Green Lantern Review
The Green Lantern movie is an origin story. We are first introduced to Hal Leonard the cocky test pilot, who risks his life and nearly loses it after pushing the limits of his plane and the newly designed planes he is flying against. This is a hero with a chip on his shoulder because of a fear he hides.
Fear, and its ability to disable us is not the central theme of the film, but it is a major undercurrent in the story and inevitably leads us to the main point: Fear is something that should be overcome. Never embraced. For if we embrace it, we become faced with a power that can render us utterly helpless and then our true potential can never be reached.
Hal Leonard must learn to overcome his fear and rise above it so that he may be fearless in the face of evil. For that is what it means to be a Green Lantern–fearless in the presence of evil.
While Green Lantern has really great visual effects and a good plot, the film suffers in its ability to give the audience a sense of pending doom. In fact, it is the opinion of this author that the ending was rushed and because of that, there is not
a significant sense of peril. Even with two villains in the film, there is not any reason to doubt that Hal will rise to the occasion and become a Green Lantern worthy of the name.
The other item that could have been better was the 3D conversion. Go see it in regular 2D. Your wallet will thank you later anyhow.
Despite those two negatives, Green Lantern is a great film and fun to watch. Ryan Reynolds is wonderful as Hal Leonard/Green Lantern, ad Blake Lively is commanding and sensitive in her role as Carol Ferris. Ultimately, the film is worth watching if one is looking for a film with plenty of special effects and a simple storyline.
Super 8 is Cinema Gold
When the credits rolled at the end of Super 8; I wanted to stand up and clap. I wanted to shout for joy in expression of my complete and utter enjoyment of a beautifully made film. The reason is simple. Super 8 captured my heart. After seeing the film, I felt the way I did after seeing E.T. or Goonies–elated and full of wonderment. That is an emotion that very few movies in recent years have been able to cause. There have been numerous entertaining ones, which have earned a place in my personal collection, but none of these match Super 8. What makes this film so different?
In a word, Super 8 is what other critics and film reviewers might call Spielbergian. However, labeling this film as Spielbergian, or saying it is a throwback to E.T., Goonies or Close Encounters of the Third Kind, sells the film short to a degree. Certainly, the J.J. Abrams directed–and Spielberg produced–film has a similar feel as those three movies, but it isn’t a cookie cutter film by any means. This tale has a magic all its own .
I saw a glimmer of this magic when we are first introduced to Joe Lamb( Joel Courtney)and his friends in the somber setting of Joe’s Mother’s funeral. Joe is outside, sitting on a swing staring at a locket and his friends are inside talking. What seemed magical to me was the pacing of the boys’ conversation. It wasn’t hurried or seem to slow the scene down. Instead, it subtly moved the plot forward and complimented the mood of the setting.
Another moment came a little later in the film, not long before the story changes to an adventure ,instead of the average coming of age spin. We arrive at this point in the film after learning that Joe’s friend Charlie (Riley Griffiths) is a budding filmmaker who is making a zombie movie called “The Case” and hopes to enter the film in the local film festival. Seeing the need to have characters that an audience can connect with, Charlie recruits Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) to play the wife of his films hero. Before rehearsing the scene, Charlie instructs Alice that she has to cry. It is that moment in which the magic happens. As Alice recited her lines, I could sense the change in her as she connected with the emotions and feelings of her character, and thought that this is what film making is all about–capturing that moment.
I could write another two pages about the subtleties and nuances of the film, so I will just say that Super 8 is the sort of 
film that weaves a spell on the audience. It is clever, enticing, bitter-sweet, inspiring; literally igniting the imagination. The young cast are superb in their acting, not wooden as some child actors can be, and the adult actors deliver with dedication and realism.
In the end, Super 8 is a story about how Joe Lamb and his friends set out to make their mark in film history and end up having the adventure of a lifetime. Along the way, Joe finds a way to fill the hole left behind through the loss of his mother, and his Father, Jackson Lamb(Kyle Chandler); learns to forgive and realizes that knowing his son is more important than his job as Deputy. The town of Lillian has an experience they will never forget.
Don’t take my word for it. Experience this magic for yourself, with a loved-one, or a group of friends. Might I also suggest using the restroom before the movie, you’ll thank me later.
