Up release date 5/29/09
Stars - Voices of Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer
Director - Peter Docter
Studio - Pixar, Disney
a comedy adventure about 78-year-old balloon salesman Carl Fredricksen, who finally fulfills his lifelong dream of a great adventure when he ties thousands of balloons to his house and flies away to the wilds of South America. But he discovers all too late that his biggest nightmare has stowed away on the trip: an overly optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer named Russel. Released in Digital 3-D
Disney delivers yet another heart felt and funny animated motion picture but this one has what the other did not have, a true artistry and passion that rarely is ever seen in a motion picture and never seen in animation. The first introduction of Carl Fredrickson and his wife through a montage of their life together is some of the most beautiful and warming scenes ever seen on screen. It tugged at your heart with a emotional tug of war and when it was over you felt like a better person than when it began. Sure this movie was funny and exciting like every Disney movie is but the true emotional nature of this movie is what lifted it up over the rest. This is the best animated movie I have ever seen and could be up there with one of the best movie I have ever seen. The digital 3_D made it visually stunning and a joy to watch not using the 3-D with worthless scenes to have things jump out at you but to just enhance the pure beauty. The relationship with Carl and the young wilderness explorer Russel was well developed and never rushed. This movie flowed beautifully and left you with tears of joy making you want to go out and experience life before it is to late. Whether it is exploring the world or sitting next to the one you love enjoying every second of their company.
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Movie Review for 5/21/09
Terminator Salvation released 5/21/09
Stars - Christian Bale, Sam Worthington
Director - McG
Studio - Warner Bros
The fourth installment of the Terminator series follows an adult John Connor (played by Christian Bale) as he attempts to organize a human resistance force which could prove to be mankind's last true hope in the war against the machines. Opening in the year 2018, Terminator Salvation finds John Connor's certainty about the future shaken by the sudden appearance of a mysterious stranger named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), whose last memory is of sitting on death row and awaiting execution. Unable to determine whether Marcus was sent from the future or rescued from the past, Connor begins to wonder whether there is still any hope left for the human race as the robots grow more powerful and aggressive than ever before. It appears that Skynet is preparing a devastating final attack designed to eliminate the human resistance once and for all, leaving Connor and Marcus with no choice but to strike back at the cybernetic heart of Skynet's operations. Once there, the two battle-scarred soldiers discover a devastating secret regarding the potential annihilation of all humankind.
I know I sound like a broken record here but another disappointment, Terminator Salvation was another blockbuster with great special effects and poor story telling. The talented Christian Bale played the roll as adult John Connor fairly bland and emotionless. Christians Bale's voice he used in Batman was excusable because maybe he was trying to hide his identity but low and behold that same voice shows up here and instead of excusable it is now laughable. McG again brings his wild and erratic style to this movie which doesn't work here, actually never really works anywhere. The story was jumpy and hard to follow and unlike Star Trek, if you didn't see the first three movies of this series it would be impossible to follow. The original Terminator was released 20+ years ago and yet this movie expected you to remember minor details from it to follow along. James Cameron I am sure is disappointed as well.
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Stars - Ben Stiller, Amy Adams
Director -Shawn Levy
Studio -Fox
Ben Stiller returns as Larry Daley, the unfortunate night watchman who continues to encounter living and breathing museum exhibits in Night at the Museum 2: Escape From the Smithsonian.
Who would of ever thought that I would be impressed with this movie more the Terminator but I was. I was never a fan of the first Night at the Museum even though I thought it was cute and was good for children this one surpasses that. Ben Stiller in this movie seems to stay out of the way of the abundant of crazy and abundant new and old characters which is exactly what it called for. Amy Adam is such a brilliant and versatile actress played Amelia Earhart as a adventurous and exciting independent woman of the 40's even adding thoroughly entertaining 40's Hollywood accent that just added to the roll. The always funny Bill Hader played a vane and bumbling General Custer and added many laughs throughout. This is a rare movie where the sequel was better than the original.
Stars - Christian Bale, Sam Worthington
Director - McG
Studio - Warner Bros
The fourth installment of the Terminator series follows an adult John Connor (played by Christian Bale) as he attempts to organize a human resistance force which could prove to be mankind's last true hope in the war against the machines. Opening in the year 2018, Terminator Salvation finds John Connor's certainty about the future shaken by the sudden appearance of a mysterious stranger named Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington), whose last memory is of sitting on death row and awaiting execution. Unable to determine whether Marcus was sent from the future or rescued from the past, Connor begins to wonder whether there is still any hope left for the human race as the robots grow more powerful and aggressive than ever before. It appears that Skynet is preparing a devastating final attack designed to eliminate the human resistance once and for all, leaving Connor and Marcus with no choice but to strike back at the cybernetic heart of Skynet's operations. Once there, the two battle-scarred soldiers discover a devastating secret regarding the potential annihilation of all humankind.
