Thoughts on Pacific Rim
When I was a very young boy, my father was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. At that time we were stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Because there was only one channel of American television-neither cable, satellite TV or the internet existed then-my brother and I would often switch to the Japanese programming. It didn’t really matter to us that we couldn’t understand the language, we really only watched for the action and thrill. We watched Ultraman battle giant monsters and other shows involving giant robots battling giant monsters.
While watching Pacific Rim, I was instantly transported back to those days and also remembered Godzilla reruns I had and have seen over the years: The colossal creature from the sea smashing through buildings like they were nothing more than paper mache, droves of people running for their lives. Then, a savior appears. Also massive in appearance; taller than the highest skyscraper. The two become locked in battle. Mountains are leveled, entire city blocks reduced to rubble. Who will be the victor? Thankfully the mechanical golem of steel and the very best in human ingenuity, combined with the bravery and skill of it’s human pilots arise victorious from the epic battle and live to fight another day.
That is the idea behind a film like Pacific Rim and Director Guillermo Del Toro does a fantastic job. The only draw back for me was that a majority of the battles take place in the ocean. I really would have loved to see one of the Kaiju get thrown through a hillside, pulverizing it into level ground, but that’s just the fan boy in me.
Pacific Rim is entertaining at the very least and I believe it opens the door-widely-for some Anime franchises such as Gundam, Robotech and Neon Genesis Evangelion to get the live action treatment. If you’re in the mood for a film where enormously gigantic monsters threaten the existence of the human race and all that stands between them and our extinction are a small band of pilots in mechas that make make the robot in Real Steel look like a toy; then Pacific Rim is precisely the movie for you
Star Trek: Into Darkness Review
Star Trek: Into Darkness reunites us with J.J. Abrams‘ incarnation of the famous Starship Enterprise crew about a year after the events of Abrams’ first venture with the franchise. It also puts Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg; Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, Anton Yelchin and John Cho back in their respective roles as cinemas most famous starship crew.
The action begins on an Alien world with red plants instead of green. Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy are fleeing from the indigenous species of the planet. While the Captain and the Doctor run for their lives, we are shown that the crew of the Enterprise work so well together, they can accomplish what appears to be impossible while at the same time, come dangerously close to failing. In order to succeed and save a single life, Kirk makes a decision that puts the Enterprise and the entire crew at risk. It is this decision that results in some dire consequences for Kirk and sets the mood of the film.
As the story progresses, we are introduced to John Harrison, who aids a family on the brink of losing their daughter to disease, in exchange for the destruction of a top-secret Star Fleet installation. Star Fleet brands him a terrorist and conduct a meeting with the senior officers of the Enterprise, Bradbury and other starships present. During the supposed classified meeting, the group is attacked and suffer a devastating loss.
In retaliation for the loss of a peer, Kirk asks Admiral Marcus to send the Enterprise to apprehend the fugitive. Marcus agrees and sends the Enterprise with a payload of newly developed and highly powered photon torpedoes that have an unknown power source. They must ask the questions: Is Marcus hiding something? Why was the development of such weapons so secret? What purpose do they serve?
While in pursuit of John Harrison, they learn that there is much more going on than what appears on the surface and that the criminal could turn out to be much more dangerous than originally believed. Once again pitted against insurmountable odds, Kirk and crew are tested in matters of morality, sacrifice and loss. Captain Kirk himself finds that he must choose between the needs of the many and the needs of the few.
All in all, J.J. Abrams does it again with masterful skill and tells a story that is thrilling and emotionally powerful. There are moments where Star Trek history is literally flipped over in a most surprising, yet brilliant way. Most definitely worth the watch.
Iron Man 3: The Man Under the Armor
Most of us by now have seen how Tony Stark became Iron Man-at least Hollywood’s version of the origin-we have also seen Iron Man square off against the only other man in the world capable of creating the same technology as him (Iron Man 2). In Iron Man 3 we get to see a “stripped down” version of Iron Man.
