Movie Collections Update (Nov/Dec 2012) on YouTube!!!

And I'm back on the YouTubes!!!

Hey, Guys & Gals

Just here to drop a little notice that I've uploaded my first (1st) Movie Collections Update video on YouTube.

For now, I'll be uploading videos to this series every three (3) weeks or a least once a month. So, in all, that means that I'll have two video series going on: This one "Movie Collections Update" series and the "Blu ray/DVD Movie Review" series also.

Check my YouTube channel for new videos because I won't always put it here.

Okay, enough talking and enjoy! Leave me comments here and on my YouTube channel! Subscribe too!!!



Yeah, my video needs views. So go watch it, tell your friends, like and leave comments and subscribe to my YouTube channel!!!

Until the next one!!!

The Dark Knight Rises Blu ray+Digibook Review

 
Hey Inter-webers!

Hmm, is that a word even? Ha!

Anyway, I recently picked up The Dark Knight Rises Blu ray+Digibook combo pack that is for sale exclusively at Target.

Hear my thoughts in my first Blu ray movie review below.



Check back soon because I'll be putting up Blu ray reviews and Blu ray/DVD updates on my You Tube channel!

Until then, Laterz!

Zombie Movie Collection

 
Hey, Y'all

Well, I'm finally back with part two of my Halloween related videos.

You can't believe how long this took to upload in YouTube! 5 HOURS!!!

Yes, it took 5 hours to upload this video. Why? Well, because the video is 40 mins. in length and about 1.65gigs in size.

Still, it is worth every minute to go over my zombie films collections. Originally I say that I won't talk in length about each movie, but I end up doing that anyway. Ha!

It was a lot of fun doing this and I hope you all enjoy it!

Plus - I put some background music bonuses for certain films so keep you ears open for those!


As always, leave comments and recommendations!

Until next time, take care!

Happy Halloween! I'm taking a nap!

The Dark Knight Rises: Podcast Movie Review

 
It's the Dark Knight! Batman!!!

Yeah, you all knew this was coming!

Jose and I have seen Christopher Nolan's final entry to his Batman series, and we have stuff to say about it!

My overall opinion? I really liked it! Primarily because of Bane, but it did have it's moments that were truly genuine. Of course, it did also have it's flaws but that did not deter it from being an adequate close to the franchise.

Anyway, there are some spoilers ahead! Wait, honestly, everyone and anyone reading this post should have seen this movie by now so nothing should catch you off guard. Still, just in case--you have been warned.

Enjoy our ramblings!



Well, that's it for now!

Until next time!

Get Ready For The Resident Evil Overload!

 
Well hello there folks!

Yes, I've been on hiatus since my last post about a month ago, but here I am to drop some movie news, trailers, whatever that interests me. On that note, it should interest you as well!

The San Diego Comic Con happened a couple of weeks ago, and no, before you jump with curiosity, I did not go. However, the internet has been alive with news on all sorts of information concerning movies that I am ultra hype about!

Unfortunately, I will not talk about those films now as I do not have enough credible information, mainly video, to show so I rave about these other films. I know, booooo!

Fear not, however, as I will talk a bit about a certain franchise that will have a huge release during the months of September and October!

Know what it is? I kind of gave it away already. Doh!

Either way, those of you out there who know me very well, know what I'm getting at. Here's a hint.

That's right, Folks. It's Resident Evil. Now, I've been a huge Resident Evil fan since I played the original PSX Resident Evil over 12 years ago, hmm, it's probably more like 15 years ago. Ahh, I've lost count. Anyway, I've played them all - just about - but I've played every core game and side iteration that appeared of my all time favorite zombie and B.O.W. shooter.

So, with that being said, I'm really excited about Resident Evil 6 which will be arriving on October 2, 2012. There is a lot happening with this game that I am eager to try out and rest assured that I'll have something to say about it after I've maliciously neutralized zombies and whatever other mutated baddie that crosses my path.
 


The above trailer is an older version which shows the release date in November, but trust me it's coming out 10/2/2012. However, it does show the three primary campaign characters and the grand scale of each scenario.

Below is the Comic Con trailer. While it is smaller in length, it does show more of that creepy atmosphere we've enjoyed from the original games and the return of an old foe.


It's the Yawn from Resident Evil 1! The huge snake reappears in RE6; although he looks more menacing, it'll be fun to fight him again. I hope this means that maybe there will be a few surprise appearances by some old foes, namely: Hunters, Tyrants! Only time will tell.

I'm going into any detail about the gameplay mechanics here, but you can find it and more demo videos on the campaigns from Comic Con on Youtube.

Next, RE6 doesn't come out until October, but before that two Resident Evil movies will be released to keep us satiated until then.

Milla Jovovich returns to reprise her role as Alice in Resident Evil: Retribution 3D. I don't care for the 3D element, but it's good to see a new film in the RE movie franchise. By the looks of the trailer below, we're all going to get our heads turned upside down.