X-Men:First Class Review
The steady procession of super hero movies continues with the release of X-Men:First Class. It is an origin story of sorts as the film tells the story of how the X-Men came to be. More specifically, it weaves the tale of how Magneto and Professor X–otherwise known as Erik Leshner (Michael Fassbender) and Charles Xavier (James McAvoy)–came to be friends and within that story shows us the events that sparked their rivalry.
Set in the 1960’s around the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis; X-Men: First Class centers on the two future leaders of the X-Men and The Brotherhood: Professor X and Magneto. For those unfamiliar with the comic book mythology, The Brotherhood is Magneto’s group of mutants who are constantly warring with the X-Men except in tim
es when their purposes are identical.
From the beginning of the film there is evidence of a bitter contrast between the young life of Erik Leshner and that of Charles Xavier. While Charles grows up with comfort and luxury in a New England mansion, Erik is taken from his parents and treated like a lab rat by the Nazis. Because of these differences in upbringing, Charles learns to hope for an integration between humans and the more evolved mutants. Erik instead learns that non-mutants will fear mutant-kind and seek to eradicate them from existence.
These opposing viewpoints become a theme throughout the film as the other mutants are brought together and relate their experiences to one another. Each expressing how they struggle to be accepted by humans. For Mystique and Hank McCoy, they appear to bond over their fight to accept themselves since they both have physical mutations.
Erik and Charles are unified at first in bringing mutant kind together. They do so under the ever watchful eye of the United States government who recruit them to assemble a team of mutants to stop a man named Sebastian Shaw from starting a nuclear war between Russia and The United States. The dilemma, is that Shaw has his own mutants helping him. Hence the need for the “first class” of X-Men.
One thing the film does really well is illustrate the humanity of the mutants. These are unlike the traditional superheroes like Superman, Thor, Spiderman or The Incredible Hulk who are either from another world or develop superhuman powers after a freak accident. The “superheroes” in the X-Men universe are normal humans whose DNA contain a specific gene that causes a mutation in their body giving them extraordinary abilities. Because of this they deal with a whole different type of prejudice and the film hits the mark in how each character copes with their abilities.
The action is riveting and the visual effects are stunning. It is refreshing to see that Marvel refrained from converting the movie to 3D which would have been a distraction.
X-Men:First Class may be a comic book based film, but it is mainly a film that tackles the issue of the very human need for acceptance by peers, society and especially oneself and that desire for unity, because that is what the story of the X-Men has always been about. The pursuit of unity.
Go see it so that you can experience a great film whether you’re a fan of X-Men or not.
Kung Fu Panda 2
If you need an excellent family film to see this Memorial Day or any day, then Kung Fu Panda 2 is it.
Jack Black returns as Po, the lovable panda from the first film. This time, Po has been busy working alongside the Furious Five; Tigress, Monkey, Viper, Mantis and Crane keeping the valley safe from bandits and other evil.
Upon learning that Lord Shen has developed a weapon that can defeat Kung Fu, the Dragon Warrior and the Furious Five travel to a distant city to end Lord Shen’s quest for dominance over China and protect Kung Fu.
This will not be easy however, for along the way Po begins to question himself and his origins. Haunted by visions from a past he does not remember, Po becomes unfocused and more like the Panda he was. Not the Dragon Warrior he is.
In order to successfully stop Lord Shen, Po must come to terms with his past and find inner peace.
Kung Fu Panda 2 is as entertaining as the first film, however the story could have used a little more depth because it is difficult to truly empathize with Po and his lost memories. Still, the film provides many moments of laughter and excitement, which is really why most of us go to see it anyway.
Also returning to the film are: Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Seth Rogen, Lucy Liu and David Cross in their roles as Master Shifu and the Furious Five. Michelle Yeoh, Jean–Claude Van Damme, Gary Oldman Dennis Haysbert, and Danny McBride lend their voices too.
Go see Kung Fu Panda 2. At the very least you’ll be entertained. At most, you find inspiration to gain inner peace.
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides Indeed
This weekend, Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides reunites us with the best Pirate there ever was: Captain Jack Sparrow and we find him as he was when we were first introduced to him in Curse of the Black Pearl. Without a ship.