In other words, we get to see the “man behind the mask” as Tony Stark comes to terms with the fact that Iron Man is a super hero and the responsibilities that come with that. We see a Tony Stark who is unsure of his abilities and overwhelmed by his need to protect Pepper Potts after the events of The Avengers.
Enter The Mandarin: A new foe hell bent on teaching The United States a number of lessons through ruthless terrorist acts meant to undermine the capabilities of the American government.
Happy is injured while investigating a suspicious character that he spotted at Stark Enterprises . Tony learns that The Mandarin was somehow responsible for wounding his friend and threatens the terrorist. The Mandarin answers the challenge with explosive violence, separating Pepper from Tony.
While trying to find the woman he loves, Tony investigates The Mandarin and discovers some startling facts concerning individuals from his own past before he became Iron Man, or even created the arc reactor. Ultimately, Tony Stark learns that the traits and abilities he has are what make it possible for him to be Iron Man.
Oblivion: A Sci Fi Mystery
Jack Harper is a technician living sixty four years in the future. Earth is now a wasteland following a war in which an alien invader destroyed the moon causing earthquakes and tidal waves. Surviving humans have evacuated Earth for Titan, one of Saturn’s moons. Jack and his partner Victoria, are responsible for maintaining and repairing drones used to protect giant hydro collectors taking Earth’s water for use on Titan.
Everything has gone smoothly for the team with only two weeks left before they are able to join the rest of the humans living in an enormous space station orbiting the planet awaiting departure to Titan. Their daily routine is interrupted when a spacecraft crashes down not far from their station. Jack investigates and discovers a female survivor. The woman’s arrival and the impossible fact that she knows Jack’s name set in motion events that changes his view of Earth’s fate and reveals a past he had forgotten.
Oblivion stars Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough and Olga Kurylenko. The film provides some breath taking visuals and the story is very intriguing, though it could use a little more tension. However, this is not a thriller or an “all guns blazing” action-the action bits are done very well-Oblivion is in fact, an adventure about how the past can be of such great value, that without it we cannot hope to have a better and brighter future.
Jack the Giant Slayer: Simple Fairytale or Legend?
There are countless adults and children who know the story of Jack and the Beanstalk and others who know the story of Jack the Giant Killer, but are any of us positive that the two stories are just two different perceptions of a much larger event? The new film Jack the Giant Slayer seeks to answer that exact question.
By blending the English tale Jack and the Beanstalk and the Cornish tale Jack the Giant Killer with Hollywood storytelling, the result is a fantastic legend of heroism and bravery centered on a farm boy who is anything but simple. Yet it is the simplicity of the film that makes it so enjoyable. 
Here we have a story about a boy sent to do an errand for his Uncle and disappoints him only to rise–literally–to new heights and stature by facing the very Giants that had faded into legend in order to rescue the Princess.
The most endearing thing about the story of Jack the Giant Slayer is that Jack faces insurmountable odds, his own fears and rises above his status to save and protect a girl. The implications of that are tremendous. If we could all be so brave and selfless, everyone of us could be heroes to someone let alone an entire kingdom, or even a multitude of future generations. For that very reason Jack the Giant Slayer is far more than a simple fairytale. It is, in fact, legend.
The film stars Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy, Ian McShane and Stanley Tucci. It is rated PG-13 fantasy action violence, some scary scenes and brief language.
Three End of 2012 Must See Films
Of the many films that were released in 2012 there were three that could be said to be the most anticipated throughout the year up to their release as the year came to a close. Those three films are The Hobbit, Les Miserables and Django Unchained. Each of these motion pictures has either breathed new life into an aging genre or has been innovative in some way that may change how films are made in the near future.