None of it was real! The events of RE1, Apocalypse, Extinction and Afterlife were implanted into her mind! Oh, man, I think we will all got mind-jacked or perhaps Inception reaches far beyond what Leonardo DiCaprio could have ever imagined. Either way, this new entry looks like it will definitely entertain and keep us on our seats. I mean, Leon S. Kennedy finally makes his screen debut along with the lovely and mysterious Ada Wong. I'm hyped I tell you!!!

The one element of the film that I'm a bit unhappy about is the fact that the trailer shows a big Licker causing mayhem. If you don't know what I'm talking about, look at the picture of the monster above. I can't tell you how tired I am of the Licker B.O.W. monster(s) showing up in every movie. Geez, Paul W. S.  Anderson, I know you wrote each of those scripts, but give some other monsters from the RE universe a chance to live on screen.

I'm hoping that since this film is taking the position that none of the other films happened then maybe we'll see some other monsters appear or reappear! A Hunter, Tyrant, Nemesis... a big snake or shark! Please!!

Anyway, I'm still hyped for Resident Evil: Retribution 3D which hits theaters September 14, 2012!

Finally, back in 2008, Capcom released a full-length CGI RE movie entitled Resident Evil: Degeneration. Despite the fact the movie had its flaws it was still enjoyable. Seeing a fully rendered CG Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield, two of the game series' most memorable characters, fighting zombies and monsters was pure bliss. Then two years ago, the internet world was feed a teaser trailer for a new CGI full-length movie. It showed Leon, again, this time in a crumbling city fighting against Lickers. Yup, dammit, even here!

Okay, before I lose it. At Comic Con they released a new trailer for upcoming sequel titled Resident Evil: Damnation.


Oh those Lickers. You just can't get enough of them even though I keep hoping that a Hunter will show up. At least, we get a fully CG rendered Ada Wong now! This movie will not hit theaters, but it will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on September 24, 2012.

Well, Resident Evil will own the months of September and October on both your home consoles and on the small and big screen.

I can't wait. I'm literally going to burst into flames from the sensory overload of Resident Evil goodness. Or, I'm going to fall ill from infection by the T, G, T-Veronica, Las Plagas, Oroborous or the new C virus! Damn how many viruses has Umbrella created?

Stayed tuned folks as I reveal more information surrounding those other film trailers that were showcased at Comic Con. When I get more news on them, or course!

And, keep your eyes pealed for my massive look into the Resident Evil game and movie franchises. Whenever I get around to compiling that beast.  

Until then.

Two Guys Talking: The Avengers - Movie Review

 
That didn't take long!

Here I am again with the newest podcast! Actually Jose and I recorded this some time ago, and I'm just getting to put it up.

Either way, it's new and it's on the hit Marvel film The Avengers!

By now all the hype is pretty much gone, but it's good to look back at what made it so good.

As I mentioned in my last post, these postcasts are now officially going under the title of - Two Guys Talking.

So hit the play button and enjoy! Oh, and I would still let Scarlet Johansson break a chair over my back.

Summer Movie Trailers Mashup!!!

Well, Well, here we are once again bringing you another podcast filled with voices and people's thoughts about...stuff.

Yeah, man or ladies, you know we were going to tackle this topic. Summer Movies 2012!! I mean who, with a microphone or a computer, isn't talking about it? So we figured...why not?

Our voices and thoughts must be heard as well, damn it!!!

You know the ones too! Come on, you know you do! It's the ones you really want to see. Okay, maybe it's just us who are really psyched about the comic book movies that will dominate the theaters all summer long!

So, without anymore waiting hear us talk about The Amazing Spiderman, Marvel's Avengers: Assemble, The Dark Knight Rises and (though not a comic) Prometheus.

Disclaimer: One thing I want to point out is the fact that while many of the things we talk about are in the trailers, some of it is also speculation based on information found on the internet.



If you want to see which trailers we are referring too, check below!

The Amazing Spiderman


Avengers: Assemble


The Dark Knight Rises


Prometheus


Again, guys and gals, I hope you enjoy this and leave comments or thoughts about what we talk about!

Until next time!

50/50: Movie Review

Hey Folks! Long time no see. Yeah, I haven't written anything here in a while, but I'm here to drop a new movie review.

I know I probably bitch about this every time I review in new film that I have in my collection, and believe me, I still have quite a few and there's more on the way. So, yup, it takes me forever to watch through what I already have; well, to be honest, I just take my sweet ass time about it. Ha!

On top of that, like I said, there are still a few more films that I haven't watched yet, and I'll be picking up some more on Tuesday. Yeah, there's some good releases coming out this Tuesday and I'm gonna get mine, so you should go get yours. What ever that is, of course!

Anyway, on with the review of the film 50/50.

I remember seeing the trailer for this movie some months ago and thinking that the combination of cancer and comedic humor were well put together. The scene from the trailer seemed to put this movie more in the genre of comedy as opposed to a tragic drama. Don't get me wrong, the main character dealing with his situation is very tragic and real. However, the comedic elements seem to compliment and in some cases balance out the serious tone, thus, creating an even story that is about both the journey and the healing.

