REVIEW: The Mist

The Mist

Year: 2007
Director: Frank Darabont
Starring: Thomas Jane, Laurie Holden, Marcia Gay Harden, Andre Braugher, Nathan Gamble
Distributor: Dimension Films
MPAA: Rated R

The Mist is director Frank Darabont's long in development movie that he has wanted to make since the 1980's. Its based on a short story that mastermind Stephen King made. The film was released wide on November 21, 2007 to good critical reception. The movie grossed an estimated $41 million worldwide on a budget of only $18 million. Me being a big Frank Darabont fan was eager to see this film. I mean I loved what Darabont did with Stephen King's The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption. I wasn't able to catch The Mist during its theatrical run, but that didn't stop me from grabbing the DVD release when it eventually came out.

Plot Outline:
David Drayton (Thomas Jane) is a comic artist whose house was smashed in one night by a tree during a bad storm. The next morning, he brings his son Billy (Nathan Gamble) and neighbour Brent Norton (Andre Braugher) to the local supermarket to get supplies for home repairs. Realizing the army passing by at top speed makes him wonder whats going on. The shoppers in the supermarket find themselves locked in as a mist descends upon them, with a frantic man running back to warn everyone that there's something within the mist.

Plot:
The story is based on a short story written by mastermind Stephen King. Now I haven't read the original story of The Mist so I don't really know how faithful this new film is to the story of the original. I did however read online that parts of the film have been changed to fit a more current state of audience, but for the most part its the same concept. Their is one major change that I should point out. The ending has been changed and is not the same ending you have read in the short story. I don't want to ruin what the ending is, but boy is it really emotional. Its so unexpected and probably one of the most shocking endings I have ever seen in a movie. I was just so surprised by how powerful it is. Here I come hoping to see a good horror film and end up seeing a depressing one. Yeah you heard folks, The Mist isn't just a horror film. The movie has so many characters that tend to do good and bad things that make the story so depressing that it makes the film seem un-scary.

Cast:
I didn't expect much from the cast, but some really proved they can be really great if they have a great director standing by them. Thomas Jane plays as David Drayton who's the main lead in the movie. He gives a great performance that really surprised me. Sure its not really noticeable in the beginning, but he really unleashes his talent later on in the movie. Laurie Holden plays as Amanda Dunfrey and she gives a pretty good performance as Dunfrey. Its obvious that shes got talent, but she doesn't truly shine in this film. Marcia Gay Harden plays as Mrs. Carmody and she gives a good performance. She proves she can be really psychotic and delusional if she wants to be. We also have Andre Braugher playing as Brent Norton and hes pretty good in his role. Although his role is short, its still effective and fun to see him in serious roles like the one he has in this movie.

Picture:
The visual effects in The Mist are great. The movie revolves around this mysterious mist that is full of many creatures that are creepy in their own way. The CGI for the creatures look good for a horror film. Their are moments in The Mist that I found to be quite amazing. We see a couple shots of huge creatures that are roaming the mist and they definitely have that great look to them. Detail is very good with alot of facial hair being apparent. I was shocked to see this film not announced for high def because it would have looked marvelous on it. Since The Mist doesn't feature any scenes that have alot of color in them, parts of the film seem pale. I would have loved to see this film with alittle more color saturation because it feels alittle too pale.

Sound:
The soundtrack in The Mist isn't really engaging as I would have hope it to be. The music is composed by Mark Isham who also composed such hits as Crash and In the Valley of Elah. The music isn't as great and lively as I thought it to be. The score is only so and so, but we do get some other music that seems spot on with the films intensity. The music that we get has been seen in other films too, most noticeable in the 2004 Tony Scott film "Man on Fire". The Mist also features some good bass work. Its obvious that the film relies heavily on its dialogue, but their are moments in the film where the bass really sounds full and put to good use. The dialogue is also crisp and clean with voices sounding good for the most part.

Conclusion:
The Mist is a good adaption of Stephen King's short story. The story might start off with a slow pace, but be patient because the ending is so powerful that I found it to be quite shocking and unexpected so brace yourselves. The cast is good for the most part with Thomas Jane giving a great performance that I really enjoyed. The visual effects are great for a horror film like this with detail being very clear. The soundtrack is kind of a let down because I really wanted to be blown away by it, but I guess it sounds decent. The Mist isn't your typical horror film because the movie gets so depressing at times that it doesn't even feel like a horror movie. While I wouldn't rank this as high as Darabont's other films, but its still a good movie. I would recommend this to Stephen King fans around the world.

Grade: B-

REVIEW: Michael Clayton

Michael Clayton

Year: 2007
Director: Tony Gilroy
Starring: George Clooney, Tom Wilkinson, Michael O'Keefe, Sydney Pollack, Tilda Swinton
Distributor: Warner Bros. Pictures
MPAA: Rated R

Michael Clayton is another one of those movies that come along in time for the Oscars and get nominated for some awards. When this film first hit theaters, I was alittle skeptical because I was busy watching No Country for Old Men and didn't want to give Michael Clayton a chance. Also the trailer seemed like another thriller that looked cool to watch, but definitely not something that's going to get an Oscar. This however wasn't exactly the case since Michael Clayton grossed an estimated $88 million worldwide on a mear budget of $25 million. I eventually bit the dust and decided to give the movie a chance with its upcoming DVD release. Moments after having seen the film, I'm now more pleased with my decision to check the film out. This is a good film that's not really Oscar worthy like I mentioned, but its still a good movie to watch.

Plot Outline:
Michael Clayton (George Clooney) is a fixer of problems for a leading law firm which experiences a crisis as its leading legal mind, Arthur Edens (Tom Wilkinson) has a breakdown as he defends an industrial giant, U-North, from a multi-billion dollar lawsuit. U-North's corporate counsel Karen Crowder (Tilda Swinton) grows worried and realizes that Edens may have some other agenda in mind that may threaten U-North so she orders a couple of men to eliminate the problem. Add to this Clayton's own woes as he owes loan sharks big money. As Clayton attempts to help Edens, a tragedy occurs which intervenes with Clayton's own values and tests his skill to delve deeper into an insidious world of corporate greed and murder. How far he is willing to go to save his own skin or find justice even if it risks his well being to a defining point in his life.

