REVIEW: Eagle Eye

Eagle Eye

Year: 2008
Director: D.J. Caruso
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Michelle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson, Billy Bob Thornton, Michael Chiklis
Distributor: DreamWorks SKG
MPAA: Rated PG-13

I have been anticipating Eagle Eye ever since I saw its awesome trailers. The trailers made the film look so cool and somewhat unique that I simply just had to see it. My anticipation slowly started to die down as soon as the reviews for this film started coming out. The film has been criticized left and right by critics around the world. They were stating its plot was too complex and how it simply goes no where. Still, I wanted to see the film for myself and see what I thought about it. I mean it was from the same director who brought us last years "Disturbia" which I thought was pretty entertaining. So I just simply had to see for myself.

Plot Outline:
Jerry Shaw (Shia LaBeouf) returns home after the mysterious death of his successful twin brother. He and a single mother, Rachel Holloman (Michelle Monaghan), find out that they have been framed as terrorists and are threatened into becoming members of an organization tasked to assassinate a politician.

Plot:
The plot for Eagle Eye is mostly a let down. The film's story starts out interesting with some terrorist bombing in the middle east followed by a mysterious phone call from an unknown woman. It continues to keep us interested by only giving us bits and pieces of the final story while throwing some entertaining action scenes. When we finally get to the conclusion of this story, we find ourselves very disappointed. The final act of the film is way un-satisfying and un-interesting. The films ending is stupid and not something I personally liked. The film is also very cheesy and way over the top. Some if not most of the action scenes although cool are hardly believable. The film also manages to rip off several high profile films such as I Robot, Enemy of the State and many more. Its as if you mixed all those films together and tried to make it fit into a 2 hour film, you would get Eagle Eye. I will admit that the characters we have are pretty interesting to watch and that the films first half is simply pure fun, but with out a satisfying ending to all of this, it just doesn't work. The films got too many problems that it just overshadows anything good in this film. Eagle Eye should have stuck to a more simpler route and should have concluded in a way that doesn't leave the audience wondering what happened.

Cast:
Shia LaBeouf plays as Jerry Shaw and he does a wonderful job here. LaBeouf has come a long way from being that guy from Even Stevens to one of Hollywood's most bankable stars. His last 3 films have all done great at the box office and Eagle Eye looks to become another hit. Hes also a pretty good actor and looks to be trying most of the time. Michelle Monaghan plays as Rachel Holloman and she too is great in her role. I think she did a good job and was very believable in her role. Rosario Dawson plays as Zoe Perez and shes pretty much average here. Theirs simply nothing special about her character and she hardly shines in this film. Billy Bob Thornton plays as Agent Thomas Morgan and he does his usual thing. I found his character to be funny at times even when hes being serious. I'm not sure if Thornton was an ideal choice for this role. We also have Michael Chiklis playing as Defense Secretary Callister. While Chiklis does a pretty good job in his role, his characters seems somewhat useless in a way.

Picture:
The visual look of Eagle Eye is pretty much on the same boat as that of Disturbia. Both films are shot mostly in dark lit areas and both have high contrast. Unlike Disturbia, Eagle Eye features many CGI special effects mostly in the action scenes. These all look great for CGI effects and really have that certain roughness to it. For being a brand new release, Eagle Eye surprisingly contains some film grain. These don't get in the way of things, but it also doesn't make the image look smooth as most new releases are. Colors are mostly dark and pretty hot. The film has this somewhat gritty look to it that makes the colors seem flat and grey. Flesh tones are pretty accurate, but don't hold up well in some of the darker scenes. Detail is great for the most part with only some few scenes that look a bit soft.

Sound:
Like Disturbia, the soundtrack in Eagle Eye is shockingly great. The films music is composed by Brian Tyler who also did the most recent Rambo flick. He does a good job here and Eagle Eye is always filled with some music. The score goes pretty well for a thriller film like this and had me in suspense. I think he did a good job here and I'm eager to see what hes got coming next. Eagle Eye features a bombastic bass mix. I would have been really really surprised if a film like this didn't have a killer bass mix just because the trailer revealed a ton of action scenes. Luckily, the film does have a killer bass mix and one that goes so great with everything. Car crashes sound and feel just right. Dynamics are loud and spread out very evenly. This is definitely something to look out for once it hits DVD simply because of its killer bass.

Conclusion:
Eagle Eye is a disappointing film that doesn't connect and doesn't live up to what its trailer made it out to be. Which was an awesome thriller flick with some interesting ideas. Instead, it recycles some high profile films and tries to make everything work. The films story starts off really nice and interesting, but its conclusion just doesn't cut it. The cast is great and most of them give out good performances that is easily suitable for a film like this. The visual look of the film is just like Disturbia, but features some nice CGI effects. The soundtrack is loaded with some killer bass mix that really rocked the theater. I honestly wouldn't recommend Eagle Eye. Its got some entertaining moments, but also a ton of problems. Id skip this and maybe give it a rent when it comes out on DVD.

