for sequences of intense combat action and violence, and for some sensuality
The Legend of Hercules is a re-telling of the classic story from Greek mythology of a young man that is the son of a mortal and of the god Zeus. That is all you need to know about the story and / or plot.
I was taught a long time ago that a picture can tell a story more effectively than words in some cases.
That being said, here is my opinion of The Legend of Hercules…
This movie was horrible! Summit Entertainment should be ashamed of themselves for putting out that piece of trash.
Acting: I was waiting for some, never got any…
Dialogue: Unintelligible
Editing: Hack job at best
Story: Huh?
If you waste time and money seeing this movie, even on DVD, you deserve to have your armpits infested with the fleas of one thousand camels.
for strong bloody war violence and pervasive language
In the summer of 2005 the United States military embarked on a campaign to disrupt the actions of anti-coalition militias that were running rampant in the Pech area of the Kumar Province in Afghanistan. The operation was code-named Operation Red Wing. Operation Red Wing was conducted using Marines, aviators from the Army and Operators of the elite Navy SeALs.
Lone Survivor is the story of one group of SeALS that were inserted into the region to perform reconnaissance and observation of a Taliban affiliated militia leader. The movie is based on the first –hand account of the events as told by former SeAL team operator, Marcus Lutrell. Lutrell wrote a book called Lone Survivor: The Eyewitness Account of Operation Redwing and the Lost Heroes of SEAL Team 10 that was used by director Peter Berg as the inspiration of the film.
In my thoughts about this film after I left the theater I struggled to form an opinion that I felt was appropriate for the movie. Do I say that a movie about the ambush and killing of American servicemen was “Good”? Or, do I say that the overwhelming negativity of the story made it hard to enjoy it as a movie? What I settled on was a bit of a hybrid of the two.
The movie Lone Survivor is exceptionally well made; you really think you can feel what the team is going through. The physical punishment the men had to endure, aside from their actual wounds, is portrayed very honestly and graphically. At several points in the movie I caught myself saying something like, “Geez, how much more can these guys possibly take?”
From the relationships perspective, there was great emphasis put onto the interactions of those four men who worked as a team, more like brotherhood. As they attempted to overcome the odds that they faced, you saw how their true dedication to each other and to what they were asked to do would motivate them when weaker men would just give in.
Each main actor; Mark Wahlberg, Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch, Ben Foster and Eric Bana, made the roles they were playing and the lives they were re-living very believable and honest. The various scenes of the deaths of the three SeALS that were on the mission with Lutrell are heart wrenching moments that you know are coming but still seem to surprise you. The deaths are all portrayed as heroic and yet humanizing. They were not “movie-deaths” at all, very real and very graphic.
As a whole, I felt that movie was of a high quality in the acting and in the way it was made, but I have a hard time giving a recommendation to see it. I felt like an emotional train-wreck as I was walking out of the screening. I was not alone in that feeling as evidenced by the rest of the audience in the screening. As the audience filed out, no one spoke, there were no comments made, positive or negative, just silence. Somber, sullen, stricken silence.
If you are looking to see a movie to just entertain you, then Lone Survivor is NOT it. It is an emotional train-wreck in waiting. If you want to see a movie that is an honest, well-made and truly genuine portrayal of the sacrifices that our servicemen and women are called on to make, then Lone Survivor is a perfect choice.
for pervasive language, some violence, graphic nudity and some drug use
In the summer of 2012, in Oxnard California, a young man begins his first summer as a high school graduate. The night of his graduation party his creepy neighbor is mysteriously murdered. Jesse, the new graduate, and his older best friend, Hector, decide to investigate the apartment where the murder occurred. The morning after their investigation Jessie awakens to find a curious bite mark on his arm. From that point forward he finds that he has several new “gifts” that he and Hector exploit and document on their video camera. It isn’t long before Jesse discovers that his gifts are not gifts at all, but something far more dangerous.
