Category Archives: Fantasy/Sci-Fi
Flash Movie Review: Dredd
Driving around the city, it has become more and more I wish I had the authority to be the judge, jury and executioner for the crazy drivers around me. The guy who was brushing his teeth and rinsing out with a can of soda while driving would get canned by me. Or the woman who was weaving out of her lane because she was putting on her makeup would be brushed off the road if I had a say. And do not get me started on the parent who was too busy talking on their cell phone at the grocery store to notice their child pulling items off the shelf and onto the floor. If I was in charge there would me more parking spaces and less traffic on the road. Not being a follower of Judge Dredd, I went into this movie with only a vague memory of the 1995 Sylvester Stallone film. Set in the future, citizens lived in huge mega towers that reached 200 floors. The police were known as judges since they had the authority to arrest, try and if need be instantly execute felons. Judge Dredd, played by Karl Urban (Star Trek, The Bourne Supremacy) was a top judge who was assigned a female rookie to train. Cassandra Anderson, played by Olivia Thirlby (Juno, No Strings Attached), was no ordinary judge; she possessed strong psychic abilities. Called to a brutal crime scene, the two became trapped in one of the mega towers, with a bounty placed on their heads by the evil drug lord Ma-Ma, played by Lena Headley (300, Game of Thrones-TV). With the odds stacked against them, the two judges would have to outwit and outlast the constant stream of thugs hell bent on killing them. Karl Urban took this role to heart, not once removing his helmet to give his face some screen time. Olivia did a fine job of acting in this tense film. The special effects were good, especially when showing the effects of the mind altering drug Slo-Mo. What lacked in this movie was sheer excitement; I never felt emotionally engaged with the action scenes. They came across as if they had been over rehearsed, casting a dullness onto the scenes. It seemed as if each scene was volleying between chasing or shooting. The elements were all in place for this to be a better movie; ironically it was the execution of it that softened the impact. Graphic violence with blood.
2 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Looper
It felt like my brain was given an electrical pulse within the first few minutes of this intelligent, science fiction movie. Even those not into this genre, would absolutely enjoy the great story. There were several ways one could interpret the movie. For me, I pondered the concept that our past influences our future and whether fate is finite or can we alter it. From beginning to end, this movie kept my attention with its deft pacing and laser focused direction. Set in the future, time travel has been outlawed. However, large criminal organizations were using it to send people back 30 years where a looper (time traveling assassin) would be waiting to kill them. Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Premium Rush, The Dark Knight Rises), was a smart looper; saving half of his earnings with the intention of moving to France one day. His plans were put into jeopardy the day his next kill arrived and it was an older Joe, played by Bruce Willis (Moonrise Kingdom, Red). Hesitating for a moment, the older Joe escaped and set out to change his past; with the young Joe in pursuit and the mob hunting both of them. If this sounds confusing to you, please do not worry; it will make more sense as you watch the movie. The story was fresh and original with skilled acting propelling everything forward. Joseph Gordon-Levitt was eerily good, looking like a young Bruce Willis. Bruce was back with his macho swagger; one could only imagine he thrived playing a well developed character for a change. Another important aspect was the part of Sara, played beautifully by Emily Blunt (The Five-Year Engagement, Your Sister’s Sister). Remembering the audience’s applause at the end of the film and how the rest of my weekend was great, my past really had an effect on my present. I just hope this movie starts a trend of making more creative, original movies in my future. Brief scenes of blood and violence.