The story introduces us to Adam (Gordon-Levitt) who is recently diagnosed with spinal cancer. He takes the news much like any person would upon hearing such a life-altering condition. He looks to his girlfriend and his friend for support, and they each show it in their own ways. Although, things of course take a turn and changes have to be made. I'm not trying to give anything away here, so I hope my approach was subtle enough to keep readers still interested. Let's just say that friendships and relationships are tested and here is where the drama and comedic aspects of the film work best and add more depth to the characters.

Seth Rogen plays Adam's best friend Kyle and is the tour de force which lends the humorous tone that keeps the film uplifting. What I enjoyed about Rogen's performance is the fact that he does resemble the bearded buddy that tries his best to comment, compliment and/or lighten up the environment surrounding the main character. The film focuses on their friendship the most and develops in such a way that you understand and get pretty involved in their journey to recovery. Kyle, while outspoken and somewhat brash in nature, is fun and endearing as only Seth Rogen can play him.

The most interesting aspect of the film is seeing how the film makers would approach this combination of Gordon-Levitt and Rogen in regards to having them compliment each other while dealing with Adam's condition. And, I have to say that they worked well together. I also enjoyed watching how the character of Adam learns to cope with his situation. Like any person who is given such news, dealing with cancer is quite a life-altering process, and for Adam the change is very taxing. However, he doesn't deal with this journey of healing alone as his inexperienced therapist Katherine (Anna Kendrick) also accompanies him on his road.

All in all, I enjoyed 50/50 very much and found the story to be a very profound capturing of friendships, healing and emotion. The hospital scene near the end actually resonated with me by capturing a moment where fear and uncertainty left me quite nervous yet hopeful for the outcome.



Again, I really enjoyed this film for it's humor and real approach to dealing with the topic of a life-changing illness.

Until next time, keep smiling!

Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark: Movie Review

 
Hey faithful readers of my remote little place on the web!

It's been a while since I reviewed or looked at a movie, well, at least a new one. Anyway, I finally saw Guillermo Del Toro's Don't Be Afraid of the Dark and I have to say that it turned out to be money well spent when I bought myself a copy. This film, which Del Toro wrote and produced, also happens to be a remake of the 1973 classic of the same name. Now, I purchased this on Blu-ray and I left it sitting on my shelf of to be watched movies for the past several months. I cannot say how long because I have lost count, and the pile just keeps getting higher.

I feel ashamed that I'm falling behind, and on top of that, I going to go buy some more very soon! Yeah, I'm a movie hound, ha.

The movie centers around a young girl named Sally, played by Bailee Madison, who is sent to stay with her father Alex (Guy Pearce) and his new girlfriend Kim (Katie Holmes). Kim and Alex are interior designers who are restoring an old house which holds a dark secret, hiding deep within a cavernous hole behind a locked stone furnace. Little creatures dwell here waiting for the opportunity when an unsuspecting visitor allows them to escape from their cast iron prison. Get where I'm going with this? It should be pretty obvious where this is all heading, but that's doesn't take anything away from what Del Toro delivers to us as a finished product that captures an intense creepy and terrifying atmosphere and feeling.

Oh, no! The fact the movie focuses on a young girl who is caught between separating parents, adjusting to a new would-be mother and emotional detachment issues only adds to the sense of loneliness and fear that follows Sally throughout the entire movie. It works so well here because, from my perspective, as a viewer, I'm curious and mystified by the dangers that lurk around the dark corners, whispering to this innocent girl who already has enough emotional and psychological problems. Does this sound cruel or unusual? No, of course not! The movie is presented to us in this way. We have a 'new' family trying to adjust to each other, but we're keeping our eyes on the child. Del Toro has a way of playing to our sensibilities when he centers his stories around young children.

He invites us to follow Sally into a new world, so to speak, the house and its surroundings. Now this house is immense with its front yard and even larger open back space with tall hedges. It's the kind of house any kid could get lost in for hours, purposefully. We would do it to explore and have fun; however, very quickly, the movie redirects us back to the immediate danger of the little creatures that are eager to escape and "become friends" with Sally. Now, where these creatures become equally effective as dangers is not because they're scary, but rather because they portray a feral and aggressive approach when they attack they're victims.

I mean, some monster or creature movies relied on gross out human chomping, blood and gore to appear dangerous. A couple of examples I can think of: C.H.U.D., Ghoulies, and any creature movie on Sy Fy. These things on the other hand behave like demented psychopaths swinging razor blades, literally too! There are several scenes where the miniature imp-like, gremlins slash and stab an old man across his eye, his wrist, ankle, etc. I cringed the entire time as I watched this poor fool attempt to lock the creatures away, only to fail and fall victim to their malicious and crude attacks. From that first attack since their escape, the creatures run loose throughout the house carrying knives, screwdrivers and what ever other sharp weapons they can find.