Plot:
Michael Clayton is an interesting yet provocative tale. The story starts out with someone talking in the background with the music getting louder and more intense. The films plot gets really interesting in the beginning with alot of characters being introduced, but I didn't find the actual story to be something unique. The film has this intense gritty look going for it and it works well because it creates an atmosphere that's well suited for this film. Not everything is so swell because even though Michael Clayton may have an interesting story, the plot can sometimes linger from simple to complex because their are certain things we still don't know yet. I didn't leave this movie knowing everything about it and I still have some unanswered questions. Never the less, this is still a good story we have from first time director Tony Gilroy who has been writing the screenplay for the Jason Bourne series since day one.

Cast:
The cast of Michael Clayton is great. I found everyone to be great in their respected roles. George Clooney plays as Michael Clayton who is the main lead in the film and hes really great in his role. He gives a great performance that I found very entertaining and at least Oscar worthy for a nomination. Tom Wilkinson plays as Arthur Edens and he too gives a great performance. Just from the start of the film you can already tell that hes giving a great performance that's every bit as good as Clooney gives as Clayton. Sydney Pollack plays as Marty Bach and he gives a pretty good performance although I have seen better roles he has played in. We also have Michael O'Keefe playing as Barry Grissom and its kind of weird seeing him playing such a serious role. Tilda Swinton plays as Karen Crowder and she seems very suitable for her part. I enjoyed her role in this film.

Picture:
The visual look of the film isn't something that's going to knock you off your socks. The film has a gritty look to it that it makes everything seem alittle too dark. We have some grain that is apparent though out the film, but I'm pretty sure its the directors style for it being their. Michael Clayton also features some pale colors because everything looks just muted. We have this overcast feel to the films atmosphere. It works well with the movies plot and scenario. The movie benefits from being a recent release with detail being very noticeable. The source also seems pretty clean expect with the grain off course. The movie also has some nice cinematography that was done by Robert Elswit who also won an Academy Award for his brilliant work on There Will Be Blood.

Sound:
The soundtrack for Michael Clayton is somewhat of a mixed bag. The music is composed by James Newton Howard who also composed hits such as Batman Begins and King Kong. The film has a score that works really well for it, but its hardly used to the point where its something memorable. Its also very dull and not loud enough. While I do have to take into consideration that this isn't the type of movie that requires an epic score like Star Wars, but its just a shame that their isn't something more to this films soundtrack. I guess I was just expecting more. While the score of the movie might not be groundbreaking, the dialogue is exceptionally great. Since this is a heavy dialogue driven film, I'm glad to see the dialogue sounding pretty crisp and clean. Bass work is on the low side with hardly any bass used.

Conclusion:
Michael Clayton is a good film that I found very intriguing. I might have passed on it when it was in theaters, but this movie just as rocks on DVD as it did in theaters. The story is an interesting thriller that works to some extent because we still get left with some questions we need answered. The cast is great with some of the cast members giving great performances that is Oscar worthy. The visual look of the film is gritty with colors being muted. The soundtrack for the film works on some levels, but isn't as memorable as say other films in the same league. In the end, its up to you to decided if you want to give this film a chance. I found the film to be interesting and is definitely worth a rental at least. A good movie for Tony Gilroy's first director debut.

Grade: B-

REVIEW: Shoot 'Em Up

Shoot 'Em Up

Year: 2007
Director: Michael Davis
Starring: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci, Stephen McHattie, Greg Bryk
Distributor: New Line Cinema
MPAA: Rated R

Shoot 'Em Up was one of those upcoming films from New Line that looked kind of cool, but never something I would pay for. The film debut onto theaters with disappointing box office numbers. The movie grossed an estimated $25 million on a budget of $39 million. The movie wasn't a hit like the studio and executives thought it would be. Still, even with these numbers, Shoot 'Em Up scored pretty well with the critics giving it an average score. At first, I thought the trailer for the movie was kind of cheesy and fast paced. I wasn't interested in paying $10 bucks to go see it. After awhile, I eventually checked out the DVD version when it came out and its a somewhat entertaining movie.

Plot Outline:
A carrot eating loner named Smith (Clive Owen) witnesses a pregnant woman being chased by a violent man for reasons unrevealed. Against his better judgment, he jumps into the way and becomes involved in what ultimately turns into a war with an intelligent crime boss named Hertz(Paul Giamatti). Along for the ride is the baby Smith delivered and the Italian prostitute named Donna Quintano (Monica Bellucci) who is the only person he can trust.

Plot:
The plot doesn't even have an introduction and we don't know whats going on. We don't know who's who or any of their names. Sooner than later, the characters start talking and we get to know who they are, but the story isn't explained much. Its kind of a bad to not know whats going on. The movie also has some problems, but the main one I notice was that the character in the story is almost too perfect. He doesn't get bang up or killed when hes in many of his gun battles. It makes it look way too stupid for the character of Smith to be dodging all these bullets, this isn't Matrix. Cheesy lines are something that also bring this films story down. Theirs just too many in the film. The movie is mostly straight forward, but their are tons of moments where the plot gets predictable for the audience. With this said, the movie somehow manages to become fun. The film features alot of John Woo type shoot outs and even some with insane stunts that work sometimes, but also make the film look unrealistic.

Cast:
The cast of Shoot 'Em Up is a pretty solid one. Clive Owen plays Smith and hes pretty good for the main role in the film. Coming hot off the heels of Children of Men, Owen isn't great here as he was their so the performance is pretty good, but not great. Paul Giamatti plays as Hertz and hes very creative. His character seems just about right for Giamatti to handle. He has a somewhat distinctive look that seems great for the role of Hertz. Monica Bellucci plays as Donna Quintano and shes fucking hot as heck. She definitely has the looks for the role of Donna and the great body to go with it. I enjoyed her role very much. We also have Stephen McHattie playing as Hammerson, but hes mostly just in the background. His part isn't really great or groundbreaking.