This installment in the Paranormal Activity franchise of movies is not really a sequel, or even prequel, to the rest of the movies. The story that is told is that of a different family and set of circumstances from the rest of the films in this franchise. Even though it is not a true sequel, or prequel, it can’t really stand on its own either. The story that takes place is clearly related to and connected to the other films in the Paranormal Activity chain.
The movie is filmed in the same “lost footage” style of movies as the other PA movies but is also different in several other key areas. The writers were not afraid to embrace comedy in this movie. The lives of 18 year olds with no jobs and even less direction in life can lead to many interactions that we will find funny. This is very true of the characters of Jesse and Hector. The two often find themselves in situations where their awkwardness or immaturity plays out in some funny ways. Jesse trying to hook up with Penelope is a good scene depicting how ill prepared these guys are for life and how funny this movie can be.
Once the story turns the corner into the realm of demons and witches, the funny moments stop, IMMEDIATELY. When it becomes clear that Jesse’s gifts are not something he really wants, the scares start to pile up and the imagery grows darker. In one scene it becomes very clear that all is not well with Jesse when he is seen playing a very twisted game with his pet Chihuahua, “Chavo”. Another scene that provides a good scare occurs when Grandma tries to cleanse Jesse of whatever “spirits” have him. That scene also uses some good special effects to draw you in for the payoff scare.
Although I enjoyed this movie immensely, there were a few things that really got to me with the story-telling. The camera battery is obviously the secret to perpetual energy and should probably be investigated by the government for uses in other areas. Other issues revolve around the half-assed way the police investigated the murder of the creepy neighbor. When Jesse and Hector are in the apartment walking around being typical teenagers, there is pertinent evidence all over the place. The Oxnard Police Homicide Division has obviously never seen an episode of CSI or Law and Order.
Overall, I truly enjoyed this movie and am now even more excited to see the next installment of the franchise that is due out in October. If you like a good scare and like a cool story, then Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones is one you should check out.
By the way… If you have this game in your house…. You won’t after watching this movie….
Plot: A small town sheriff must prepare his town to fend off the efforts of a cartel kingpin who wants to use it as his escape route to Mexico. He must rely on a team of inexperienced deputies, misfits, and the town outcast to mount the defense.
My Initial Thoughts: This is the type of movie you would expect to see from Arnie at this stage in his acting career. At his age, he is no longer even close to believable as the unbeatable action star that he was in The Terminator series. What we get now is him playing a cranky old sheriff that has to rely on the town nut-job for help when trouble arises.
What I liked: Johnny Knoxville makes you laugh, or at least chuckle, in his role as the town lunatic / gun nut. Any time Knoxville was on screen was a highlight because he made you think you were watching an old episode of the A-Team. He would have been a good “Murdoch” now that I think about it.
What Looked Cool: The car! The centerpiece of the first half of the movie is the Corvette C6 ZR-1 that the villain is using to make his way across the border.
Funny scene about the car: As the bad guy burns up the asphalt on his midnight run to Mexico, without headlights mind you, he blows past a deputy sitting on the side of the road. The deputy clocks the car going well over 250mph but was unable to actually see the car because of it’s speed.
Deputy: Dispatch…
Dispatcher: Go ahead…
Deputy: Contact the FAA and tell them some smart ass is flying a plane around out here without any lights.
What I didn’t like: The movie left a lot to be desired; the dialogue was terrible, the story was very predictable, and the characters were not even close to believable.
What looked Dumb: Seeing Arnie try to make a fight scene look believable. Now don’t get me wrong, I do believe in “old man strong,” but this movie really pushes that to the limit. The final fight scene between old-man Sheriff Arnie and the semi-professional kick-boxer drug kingpin is a complete joke.
AND…The car chase scene pitting a bone-stock Camaro against that monster of a Vette…Really?