Immediately, my attention and concern falls on Sally's safety because they want to kill her throughout the whole film. Everywhere she goes within the house, the darkness seems to follow her and in that darkness you know the creatures are not too far behind. The interesting and surprising detail about the film is that it is a take on the tooth fairy. Yes! You heard or read correctly! This is really a re-imagining of the origins of the tooth fairy but with a horrid twist. And, I liked it! In addition, the house with its lavish and Victorian interior design adds a quality of fantasy and dark Gothic, just a touch, but it all comes together to create an immense feeling that this place is a playground for these creatures and Sally, Alex and Kim are just mice scampering around.

In a way, it also reminded me of Del Toro's other work, Pan's Labyrinth.  

Again, it's very creepy and makes you think of the times you were afraid of the monster under the bed, or the fear of cutting the soft spot across your wrists or ankles. It makes my skin crawl just thinking about this as I write it!



Overall, I found this film to be good creepy fun that delivered on the spooks and very graphic violence.

Until next time, stay in the light!

Cars That Can Drive Themselves!

Hey, Internet World!

I just saw this today and thought, FINALLY! They are working on cars that, eventually, can drive themselves. Man, I can't tell you how impressed and excited I became when I saw this video, which is found below. Already, my thoughts were scrolling through every futuristic anime or movie that depicted what the world or at least traffic would look like if this technology became real.

The only movie I can think off the top of my head is Total Recall. That scene where Arnold gets in the cab and the driver is a robot, yeah, that's the one. It's not exactly driverless, but it's close and a robot is driving and it talked if I remember correctly. Oh, and that's next too! Ha! Robots that can move about society like humans do.

As far as anime, there's too many to name and remember. Anyway, the video is from a German research institute, and the car is still in it's early stages of development. I referring to the driverless computer/A.I. that's been developed to make this happen. I've read another article on this topic which says that here in the U.S., Nevada has greenlit the driverless car as long as it meets certain regulatory conditions that are being established for it.

Now I'm thinking of a driverless Toyota Corolla, the AE86, from Initial D and Bridesmaids. It just reminded me of how Kristin Wiig handled that 86 like a pro! Ha! Can you imagine that car drifting on it's own, without a driver?

As always guys and gals, drive safely. Until Next Time!

Chronicle: Movie Review

 
Most of us are familiar with superhero movies, stories, etc. Some of them are very enjoyable and other not so much. I personally found stories that focused on the inner turmoil of a character trying to balance their powers while remaining a functional member of society to be quite interesting. They seem, at least to me, to be the closest depiction to actual human interaction, while still exploring the limits of superhuman possibility and social/moral acceptance.

What I am talking about? I don't read American comics, hence American superheroes, except through their film adaptations. I do however read Manga and many of their supernatural stories are referenced in the movie Chronicle.

So, the film documents the story of three high schoolers who stumble upon a strange "alien" object buried or hidden underground. I say "alien" and buried/hidden because neither of these points is explained or verified; although, the nature or format of this movie (more appropriate) can only reveal what our three protagonists encounter. To put it simply, the film is a "found footage" piece that documents the events that transpire after they develop their powers. Things develop rapidly and different social dynamics/situations provide plot points that force the characters to move along and make decisions that lead to an extreme climax that borders on the moralistic social commentary of today's youth.

While the film is about teenagers with superpowers, the real story centers on the relationship between social acceptance and the dangers of abuse and ridicule. In other words, bullying. The movie opens up with Andrew making a documentary about his life and all the social awkward experiences he has for being an introvert. He goes around and records all his daily exploits and as the audience follows him, we see the isolation and bullying he encounters. While most of these are reduced to mere pushing and shoving, the harsher reality appears in the form of his abusive father. However, here is where another dynamic appears. While Andrew bottles his abusive father, he tries to look after his ill mother.

So, this abusive treatment at home coupled with Andrew's already introverted behavior creates a character that is on the verge of  a breakdown. The superpowers will eventually lend a hand in allowing him to release his frustrations but on a grander, out-of-control scale. His only ground with reality comes in the form of his cousin Matt and their friend Steve. All three of them share the same gift and so share the same experiences in discovering their new found powers. However, even as they explore further, Andrew begins to slowly show signs that his introvert shell is cracking and with each abusive situation or conflict that he encounters the more unstable he becomes.

Without giving away any details, Andrew refocuses his perspective and convinces himself that his powers are a gift meant as a means to an end. So he lashes out against aggressors. At first he targets specific people, but after his altered indoctrination, he indiscriminately attacks anyone. Again, all the bottled up rage has spilled over causing Andrew to think irrationally and lose his humanity to some degree. In a way, it reminds me of the Japanese Anime movie Akira.

Originally, my thoughts about this film were somewhat low. Superhero or super powered people movies are hit or miss depending on the writing and focus. And, with teens, my expectations are even further low. I just can't stand the carelessness of young people with superpowers, it honestly irritates me because these are usually handled so poorly. Geez, I hate those so called teens with perfect lives and meaningless conflicts or struggles that don't appeal to no one. So already I thought I was going to detest that fact that this was a movie about teens with superpowers. But, that wasn't the case, thankfully!

Chronicle was a story that depicted a character with a very real conflict that appeals to everyone. We've all been that bullied or ridiculed kid in school. We hated it and there were times that we wanted to beat the crap out of anyone and everyone that ever put us down, but here's where the story also shows the very real and dark consequences of such behavior. Depending on how we handled it the result or final trigger can be very dangerous.