Grade: D+

REVIEW: United 93

United 93

Year: 2006
Director: Paul Greengrass
Starring: J.J. Johnson, Gary Commock, Christian Clemenson, Trish Gates, Cheyenne Jackson
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA: Rated R

When I first saw the trailer for United 93 from Universal Pictures, It felt alittle unsettling. I mean do we honestly need a film about one of America's most disastrous event ever? But still, the trailer did look very interesting and somewhat tempting to watch. The film made over $80 million worldwide at the box office on a mear budget of only $18 million. Which to me is pretty impressive especially for a film like this. It was also widely acclaimed as one of the years best films by my critics around the world. I wasn't able to watch United 93 while it was showing in theaters. It wasn't because I didn't want to, its just that I simply forgot about it. It wasn't until yesterday that I finally took the plunge and saw the film. Why it took me all these months is beyond me.

Plot Outline:
On September 11, 2001, four young Arabians prepared themselves for hijacking United Flight 93. The same day, America witnessed three attacks, as one plane destroyed the Pentagon and two others, destroyed both towers of the World Trade Center. The FAA and Military are unprepared for this and battle to deal with the situation. A delay of United 93 allows the passengers to learn of the attacks, which leads them to believe that they too are part of a hijacking and must stop the terrorists in order to saves thousands of lives.

Plot:
Its plot is very straight forward and is easily predictable, but so what. Almost any film you see based on 9/11 is going to end in a way in which you already know and United 93 isn't any different. The story of United 93 is very powerful. Its gut wrenching, provocative and deeply emotional. This isn't a film you can see every day and laugh about it. Its nicely paced and very impressive. The last 20 minutes of the film is simply breathtaking and will almost leave you in a burst of tears. What really surprised me about director Paul Greengrass, is that he really took this film with open arms and treated it with absolute care. Greengrass and his research team have done an amazing job on gathering information for this film. Almost everyone who's lost a loved one on the real United 93 airline have provided Greengrass with detailed background about their loved ones, down to the clothes they wore, what reading materials or music they had with them and what sort of candy they might have snacked on aboard the plane. Not only that, but director Greengrass has went with an almost unknown choice of cast members. We actually have real pilots playing pilots and real stuartists playing stuartists. That's really impressive and just goes to show you how Greengrass has treated this film with the up most care.

Cast:
The casting for the film is really a strange one. I have not seen or heard of anyone from the cast and yet they were all fantastic. Their isn't one person that really stands out above the rest. J.J. Johnson plays as Captain Jason Dahl and he does a great job at it. His character is just acting like he should on a normal day and I think he did a wonderful job here. Gary Commock plays as First Officer LeRoy Homer and he too is great. He also just acts likes its a regular day and easily had me believed that he was this person. Christian Clemenson plays as Tom Burnett and I have never seen him before. He does a great job for an unknown actor and I enjoyed his performance in the film. Trish Gates plays as Sandra Bradshaw and shes also someone that I have not seen before. She too does a good job in her role and plays the part with ease. We also have Cheyenne Jackson playing as Mark Bingham and hes also great as the rest of the cast.

Picture:
The visual look of United 93 is simply great. The film doesn't look like its got much if any special effects. Crash footage's seem like they were taken from CNN videos just like how everything is mostly from their too. The film does contain some grain here and their, but I think it was the directors intent to make the film seem more real. Director Greengrass shot the film using handy cam which is the same type of camera used in the last Bourne films. Alot of people have criticized him for using such cameras because the image is never stable and always seems to be moving. I personally don't find this to be a problem because I think it adds a certain realism to the movie. Colors are also pretty vibrant which shouldn't come as a surprise since alot of the film is somewhat outside. Flesh tones are accurate and hold up really well. Detail is pretty great with close up shots showing a good amount of detail and clarity.

Sound:
The soundtrack in United 93 is wonderful. The score is composed by John Powell who also scored other hit films such as The Bourne Supremacy and X-Men: The Last Stand. He does a fantastic job here and his score goes oh so well with the story. It isn't easy scoring a film like this, but I think he did an outstanding job that very much captures the events of this film. His score isn't used for a good 75% of the movie, but when its their, its great. United 93 also features a pretty good bass mix. The film is mostly dialogue driven, but theirs a good amount of bass here and their. Dynamics are somewhat front heavy, but also tend to spread out wide as the movie goes along. Its not going to blow your socks off, but its really good for a heavy dialogue driven film like this.