Picture:
The visual look of Shoot 'Em Up is described as rough and gritty. The movie isn't color friendly so we don't get a whole lot of color in the picture, but the movie does have this pale color tone to it. The whole movie is pretty dark and fast paced. While the film might not be colorful, but its definitely in pristine shape so the source is clean. The movie is also pretty sharp and has good detail. Close up shots reveal great looking detail that is very present through out the entire film. While I would recommend showing off Shoot 'Em Up to friends as a demo material, but its a pretty strong release by New Line.

Sound:
The soundtrack in Shoot 'Em Up is pretty aggressive. The music is composed by Paul Haslinger who also composed some popular hits like Crank and Vacancy. I wasn't able to detect any score for the movie so that's a real let down. The movie would have been cooler if it had a score to go with the film. However, just like Crank, the music is a mixed mix of other music. Some from pop and some are hard 70's. They sound pretty good and some seem to work with certain scenes. Bass is also strong in Shoot 'Em Up with alot of scenes just featuring some amazing rumbles because of the shoot outs. These sound real nice and really aggressive. Dialogue is also pretty clean with some crispness to it.

Conclusion:
Shoot 'Em Up just feels like your average action movie with nothing that separates it from other movies in the same genre. The story is decent, but has alot of cheesy dialogue and many scenes where Smith survives some of the weirdest battles. The cast is solid with the cast members giving out entertaining performances. The visual look of the movie is nice and gritty with attention to detail. The soundtrack mostly consists of mixed music and not its own score, but the bass sounds amazing. I couldn't help, but think how dumb this movie can be at times. Then I think of all the John Woo style stunts and shoot outs in the movie that I enjoyed. I wouldn't recommend this film to those seeking Oscar caliber films, but its definitely a rent for those wanting an action adventure film.

Grade: C+

REVIEW: The Big Lebowski

The Big Lebowski

Year: 1998
Director: Ethan Coen & Joel Coen
Starring: Jeff Bridges, John Goodman, Steve Buscemi, Julianne Moore, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Distributor: Universal Pictures
MPAA: Rated R

The Big Lebowski is one of those rare films that only come around once in awhile. The film that was released in 1998 bombed at the box office by only grossing an estimated $17 million on a $15 million budget. While the film wasn't a box office hit, it did manage to pass its budget. The numbers don't really mean anything though because its all about the critics and fans. The Big Lebowski has an enormous fan base and the critics have been positive about the film since its release. Having reviewed the Coen brother's Award winning film "No Country for Old Men" in late January, I was craving for some more. Their was no doubt in my mind that I was going to eventually review The Big Lebowski seeing how its been the Coen brother's most famous film.

Plot Outline:
Jeff Lebowski a.k.a. The Dude (Jeff Bridges) is mistaken for a millionaire of the same name whose wife owes money to a pornographer. The Dude is an unemployed layabout who bowls with his two friends Walter (John Goodman) and Donny (Steve Buscemi). Walter is a short-tempered Vietnam vet who uses his military service to justify his behavior. He constantly yells at Donny for no real reason and waves guns at minor bowling infractions. The Dude finds himself caught up in the Big Lebowski's ransom as the millionaire hires him to give the ransom to the kidnappers who kidnapped his wife, Bunny (Tara Reid). Not everything goes as planned and The Dude finds himself in alot of trouble.

Plot:
The story starts off pretty quickly and goes on from their. I loved the plot of the movie and found the story to be pretty hilarious in some ways. I was somewhat soured by the ending in the Coen brothers recent film, No Country for Old Men. I found the ending to be sudden and something the audience might not have wanted. Luckily, that doesn't happen here. The ending for The Big Lebowski seems just about right for this movie. Its nothing special or bad that the audience is going to dislike. The characters that the story introduces us to are just wonderful in their own ways. Each character plays a specific role in the movie and each are important for the films story to work. I can sit here all day telling you how much I enjoyed the story. It was only 20 minutes into the film that I knew this was going to be a great film. The level of interest that the movie has stays high so it keeps the viewer interested. This is one of those movies that you tend to enjoy and appreciate the more you watch it.

Cast:
Jeff Bridges plays as Jeffrey Lebowski/The Dude and he gives a great performances that I just loved. I thought he did a good job in the movie Tron when I reviewed it last month, but he does an even better job in this movie. This is probably his best performance that I have seen of him. John Goodman plays as Walter Sobchak and he gives a great performance too as a slow thinking friend of The Dude. The chemistry he has with Bridges is great and it really makes him a great supporting actor in the movie. Steve Buscemi plays as Donny Kerabatsos and he does a pretty good job in his role. He doesn't say much in the film so I cant give him a bad or good score. We also have Julianne Moore playing as Maude Lebowski and her role in the film is great. She has a lovely accent that seems to fit her character very well. Philip Seymour Hoffman plays as Brandt who's the servant of The Big Lebowski and hes character is flat out funny. He has many funny lines in the movie that seems to suit him well.

Picture:
The visual look of the film isn't something to brag about. The movie is mostly filmed in in door areas so what we get are mostly the parts in the bowling ally and the dream sequences. However, for a film of its age, The Big Lebowski looks great. The movie was recently remaster and released as a special edition set courtesy of Universal Pictures. The colors look wonderful and bright. The dream sequences look much cleaner and more vivid than ever. Their is also a pretty good amount of detail in the picture. Places like the bowling alley feature sharp images that look good. Facial detail is also pretty good that you can see almost every piece of hair on The Dude's face. This is NOT be all means a movie you would use to demo to your friends, but the film look quite good for a films of its age.