Visually, the film was shot very well considering it was one of those first person shot movies. However, here is where I applauded the filming approach. Throughout the movie, Andrew is filming, so the you rarely see him in the shot, but after he gets his powers he learns to hold his camera with his telekinetic abilities. This becomes a nifty technique because while the audience believes that he is still suspending it in the air, it feels as though the camera was placed there to give us the third person omniscient view that we are used to in other movies. The special effects were integrated so well that the flying scenes looked like actual base jumping or body surfing shots. Even during the climax scenes near the end, the visuals effects of Andrew unleashing his full powers and fighting against Matt resembled something out of an anime. I honestly began to think that this was how they should have filmed that atrocious Dragonball: Evolution movie.



I really enjoyed this film and the development of each of the characters especially Andrew. He wasn't really a villain but more of a misunderstood social outcast. This is something we can all understand and relate to because we have all experienced it in our own way. The writing captured the essence of teenage life and most of its shortcomings. And, I especially liked that behind the superpowers there was a deeper message about understanding, social acceptance and the dangers of abuse, ridicule and isolation.

Until the next one. Stay strong and unafraid.

The Grey: Movie Review

As of late, actor Liam Neeson has been making quite a name for himself as an action/drama movie star and now you can add survivalist to that list.

I have been following his exploits since his film Taken and I was immediately blown away at how he transformed his character from loving and caring parent to hunter. He literally tracks down his daughter's kidnappers with a combination of intelligence tactics and physically persuasive techniques to convince the baddies in his favor. Yeah, beating the crap out of evildoers makes a plan go into motion.

And, I loved every minute of his stampede through Europe to rescue his daughter. His famous "I'll find you and I'll kill you" line has been a trademark that defined him as a badass. He even obliged a fan during a interview on the Graham Norton Show by recording the line as a voicemail greeting. Check the link below. The voice recording segment happens toward the end of the clip, but watch the whole thing, it's great!



Even his next film Unknown is filled with enough suspense, intrigue and action to keep you glued to the screen. Don't take my word for it, just watch it yourself.

Now back to The Grey. After seeing that Neeson had a new film coming out, I became very interested in what this new project might bring. The title alone brings much vagueness and blurriness, and that not because of all the snow falling. Actually, the title plays an important role in foreshadowing the where the film goes and how it ends. I'm not going to reveal anything because I think anyone interested should just go and watch it. Still, however nebulous the trailer might seem, trust me when I say that you're in for quite a treat!

I have to say right away that this movie has increased my fear plane crashes, collisions and freezing. So, around the 15 minute mark, John Ottway's (Neeson) plane crashes over what I believe is somewhere in deep freezing, snowing Alaska. Out of a plane with about 20-30 passengers, only 7 survive the crash. Not much is revealed about the background of any of these characters. Neeson's character's background is slowly explored through flashbacks of himself with another woman who we later understand is his wife.

Immediately, right from the start, as soon as they start to pick themselves up from the devastating crash the principle antagonists are revealed-- THE WOLVES! The film becomes a quest of survival as Neeson's character tries to save anyone from the feral jaws of nature. Why does Neeson's character take it upon himself to play leader and save everyone? Because he's fucking Liam Neeson! And, his character, Ottway, is a hunter and specialist in survival situations; he makes Bear Grylls and any other TV show survivalist look like an amateur. I mean, Neeson's character fights a wolf with his own DAMN BARE HANDS! I was shouting at the top of my lungs when I saw that. Of course, disagreements happen has members from the surviving party question authority and location, but when the wolves start picking them off one-by-one, they just follow.

Going back to my reemerging fears. Yeah, plane crashes and freezing. I have flown in planes and experienced turbulence of different levels, but the fear is always there and I manage to suck it up and just relax. This probably sounds like I'm more nervous about flying then I actually am, but I'm pretty cool. Anyway, crashing first but the freezing is another story. The survivors end up in blizzard conditions, so maintaining warm is a necessity. However, there are moments where Ottway falls into streams of freezing water and I'm like, WHAT! Even after those moments, he forges on. I think I would've died of hypothermia a long time ago. Characters undergo extreme psychological changes that represent real consequences to conditions of near death.

It was just a great movie that continued to carry Liam Neeson's trademark badassness! I mean, he frickin' fought a wolf--with his bare hands!!



Neeson continues to surprise me by how well he adapts to these tough roles. I like it a lot and would be terrified to go up against him and his badassness. Like I said, the film a well worth a watch, and every moment tests and pushes each of the characters to their breaking point. Watching Liam Neeson strap on a makeshift glove/gauntlet/weapon of broken bottles to one hand with tape, and a knife in the other just sent chills down my spin.

Until next time, survive!

5 Days of War: Movie Review

 
Well, it's been a while, but I'm back with another brand new movie review.

I don't think I'll have a lot to say about this film because I really enjoyed it. So, I'll just rave about how immersed I became at the story that unfolded as I sat in a lit room and witnessed the horrors and sacrifices brought about by war.