Hundreds, if not millions have been waiting for a number of years for this film to finally make it to the big screen; especially after Peter Jackson returned to the Director’s chair. Jackson not only accomplished the same dramatic scope and majesty with The Hobbit as he did with The Lord of The Rings Trilogy, he also did something truly innovative. He and the rest of the crew on The Hobbit chose to film at a higher frame rate of forty frames per second—the standard is 35 fps—this resulted in a picture that is so clear, the viewer is hard pressed to believe that the characters are anywhere else but in the same room. Truthfully, the “hyper-realism” took some getting used to. Nonetheless, it only served to bring the story to life—literally.
For those familiar with the process of filming a musical, they understand that the standard way is to have the actors lip sync to pre-recorded tracks of themselves singing. This sometimes results in a less than authentic emotional performance from the actors/actresses because they may have made different character choices when they originally sang than when they are filming. Director Tom Hooper—wanting to capture a more authentic musical experience on film—chose to have the actors sing while filming with only the music to sing to. The result is astronomically moving performances by Anne Hathaway, Hugh Jackman, Eddie Redmayne and Amanda Seyfried. Every cast member had the ability to respond to the moment as they normally would while filming a speaking part making each character seem much more genuine in their emotionality. This was truly an original way to approach a generations old genre and give it new life.
Any genre that Quentin Tarantino touches is going to be changed from old and dry to new, edgy and purely entertaining. This is something that Tarantino does well and has his entire career. Django takes the western and flips it on its head. What we get is a story with as many twists and turns as the best thrillers, mingled with ingenious dialogue that intrigues instead of bores and Tarantino’s own brand of brutal, fast-paced and bloody action. This one is bound to be as popular as Inglorious Basterds and Pulp Fiction. Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz and Leonardo DiCaprio give effortless performances. Django Unchained is a film worth seeing for any fan of Tarantino’s work.
If you haven’t seen any of these three films yet, stop hesitating. Regardless of which you choose they will leave you breathless, inspired or just plain exhilarated.
Taken 2 Review
Finally had a chance to see Taken 2 that was released last week on October 5. The film reunites Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace and Famke Janssen from the first Taken film. For those familiar with Taken, they would remember that Neeson’s character, Bryan Mills takes matters into his own hands when his teenage daughter is kidnapped by white slavery traders while vacationing in Paris.
In Taken 2, Murad Krasniqi; the leader of the group who kidnapped Kim Mills, has chosen to take out his revenge for the men who were killed by Bryan Mills. Instead of kidnapping Kim, Murad and his men set out to take the entire family to exact their revenge on the man who took friends and family from them. Murad is portrayed by Rade Serbedzija
Without divulging too much about the plot, it is sufficient to say that things do not quite go the way Murad has planned resulting in Mills practicing his own brand of justice. Two other points about Taken 2 that can be made: 1) The film is not as gut wrenching as the first because the first Taken involved Mills venturing into the world of white slavery to find his daughter and in Taken 2 the premise is slightly different though it still involves kidnapping. 2) Once things get rolling, the action and suspense is non-stop.
In conclusion, this was a thoroughly enjoyable film. There is a strong plot and with a PG-13 rating this is a good film for families with teens. Additionally, it may be fun for fans of the first film to see how Bryan Mills deals with the consequences of his actions in the first Taken.
Looper Review
Looper is the sort of film that is enjoyable; not because it has plenty of action and violence, but because the story is solid and well thought out. As the story goes, Joe is a “Looper”-a type of contract killer in the future. Through narration, Joe explains that time travel is invented and outlawed thirty years from the time set in the story. He says that the crime bosses are the only ones who use time travel illegally in order to dispose of troublesome individuals who exist at the time. So, Joe and other Loopers are contracted to kill those people sent back in time and dispose of them.
Joe is one of the best Loopers in the business, but his job and future are threatened when his thirty years older self is sent back and escapes. This creates a number of paradoxes which are all addressed by the films end. We do learn that the reason old Joe escapes has to do with a man from his timeline called “Rainmaker” who has been sending the aged Loopers back in time to be killed by their younger selves.