Conclusion:
United 93 is a fantastic experience that really got to me. Its heart wrenching, powerful and simply amazing. I really wasn't expecting the film to be this good, but I was proven wrong. The story is predictable and yet it still amazes me. The last few scenes of the film are just emotional and can really bring some tears into your eyes. The cast is all new to me and yet they manage to amaze me with their wonderful performances. The visual look of the film is great with some good colors mixed with a good amount of detail. The soundtrack is outstanding and I loved every minute of John Powell's score for the film. Director Paul Greengrass has done an amazing job directing this film. Some of the stuff that he did for this film is just jaw dropping. I can easily recommend this film to those looking for a great film that's not easy to watch, but very well worth it in the end.

Grade: A-

REVIEW: A Beautiful Mind

A Beautiful Mind

Year: 2001
Director: Ron Howard
Starring: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Ed Harris, Paul Bettany, Josh Lucas
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG-13

A Beautiful Mind is one of those films were I had heard good things about, but never had the chance to see it. The film was released in limited theaters in late 2001 than released wide in early 2002. The film was very well received and managed to gross an estimated $313 million worldwide on a small budget of $58 million. Not only that, but the film also won 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture. So with all this fame and popularity, why did it take me this long to see it? Well, I was mostly busy with other things and I let this film just slip right pass me when it came out. I always wanted to see it, but just never had the solid time and place to see it until today.

Plot Outline:
John Nash (Russell Crowe) is a mathematical genius and a code breaker looking for his original idea. He reluctantly teaches a class at Princeton, where he meets Alicia (Jennifer Connelly) and the two of them fall deeply in love. As a few years pass, a man from the Department of Defence, William Parcher (Ed Harris), impressed by his code breaking skills, offers Nash to work for him on a case to stop the Russians from bombing America. However, what John doesn't realize is that he is a schizophrenic. His life soon turns to shambles as he tries to piece together what's real in his life and what's not.

Plot:
The film is based on the bestselling book "A Beautiful Mind" by Sylvia Nasar which is a biography of the real John Forbes Nash. Having not read that book, I cant comment if the film stays close to the real thing. The plot for A Beautiful Mind is fantastic. The story gets intriguing and fascinating with each scene that goes by. The film won Best Picture at the 2002 Oscars and I think it more than deserved it. The film starts with the introduction of John Nash and his early years at Princeton. Director Ron Howard does a wonderful job at showing us his vision for the film and the illness of John Nash as he soon realizes hes been diagnosed with schizophrenia. The film is not only powerful and emotional, but also romantic. We see the character Nash falling in love with Alicia and trying everything to make things work while being paranoid at the same time. If their is one thing about this film that of kind bugged me, its that director Ron Howard never lets us in on the whole thing. He teases us with this creative story without ever letting us go any deeper and only leaving us with our imagination as to what happens. Than their are some who criticized the film for not staying 100% faithful to the real John Nash, but since I never read the famous biography of this man, I really didn't find this to be a problem.

Cast:
Russell Crowe plays as John Nash and he gives an outstanding performance. I personally think that he got an Oscar for the wrong movie. As much as I thought his work in the 2000 hit film "Gladiator" was great, I don't think it was Oscar worthy. I personally think he should have gotten the Oscar for this film because he gives an unbelievable performance as John Nash. Jennifer Connelly plays as Alicia Nash and she too gives a fantastic performance. Connelly won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for this film and I think she more than deserved it. Ed Harris plays as William Parcher and hes great as always. He gives a believable performance as the scary agent Parcher that I found to be really enjoyable. Paul Bettany plays as Charles and I found his work here to be really good. I think he portrayed the character of Charles very good and he was really effective as him. We also have Josh Lucas playing as John's somewhat rival, Hansen. I enjoyed his performance here and thought he was a good addition to this already impressive cast.

Picture:
The visual look of the film is great. A Beautiful Mind opened wide in early 2002 and its film source is pretty cleaned up. Their were a few film grain here and their, but nothing that's going to distract you from the films riveting story. Colors are surprisingly vibrant for the most part. Exterior shots show alot of colors that pop at you and are pleasing to watch. Black levels are spot on and never seem to appear washed out. Flesh tones are great and seem to be accurate. They don't really have that warm look to them that I would have liked, but its still good. Detail usually ranges from being great to just good. Close up shots show a good amount of detail that's simply great to look at. Than their are a few scenes like the ballroom scene where Nash takes Alicia on their first date that just look good, but nothing special.