To begin, I have always enjoyed well told/filmed war movies. The struggle to survive is evident in the need for soldiers to carry out a task, and while this is present in the film, the perspective is different. The film is based on the real life war that transpired between Russia and Georgia. Now, let me begin by saying that I'm not familiar with the history or ensuing conflicts between these two countries that led to the war that lasted 5 days.

The aspect of the film that caught my attention was the news reporting angle. 5 Days of War centers around a journalist by the name of Thomas Anders played by Rupert Friend and his struggle to stay alive long enough to escape the war zone and release the film footage he and his cameraman caught of the carnage as Russian mercenaries entered a village in Georgia and slaughtered civilians. So, the entire film is an action documentary of what took place, but without the need of having the film shot from a first person perspective.

Now, I've read that this film received mixed reviews with most of its criticisms pointing to the fact that the film portrays only the Georgian side of the conflict. All the while the Russians are portrayed as barbaric killing squads marching along the Georgian countryside eliminating everything. Some critics claimed the film was a dangerous form of propaganda used to promote sympathetic reactions from audiences. Again, I not familiar with the actual reasons that brought about the war, and while some of these criticisms against the film may be true, I'm not here to pass judgement. Although, during times of war, everything that we see or are allowed to be shown by the media is put up for criticism. We can never be sure if what we're being told is true or exaggerated.

The term 'propaganda' is correct in some ways; as journalists, you try to push your information because the world has a right to know. So here we have just that. Thomas Anders embarks on a mission to uncover the truth about a possible confrontation between Russia and Georgia and ends up with a front row ticket to a real first-hand experience of life and death. This brings me to a interesting point that I have always know to be true. War journalists and photographers are the most hardcore and fearless people in the world. To put yourself in harms way, deliberately now, is insane! Even with proper precautions, journalism rights/permissions and military escorts, they run very real risks that could have fatal consequences.

Anyway, these were the points of the film that kept me immersed and wanting to reach the end. Another interesting fact, there was very little news coverage of the war due to the fact the as this was happening much of the world, and the news media, was busy covering the Olympics. Add that to the pile building in front of you as a journalist!

It was interesting to see Andy Garcia play Mikheil Saakashvili, the President of Georgia. Other cast members included: Val Kilmer, Dean Cain, Emmanuel Chriqui and a brief cameo by Heather Graham. All in all, I really enjoyed the film. My interest in it first came when I saw the trailer a few months back, and I wasn't disappointed. It's an action film at heart and it provides several moments of intense confrontation and quick pace.




Well, I hope you enjoy and until next time!

Resident Evil: Retribution - Official Trailer

 
Well, well, look at what we have here...

So, the trailer for the next installment of the Resident Evil movie franchise is here. I'll place the link after I have said my two cents on it.

I'll keep this short.

With the way the last film ended, I wasn't surprised that another film was being put together. But, where does this latest in 3D explosions, gun firing and zombie fighting take place? I have no idea, but I'm very curious and looking forward to getting an explanation as to where these flying beasties, giant lickers and Michele Rodriguez (she played Rain in the first film) came from!

Yeah, I knew that either all of some of the characters from the earlier movies were going to be coming back. However, I'm still confused as to how they returned and what their purpose will be. As it is the trailer seems to suggest that we are still in a post apocalyptic setting some time after Resident Evil: Afterlife. Another battle takes place on the ship where our heroes rescued K-Mart, (Yeah, I still laugh every time I hear her name); then we see some kind of fortified city with Alice (Jovovich) resembling some kind of one man army.

There are so many questions, but these trailers always leave me and just about anyone with a million questions as to the setting or connect to the games. Once again, I think there is no connect, timeline wise, with the games anymore. I mean, Afterlife can vaguely be connected to RE5 because these was an Axeman and the last battle between Chris/Claire and Wesker was a direct ripoff of the final battle between Chris/Sheva and Wesker from Resident Evil 5 (game). That's it!

Oh, but WAIT! Is that ADA WONG I saw in there! Yes it is! She's in her RE4 attire too! So Hot!

Now I'm hooked. What does she have to gain in this movie. The world is dead; for who could she be working for that needs information on the T, G, V, Plagas virus? Her role in the games was to retrieve information on the virus and to bring back a sample to her employer. However, in the games, the world hadn't gone to shit yet, so what's her deal here? Hmmm...

I even heard or read somewhere that Leon Kennedy will be in this film. I can't confirm, and I wouldn't be surprised if he shows up just so that the entire game cast could finally make an appearance in the flesh.

Well enough of me talking. Check out the clip below and tell me what you think!



What do you think, guys and gals? I know some of you out there are RE fans just like me. So much going on in those 60 seconds of a teaser trailer. I hate the opening commercial sequence. Either way, I'm excited to see what does adds to the film franchise and where it ends up.

More Resident Evil news as it becomes available or I stumble upon it! Also, Resident Evil movie reviews coming soon and why the games are my favorite.

Until then, look alive and share the "Evil" in Resident Evil.