Final Thoughts: While I do have to admit that I found several parts of the movie to be fun and/or entertaining, The Last Stand was clearly just a paycheck for Arnie now that he is done playing governor. If you are determined to see this movie anyway, my advice would be to wait for it to show up on USA or TNT before you watch try and watch it. At least the commercials will break it up into pieces.
Plot: in 1949, Los Angeles was in the firm grip of gangster Mickey Cohen. He ruled the city’s criminal underworld with an iron fist. To combat the expansion of Cohen’s empire, the Chief of the LAPD formed a secret special task force of law enforcement misfits to take on the gangster using unconventional tactics that weren’t always legal.
My Initial Thoughts: Gangster Squad was a bit of a pleasant surprise when I got the opportunity to check it out. I went into it expecting it to be a re-hash of every other gangster movie that has ever been made. What I saw was a decent story, pretty good characters, and some great action scenes. Now don’t get me wrong, I am NOT saying this movie is great or anything. I was just happy to see that it wasn’t a total waste of 2 hours of my life.
What I liked: With each character, there was a two-sided approach to their stories. Each was shown in all their badass glory during the cops-and-robbers scenes as you would expect. What was different was the softer side they were all given too. I was expecting that Brolin’s character, Sgt. John O’Mara, would get that treatment since he was the centerpiece, but was happy when it made its way through the rest of the cast.
What Looked Cool:
The action scenes were all well done, especially the “final battle” between O’Mara and Cohen.
You had all of the normal stuff you see in shoot em’ up scenes, but there was also an effort to add some legitimacy too. Anyone shooting a Thompson .45 machine gun from the hip couldn’t hit an elephant in a hallway, as would really be the case. Even the expert marksman played by Robert Patrick was shown having to (*gasp*) try to hit something from time to time.
What I didn’t like: The old gangster movie formula was in full display. You had the tough chief, the veteran, the rookie, the dame, the main henchmen, and the over-the-top mob boss making up the cast of characters. Once the characters were in place, the story was interesting and never became slow but it did get somewhat predictable. The climax and ending were easy to figure out with about 20 minutes left to go.
What looked Dumb:
Sean Penn’s make-up. He looked like he should be in a Dick Tracy comic strip.
Final Thoughts:
If you want to see a movie to remind you of all the things that made gangster movies cool, the Gangster Squad is a good choice. If you are looking for anything with real depth or an original story, you will be disappointed.
Plot: Rush tells the story of the 1976 Formula 1 Driver’s Championship, the golden age of Formula 1 racing. The story focuses on the intense professional and personal rivalry between drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda. Each driver was willing to do whatever it took to be the better driver, including risking his own life.
My Take: Chris Hemsworth takes a break from his recent role as Thor, in the Avengers series of movies, to take on the role of British playboy Formula 1 driver James Hunt. Hemsworth’s portrayal of Hunt takes the viewer on the rollercoaster that he experienced as he rose from the doldrums of Formula 3 racing, earned and lost his first ride in Formula 1, and his all-consuming desire to beat Niki Lauda. The drinking, drugs and women that made up the off-track life of James Hunt are perfectly included in Hemsworth’s take on the figure.
The role of the genius Austrian driver Niki Lauda was perfectly portrayed by virtually unknown German actor Daniel Bruhl. Bruhl was introduced to US audiences in the 2009 Tarrantino film,”Inglourious Basterds” but has not been prominently featured in US film since that time. Lauda is portrayed as a cold, methodical, statistics based driver that refuses to take any risk that doesn’t promise to yield rewards. As the story of Niki Lauda’s quest to repeat as the Driver’s Champion in 1976 unfolds, Bruhl gives audiences an undeniable view of the pain that Luada experienced and the sacrifices he made to contend for the title.