The action gets intense and the visual effects are top-notch however, the most astonishing achievement visually is how the film makers made Joseph Gordon-Levitt; who plays Joe, resemble Bruce Willis (Older Joe) so closely. There were moments where they looked identical. Levitt should also be praised for his ability to mimic Willis’ facial expressions and even his manner of speech. Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels play integral roles in the film as well.
Looper is definitely worth a watch though it might be a good idea to leave the kids at home. This film has quite a few bloody scenes, plenty of swear words, some female nudity and themes that children will not understand.
Sorry Tobey, Andrew is Spider Man Now!
In 2002 Columbia Pictures released Spider-Man the Motion Picture starring Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and James Franco. At the time, it was a highly anticipated film and did very well in the box office. However, the following two films in the franchise were met with disappointment despite their box office success due to weak plots and character development that did not make sense—especially in regards to Peter Parker.
Ten years later Columbia partners with Marvel to reboot the franchise and the result is The Amazing Spider Man with Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider Man and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy instead of Mary Jane Watson. In a number of ways this version is superior to the version released a decade ago. A Better plot and story arc, characters in touch with their humanity and fight sequences that seem to have leapt out of the pages of a Spider Man comic are the elements that make this a superb film.
An intriguing aspect of the newer Spider Man story is that this one attempts to answer the question that has burned in our minds for the last forty or so years: What happened to Peter Parker’s parents? Ultimately Peter is lead to his destiny while in search for that very answer. Unfortunately, finding a key to his past also brings unforeseen consequences that only Spider Man can vanquish.
A story this good needs characters that the audience can become vested in. Fortunately for all the cast in this movie pour every ounce of talent and experience into the people they portray. Especially of note are Martin Sheen as Uncle Ben, Emma Stone and Andrew Garfield. However, each member of the cast seems born to portray the characters they embody. It will be difficult to see any of them in any other movie for a while.
For more than five generations Spider Man has been in comics, cartoons and video games. Anyone who has read the comics, watched the cartoons or played the video games knows that Spidey has a certain way of fighting—flipping, jumping and shooting webbing with the accuracy of a marksman—and we have all come to expect it. Spider Man’s fighting style is so accurate in the film, it is easy to believe that this is truly the Spider Man from the comics. It suffices to say that it was a joy to watch.
In the wake of the epic battles in The Avengers Movie, The Amazing Spider Man seems a tad smaller. That is far from being a flaw because this film is nothing short of amazing. Truly a must see this summer.
Snow White and The Huntsman Review
Charlize Theron as the Queen
Most individuals who have been alive since Disney first released the now classic animated film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs are very familiar with that version of the Snow White fairy tale. Snow White and the Huntsman is not that version. Nor is it remotely close. In fact, the only piece that might have been inspired by the Disney version is the dress that Snow White wears throughout the film.
Kristen Stewart as Snow White
The basic elements of the story are still there. The evil Sorceress Queen hires the Huntsman to kill Snow White and bring back her heart and the Huntsman of course, spares the fair and beautiful Snow White. Beyond those well known themes Snow White and The Huntsman is a story about a woman corrupted by her fears and a lust for power. A corruption so severe it taints everything and everyone in the kingdom with decay, bitterness and sorrow.
By contrast, there is the story of Snow White; who loses her father and is imprisoned by the Queen, only to become the very thing the Queen needs to extend her own life indefinitely. A fugitive in her own kingdom, Snow White flees the castle with the help of the Huntsman who has pity
on the Princess despite his orders from the Queen. As they travel towards the Duke’s castle, they learn of Snow White’s true destiny and meet the Dwarves who are nearly destitute after the near decimation of their proud race. Together these unlikely comrades determine to take action and rise up against the oppression of the Queen in order to return the kingdom to its former glory and place Snow White in her rightful place as Queen.
The Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) with the Dwarves
Charlize Theron, Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth star in the three principle roles. Each does so extremely well bringing life to these characters that one can’t help but believe that they are real. Combined with a great supporting cast and visuals on par with those in The Lord of The Rings movies, Snow White and The Huntsman is a film destined to be the best incarnation of a well loved fairy tale.
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