Sound:
I criticized the Coen's No Country for Old Men for not having music in the movie. I thought it was kind of stupid that their wasn't any music in the movie except for the credits. That however is not the case here as The Big Lebowski features some great music. The music is composed by Carter Burwell who also composed No Country for Old Men, but this time it looks like he actually meant for The Big Lebowski to have music. The movie doesn't have a score per say, but it does have a soundtrack that's mostly a mix between old 90's and probably some 80's music. This works really well with the film and is something you tend to like after hearing it for awhile. The movie doesn't feature any good bass work considering this is a dialogue oriented film so bass here wouldn't really feel right. The dialogue in the film is also some of the best I have ever heard.

Conclusion:
The Big Lebowski is a fantastic film that I think just about any adult would enjoy. The story of the film is great with the plot featuring some of the best dialogue I have ever heard. The cast is simply perfect with the cast members giving out great performances. The visual look of the film has been remastered and it looks pretty good for a film of its age. The soundtrack in the film is great with alot of mixed music being used very effectively even though the film doesn't feature a score. This is film that I highly recommend watching over again and again because the story becomes more clearer the more you watch it. The Big Lebowski is now one of my favorite films of all time. Give my appreciation to the Coen brothers for making this film.

Grade: B+

REVIEW: Gattaca

Gattaca

Year: 1997
Director: Andrew Niccol
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Uma Thurman, Jude Law, Elias Koteas, Xander Berkeley
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG-13

Gattaca is more than 10 years old, yet SCI-FI fans around the world still remember it even to this day. Gattaca isn't a movie I would have normally watched. I never heard about the film until this one day, my science teacher brought it over to watch. It was the only movie in that whole class that I actually enjoyed and found fascinating. After that day, I went out and did alittle research on it so I can learn more about it. After so many years of waiting, Sony finally brought Gattaca out on a special edition DVD with the video and audio remastered. I took that chance to finally give this movie a review.

Plot Outline:
Vincent Freeman (Ethan Hawke) is a natural birth or "In-valid", living in a world in which people forged in test tubes rule society. Determined to break out of his imperfect genetic destiny and fulfil his dreams, Vincent meets Jerome Morrow (Jude Law), a "Valid" willing to sell his prime genetic material for cash. Using Jerome's blood, urine, skin and hair samples, Vincent is able to forge a new identity and pursue his goal of a mission to space with the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation and enjoy a blossoming romance with Irene (Uma Thurman), another "Valid". However, a week before his flight, a Gattaca mission director is brutally murdered and Vincent finds himself pursued by a relentless investigator threatening to expose his counterfeit life and reveal him as "In-valid", ending his dreams forever.

Plot:
The story of Gattaca is great. I didn't expect my science teacher to have good taste in movies, but I really enjoyed Gattaca. The plot is interesting and certainly has moments where your guessing whats going to happen next. This is one of those underrated films that not alot of people go see because they don't know what it is about, yet it still garners alot of fans that still appreciate this film. The SCI-FI elements in the film are hardly mind blowing yet they the film makers manage to pull it off really good. The characters are very believable to watch and spark many interests that I found curious. Make no mistake, this film is very character driven so don't expect any high flying action scenes just because its a SCI-FI film. The movies 1 hour and 46 minutes does the film justice by closing in a way that the audience was expecting. All in all, I very much loved the story of Gattaca simply because it doesn't try hard like many other films in the same genre.

Cast:
The cast of Gattaca is good in many ways. Ethan Hawke plays as Vincent Freeman and he gives a great performance that I found very enjoyable. Its certainly up their with some of the best performances he has given yet. Uma Thurman plays as Irene Cassini and although shes pretty good in her role, shes kind of underused so her performance is also underused. We also have Jude Law playing as Jerome Eugene Morrow and he gives a pretty good performance. I wouldn't say its his best performance ever, but its definitely up their with some of his best work. Xander Berkeley plays as Dr. Lamar, but his character is mostly in the the background as Vincent is mainly the star of the movie. Elias Koteas plays as Antonio Freeman and he gives a pretty good performance. Hes mostly in the last half of the movie, but he still plays an important role in the movie.

Picture:
The visual look of the movie is pretty good. Sony recently remastered this film in high definition so it could release it side by side with the Blu Ray version. With that said, the image look much cleaner than the previous DVD versions. The image is also alot sharper in terms of clarity. Detail is pretty high with alot of the movie looking razor sharp. Gattaca isn't a film that's going to blow your friends away as a demo material since the movie doesn't offer any CGI cut scenes that are worth watching. The director chose to stay close to the present, but also add a touch of the future. In the end, the film looks wonderful for its age and a really good job on Sony's behalf.

Sound:
The movie has a wonderful score that is composed by Michael Nyman. I thought the score was well built for this movie and definitely sounded like it belonged their. The problem with the soundtrack is that their only seems to be the film's score. I wasn't able to detect any other music or orchestral work that was played in the movie. This isn't really a good thing because it limits the film to its score only rather than the score and some other music. Gattaca also has some pretty good bass work. A movie like this that's heavily focused on its dialogue that also features bass usage is pretty impressive to me. Since the movie consists of alot of dialogue, its nice to see the voice work is very clear and fluid. I'm glad Gattaca has a good score to back its great story, but it also saddens me to see the film being limited to its score only.

Conclusion:
Gattaca is a great film that is still enjoyable even to this day. The story is great with its somewhat complex plot and gets interesting from chapter to chapter. The cast is good for the most part with some of them giving exceptional performances while others being underused. The visual look of the film has been remastered and handled very well by the team at Sony. The soundtrack is also pretty good with the film boasting a good score even though that's the only thing your going to get. I want to thank my previous science teacher Mr. West for introducing my class and I to Gattaca because if it weren't for him, I wouldn't have been able to catch this film. Its amazing how well Gattaca holds up even to this day. I can recommend this film to SCI-FI fans.