Hanna: Movie Review

 
What up, Movie Lovers,

Well, I pulled out another movie that I bought months ago and finally watched it. This time the selection happened to be the film Hanna. Now I have to say that I only heard about this movie because the stars of the film were at the San Diego Comic Con a couple of years ago promoting its release in theaters. I didn't know much about its premise except that it centered around a young girl assassin.

Of course, the premise attracted my curiosity. I mean, why not? A young girl, long blonde hair, blue eyes, trained in weapons & hand-to-hand combat and special intelligence tactics! What more could I want?

Despite these intriguing details, which I didn't know about at the time, the film interested me. I caught the trailer for it several months after, but like every other movie I am only now watching it for the first time. Saoirse Ronan plays the title character Hanna, and Eric Bana takes the role of her father Eric Heller. The movie begins by establishing Hanna as a rogue nature hunter as she hunts, kills and gathers the meat of a wild buck. Her father confronts her and engages her in a series of offensive and defensive fighting techniques. As I watched it, the scene opened up the idea of remote training and survival skills, but the intention was not made clear yet.

During the next 15 minutes, the film continues to reinforce her father's training as Eric tests and attacks her with a series of different tactics. The only clue we get from all this is that her father has been preparing her for when she has to venture outside of the sanctity for their secluded shack in the woods of Finland. When Eric finally believes she is ready, the first plot is revealed that he was part of a covert CIA group. Certain other details are withheld, but an intelligence officer, Marissa Wiegler played by Cate Blanchett, is now pursuing them.

I'm going to skim though most details to move along forward with this brief review. Well, Hanna and her father part ways, and the film follows Hanna as she escapes from the underground CIA base, travels through most of Europe with the help a vacationing British family and ultimately confronts Wiegler. The interesting aspect of the film is how we're shown Hanna's immersion into modern society. She interacts with and is genuinely surprised by the foreign technology, scenery and experiences that she is encountering for the first time. Many of these moments are captured in Hanna's interaction with the vacationing family, especially with their daughter Sophie. The two bond and share brief moments of attraction and curiosity.

One of the complaints I had was the secret agenda surrounding Hanna. The reason her father trained her and why Marissa is after her are the same. Hanna is actually an experiment to create a super soldier with heightened speed, strength and intelligence making her an elite special forces agent. I just kept thinking that the idea was nothing new and over used. When it was revealed, it didn't have the impact that I thought the movie was aiming for. However, that minor point is, for the most part, irrelevant because Hanna's journey is what I found to be the most interesting part of the film.

The action during the movie is fast and gritty in some cases. You see Hanna take her bumps and bruises, but she also delivers the intense hits as she battles foes. Saoirse Ronan really puts on a performance and shines as she both explores her characters motives and fights with such precision that Saoirse could've fooled me with her expertise. I know its all about choreography but it really shows in how well she moves and the editing. She fun to look at. In addition to the visual display of action, the music, composed by the Chemical Brothers, also added a fast beat of electronica that helped to raise the tension and/or pace of many of the scenes. The score played during the scene where Hanna is fleeing from her pursuers in the shipping yard is my personal favorite. While electronic it also felt very playful and upbeat. The music in that scene mirrored the fact that Hanna was playing around against her enemies.

In recollection, Hanna was a fun action, spy, young girl assassin movie with a lot of spunk and clever storytelling. In a way, I would almost consider it a story that took the Mathilda character from Leon: The Professional and based it on her. So, I would say that it was time that I spent being well entertained.

Surrogates: Movie Review

 
Hello all,

Another movie review coming at ya! This time it's the Bruce Willis Sci-Fi film Surrogates.

I have to say that my interest was piqued about this movie when I first saw the trailer a couple of years ago. However, I never got to see it in theaters at the time. Now that I think about it I don't watch that many movies in theaters, and I just catch them after they come out on Blu-ray or DVD. It wasn't until about a  month ago that I saw the trailer advertised on TV that I went out and bought it.

So, the premise is humanity has become completely dependent on the use of artificial robots/cyborgs to function or interact with society. In other words, when you get ready to go to work, you plug yourself into your robot/cyborg, known as a Surrogate, and go about your daily outdoor activities. Sound familiar? It should because it is the exact same plug-in/jack-in function used in The Matrix. Only, instead of plugging into a computer, you plug-in to your artificial clone. It's really a very intriguing idea. The movie explains that this new technology and mode of human interactive function has revolutionized humanity to the point that such things as crime are non-existent.

Of course, like any revolution or new concept, there are going to be opponents. These are known as Dreads, normal people/humans that refuse to allow technology/robots to replace man kind. I may be making this sound too much like the premise for Terminator, but its not this extreme. It has this feel much like Stephen King's The Stand where you have the two factions or social groups. In Surrogates, you have the society that accepts the robots as a means of social image, and the other society hates the robots for the same reason.