Sound:
The soundtrack in A Beautiful Mind is just plain wonderful. The music is composed by James Horner who also did other hit films such as Apollo 13 and Titanic. He does an amazing job here with the score for this film. Its really gripping and goes oh so well with the films touching story. I honestly think he should have gotten an Oscar for it. Believe me, its that good. The film also consists of a pretty good bass. This film by all means, isn't the type of film to use to demo off to your friends when you have a killer surround system, but its still good for a film of its type. You wouldn't think a romantic drama film like this to really have much in terms of bass, but you would be surprised. The films bass isn't great, but its easily good for a film like this.

Conclusion:
I honestly wasn't expecting much when I walked into this film, but I was pleasantly surprised on how fantastic it really was. The films got an emotional story that's very romantic and gripping at the same time. Director Ron Howard really deserved that Oscar because he did a great job here. The cast is outstanding with many of them delivering Oscar worthy performances. The visual look of the film is pretty vibrant and generally detailed. The soundtrack easily works and is some of the best I have heard in awhile from someone that's not John Williams or Danny Elfman. I can easily recommend A Beautiful Mind to those who are looking for an amazing movie that's filled with suspense and romance. The film has become another personal favorite of mine. A Beautiful Mind is simply a beautiful film.

Grade: A-

REVIEW: Burn After Reading

Burn After Reading

Year: 2008
Director: Ethan Coen & Ethan Coen
Starring: George Clooney, John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, Brad Pitt, Tilda Swinton
Distributor: Focus Features
MPAA: Rated R

Burn After Reading was probably my most anticipated film of the year. Ever since I saw the film's theatrical trailer, I have been dieing to see this film. I thought the trailer was one of the best movie trailers I have seen in awhile and constantly watching it over again and again made me pretty crazy about the film. What made the film even more exciting was the fact that the Coen brother's were directing it. These guys are very talented when it comes to sharp scripts and strong directing, just check out No Country For Old Men or The Big Lebowski if you don't believe me. My friends and I saw the movie on opening day, but I saw it again on Saturday because I really liked it.

Plot Outline:
Osborne Cox (John Malkovich) gets demoted from his job at the CIA for his alcohol problem. Frustrated by his demotion, Cox decides to write a memoir about his experiences with the CIA. Osborne's wife Katie (Tilda Swinton), is planning to divorce him and has been secretly cheating on him with Harry Pfarrer (George Clooney). Unfortunately, the disk containing Osborne's memoirs is found on the floor of a gym locker. The manager Ted (Richard Jenkins) wants nothing to do with it, whereas Linda Litzke (Frances McDormand), desperate to have a series of surgeries to look better, and Chad Feldheimer (Brad Pitt), a fitness obsessed idiot who really loves his ipod, see it as an opportunity to make some easy money.

Plot:
The Coen brothers wanted to move away from their serious tone that spearheaded their latest film No Country for Old Men to the Oscars, to a more down friendly comedy similar to The Big Lebowski. Enter Burn After Reading. A dark comedy in which the story is full of creative characters that are very well written for a specific actor to portray. The film doesn't really have a plot that it follows, but instead it creates new ones. Its un-predictable and we hardly know whats going to come up next. What really struck me was how everything started materializing. Every little thing started becoming more and more clear. This has been done in many films before it, but I really enjoyed it here. If their is one thing that slightly irritates me about this film or any other Coen brother's film that I have seen, its the un-expected deaths. I realized that almost every one of their films (ones I have seen) have had at least one major character killed. This really isn't an issue because I still think they write some amazing material, but its just alittle annoying when your going into this movie or any of their other movies knowing that someone important is going to die. The film's ending also feels alittle weird. It ends in a way that makes the film's plot seem useless. Its a very suitable and hilarious ending, but just alittle un-fulfilling.

Cast:
George Clooney plays as Harry Pfarrer and he gives a very good performance that's enjoyable and well acted. His character is funny and I loved every minute of it. John Malkovich plays as Osborne Cox and he gives a fantastic performance. I think he easily stole the show, but the other cast members weren't that far behind. I have been a fan of Malkovich's work for a long time and its great to see him delivering performances like this. Frances McDormand plays as Linda Litzke and shes very good in her role. She fits the role of Linda Litzke just right. Brad Pitt plays as Chad Feldheimer and hes probably going to get the most love. Pitt has been dieing to work with the Coen brother's on a film, but their was just never a good role for the wonderful actor to play. The character Chad was specifically written for Pitt and I think he did a great job at it. His character is probably the one that most people are going to talk about. We also have the lovely Tilda Swinton playing as Katie Cox. I think Swinton looked gorgeous in the film and I have never seen her look this sexy.