As a matter of fact, we find the Captain in London going about the business of rescuing a trusted colleague and friend…himself. He also learns of a rumor that he is in London to procure a ship and a crew. Interestingly enough, it is these two events that set the film in motion, because once Jack investigates the origin of the rumor, he finds himself–yes his real self–face to face with an ex lover and eventually ends up getting shanghaied on to another pirates ship by that same ex beau. Confused? Let us make things more clear.
At the beginning of the film we are shown that the Spaniards have found the location of Ponce De Leon’s long-lost ship. Such a discovery is significant because Ponce De Leon famously claimed to have found the illusive fountain of youth. King George (Richard Griffiths) discovers Spain’s efforts to locate the fountain and attempts to lure Captain Jack Sparrow into the employ of the crown by allying him with a privateer. Naturally, Jack refuses and escapes royal custody in his own unique fashion. To quote a previous POTC movie: “Does he plan it all out, make it up as he goes along?”
Jack then arrives at a pub where he learns that someone is actually impersonating him and looking for a crew. He confronts the imposter and makes a pretty shocking discovery. An old flame of his is in town. Angelica (Penelope Cruz).
He is reunited with her only to become victim to the woman’s deviousness. She is a pirate after all. What’s worse is that poor Jack finds himself as part of the crew on another pirates ship. The one pirate all pirates fear. Edward Teach aka Blackbeard(Ian McShane). A pirate who is historically listed as the most notorious pirate of the Spanish Main during that time period.
While on Blackbeard’s ship Jack learns that the Captain of Queen Anne’s Revenge is also after the fountain of youth, though for much darker reasons than Sparrow himself. 
Thus, we the audience are taken on yet another wild, exciting, and strange Pirates of the Caribbean adventure. Johnny Depp is spectacular as always in his role as Captain Jack Sparrow. Kevin McNally returns as Gibbs as does Geoffrey Rush as Captain Barbossa.
It may already have been said, but Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides has to be the best Pirates film ever. It helps that the story is not too complex and there is more focus on Jack Sparrow; a benefit of the central plot not being the romance between a young blacksmith and the Governor’s daughter. There is a small amount of romance, but it serves as a contrast to Blackbeard’s evil. Another noticeable difference is a decidedly small amount CGI which really allows for the more human elements to play out.
In short. Go see Pirates of the Caribbean:On Stranger Tides. It is most certainly worth it. Oh and it has mermaids in it.
Thor Hammers The Competition
As of yesterday, May 9, Thor is the number one movie in the box office after being in theaters for only four days. Not surprising for a superhero movie, but still, very good for an untested franchise.
Granted, Thor has the benefit of having been a comic book hero for the last four decades and the character has been seen on TV. Thor appears in The Incredible Hulk Returns (1988) and in numerous Marvel cartoons, such as Hulk Vs. Thor. Thus, the character has a relatively large fan base which has been waiting for a Thor movie for a long while.
The wait is over. Thor can be seen across the country in 2D, 3D and IMAX 3D. The latter is well worth the money if you can afford it.
Director Kenneth Branagh–yes, that Kenneth Branagh–gives us an origin story that tells us how Thor comes to be on Earth and through trial and tribulation becomes the hero–and God–that fans are familiar with. While on Earth, he meets Jane, who becomes his love interest and stands up to a powerful threat in order to protect her and his friends. The resulting consequence is spectacular at the very least and pays homage to another kind of hero that most 
Christians are familiar with. Though, one may want to see the movie in order to understand what is meant by thatparticular sentence. Apologies for the vagueness.
The acting in Thor is superb. Little wonder, as two of the actors are Academy Award winners Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman, who brought their characters to life the way they would have in any other film each has ever worked on. Chris Hemsworth is certainly no slouch either, portraying Thor in a way that looked so natural and realistic. It was as if the character seen in comics had come to life.
The final thing that makes Thor such a great movie, is the design of the sets. Magnificent! That’s really the best word for them. Magnificent in every way. They are truly a sight to behold. Azgard; the home of Thor, Odin and Loke is wonderous certainly as majestic as one would picture the home of the Gods. These sets spark the imagination and look as if they lept out of the comics and onto the screen. Marvelous.