The story takes shape when a murder is committed with a device that not only destroys the surrogate but also its human operator. Bruce Willis plays FBI agent Tom Greer, and with Radha Mitchell (Agent Peters) the two investigate the crime which has roots reaching all the way into the surrogate manufacturing company VSI. I don't remember what the full name was, or if it was even mentioned, ha! Surrogates is a very decent detective story but at its core are the major themes that the concept of artificial dependence implies.

For example, all the surrogates are young while their human counterparts are older or aging. The reason I say this is because part of the story focuses on Bruce Willis' character's relationship with his wife Maggie played by Rosamund Pike. From very earlier on, we are shown a disconnect between the couple, especially after Tom is forced to pursue the investigation with out a surrogate. He realizes that his wife may have grown so dependent on the use of the artificial persona/image that she's lost sense of reality.

Another interesting point shown in the movie is that it is a comment on some of society's idea or need to display or appear young or perfect. As a matter of fact, the modern surrogate society is visually represented as a stylish, and artificial rendition of what a perfect society would appear as. The surrogates represent every human operator's own ideal self image of perfection. It's vanity in its purest sense. Even more intriguing is the reaction that Tom gets when he emerges into society in his actual 'flesh' form. Even though it is not revealed how long it as been since he actually set foot out of his house, we see the immediate disconnect with human interaction. Tom has a huge sensory overload that he nearly collapses as he tries to physically move in a space which he only interacted with through artificial eyes.   

Again, I was really impressed by the detective story that revealed the ethical question of extreme dependence on artificial technology. Surrogates was an entertaining film with many thought provoking ideas. And the scene where everyone drops to the ground in unison was pretty cool to see, and the ending provided a ideal awakening.

A Perfect Getaway: Movie Review

Well, here I am with another movie review from my personal library. Actually, I bought this movie several months ago and only recently watched it.

Ahhh, I still have several other movies that I haven't watched yet, and my library will most likely keep getting bigger, ha!

Ever since The Fifth Element and the Resident Evil series, I developed a liking for Milla Jovovich and her bad ass take on female action heroines. I think many people were attracted to her portrayal of bright orange/white headed Leeloo and her tough super soldier persona of Alice, and I'll admit that I became one of the people who found her irresistible. So after reading the synopsis for A Perfect Getaway, I wondered how Milla would handle playing a character as normal as you and I. In other words, she won't have powers or speak a foreign language.

The results, in my opinion, were quite surprising and enjoyable.

The movie opens to a video replay of a wedding, and the happy couple isn't shown. However, by the next scene, the audience is introduced to the newly weds Cyndey (Jovovich) and Cliff, played by Steve Zahn, as they enjoy their honeymoon on the remote Hawaiian island. Right from the start, the two things that catch my attention are with Milla's performance and her character's last name. After being used to Jovovich playing a commando-like heroine, it was weird seeing her play a down to earth normal woman, very giddy and all smiles, like someone I'd like to spend a Sunday afternoon with. The other is the character she plays is named Cyndey Anderson. The reason I point this out is because it's ironic as seeing that Jovovich is actually married to writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil series).

I found her performance interesting and carefree, again, like someone who's enjoying their honeymoon.

The story takes its first indication of - bump in the road - when Cydney and Cliff encounter another couple along the road and offer to give them a ride. There's a bit of a disagreement and both sides go separate ways on rather uncomfortable terms. This may seem like a minor hiccup, but when the news of the suspects (also newly weds) to a double murder is brought to their attention things turn awkward and suspicions begin to rise. The story takes another turn with the introduction of a third couple, Gina (Kiele Sanchez) and Nick (Timothy Olyphant). To keep this from getting too long, Cydney and Cliff suspect the first couple they met to be the killers and so they seek security in numbers by staying with Gina and Nick.

The first hour of the movie is spent Cyndey/Cliff getting to know Gina/Nick, and let me tell you, during the first hour I thought I was watching a comedy. The character of Nick was so over the top as a ex-special agent with so many anecdotes that he's hilarious, and hearing that Cliff is a screenwriter, Nick starts pitching ideas that 1) serve to humor and intimidate Cliff and 2) set the plot for the rest of the movie. Now, I don't know if this was done intentionally to guide the audience along in suspecting that Nick and Gina are an illusive couple. Or, if is was done to create this interesting fun and dynamic interaction. Either way, I enjoyed Olyphant's performance, and with Milla's giddy, happy California girl nature I found myself enjoying the movie more that I forgot that this was still a suspenseful thriller.

The twists and turns continue as the real killers are identified, and I won't ruin it here just in case others want to discover it for themselves. I will say that there is one strange moment toward the end where Nick goes through a moment of introspection and certain truths are put together. However my grip with this is when Nick's introspect switches to that of Cliff's. As this happened, I kept thinking about how this was possible. Were we in Nick's head or Cliff's, or both through some miracle of telepathy.

All together, A Perfect Getaway truly entertained me. The suspicions about who is really telling the truth about who they say they are, and Olyphant's mysterious yet hilarious performance kept me hook and laughing. Steve Zahn had a note worthy role. Of course, Kiele Sanchez was quite a sight, and Milla Jovovich's smile looked radiant when caught on film.

In the end, it was a time well spent!