Grade: B-

REVIEW: Beowulf

Beowulf

Year: 2007
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Ray Winstone, Robin Wright Penn, Anthony Hopkins, Brendan Gleeson, Angelina Jolie
Distributor: Paramount Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG-13

Beowulf is an old epic poem written in Anglo Saxon literature. This famous poem took nearly 10 years to finally make the jump onto the big screen. Director Robert Zemeckis who also directed popular hits such as the Back to the Future trilogy and Forrest Gump envisioned Beowulf to be shot in CGI motion capture just like his previous film, The Polar Express. The film finally got green lighted back in 2005 and made its debut on theaters in 2007. Beowulf grossed an estimated $195 million worldwide on a $150 budget. While the film wasn't a huge success like the studios had hoped for, but it still managed to pass its budget. As strange as this sounds, my British literature class was actually studying this epic poem before the movie was released. After reading the poem, I was set to watch the film and compare the two.

Plot Outline:
Beowulf (Ray Winstone) is an untroubled muscle bound brute with a habit for slaying monsters who soon finds himself trading his integrity for power and glory. He arrives at a small Danish kingdom to rid it of the murderous beast Grendel (Crispin Glover). Beowulf and his geats succeed in killing the demon, but it is not long before the wrath of Grendel's mother (Angelina Jolie) is visited upon them. With most of his men dead, Beowulf heads off to Grendel's cave to murder its mother and finish the job off once and for all. This encounter with the bedazzled beast is more than he bargained for. Beowulf is soon seduced into to giving the evil temptress a new son in return for life long protection. The decision will come to haunt Beowulf in later life.

Plot:
The story of Beowulf is kind of a mixed bag. Ill start off with whats wrong with the story. These days Hollywood is always up to their tricks with movies based on books or poems and Beowulf suffers from that. The epic Anglo Saxon poem is translated onto the big screen in a wrongly manner. Having read the poem a few weeks before the movie came out, I knew everything about the story of the poem. For some reason the writers decided not to stay faithful to the poem and instead alter the story. Their are many scenes or parts that are captured wrong in the movie and even some that are not even their. I don't want to spoil anything for the people who haven't seen the movie, but I can tell you now that its not exactly the same as the original poem. Even though the movie isn't exactly the same as the poem, it still manages to be entertaining. The plot is somewhat simple to understand and is filled with many action sequences that seem to go well with the story.

Cast:
Since the entire movie is filmed using CGI motion capture, the cast only lends their voices to these characters that they play as. Ray Winstone plays as Beowulf and he does a great job in his role. I thought his voice was perfect for the role of Beowulf and his voice talent is very obvious here. Brendan Gleeson plays as Wiglaf and he has a somewhat charming look that seems suitable for the role of Wiglaf. Anthony Hopkins plays as King Hrothgar and he does a pretty good job in his role. I enjoyed his clumsy-ness and drunk acting. We also have Robin Wright Penn playing as Queen Wealtheow and she also does a pretty good job in her role. Crispin Glover plays as Grendel and he gives a surprisingly good performance. I loved his voice and thought it was very convincing. Angelina Jolie plays as Grendel's Mother, but I didn't enjoy her voice work as much as I did the others. I just thought her voice didn't convince me enough.

Picture:
The visual effects for Beowulf are simply astounding. The whole movie is filmed using CGI motion capture, the same technology that made The Polar Express and it looks absolutely wonderful. Most of the cast is rendered using this technology and the characters faces mirror that of their voice talent. I cant believe how real Anthony Hopkins looks like in the movie, its seriously that good. Being a recent release and a straight to digital release, Beowulf benefits from pristine source. Detail is amazing high with almost everything looking very crisp and clear. For example, the facial hair on Beowulf's face is amazingly detailed with every single hair piece being noticeable. Not every thing is perfect about Beowulf's visuals as its animations some times stick out. They don't seem too real enough because of the way the characters bodies move around.

Sound:
The music of Beowulf is pretty good. The music is composed by Alan Silvestri who also composed some other hits such as The Mummy Returns and Zemeckis's previous film, The Polar Express. The music is good for the most part with the film having its very own score to give this movie some legs. The score while being good isn't used enough and isn't as loud as I would have hoped for. For an epic film like Beowulf, I would have thought the soundtrack to be amazingly great, but it certainly isn't. Beowulf may not have the loudest soundtrack ever, but its definitely got one of the strongest bass work I have heard in awhile. Bass is used very effectively with alot of moments featuring some great rumblings that really puts you in front of the action. Dialogue is also very good with voices sounding very clear and fluid.

Conclusion:
Beowulf is another movie that Hollywood got in the way of. Here we have an old epic poem that could have been fantastic to see on the big screen, but fails to deliver on its promises. The story while being fun and entertaining, hardly does the poem any justice with alot of parts being changed or scrapped. The cast is good with some of the cast members giving good voice work while others sounding alittle bored. The visual effects are outstanding and simply put, one of the best motion captures ever. The soundtrack isn't as loud as I would have thought it to be, but its definitely got alot of bass to satisfy your home theater. In the end, I found this movie to be somewhat cool. Sure the story isn't 100% faithful to the poem, but its still fun and entertaining. I would recommend this film to just about anyone that's interested in an epic action movie.

Grade: B-

REVIEW: Bee Movie

Bee Movie

Year: 2007
Director: Steve Hickner & Simon J. Smith
Starring: Jerry Seinfeld, Renée Zellweger, Matthew Broderick, Patrick Warburton, John Goodman
Distributor: DreamWorks SKG
MPAA: Rated PG

Bee Movie was Jerry Seinfeld's long in development project that he was trying to release. Its been in development for awhile until finally releasing in 2007. I'm not sure if the movie was always intended to be an animated film, but I don't see it working at all as a live action movie. The film grossed an estimated $285 million worldwide on a $150 million budget, which wasn't a huge success like Shrek or Toy Story, but it did manage to pass its budget. Being a huge Seinfeld fan and owning all the DVDs of the popular sitcom, it was only natural that I go see this film. Besides, I also loved animated movies so it only made sense to watch Bee Movie. The only problem was that I was busy watching American Gangster at the time so I couldn't watch Bee Movie. It was only until the DVD came out that I decided to give Bee Movie a shot.

