her second husband, to spend a couple of days in Istanbul where he is working. Meanwhile, the patriarch of the community of the Albanian gang of human trafficking, Murad Krasniqi, seeks revenge for the death of his son and organizes another gang to kidnap Bryan and his family. Bryan and Lenore are abducted by the Albanians, but Kim escapes and is the only hope that Bryan has to escape and save Lenore.


Cast

Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Rade Serbedzija, Luke Grimes, Jon Gries, Leland Orser, Daniel Bernard Sweeney, Kevork Malikyan, Alain Figlarz, Frank Alvarez.

Hitchcock (2012)

Hitchcock (2012)


User Reviews

Neither a forensic study of the making of Psycho nor an incisive examination of the man himself, Movie "Hitchcock" is a long, rambling, boring essay that serves only to raise a single question: why on earth was it made? Slavish in its adoration of a director who, on a good day, could be amongst the best in the business and on a bad one, just about the worst ("Torn Curtain", anyone?)"Watch Hitchcock" it plods along without a shiver of suspense nor even a whisper of credibility: "it wuz the wife wot did it, guv", seems to be the writer and director's joint explanation for everything ol' Alfred achieved -- as if Mrs H was in some unfathomable way responsible for her husband's sense of timing, humor, irony and individuality of vision.

What utter tosh. Absent anything substantial to hang onto -- and there's no greater indictment of this dross than that it should feature Hollywood's fattest man yet be entirely weightless itself -- Hopkins does what he can to save being confused with the Hindenberg whilst Mirren plays Mirren in much the same way that Britain's other grand dame is notable for one over-wrought performance after another of Dench playing Dench.

At its daftest when dragging the spectre of the eponymous psycho into Hitchcock's dreams -- the screenplay here is at its most desperate to explain. . . something, anything -- and most boring when purporting to represent a so-what-who-could-care-less liaison between Alma and some bloke whose presence doesn't even register, this really is movie-making of the worst kind: flaccid, fatuous and facile. It may have Hitchcock's name as its title, but of the man himself in the actual movie, there's no sign at all.

Storyline

In 1959, Alfred Hitchcock and his wife, Alma Reville, are at the top of their creative game as filmmakers amid disquieting insinuations about it being time to retire. To recapture his youth's artistic daring, Alfred decides his next film will adapt the lurid horror novel, Psycho (1960), over everyone's misgivings. Unfortunately, as Alfred self-finances and labors on this film, Alma finally loses patience with his roving eye and controlling habits with his actresses. When an ambitious friend lures her to collaborate on a work of their own, the resulting marital tension colors Alfred's work even as the novel's inspiration haunts his dreams.


Cast

Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, James D'Arcy, Jessica Biel, Michael Stuhlbarg, Ralph Macchio, Toni Collette, Danny Huston, Michael Wincott, Kurtwood Smith.

Flight (I) (2012)

Flight (I) (2012)