3 1/2 stars
Flash Movie Review: Resident Evil: Retribution
All these years I thought I was big stuff because I could hold my own against the Space Invaders video game. Then Alice came along and burst my bubble. I may not have played the video game this movie was based on, but I felt I had once I saw this action film. Also, this is only the 2nd movie I have seen in the Resident Evil movie franchise. The film started where the last one left off, showing us the previous ending scene in slow motion reverse. With this installment we find Alice, played by Milla Jovovich (The Three Musketeers, The Fifth Element) was mother to hearing impaired Becky, played by Aryana Engineer (Orphan). Alice was living life as a suburban housewife until the neighborhood was attacked by flesh eating zombies. It turned out Alice was being held in a secret testing location by the Umbrella Corporation, keepers of the T-Virus. For Alice to escape out of her holding cell, she would need the help of an insider and former friends. The first impression I had while watching this action film was how long could Milla keep up the physical stamina the role demanded? Presently, I believe Alice would be in the top 3 for being the toughest female action hero on screen today. The action stunts were plentiful, with some in fast motion and others done slowly. The primal story had holes in it that did not explain some things to me, but I do not think it mattered. I found the acting stiff and wooden for the most part, but again so what? The film was meant to be a visual explosion of special effects and action; it succeeded in that regard. This was nothing more than a video game on the big screen, without the joystick.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: ParaNorman
Imagine the possibility that there was something more to those people who had an imaginary friend as a child, or possibly as an adult. What if our imaginary friends were actual people from the past? I, for one, wish I could talk to deceased relatives or historic famous people; what an incredible opportunity it would be. Norman Babcock, voiced by Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In, The Road), talks to dead people. His deceased grandmother, voiced by Elaine Stritch (Monster-in-Law, Autumn in New York), could be found seated on the family sofa knitting away, but only Norman could see her. It was this ability that made Norman stand out, but not in a good way. His schoolmates made fun of him, he had no friends; even his sister Courtney, voiced by Anna Kendrick (Up in the Air, 50/50), considered him a nerd. Norman pretty much was a loner except to the dead people around him. I was immediately drawn to the story due to Norman being different and a loner, a kindred spirit. The tale was about whether Norman could prevent the destruction of his town by zombies, ghosts and a witch’s curse. I do not know if it had to do with the wonderful stop motion filming used for this exciting movie, but I enjoyed everything about it. From the quick humorous one-liners, to the great visuals; seeing this film was absolute fun. I believe an entire family would enjoy this creative movie, with the exception of very young children below the age of five. And for those of you, who still have imaginary friends, feel free to bring them along for a a wildly good time.
3 1 4/ stars
Flash Movie Review: Inkheart
Based on the popular fantasy book trilogy, this story came to life in this fun movie. I actually read the book Inkheart and thought it was a wonderfully creative story. Only if you have read the book, would you be disappointed with this movie. But on the bright side; if you have not read the books, then you would be comfortable seeing this magical tale filled with action, drama and thrills. What made a big difference for me was the great cast. Brendan Fraser (Crash, Furry Vengeance) is the perfect go to guy for these types of roles–fatherly in a large teddy bear way with cartoonish facial expressions. Playing Mortimer aka Mo, he was believable as the gifted reader who could bring characters to life. Let me rephrase that: when Mo reads from a book, the characters really materialize in person. There is a down side to this special talent, however. Someone living in the current world has to take the story book character’s place. Mo with his daughter Meggie, played by Eliza Bennett (Nanny McPhee, Perfect Life) has been searching for the book he read years ago that trapped his wife into its story. With the addition of Paul Bettany (Margin Call, Legion) as Dustfinger and Helen Mirren (The Debt, The Last Station) as Elinor, the actors made this pleasant movie more exciting. I just wish the film had followed the book’s story better. Having said that, I would not have paid full price to see this film in the theaters; but on DVD, it was an enjoyable time.
2 1/3 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: Total Recall
Find me a Rekall center, I’m signing up! Think of the possibilities one could have, being able to have the memories of a dream vacation or having been a race car driver. I gave this some thought after seeing this action movie and decided the first thing I would do would be to save my good memories, so I would never forget them. Speaking of forgetting, those of you who saw the original movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger, this had little in common with it. There were a couple of reminders, but don’t pack a bag for Mars; this slick looking movie was a wild ride. Douglas Quaid/Hauser, played by Colin Farrell (The New World, Horrible Bosses), was a factory worker who discovered fragments of another life inside of his mind, after trying out an establishment that provided fake memories for its customers. Buffed up Colin may not have had the size of Arnold, but I liked his acting a whole lot better. Kate Beckinsale (The Aviator, Underworld franchise) as Dennis’ wife Lori was wickedly fun. She had great lines of dialog and was a strong physical presence, way beyond her small frame. I wished they had used Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad-TV, Red Tails) and Bill Nighy (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Notes on a Scandal) to better advantage. Though the story was lacking, making one chase scene blend into another and another; the movie was so cool looking in that Blade Runner/Fifth Element kind of way, that I did not really care. I had such a great time watching this intense science fiction movie, by the end I knew I would have a fond memory.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Repo Men
These guys could easily be foot soldiers in Hannibal Lecter’s army. At the very least I wish I could hire them for my credit department; it would be one way to get my customers to pay on time. Set in the future, best friends Remy and Jake, played by Jude Law (Hugo, Sherlock Holmes franchise) and Forest Whitaker (The Last King of Scotland, The Experiment), were bad ass repo men. Their employer was in the business of selling body organs. If you had a bad heart or liver, they could easily provide a brand new one, along with a finance plan to make payments. But be careful because if you are late on your payments, the company will send out their collectors to repossess the organ. Remy and Jake were two of the top collectors. Having heard every excuse and promise for making payments; they stayed emotionally detached, doing their job with complete disregard to the health of the poor debtor. I totally understood this considering my position as my company’s credit manager. When one of Remy’s retrievals went wrong, the tables were turned on him as he became the recipient of a top of the line, new heart. This futuristic story touched on topics that are currently being discussed on this country’s health system. There was plenty of action in this film, with Jude and Forest doing an admirable job of acting. I found parts of the movie interesting; that made me think, for example, about the impact of large corporations’ policies on our society. The ending of this violent movie felt like a cop out for me; leaving the parts I did not understand incomplete. There were bloody and graphic scenes throughout this film and are in the movie trailer.