Picture:
The Coen brothers have been known to have some great cinematography in their films and Burn After Reading is no exception. The film just opened last Friday making the it relatively new and this results in pretty much no film grain. The image seemed smooth and crisp for the most part. Colors look wonderful and somewhat vibrant. This is probably the most colorful Coen brother film that I have seen. Just the red clothing of Pitt's character shows you how nicely the color fits into the story. Black levels are nice and dark the way it should be. Flesh tones are spot on and match the character's faces. Detail is surprisingly strong which I really wasn't expecting. Close up shots show every little thing about the person and it really makes for a sharp image. I really wasn't expecting this amount of detail since the trailer didn't look that detailed to begin with, but Its nice to see I was wrong.

Sound:
The soundtrack for the film is pretty good. Composer Carter Burwell who has scored many if not all of the Coen brother's films and hes back to score Burn After Reading. His score for the film isn't as grand and wacky as I would have liked it to be, but its still good. It makes the film alittle more serious and keeps the viewer in suspense. The quite effects mixed with some soft drum beatings were really effective. I enjoyed it and thought it was well produced even though it isn't much of a score. Whats really surprising about Burn After Reading's soundtrack is simply the bass work. You wouldn't expect a dark comedy like this to feature much bass, but surprisingly it does. Dynamics are pretty front focused, but it still goes around. The bass isn't as jaw dropping as say Transformers, but its still damn good especially for a comedy film.

Conclusion:
Burn After Reading is another winner from the creative minds of the Coen brothers. The story is hilarious and nicely constructed in a way for just about anyone to understand. The cast is fantastic with many of them giving out performances that are easily top notch. The visual look of the film is filled with vibrant colors that are nicely detailed. The soundtrack is effective and engaging. It will keep you in suspense and really bring out the story. The bass is also a nice surprise and very good for a dark comedy film like this. Burn After Reading was easily my most anticipated film for the rest of this year. I have seen the movie twice and is willing to see it again just because its so entertaining and worth watching. I can recommend this to those die hard Coen fans and to those looking for a great film. Its easily better than some of the junk that we have in theaters today.

Grade: B

REVIEW: Timecop

Timecop

Year: 1994
Director: Peter Hyams
Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Mia Sara, Ron Silver, Bruce McGill, Gloria Reuben
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA: Rated R

Timecop is considered a classic by me. I have seen the film so many times and still think its one of the better Jean-Claude Van Damme films. Timecop has been shown many times on TV and even around the world. I wouldn't go as far as to say it was a box office hit, grossing only $101 million worldwide, but it did pretty well for the size of this film. You wouldn't expect a film like this with a low budget, decent set of cast to surprisingly do great at the box office so Ill give it that. I have seen the film so many times that it kind of grew on me.

Plot Outline:
Max Walker (Jean-Claude Van Damme) is a policeman who's been offered a new job as a member of the "Time Enforcement Commission". Since time travel has now become a reality, it could be used for the wrong reasons so there needs to be people in place to stop villains from taking advantage of it. One night after receiving a phone call, his wife is killed and he almost gets killed. He thinks to himself everyday how he could have gone back and change everything before his wife gets murdered. Years later on one of his missions, he uncovers a plot by Senator McComb (Ron Silver) to become rich and get into the White House by cheating his way in.

Plot:
The story of Timecop isn't a very good one. Like I said with my past movie reviews of Click and Deja Vu, time traveling movies end up being not good except for Back to the Future. The problem we have with these types of movies are plot holes. We always seem to get them when where watching a movie about time traveling and that's the case with Timecop. The story started off interesting, but it wasn't fleshed out enough. The whole idea of there being "people" to stop criminals from taking advantage of time travel sounds kind of pointless. It kind of makes you wonder why don't they just try closing time travel instead of letting it happen, but with people in charge? It just isn't well thought out. With this said, Timecop still has many moments that are enjoyable to watch. The film can be really entertaining and is easily considered a popcorn flick. Its a mindless action movie that can be somewhat fun at times.

Cast:
The acting in Timecop is average at best. The cast doesn't feel like their really trying that hard with their performance's. I thought Jean-Claude Van Damme was just not serious enough. He seems to fit the part of being the main character in the film when you compare him to some of his other cast members, but he doesn't wow me with his performance. I thought Mia Sara was alittle too Innocent to be playing Jean-Claude Van Damme's wife, but I also thought she was pretty good looking. I think she did an average job for a small budget film like this. I thought Ron Silver gave a pretty good performance because he actually looked like he was having fun. He makes a good opponent opposite Van Damme and I enjoyed every bit of his work here.

Picture:
The visual look of Timecop is pretty good. The film was remastered awhile back by the guys at Universal and I think they did a pretty goof job here. The films source is cleaned up with only marginal film grain here and their. Colors are somewhat muted with not much vibrancy. Their is color in the film, but it just doesn't wow me like some other films have. I didn't notice any edge enhancements which is always a good thing. Detail is pretty considerable. Some close up shots reveal some clarity and detail in the characters while far away shots tend to look somewhat soft. This isn't a great looking movie, but it looks pretty good for a movie of its time.