User Reviews

Over twelve years since helming his last live-action Movie Cast Away, director Robert Zemeckis has decided to mark his comeback to Movie-making with a bang courtesy of his new drama Flight. Having dealt with Delorean time-machines, cartoon rabbits and autistic heroes in his previous productions, Zemeckis takes a dark turn with his latest effort as he teams up with two time Oscar-winning actor Denzil Washington to present a Movie about the temptation of alcohol and how it can affect the life of its central character. While it has been done before in other alcohol-related Movie like The Lost Weekend (1944) and Leaving Las Vegas (1995), you can't help but be intrigued when you know that Denzil has an Oscar nomination for it….
William "Whip" Whitaker (Washington) is a pilot who has an alcohol addiction. After spending a heavy night drinking and doing drugs, he takes charge of his latest flight despite still being in a drunken state. But when his flight starts to develop problems in the engineering department, he manages to prevent the plane from crashing thus saving the lives of nearly everyone on board. Although he is hailed a hero, the toxicology report reveals he had alcohol in his blood which leaves him in a tough predicament as he faces being investigated over the incident. As he continues to indulge himself to booze, those around him including lawyer Hugh Lang (Cheadle), close friend Harling Mays (Goodman) and former drug addict-turned-new love interest Nicole (Reilly) try to support him.
As soon as the Movie starts, you know straight away this isn't Zemeckis's usual territory as we see Whip surrounded by empty beer bottles, lines of cocaine and a sexy (and naked!) Latino woman which sets the tone for what the character's life is all about. This allows writer John Gatins (Oscar-nodded for his script) to create a narrative confrontation for viewers as they become immersed in a story of mental struggle. But for the first half-hour, the film is mostly dominated by the spectacular flight sequence which sees Whip having to handle landing the aircraft in its perilous situation. The director has always excelled when it comes to action scenes and here, it is no exception as the camera shakes uncontrollably and leaves us adrenaline-filled. It is edge-of-your-seat stuff for something so catastrophe and should only be experienced on the big-screen. But the film is not so much about the plane crash and aftermath but is more about Whip's addiction. The highest moments of drama actually occur when confronted by the bottle whether it be at his father's farm or a hotel room he stays at near the film's climax. The latter environment sees him face his toughest choice of whether to drink or not even when facing an important event the following day. Most of the time, the bottle wins the war, just as it unfortunately does so with real life alcoholics. Of course, there are those who try to help him throughout the Movie but his nasty personality overcomes him even to the point when he gains some new romance in his life by hooking up with former drug-user Nicole. Having spent several years starring in average action-flicks, Denzil Washington manages to reclaim responsibility as one of Hollywood's best actors with his stunning performance of a man whose addiction leaves him in a troubled state of mind. Washington is able to mix charisma, aggression and hidden trauma to his performance as he leaves his audience conflicted over whether they should support his battle to recover or loathe him for his selfish attitude. Don Cheadle and Bruce Greenwood lend effective support as the two authoritative men tasked with helping Whip in his situation but having to put up with his outrageous behaviour while John Goodman stumbles off the set of The Big Lebowski to chew scenery in his limited role as the mouthy but comical dealer. A pleasant surprise in the cast comes from British actress Kelly Reilly as she puts on an immaculate Southern accent in her role as Nicole and provides an emotional and wounded counterpoint to Denzil's Whip.
However Zemeckis does let his guard down with the characterisation and plot structure which is what almost ruined Cast Away in its finale. Though we become fascinated by Whip, we never really find out WHY he is an alcoholic even when we get given some brief details about his family history. When we do see him confronting his ex-wife and son, it comes across as predictable for a man in his state and is a plot cliché that has been done so many times in films and television shows. This also affects the Nicole character as she makes an important contribution to the film's first half only to disappear and then randomly pop up in a contrived manner. Audiences will also find it hard to root for Whip as he is presented as unlikeable for the majority of the Movie and even when we get to the important courtroom scenes, we struggle to really know whether to care about his fate.
VERDICT: Robert Zemeckis makes a worthy return to live-action Movie with this gritty but slightly underwhelming character study which is strengthened by an award-winning comeback from Denzil Washington and a mid-air sequence of thrilling proportions.

Storyline

Whip Whitaker is a commuter airline pilot. While on a flight from Orlando to Atlanta something goes wrong and the plane starts to fly erratically. With little choice Whip crashes the plane and saves almost all on board. When he wakes up in the hospital, his friend from the airline union introduces him to a lawyer who tells him there's a chance he could face criminal charges because his blood test reveals that he was intoxicated with alcohol and cocaine. He denies being impaired, so while an investigation is underway, he is told to keep his act together. However, letting go of his addiction is not as easy as it seems...


Cast

Denzel Washington, Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly, John Goodman, Brian Geraghty, Nadine Velazquez, Tamara Tunie, Melissa Leo, Garcelle Beauvais, Justin Martin.

Not Fade Away (2012)

Not Fade Away (2012)


User Reviews

David Chase's "Not Fade Away" looks at what it was like to come of age in the '60s. The main focus is a New Jersey teenager who decides to join a band, but there are clear signs of everything that was going on: the Vietnam War, the generation gap, racial tensions, and Dean Martin's mean-spirited comment about the Beatles. Contrary to the previous reviewer, I would say that this movie is better than "Almost Famous". The latter was too fluffy and came across as a sanitized look at its era. This one is very upfront about what sorts of things happened (including some very tense scenes). And the final line poses a good question about how we as Americans want to be known to the world. Can we eventually look to our best qualities to do what's right?

Storyline

On a train, Keith and Mick chat about the blues and the Rolling Stones are born. Douglas and Joe chat in front of a New Jersey music store, and a band is born: as Douglas's sister tells us, it's one of many that don't make it. We follow Douglas from high school (1963-64), when he sees himself as a loser, into the band, playing drums and singing backup - then as the front man. There are tensions, a breakup, an audition in front of a major player, and decisions. Douglas pursues Grace, a country-club gal with hip sensibilities who believes in him. There's also his father, working class, wanting Douglas to apply himself as he watches his own life fill with regrets.


Cast

Bella Heathcote, Jack Huston, Dominique McElligott, Brad Garrett, Christopher McDonald, Julia Garner, John Magaro, James Gandolfini, Stevie Steel.