Plot Outline:
Barry B. Benson (Jerry Seinfeld) is a bee who is living in the typical bee world where you live, you work and you die. He's getting sick of it too, he wants something different, so he goes out into the human world. He meets a nice lady named Venessa (Renée Zellweger) and decides to break the Bee law and talk to her, they develop a friendship. He discovers in the human world that they sell honey and he's working his butt off for it, so he decides to go ahead and sue the human race for all the honey they have. But he realizes soon that bee's mean more than just making honey.

Plot:
Bee Movie is kind of a mixed bag. For a movie that's been in development for a long time, the story just doesn't work well. While the movie might look like another animated film for kids, the plot seems more suitable for older teens. The whole movie is about Barry suing the honey makers around the world for stealing honey and as a story, this isn't a very good one. I don't think children are going to like an animated movie like this to have a story that's more geared towards adults. Their are also some plot holes that becomes obvious as the movie goes on such as Barry talking to humans when its against the bee code. With this all said, Bee Movie still has some moments of enjoyment. I particularly loved the bee hive and how every bee was working in this bee world. The characters of Bee Movie are also not something I would have expected. I enjoyed the character of Barry Benson seeing as how he was the more energetic one. The story also consists of jokes that are typical of Seinfeld to include, but these jokes are rarely funny. It feels like the writers tried too hard to incorporate these jokes into the movie and some just don't work.

Cast:
The cast of Bee Movie is pretty good. Jerry Seinfeld plays as Barry B. Benson and being the main character of the film, it was pretty important for him to sound good. Luckily he voices Barry very good for the most part, but he seems to outshine the rest of the cast. Since hes the only one that seems the most energetic and excited to play as Benson, the rest of the cast doesn't seem like their trying. Renée Zellweger plays as Vanessa Bloome and shes pretty good, but gets out shined by Seinfeld. We also have Matthew Broderick playing as Adam Flayman and since Broderick already did some voice work in the past with Lion King, he does a pretty good job here. Patrick Warburton plays as Ken and hes probably the second one in the film that looks excited to play his part even though he mostly talks loud through out the film. I kind of enjoyed the cast of Bee Movie. Sure not everyone is talented in their role, they were still decent none the less.

Picture:
The special effects for Bee Movie are simply outstanding. Being an animated title and a recent release, its no surprise that Bee Movie looks great. Detail is very good with alot of scenes looking wonderful such as the early scenes of the bee hive or the detailed streets of New York. Theirs also some fluid-ness to Bee Movie and a good example of this would be Benson's hair which really stand outs as being very fluid. While the facial animations look good, they don't really come close to some of Pixar's work such as the recent hit Ratatouille. Even with that in mind, Bee Movie looks really great with colors really popping off the screen with yellows and blacks looking very solid. This is easily up their with some of the best animated films even though the facial animations aren't the best. I cant imagine how well this movie would look on high definition.

Sound:
The music of Bee Movie is pretty good. Composed by Rupert Gregson-Williams who also composed such hits as Hotel Rwanda and Over the Hedge, the music for Bee Movie sounds pretty good for the most part. Bee Movie has a score that seems pretty right for this movie, but its not used effectively until the credits. We do get some areas of music that are heard in the movie and they should good for whats their, but Bee Movie doesn't offer alot of music in the sound department. Here we have a good score that is barely used alot. What Bee Movie doesn't deliver in the score, it makes up for it in its bass. The movie is full of bass work and it sounds very nice and loud. Dialogue is also very crisp and clear considering this is film that heavily relies on its voices. I'm happy to say, I was pleased with Bee Movie's soundtrack even though it wasn't used enough.

Conclusion:
Bee Movie was a movie that had alot of potential to be really good, but somewhere down the lines, it just couldn't deliver. The story isn't imaginative or creative, but its decent none the less. The cast is good for the most part even though Seinfeld really stands out above the rest. The visual effects for the film are simply outstanding and a joy to glare at. The music is pretty good and delivers alot of bass, but is hardly used enough to make it memorable. I felt that Bee Movie wasn't as good as a film as some of the other animated titles out their, but its certainly something I found some enjoyment out of. Sure the story sucks and goes nowhere, but Bee Movie still has moments that are fun to watch even though the story is going to bug you.

Grade: C

REVIEW: Jumanji

Jumanji

Year: 1995
Director: Joe Johnston
Starring: Robin Williams, Bonnie Hunt, Kirsten Dunst, Bradley Pierce, Jonathan Hyde
Distributor: Columbia Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG

In 1995, Joe Johnston brought the popular book "Jumanji" to the big screen. It was pretty hyped because of how great that book really was. To no surprise, the film did really well grossing an estimated $262 million worldwide on a budget of only $65 million. Jumanji has been one of those movies that I have seen so many times. I had the VHS version of the movie back when I was just a kid and I always use to watch it. I never had seen the movie in theaters so I don't know the crowds reaction to the movie. However, since this was a film that I had seen so many times before, I thought Id give this baby a review already. Now, after being more wiser and older, I still find Jumanji to be a fun ride for the family.

Plot Outline:
As a child, Alan Parrish (Robin Williams) becomes trapped inside Jumanji, a magical board game he found buried at a building site. 26 years later, Judy (Kirsten Dunst) and Peter Shepherd (Bradley Pierce), two orphaned kids living with their aunt, discover the game in the attic of their new home and begin to play it while freeing the now grown up Alan (Robin Williams) in the process. Unfortunately, they also release a host of dangerous animals, deadly plants and an unstoppable bloodthirsty hunter. Their only hope of survival is to finish the game, whatever the risks are.

Plot:
The story of Jumanji is based on Chris Van Allsburg's novel "Jumanji". The movie is based on the popular novel, but it hardly follows the novel. Sure, the main concept is their and that its still a board game the characters get stuck in, but their are also a host of things that have been either changed or altered. Having not read the novel, I cant comment whether the movie would have been better or worse had it followed the novel completely. The story of Jumanji is an interesting one simply because it isn't great, but it isn't bad either. The movie although looks like it could very much entertain some adults, is mostly targeted at kids. The movie's plot and predictable outcomes doesn't seem fit to entertain everyone, but rather kids. The animals and creatures of Jumanji seems great to kids and the movie is definitely strong at that moment, but it fails to keep the excitement up in the air for too long. With all this said, the movie is still pretty fun to watch. I mean sure its predictable and stretches too far, but its still a film you can get some enjoyment out of especially if your a kid.