The Academy Award winning director Ron Howard took the helm of Rush and delivered a movie with great acting and even better visual appeal. Howard expertly developed Lauda and Hunt into the exact opposites that they were back in 1976. He leads you to almost look at Lauda as villain; he gets you so close to that decision, and then dramatically convinces you that is closer to hero. For James Hunt, Howard pours it on with scene after scene of Hunt being completely reckless in every phase of his life, and emphasizing the consequences he faces as a result of that recklessness.
Howard relied heavily on racing action to supply the needed energy to counteract the cold dry demeanor of Lauda and validate the bravado of Hunt. The viewer is given multiple perspectives in following the race action: inside the engine views, driver point-of-view shots, and standard racing angles were all expertly used. Also, the racing scenes that were used were actually filmed at various tracks around Europe using vintage and replica cars from the era to give the scenes an even more authentic feel.
All things considered, Rush delivers with great acting, great visuals and a good pace. The film is a guaranteed Academy Award nomination for Best Picture. Find this movie in a theatre near you and be sure to catch it on the big screen.
(Rated R) In Theaters: 9/27/2013 Genre:
Comedy / Drama Starring:
Joseph Gordon Levitt
Scarlett Johansson
Julianne Moore
Tony Danza Directed By:
Joseph Gordon Levitt Written By:
Joseph Gordon Levitt Setting:
Present Day New Jersey
Plot: “Don” Jon Martello has a short list of things he truly cares about in life:
His Body,
His Pad,
His Ride,
His Family,
His Church,
His Boys,
His Girls,
and finally…His Porn.
This simple list of cares is put to the test when his quest to “smash” a true “dime” forces him to do things he would never do on his own.
My Take: The movie opens to a montage of some of the sexiest images of pop culture with a voiceover from a 20 something Jon Martello explaining how porn is superior to real sex. The rationale that he uses is completely chauvinist and self-centered, but also hilarious and thought provoking. The first 5 minutes of semi-awkward facial expressions, pseudo-porn clips and well-written comedic dialogue set the tone for the remainder of the 90 minute runtime.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays Jon Martello, a “Jersey Boy” bartender that has made porn and a quest for the perfect night of sex his mission in life. He and his two best friends, Bobby (Rob Brown) and Danny (Jeremy Luc), work the New Jersey nightclub scene on a nightly basis trying to score with the hottest women in the club. In the three guy’s quest, everything always seems to go Jon’s way. He is so good at finding and seducing the women that catch his eye; his friends begin to refer to him “Don Jon” Martello.
While on the hunt for his next conquest, Jon sets his sights on what he considers “The Perfect Dime” played by Scarlett Johansson. From that point on Jon is constant conflict with his desire to win over this perfect girl while continuing to feed his insatiable hunger for porn.
“Don Jon” is the writing and directorial debut of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who recently had successful supporting-actor roles in “Lincoln” and “The Dark Knight Rises”. I skipped “Looper” and “Premium Rush”, so I have no opinion on those two.
JGL is accompanied in “Don Jon” by Scarlett Johansson who plays the super-hot target of Jon’s affection, albeit with a sometimes awkward accent. Johansson steams up the screen on several occasions in the movie as her character teases and tortures Jon into doing whatever she wants.
The starring cast is rounded out by Julianne Moore who plays Esther, a classmate of Jon’s in night-school and Tony Danza, who plays Jon’s stereotypical New Jersey / Italian father.
Another noteworthy performance belongs to Brie Larson, who supplied some funny scenes all without saying more than 1 sentence.
The story develops consistently with no slow parts or overly rushed pieces. The casting seemed perfect, as no one seemed to be “out-of-place” in their role. And finally, the dialogue seemed natural for the characters as they were portrayed.
Don Jon is a sexy, funny and socially edgy movie to enjoy in the theaters. Had I actually paid something to see it, I would have gotten what I paid for. This is one definitely worth catching in the theater.
(Leave me a comment on this review and I will select one lucky person from the comments to receive a free movie pass.)
ecsguestwriter
MichaelSmithNC
Melissa Anne Cain
Eastern Carolina Style 