Sound:
The music of Timecop is almost non existent. I mean sure we get the usual music that plays during the credits, but it just feels like it doesn't belong there. Their were moments where I was thinking to myself why doesn't Timecop have a better soundtrack. I was expecting a film like this that's an action thriller to really benefit from great SCI-FI music, but I was let down. What we do get is crisp dialogue that is well heard and maybe some bass rumbles here and there. The bass feels pretty flat and old. I think Universal should have also remastered the soundtrack for the film because the bass feels pretty outdated compared to other older movies.

Conclusion:
Timecop isn't a film that's going to satisfy you if your looking for a great action thriller with great story and just an all around top cast. The films story doesn't deliver, but the movie is still pretty damn fun. The cast is decent, but none of them look like their giving a 100%. The visual style of the film is pretty good and certainly fresh for a movie of its time. The soundtrack feels outdated and is in need of a remastering. Timecop isn't a great film, but its still watchable. The film is entertaining and easily makes for a popcorn flick. Id give it a rent if your looking for some mindless action fun.

Grade: C-

REVIEW: War of the Worlds

War of the Worlds

Year: 2005
Director: Steven Spielberg
Starring: Tom Cruise, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Miranda Otto, Tim Robbins
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG-13

War of the Worlds is one of those movies that I have been waiting to get my hands on. I haven't seen the film when it hit theaters in the summer of 05 because I was mostly on vacation and wanted to spend some time with my family. While I was relaxing with the folks, the film continued to become a success making an estimated $592 million worldwide at the box office. Than the DVD release came a couple months after and to my surprise, I still didn't watch it. Its been something that I have been wanting to watch, but always forgetting. So the other day at work, a couple of my co-workers were talking about Tom Cruise and one of them mentioned this film. Since my shift was almost over and the fact that this film was still circling my head at the time, I decided to finally go check it out.

Plot Outline:
Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise) is a dock worker who has custody of his daughter Rachel (Dakota Fanning) and his son Robbie (Justin Chatwin) for the weekend. He's not the world's best dad since he cautiously focuses on his work more than others, but that is put on the bench when aliens come and invade Earth. They have come to both destroy and harvest human beings.

Plot:
The story is based on the novel "The War of the Worlds" by H.G. Wells and is essentially a remake of the 1953 film version with the same name. Having not read the popular novel or seeing the 1953 film version, I cant compare if the new one follows those versions. I found the story for the film to be somewhat of a mixed bag. The movie opens very nicely and the first hour of the film is really interesting, but the second half just doesn't keep up. It concludes in a way that also leaves you with some un-answered questions that really tend to bother the viewer. I also felt that the film had some scenes that either could have been shorter or just simply cut from the final film. A good example of this is the basement scene in which we meet the character Harlan Ogilvy played by Tim Robbins. I'm not sure if this scene was in the book or the previous film version, but I felt it was alittle too long and deviated from the story. With this said, I still found the film to be really entertaining. We get many CGI scenes involving the aliens and these all look super cool. Theirs also a ton of shots that are wonderfully directed by Spielberg with the train scene being one of them. I also enjoyed the characters and some of their actions in the film.

Cast:
The cast of War of the Worlds is pretty good. Tom Cruise plays as the main character of the film, Ray Ferrier. He does a good job in his role and his character doesn't act as cocky as I would have believed. Hes just acting like any other person would if they were in the same situation as his character. Dakota Fanning plays as Rachel Ferrier and shes also pretty good in her role. I know alot of people complained that her character constantly screamed during the movie, but I didn't find it to be much of an issue. I thought she gave a good performance that nicely made her character effective in the movie. Justin Chatwin plays as Robbie and he too does a pretty good job in his role. His character does make some stupid decisions that I thought were kind of weird, but I still enjoyed his presence in this film. We also have Miranda Otto playing as Mary Ann. Her role is rather very short and shes hardly in the film alot so I cant really comment on her role.

Picture:
The visual look of War of the Worlds is simply fantastic. The film's budget was well over $130 million and damn was it put to good use. The film has some great looking special effects that still manage to look outstanding even in today's world. The CGI is nicely done and animates pretty well. This is also somewhat of a problem since it makes the film look like its just full of CGI shots rather than a good story. The movie does contain some film grain here and their, but I think this is just for effects rather than the disc. Colors are pretty gritty and somewhat bright at the same time. It makes the film seem alittle more real. Detail is surprisingly strong and satisfying. I wasn't expecting much in terms of detail since we have alot of CGI shots, but I was proven wrong. Close up shots show a good amount of detail. This is definitely a title I would love to see in high definition.