Cast:
The cast of Jumanji works well and is good. Robin Williams plays as Alan Parrish the main character and hes actually pretty good in his role. I'm happy to see Williams playing a role like this because he seems pretty perfect for the role. I think he makes a great choice to be playing as Alan Parrish. Bonnie Hunt plays as Sarah Whittle and shes also pretty good in her role. I enjoyed her role in the movie, but I'm sure someone else could have played the same role probably better. We also have Kirsten Dunst playing as Judy Shepherd and although shes young, she still plays her role pretty good. Bradley Pierce plays as Peter Shepherd and hes also pretty good, but rather new since I have never seen him in a movie before. Overall, I thought the cast was pretty good. I wouldn't say all their acting was great or outstanding, but I think everyone did at least a decent job in their role.

Picture:
The special effects for the movie are kind of a mixed bag. When the movie came out in 1995, I'm sure people thought the visuals were pretty good and for the most part they still are. The image is clean and pretty sharp for a movie of its time. Colors seem alittle muted with skin tones not looking as great as they could be. The bad part of Jumanji's visuals are kind of in the CGI. The animals and creatures that are in Jumanji don't look that good. For example, the monkeys look pretty decent from far away, but up close, they look horrendous with their faces not even close to resembling a monkeys face. Their also doesn't seem to be enough detail on the creatures which results in fuzzy animations. I get the feeling that Jumanji could have looked much better if they had delayed the movie alittle longer and worked out the special effects.

Sound:
The soundtrack in Jumanji is pretty good in every direction. Composer James Horner who also composed great hits such as Braveheart and Apollo 13 composes a good score for Jumanji that suits the film just right. Its nothing ground breaking, but it sounds good for this type of movie. We also get many other orchestral music that is made with instruments like flutes and drums that go so well with the movie. Jumanji also features some great bass most of the time. Its loud and full of surprises that should give your surround sound some work. The dialogue is also pretty good, but not crisp enough as I would have liked. Overall, a good soundtrack that does Jumanji justice.

Conclusion:
Jumanji is a film that I had fun watching when I was kid and I still think so as of today. The story is decent, but doesn't follow the book the whole way. The cast is fun and enjoyable to watch. The special effects are kind of a mixed bag with some parts looking pretty good while others looking ugly. The music is good and has very good bass work that gives Jumanji that rocking feeling it deserves. I cant say I loved this film, but its far from a bad movie. I thought it was a fun ride while it lasted. I'm not sure that most adults will appreciate the predictable surprises, but kids will probably have a blast with this flick.

Grade: C

REVIEW: Juno

Juno

Year: 2007
Director: Jason Reitman
Starring: Ellen Page, Michael Cera, Jennifer Garner, Jason Bateman, J.K. Simmons
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG-13

I'll be honest and admit that when I first heard of Juno I wasn't interested at all. To me, it kind of looked like another Knocked Up rip off where the main character gets pregnant accidentally. It was only after I saw so many great reviews this film has received that it hit me and made me want to see it. Juno was released in December of 2007 and it has been a box office success. For a film that's budget was about $8 million, Juno grossed an estimated $175 million worldwide. A big victory for a low budget film like this. So after all the great things I have heard about it, I thought I owe it to myself to give this film a chance. Now, I see I made a wise decision because Juno is a heart warming film that works on so many levels.

Plot Outline:
Juno MacGruff (Ellen Page), who after taking three home pregnancy tests, finds out that she is pregnant with her longtime boyfriend and shy school runner Paulie Bleeker (Michael Cera). Because Juno is not ready for motherhood, she decides to have the baby and make plan for the unborn child's adoption. She soon finds the perfect parents for her baby in the Pennysaver, a kind, wealthy yuppie-like couple named Mark (Jason Bateman) & Vanessa Loring (Jennifer Garner).

Plot:
Given that Diablo Cody won an Academy Award for Best Writing, Its no surprise that the story is great. I thought the plot was very interesting and really sucks you into this world of Juno that you want to keep close attention to. At first, I was alittle skeptical about the concept of the movie, but now I see that it works best for this movie. I was foolish to think Juno was a Knocked Up rip off when their are alot of things that are different between the two movies. Juno's story also has many characters that are just lovable and really great to watch. I wasn't too impressed with the dialogue simply because their are alot of one liners that the cast say. The movie also has ways of being funny because the dialogue is just full of jokes and corky-ness. I very much enjoyed the story of Juno and thought it was easily one of the best films of 2007. I was so surprised to see an independent low budget film like this sell really well at the box office, but I guess anything could happen no matter what the budget is.

Cast:
Ellen Page plays as Juno MacGuff and she gives an outstanding performance. I'm so surprised she didn't win Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for her role in Juno. She really brings something to the table and is a joy to watch on screen. This is easily her best performance she has given so far. Michael Cera plays as Paulie Bleeker and hes pretty great in his role. Although his character reminds me of Evan from Superbad which Cera also played as, he still gives a better performance then I was expecting. We also have Jennifer Garner playing as Vanessa Loring and shes pretty good in her role. Jason Bateman plays as Mark Loring, the husband of Garner's character. Hes pretty good in his role, I mean its not ground breaking, but it still works. J.K. Simmons plays as Mac MacGuff and its so nice to see him in another role instead of another Spider-Man film.

Picture:
The visual look of Juno is not something that's going to strike you with amazement. Since the story centers around pregnancy and Juno, their are no CGI effects at all. With that said, the movie does feature some bold colors that isn't really eye popping, but is nice to look at. Detail was also pretty good in some of the characters faces, but its also pretty soft. So it works out in someways. The movie has a blue overcast setting most of the time with everything looking kind of pale. I wouldn't rank Juno up their with the best visual looks, but its certainly not at the bottom.