2 1/2 stars — DVD
Flash Movie Review: The Dark Knight Rises
Before I taught my 1st fitness class, I made the conscience decision that my classes would be filled with fun and laughs. With no political or religious discussions; I only focused on light, humorous subjects. This was what I decided my collection of movie reviews would be on my blog. However, under the circumstances with today’s review; I know in my heart, I must acknowledge the horrific act that took place at this movie’s premiere in Aurora, Colorado. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims. The movie viewing experience will never be the same. I never imagined my life’s timeline would include such a life altering, heinous act. And now for my review of the final installment of this Dark Knight trilogy. It has been 8 years and a reclusive Bruce Wayne/Batman, played by Christian Bale (The Fighter, The Prestige) has aged, including having bad knees. When Gotham is threatened by the evil anarchist Bane, played by Tom Hardy (Warrior, This Means War), Batman returns to Gotham’s defense. There were brilliant scenes in this nearly 3 hour movie. The fight scenes were intense and well orchestrated. I loved Anne Hathaway (Love and Other Drugs, Rachel Getting Married) as Selina, but I still have a soft spot in my heart for Michelle Pfeiffer. Michael Caine (Harry Brown, Sleuth) as Alfred had a more emotional role in this film and carried it off beautifully. I thought Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Inception, 50/50) was his usual excellent self in this new role of Blake, Commissioner Gordon’s assistant. On the downside, I had a hard time understanding Bane’s voice at times; so, I felt I never really understood his motives. In a way, I would have to say the same about Selena; I was not sure how she got mixed up in all of the chaos. Even with some confusing parts in this action thriller, I did feel like I was at a special event. Also, pay attention in the last hour for a couple of hints of what the future may hold for all of us.
3 stars
Flash Movie Review: Ice Age: Continental Drift
With massive seismic activity, land masses splitting apart, deep chasms forming, homes being lost; you would think there would be enough excitement to last through this entire animated film. Unfortunately that was not the case in this latest installment of the movie franchise. When the ground splits open, ripping their homeland to pieces; Manny and his gang take off on a wild sea adventure. Voiced again by Ray Romano (Everybody Loves Raymond-TV, The Lost Words), Manny captains an iceberg as he desperately tries to find his family. I found myself starting to doze off from the predictable and bland story. The jokes were less sophisticated, geared more towards kids. For a CGI movie it did not have the same visual impact that Madagascar 3 or Brave had on me. I will say this movie did have great character voices with Wanda Sykes (Evan Almighty, My Super Ex-Girlfriend) as Granny and John Leguizamo (Moulin Rouge, Righteous Kill) as Sid. A new character was Captain Gutt, voiced by Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones-TV, Death at a Funeral), who with his fellow pirates was determined to prevent Manny from returning to his family. If you have children and they want to see this film, then it would be appropriate for them. But as for the rest of us, maybe it is time this franchise became extinct.
1 3/4 stars
Flash Movie Review: Stardust
There is such a fascination with stars. Whether it concerns their death or birth, their names, when they are falling or even shooting; there is something about them that intrigues us. Oh, by the way, I am referring to stars in the astronomical sense, not the Hollywood variety. “When You Wish Upon a Star” or “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” are part of the magical hope and desire we place on these brilliant, little lights in the sky. This fantasy film was a wonderful example of taking the magic of a star and bringing it to life. The story played just like one of those classic fairy tales I remembered from my youth. Tristan Thorn, played by Charlie Cox (Stone of Destiny, Casanova), to prove his love for the girl of his dreams, vowed to retrieve a fallen star. However, he would have to cross over into the neighboring magical realm, where he would have to contend with the sinister Lamia, played by Michelle Pfeiffer (People Like Us, New Year’s Eve). There were equal amounts of action, humor, drama and fantasy in this beautiful movie. If I am not mistaken, I think Michelle brought out a little of her Catwoman persona because she was just evil in her role. There was the added benefit of a solid cast of other characters played by Robert De Niro, Claire Danes and Ricky Gervais. It was a real treat to watch this fanciful film. I cannot imagine anyone watching this movie and not adding a little magical dreaming, the next time they gaze upon a star.
3 1/4 stars — DVD
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