I know I sound like a broken record here but another disappointment, Terminator Salvation was another blockbuster with great special effects and poor story telling. The talented Christian Bale played the roll as adult John Connor fairly bland and emotionless. Christians Bale's voice he used in Batman was excusable because maybe he was trying to hide his identity but low and behold that same voice shows up here and instead of excusable it is now laughable. McG again brings his wild and erratic style to this movie which doesn't work here, actually never really works anywhere. The story was jumpy and hard to follow and unlike Star Trek, if you didn't see the first three movies of this series it would be impossible to follow. The original Terminator was released 20+ years ago and yet this movie expected you to remember minor details from it to follow along. James Cameron I am sure is disappointed as well.
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian
Stars - Ben Stiller, Amy Adams
Director -Shawn Levy
Studio -Fox
Ben Stiller returns as Larry Daley, the unfortunate night watchman who continues to encounter living and breathing museum exhibits in Night at the Museum 2: Escape From the Smithsonian.
Who would of ever thought that I would be impressed with this movie more the Terminator but I was. I was never a fan of the first Night at the Museum even though I thought it was cute and was good for children this one surpasses that. Ben Stiller in this movie seems to stay out of the way of the abundant of crazy and abundant new and old characters which is exactly what it called for. Amy Adam is such a brilliant and versatile actress played Amelia Earhart as a adventurous and exciting independent woman of the 40's even adding thoroughly entertaining 40's Hollywood accent that just added to the roll. The always funny Bill Hader played a vane and bumbling General Custer and added many laughs throughout. This is a rare movie where the sequel was better than the original.
Movie Review for 5/15/09
Angels and Demons released 5/15/09
Stars - Tom Hanks, Ayelet Zurer
Director- Ron Howard
Studio - Sony
Angels and Demons re-teams director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks for the sequel to their international blockbuster adaptation of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code. Although the book Angels and Demons was written before the novel The Da Vinci Code, the movie transpires after the events of the earlier movie. Hanks stars as professor Robert Langdon, the most respected symbologist in the United States, who uses his knowledge in order to decode a symbol on the skin of a murder victim. The clues put him on the trail of an international conspiracy involving the Catholic Church. Ewan McGregor and Ayelet Zurer also star in the Sony Pictures production.
I must admit even though I was not impressed with The Da Vinci Code I was really looking forward to this movie. This is one of those movies that if someone asked you how it was you would just say "It was OK" and leave it at that. Dan Brown's novel which I loved turned out to be to complicated to transfer to screen. Tom Hanks turned more into a tour guide to this story rather than a character, stopping throughout the movie in these very long and momentum killing explanations of what he was seeing. Ayelet Zurer eventhough sexy, the costume design and look did not match what the book described and to fit this movie in a time frame cut out some great and important scenes from the book. Overall as a movie standing alone from the book this movie was just to complicated and did not flow the way a good thriller should.
Management released 5/15/09
Stars - Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn
Director - Stephen Belber
Studio - MGM
After a one-night fling, a motel manager (Steve Zahn) impulsively follows a small-time art dealer (Jennifer Aniston) across the country in this romantic comedy from playwright-turned-director Stephen Belber. Woody Harrelson co-stars as Aniston's wealthy boyfriend in the MGM production.
The first 15 minutes of this movie started off promising but then headed down hill quickly. Steve Zahn was suppose to be a quirky and loveable stalker turned out to be awkward and scary. Jennifer Aniston who I love actually was just kind of ho-hum in this movie but then again was never given the tools to succeed here. Playwright Stephen Belber did some good things here with imagery but just failed to bring the movie together. Swing and miss here. I know it sounds like I really don't like any movies but really I do, I actually love most movies but so far we are off to a horrible start.