Sound:
The soundtrack in Juno is great. Matt Messina put together some great music that strangely goes well with the movies story. While it is a shame that I didn't detect a score for this film, it simply doesn't matter much. As long as the movie has music that goes with the movie and is really enjoyable to listen to, then I'm fine with it not having its own score. Juno has many music that mostly consists of punk or pop genres and for some reason they fit the mood of this film. While their are some bass being used in the soundtrack, its hardly enough to warrant new speakers to listen to. Dialogue is present alot during the movie so its important for voices to be clear and they are. Voices are crisp and clear with the cast sounding great.

Conclusion:
Juno is a wonderful film to watch and enjoy. The story is really interesting and engaging. I found it to be heart warming. The cast is great with Ellen Page giving a remarkable performance that is probably her best performance so far. The visual look of the film isn't something that's going to give you a run for your money, but it works. The music is great with the soundtrack really giving this film so legs even if its lacking a score. I personally think Juno should have won more awards simply because this is a great film all around and deserves some recognition. I easily recommend this film to anyone that is looking for a fun movie to watch that your going to end up loving. Juno is hands down one of the best films to come out in 2007.

Grade: A-

REVIEW: The Incredibles

The Incredibles

Year: 2004
Director: Brad Bird
Starring: Craig T. Nelson, Holly Hunter, Spencer Fox, Sarah Vowell, Jason Lee
Distributor: Buena Vista Pictures
MPAA: Rated PG

The Incredibles was released on November of 2004 by Disney. I didn't think another superhero type movie like this was going to be Disney's next project, but surprisingly it did great at the box office. Grossing an estimated $631 million worldwide on a $92 million budget, The Incredibles really sold well. Whats even better was that the film was welcomed with open arms by many of the film critics around the world. While I didn't get the chance to see The Incredibles during its theatrical run, I did however see it on a flight back from Germany and thought it was great.

Plot Outline:
Bob Parr (Craig T. Nelson) a.k.a. Mr. Incredible, is a retired superhero who lives with his wife Helen (Holly Hunter) a.k.a. Elastgirl who is also retired. They have three children, the quite Violet (Sarah Vowell), energetic Dashiell (Spencer Fox) and their baby Jack. The reason for Bob and Helen's retirement is that people who were injured during a rescue or who didn't want to be rescued at all had started suing their rescuers. As the payouts began costing the government too much, all superheroes were granted amnesty on the charge that they retired and led normal lives. Now, fifteen years later Bob, now blading and overweight, is dying in his job as an insurance claims consultant and wants nothing more than to be saving people again.

Plot:
The story of The Incredibles is pretty good. While I didn't expect another superhero type movie to actually be good since their were so many that had the same concept, but The Incredibles pulls it off. The plot is entertaining to watch and works for the most part. I was quite surprised that Disney chose to do a superhero movie rather than another Toy Story, but boy did they have something up their sleeves because The Incredibles manages to pull another for Disney. The characters are lovable and really great to watch. The only real grip is that this movie does seem alittle un-Disney like. I mean sure the visual effects look outstanding, but the whole movie just feels alittle bit more tuned up and a beefier Disney movie. The jokes and funnies in the movie doesn't seem right for children, but rather accurate for teens. Its not really a problem, but its something that is quite interesting to take note of. I was still pleased with the films story because of how much fun it is to watch it.

Cast:
I'm starting to get really shocked on how Disney always manages to select the right type of celebrities to voice these amazing characters they create. Craig T. Nelson voices Mr. Incredible/Bob Parr and he does a great job at it. His voice seems just about right for his characters appearance. Holly Hunter voices Elastigirl/Helen Parr and shes just as great with her talented voice. She has great chemistry with Nelson's Mr. Incredible and I thought she did a great job in her role. Jason Lee voices Syndrome/Buddy Pine and hes pretty good in his role. I didn't expect Jason Lee to be playing the main villain in the film, but once again I was surprised on how well he portrayed Syndrome. Samuel L. Jackson voices Lucius Best/Frozone and he gives a pretty good performance. While Jackson is in the film, his character isn't as big as Nelson's or Hunter's character so he doesn't get alot of screen time.

Picture:
The visual effects for The Incredibles are simply outstanding. While I wouldn't say they are more better and fluid as say Ratatouille which Brad Bird also directed, but they still pack enough punch to amaze you. The colors are spot on with many outdoor shots looking amazing. Detail is also very strong with many of the characters boasting incredible sharpness to them. Skin tones are perfect with the characters looking very warm and colorful. The animation isn't as crazy as Ratatouille, but its still much better than some of Disney's previous films. Disney hit it out of the ball park once again because The Incredibles looks fantastic and is easily something to watch out for on Blu Ray high def when it eventually comes out.

Sound:
The soundtrack for The Incredibles is also top notch. Michael Giacchino who also composed many Call of Duty games for Infinity Wards composes another great hit for The Incredibles. The film boasts a great score that seems made for this movie. It goes really well with the film's story and settings. The music also feels alive and engaging. Its full of beats and drum work. We also get a very good amount of bass that rumbles through out the entire movie. Dialogue is also very great with voices sounding very crisp and fluid. Overall, I was very satisfied with the films soundtrack and thought it went extremely well with the movies comic type look.

Conclusion:
The Incredibles is a great entertaining movie that is really fun to watch. The story although not original is still pretty good and enjoyable. The cast is great with many of their voices fitting perfectly with the film's characters. The visual effects are simply outstanding with many moments that are quite breathtaking. The music is live and kicking with the film getting a very good score to go with the look of the movie. I would easily recommend this movie to teens or adults, but I wouldn't necessarily recommend this to children simply because the movie doesn't feature a story that is funny or easy to follow like Toy Story. I hope Disney comes around and gives us a sequel to this movie because we all know their could very much be one and I'm dieing to know whats next for The Incredibles.

Grade: B+