Sound:
The soundtrack for the film is great. Composer John Williams who also composed some of Spielberg's other films such as E.T. and Jurassic Park scores this film. He does a wonderful job composing the music for War of the Worlds and I thought it felt just right for this film. Its engaging and very effective. Sure its not as grand and powerful like the ones he made for some of his previous films, but I thought it fit the mood of the film nicely. War of the Worlds features some stunning bass work. This is a very action packed film with alot of things either blowing up or getting smashed. Dynamics are loud and spread out very evenly. This is definitely reference material and something to demo off your speakers.

Conclusion:
War of the Worlds is a pretty good film that I enjoyed to some extent. I think the films plot started off very interesting and kept me amazed half way through even though it didn't deliver during the second half. I thought their were too many questions that needed answering and some scenes that could have been shorter that really brought the film down. The cast was pretty good with most of them doing a reasonable job in their roles. I thought the film featured some stunning special effects and I enjoyed the films visual look. I also enjoyed the score that John Williams composed and thought the film had some strong bass work that definitely rocked. I think this film is worth checking out if your interested in any SCI-FI movies or movies with alien invasions. Its got problems, but its generally enjoyable for the most part.

Grade: C+

REVIEW: Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Year: 1987
Director: John Hughes
Starring: Steve Martin, John Candy, Laila Robins, Michael McKean, Kevin Bacon
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
MPAA: Rated R

Planes, Trains & Automobiles was released in 1987 and grossed an estimated $48 million. While it wasn't a big hit in theaters, its become a classic for John Candy fans around the world. This was one of the few films I ever owned on VHS with Jurassic Park being the other one. I know this film by heart and soul because I have watched it more than 3 times. This is one of my favorite John Candy films. So knowing all of this, I knew what to expect when reviewing this film.

Plot Outline:
Neal Page (Steve Martin) is trying to get home in time to his loved ones for Thanksgiving. It starts off with his cab being stolen at the last second and then he misses his flight. Through various moments of bad luck including flight delays, train breakdowns and more, Neal tries to fight his way back home. With him is Del Griffith (John Candy), a loud mouth, quirky shower curtain ring salesman who bumps into Neal at the airport and is there to push Neal to his limits of frustration. Del promises to help Neal get home and the two of them bond together to form a friendship.

Plot:
The story for Planes, Trains & Automobiles is pretty great. The plot is simple and is to understand. We don't get distracted from the main goal here and that's to get home. The plot is interesting and entertaining. The characters that we get introduced to are lovable and easy to compare with. There were parts in the film that I thought were memorable, but there was also parts where I thought it was too predictable. Yes their are some scenes that becomes pretty predictable so If I have to mark it down for something, Ill do it for that. Being marketed as a comedy, their are jokes spread out through the film. They are really funny and fun to listen too. I had a fun time with the comedy aspect of the film and felt that it didn't disappoint. I found the story to be a heartwarming adventure that I enjoyed more than once.

Cast:
The cast for the film is also great. Steve Martin plays the main character Neal Page and he does a great job being the angry rich worker trying to get home for Thanksgiving. I thought he was spot on great for this part and he really had some good chemistry with Candy. The late John Candy plays as Del Griffith and he really impressed me. I thought he was very energetic and heartwarming in his role. Hes perfect here and is really the star of the movie. Man, do I sure miss him. Laila Robins plays Neal's wife in Chicago, but she hardly has any screen time as the main focus of the film is on Martin and Candy's character. I still thought she was pretty good in her role for the parts that she is in. She nails that simple housewife experience that we have all come to know and love.

Picture:
The visual look for Planes, Trains & Automobiles is kind of a mixed bag. The film is pretty darn old and it shows it. The films source isn't very cleaned up and has some scratches here and their. I also noticed some film grain in some of the scenes. Colors have a muted yet oversaturated look to them. They can come off vibrant at times, but also look alittle washed out. They can also be somewhat dark at times. Detail is somewhat lacking in some shots. The film can tend to look pretty good from close up, but in some of the later scenes, the detail is almost non existent. The picture is also somewhat inconsistent. This is a film in need of some remastering so Paramount please get to it.

Sound:
The film has a pretty live music soundtrack to it. I didn't expect a low budget film like this to have alot of music in it, but I was wrong. While the film doesn't have a sole score like many other films, it does have a mixture of songs that play through out the film. The songs are wonderfully picked and spread across the film. Bass is on the low side which isn't a surprise considering theirs no scenes that require heavy bass usage. Bass is pretty nice, but hardly anything special. This is another aspect of the film that needs a remastering to output full 5.1 sound.