Stars - Tom Hanks, Ayelet Zurer
Director- Ron Howard
Studio - Sony
Angels and Demons re-teams director Ron Howard and star Tom Hanks for the sequel to their international blockbuster adaptation of Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code. Although the book Angels and Demons was written before the novel The Da Vinci Code, the movie transpires after the events of the earlier movie. Hanks stars as professor Robert Langdon, the most respected symbologist in the United States, who uses his knowledge in order to decode a symbol on the skin of a murder victim. The clues put him on the trail of an international conspiracy involving the Catholic Church. Ewan McGregor and Ayelet Zurer also star in the Sony Pictures production.
I must admit even though I was not impressed with The Da Vinci Code I was really looking forward to this movie. This is one of those movies that if someone asked you how it was you would just say "It was OK" and leave it at that. Dan Brown's novel which I loved turned out to be to complicated to transfer to screen. Tom Hanks turned more into a tour guide to this story rather than a character, stopping throughout the movie in these very long and momentum killing explanations of what he was seeing. Ayelet Zurer eventhough sexy, the costume design and look did not match what the book described and to fit this movie in a time frame cut out some great and important scenes from the book. Overall as a movie standing alone from the book this movie was just to complicated and did not flow the way a good thriller should.
Management released 5/15/09
Stars - Jennifer Aniston, Steve Zahn
Director - Stephen Belber
Studio - MGM
After a one-night fling, a motel manager (Steve Zahn) impulsively follows a small-time art dealer (Jennifer Aniston) across the country in this romantic comedy from playwright-turned-director Stephen Belber. Woody Harrelson co-stars as Aniston's wealthy boyfriend in the MGM production.
The first 15 minutes of this movie started off promising but then headed down hill quickly. Steve Zahn was suppose to be a quirky and loveable stalker turned out to be awkward and scary. Jennifer Aniston who I love actually was just kind of ho-hum in this movie but then again was never given the tools to succeed here. Playwright Stephen Belber did some good things here with imagery but just failed to bring the movie together. Swing and miss here. I know it sounds like I really don't like any movies but really I do, I actually love most movies but so far we are off to a horrible start.
Movie Review for 5/7/09
Star Trek release date 5/7/09
Stars - Chris Pine, Zachry Quinto
Director - J.J. Abrahams
Studio- Paramount
the incredible story of a young crew's maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind.The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before!
J.J Abrahams does what Wolverine failed to do a week earlier. He successfully created a prequel that brought together what we loved about the series and introduced the new that kept us on the edge of our seats. With a very young, inexperienced, yet very talented cast this movie kept me enthralled throughout and kept me wanting more when it finished. Christopher Pine played the role of Captain Kirk flawlessly keeping that arrogance and boldness that William Shatner brought to roll and yet didn't just copy what he did. The roll of Spock played by Zachary Quinto was the one that before seeing the movie I was worried about and yet he played the roll to perfection, never once did I believe that he was an actor playing Spock. He became Spock. Great performances from Bruce Greenwood (Captain Pike) John Cho (Sulu) Karl Urban ( Leonard Bones McCoy, and Zoe Saldana ( Uhura). This movie is what we come to expect from great Hollywood blockbusters, a great story with interesting character infused with monster special effects and bold action sequences. This movie was just fun from introduction to credits.
Next Day Air released 5/7/09
Stars - Donald Faison, Mike Epps
Director - Benny Boom
Studio - Summit
I am not even going to write a synopsis of this movie. It was just a horrible piece of filmaking that should of went straight video. I know I said that I will review two movies a week but after this I may just skip some from time to time.
Stars - Chris Pine, Zachry Quinto
Director - J.J. Abrahams
Studio- Paramount
the incredible story of a young crew's maiden voyage onboard the most advanced starship ever created: the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind.The fate of the galaxy rests in the hands of bitter rivals. One, James T. Kirk (Chris Pine), is a delinquent, thrill-seeking Iowa farm boy. The other, Spock (Zachary Quinto), was raised in a logic-based society that rejects all emotion. As fiery instinct clashes with calm reason, their unlikely but powerful partnership is the only thing capable of leading their crew through unimaginable danger, boldly going where no one has gone before!
J.J Abrahams does what Wolverine failed to do a week earlier. He successfully created a prequel that brought together what we loved about the series and introduced the new that kept us on the edge of our seats. With a very young, inexperienced, yet very talented cast this movie kept me enthralled throughout and kept me wanting more when it finished. Christopher Pine played the role of Captain Kirk flawlessly keeping that arrogance and boldness that William Shatner brought to roll and yet didn't just copy what he did. The roll of Spock played by Zachary Quinto was the one that before seeing the movie I was worried about and yet he played the roll to perfection, never once did I believe that he was an actor playing Spock. He became Spock. Great performances from Bruce Greenwood (Captain Pike) John Cho (Sulu) Karl Urban ( Leonard Bones McCoy, and Zoe Saldana ( Uhura). This movie is what we come to expect from great Hollywood blockbusters, a great story with interesting character infused with monster special effects and bold action sequences. This movie was just fun from introduction to credits.
Next Day Air released 5/7/09
Stars - Donald Faison, Mike Epps
Director - Benny Boom
Studio - Summit
I am not even going to write a synopsis of this movie. It was just a horrible piece of filmaking that should of went straight video. I know I said that I will review two movies a week but after this I may just skip some from time to time.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Week of 5/1/09 reviews
X-men Origins: Wolverine released 5/1/09
Stars – Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber
Director – Gavin Hood
Studio – Fox
This movie is a continuation of the X-men franchise which spawned three previous movies. This movie focuses on the back story of the most loved character from both the movies and the uber popular comic books. Hugh Jackman reprises his role of the mutant Logan who through military experiments has become an invincible man of mystical metal compound adamantiam and becomes the rebellious mutant Wolverine. Liev Schreiber plays Logan’s brother Victor Creed (who later in the comic books becomes Sabertooth). The story starts in early colonial America where James (the boy who would become Wolverine) finds out a secret about his family tree driving him from his home along with his brother Victor. Together the duo fights in every War from the Civil war to the Vietnam. Together they are approached by General William Stryker (Danny Huston) to join an elite team of mutants. When Logan finds that the brutality of these missions and his brothers ever worsening lust for blood Logan decides to leave the team and start a new as a lumberjack in the Canadian Rockies where he creates a home and life with the beautiful school teacher Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins). When Victor finds where his brother is hiding out he kills Kayla. Logan is then approached by Stryker to take part in a military experiment that will give him the strength to kill his older and more powerful brother, but when he is betrayed by Stryker he sets out on a mission of revenge aided by John Wraith (Will I Am) and Remy LeBeau aka Gambit (Taylor Kitsch). Before he can exact his revenge he must first defeat the mutant Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) who has been infused with multiple mutant powers.
I was excited about the release of this movie, not only did it signify the beginning of the summer movie season but last year’s season started off with great comic book movie Iron Man. The first thirty minutes of this movie started off with promise showing the brothers trip through all the American wars but after that the movie became a tangled mess of unfinished story lines and horrible special effects. Hugh Jackman did as much as he could but the story just wasn’t there. It seems like all the outline characters where just thrown into the story just to introduce them for possible spinoffs and they had nothing to do with the story.
I wonder if this movie ran out of money for special effects because the effects were everything but special looking more like an Atari game from the 80’s rather than a multiple million dollar production from 2009. There was a point where a naked Hugh Jackman was running through a field after escaping from the military experiment where it looked like the game pitfall jumping on crocodile and swinging on vines.
I left this movie so disappointed that it makes me hesitant to ever see another Marvel comic book movie again.
Ghost of Girlfriends Past released 5/1/09
Stars - Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner
Director - Mark S. Waters
Studio - New Line
Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women...in that order. A committed bachelor who thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call, Connor's mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for his kid brother, Paul, and a houseful of well wishers on the eve of Paul's wedding. Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his former jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through his failed relationships--past, present and future. Together they attempt to find out what turned Connor into such an insensitive jerk and whether there is still hope for him to find true love...or if he really is the lost cause everyone thinks he is.
Aw another Matthew McConaugney romantic comedy with little storyline and plug in here characters. With very few laughs to be had you might as well just take the comedy out of the description of this movie. Like Penolope Cruz and Kate Hudson before her Jennifer Garner is another good actress wasted in a poorly written, poorly acted Matthew McConaugney movie. This maybe could be a good first date movie only if after dinner you hope not to have a second one
Stars – Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber
Director – Gavin Hood
Studio – Fox
This movie is a continuation of the X-men franchise which spawned three previous movies. This movie focuses on the back story of the most loved character from both the movies and the uber popular comic books. Hugh Jackman reprises his role of the mutant Logan who through military experiments has become an invincible man of mystical metal compound adamantiam and becomes the rebellious mutant Wolverine. Liev Schreiber plays Logan’s brother Victor Creed (who later in the comic books becomes Sabertooth). The story starts in early colonial America where James (the boy who would become Wolverine) finds out a secret about his family tree driving him from his home along with his brother Victor. Together the duo fights in every War from the Civil war to the Vietnam. Together they are approached by General William Stryker (Danny Huston) to join an elite team of mutants. When Logan finds that the brutality of these missions and his brothers ever worsening lust for blood Logan decides to leave the team and start a new as a lumberjack in the Canadian Rockies where he creates a home and life with the beautiful school teacher Kayla Silverfox (Lynn Collins). When Victor finds where his brother is hiding out he kills Kayla. Logan is then approached by Stryker to take part in a military experiment that will give him the strength to kill his older and more powerful brother, but when he is betrayed by Stryker he sets out on a mission of revenge aided by John Wraith (Will I Am) and Remy LeBeau aka Gambit (Taylor Kitsch). Before he can exact his revenge he must first defeat the mutant Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds) who has been infused with multiple mutant powers.