Conclusion:
Planes, Trains & Automobiles is a pretty great film about a friendship that isn't expected, but happens anyways. I found the story to be be charming and entertaining even though it can be predictable in some areas. I thought the cast was very sold and showed alot of chemistry that is noticeable just by watching the first half of the film. The visual look of the film is inconsistent and in need of a remastering. I thought the music was wonderful and worked to its story. This is a personal favorite of mine and I always have had a fun time watching it. I would recommend this film if your looking for a nice simple story that contains some laughter in it. As for John Candy fans, this should easily satisfy you.

Grade: B-

REVIEW: Total Recall

Total Recall

Year: 1990
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rachel Ticotin, Sharon Stone, Ronny Cox, Michael Ironside
Distributor: TriStar Pictures
MPAA: Rated R

Total Recall is and will always be, my favorite Arnold Schwarzenegger movie. This was one of the few Arnold films I ever saw and just loved it. I have been a big fan of this film since I first saw it. Based on the short story "We Can Remember It For You Wholesale" by Philip K. Dick, Total Recall was hyped as the next great film from legendary author Philip K. Dick after the success of Blade Runner. Grossing over $260 million worldwide on a budget of $60 million made this film a box office smash, but was it really better than Blade Runner? In short answer, no.

Plot Outline:
Douglas Quaid (Arnold Schwarzenegger) has a normal life in the future. He's happily married to a beautiful woman (Sharon Stone) and works as a construction worker. His only problem is that he has been having nightmares about Mars, a place he desperately wants to visit. He goes to Rekall Incorporated, a company that implants the memories of a far away vacation into the minds of its customers. As he goes in to receive a Mars memory trip, something goes very wrong. He is soon being chased by Richter (Michael Ironside) and his people who want him dead. He begins to realize that he cant trust anyone.

Plot:
The story of Total Recall is pretty good. It is nowhere near as grand as Blade Runner, but Its filled with plot twists and turns that will keep the audience excited. The plot starts off really well and continues to stay on that path. It tends to get intense and interesting at the same time, making you want more of the film. We also get introduced to cool characters that we tend to root for no matter what the mistake they make. While this is good and entertaining, the story doesn't give you alot of answers to this plot. In the end, it will leave you with some unanswered questions that might bug you. With that said, this is still an entertaining SCI-FI film from start to finish and one that will have you coming back for more. The action is raw and the explosions look great. I never get tired of watching this film so I guess that means something.

Cast:
The cast of Total Recall is alittle above average. Arnold portrays the main character in the film and he does an honest job as Doug Quaid, but nothing special. I enjoyed his performance, but this isn't Oscar material. Michael Ironside plays as Richter and he gives a good performance here. I really enjoyed his character and thought he made a good badass opposite Arnold. Sharon Stone plays as Lori and I think she doesn't have enough screen time. I liked her role here and thought it was cleaver, but I need to see more of her. Rachel Ticotin plays as Melina and she does a decent job here. I think someone else could have easily replaced her because she doesn't really seem like she is suppose to be in this film.

Picture:
The special effects for the film is pretty good. Having been nominated for an academy award in Best Effects and Sound Effects Editing, the film looks good. The settings and structures look like they belong their. There are parts of the film where the effects don't look as good as they could have been, but its still good overall. The blood in the film is truly fantastic. I have seen many bloody films in my life time, but Total Recall has one of the best blood effects I have ever seen. The picture itself is pretty grainy from start to finish. This is a pretty old film and it definitely shows. Detail is on the soft side with not much showing. I mean some close up shots can look pretty good, but the movie as a whole doesn't pack enough punch like some of today's DVDs.

Sound:
The music of Total Recall is great. The film has a great suspenseful score that makes this film feel big. Its used in alot of the scenes and feels just right for this movie. We also get other soundtracks that are used somewhat in the film that also sound great with the action going on. The film also consists of an average bass usage. For an action film like this, I would have expected more, but I think its the age of the films sound and not the disc itself. Dynamics don't hold up well and its seems more front heavy. Explosions don't really have that extra bump that it really needs. Still for an old film like this, the bass is enough to make the action feel real.

Conclusion:
Total Recall is really not for everyone. I have seen this film so many times and consider it a good movie, but even I have to admit its got some flaws. The story is good and keeps you thinking, but it also leaves out answers. The cast is pretty good with many of them giving out decent performance. The visual look of the film is pretty muddy while the special effects look great for a film of its time. The soundtrack is amusing and nice to listen to. I think this film is worth checking out because its still entertaining. This is one of those Schwarzenegger movies you don't get tired of watching no matter how many times you have seen it.

Grade: C+