I was excited about the release of this movie, not only did it signify the beginning of the summer movie season but last year’s season started off with great comic book movie Iron Man. The first thirty minutes of this movie started off with promise showing the brothers trip through all the American wars but after that the movie became a tangled mess of unfinished story lines and horrible special effects. Hugh Jackman did as much as he could but the story just wasn’t there. It seems like all the outline characters where just thrown into the story just to introduce them for possible spinoffs and they had nothing to do with the story.
I wonder if this movie ran out of money for special effects because the effects were everything but special looking more like an Atari game from the 80’s rather than a multiple million dollar production from 2009. There was a point where a naked Hugh Jackman was running through a field after escaping from the military experiment where it looked like the game pitfall jumping on crocodile and swinging on vines.
I left this movie so disappointed that it makes me hesitant to ever see another Marvel comic book movie again.
Ghost of Girlfriends Past released 5/1/09
Stars - Matthew McConaughey, Jennifer Garner
Director - Mark S. Waters
Studio - New Line
Celebrity photographer Connor Mead loves freedom, fun and women...in that order. A committed bachelor who thinks nothing of breaking up with multiple women on a conference call, Connor's mockery of romance proves a real buzz-kill for his kid brother, Paul, and a houseful of well wishers on the eve of Paul's wedding. Just when it looks like Connor may single-handedly ruin the wedding, he is visited by the ghosts of his former jilted girlfriends, who take him on a revealing and hilarious odyssey through his failed relationships--past, present and future. Together they attempt to find out what turned Connor into such an insensitive jerk and whether there is still hope for him to find true love...or if he really is the lost cause everyone thinks he is.
Aw another Matthew McConaugney romantic comedy with little storyline and plug in here characters. With very few laughs to be had you might as well just take the comedy out of the description of this movie. Like Penolope Cruz and Kate Hudson before her Jennifer Garner is another good actress wasted in a poorly written, poorly acted Matthew McConaugney movie. This maybe could be a good first date movie only if after dinner you hope not to have a second one
Introduction to the blog
Hello to all, my name is Derek Bourland and ever since I can remember movies have played a central part of my life. Some of my oldest and fondest memories are the times spent with my mother and sister at the drive in with a 10 gallon bag of popcorn and a six pack of orange soda watching some of the best and worst movies to ever be shown on screen. Movies have the power to make you laugh and weep like a little girl all within the 90 min time frame. They can make you soar in the clouds on a BMX bike with an alien in your basket or watch the woman you love fly away on a plane with another man. Those are only the great ones. Plenty of movies can also make you fall asleep, loathe a certain actor or actress, and maybe even get up and demand your money back from some poor high school girl at the customer service counter of the movie theater.
I will not bore you with a rating system of stars or thumbs. I will basically just tell you if it sucked, worth watching, or must see.
I am a true movie fan; I am not a movie elitist. I do not believe that a movie needs to be either a blockbuster or foreign film to be great, for instance I actually enjoyed the first Fast and Furious.
I will bring you a true movie fans opinion of two movies week, I will not pull punches and I will be honest.
Thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy
Derek Bourland
I will not bore you with a rating system of stars or thumbs. I will basically just tell you if it sucked, worth watching, or must see.
I am a true movie fan; I am not a movie elitist. I do not believe that a movie needs to be either a blockbuster or foreign film to be great, for instance I actually enjoyed the first Fast and Furious.
I will bring you a true movie fans opinion of two movies week, I will not pull punches and I will be honest.
Thank you for your support and I hope you enjoy
Derek Bourland
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