If you are looking for a great movie to see with just the right amount of humor, action, romance, intrigue and fantasy fun, then Thor is abso-positively the film you should see.
There’s No Place Like Rio
Rio is the story of Blu, a Blue Macaw who is swept from his forest home as a young bird, and is returned to his native Rio De Janeiro after being raised in Minnesota for fifteen years. The intent of his arrival is to preserve the species because Blu is one of only two existing Blue Macaws.
All appears to go well until Blu and the other Macaw–named Jewel–are stolen by smugglers. The would be “love birds” escape from their captors. However, the two are chained together. Soon, the duo are not only fighting to survive the relentless efforts of Nigel–a Cockatiel–to enslave them once more, but also to find a way out of their restraints.
Fortunately for the two, they meet Raphael. A Toucan with a big heart and an even bigger family. He leads them to Luiz. A bulldog with a slobbering issue. We will just leave the rest to your imagination. No spoilers in this post!
The film can be seen in both 2D and 3D. While most computer animated films are made to take advantage of the 3D effect ( Despicable Me, Megamind, How To Train Your Dragon). Rio only benefits from added depth, which really works for the panoramic views because it just makes them seem more immense. Either way you cannot go wrong 
because the movie is that good.
Rio is a fantastic film because it has a great story, fantastic musical numbers that add to the feel and essence of Rio, and the hilarious moments throughout the film. Some of which may not be easily forgotten. You will know when you see them. The voice acting is also superb. Kudos to the cast which includes Jesse Eisenberg, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Jamie Foxx, Will I. Am, Tracy Morgan and Leslie Mann.
Do yourself a favor. Go see Rio. Take someone special. It will be like going to Carnival
Hanna: Adapt or Die
Let’s make this brief. Hanna warrants the attention of ardent cinephiles and average movie goers alike. Not because the film is intelligently made or because it has some intense action sequences, but because the film tells the story of a young girl trying to find herself amidst the turmoil of her life so eloquently, that the experience washes over you as does the intricacies of a work of art.
Hanna is exactly that. A work of art. In a brilliant re imagining of the classic fairytale, director Joe Wright brings us an spy-action odyssey as ScreenRant calls it in their review.
We follow Hanna on her journey from isolation to civilization and join her as she discovers friendship, is crushed by betrayal and ultimately uses all of her resources and training to fight the wolves who would keep her from being a part of the world which she has only recently become a part of. A world that had only existed in Hanna’s imagination and is now a reality she never wants to depart from. To survive, Hanna must do what her father taught. Adapt or die.
Eric Bana stars as Hanna’s father, Erik Heller. Cate Blanchett is Marissa, a federal agent bent on destroying Hanna and Erik. Saoirse Ronan embodies Hanna so completely, that Hanna becomes more than just a figure on the screen, but a real person. That is the true accomplishment of this film and all who made it. The story and characters are so real that it changes from just a tale to an experience.
Sucker Punch: Pure Escapism
Sucker Punch is every sci-fi, fantasy, action, and anime fans dream movie. There is not a film out today that has four women dressed like they came out of an anime movie from Japan fighting Nazi zombies, robots, a dragon, and three giant samurai warriors. This shot from the original trailer where Baby Doll aggressively attacks one of those giant samurai is an excellent example of the kind of imagery seen throughout the film.
The fact that Baby Doll is flying through the air in an offensive against her enormous foe with naught but a katana and a 9mm, dressed in a Japanese schoolgirl outfit, is an incredible vision in itself. Does Sucker Punch offer more than intense action sequences, eye popping visual effects and a mind-bending storyline?
There is a definite understanding from those who have and have not seen the film that Emily Browning’s character, Baby Doll is admitted to a mental institution and intends to escape. It is also evident that she turns to her imagined world to circumvent the reality she is living. To that end there are three layers to the story. Baby Doll’s reality, her perception of that reality and the fantasy world she has created.
To Baby Doll, the mental institution is a gentleman’s club where she and Sweet Pea (Abbie Cornish), Rocket (Jena Malone), Amber (Jamie Chung), and Blondie (Vanessa Hudgens) are the entertainment who not only dance for the patrons of the establishment, but also perform other “favors” for the gentlemen who visit. This is unacceptable and Baby Doll enlists the others to help plan for their escape. In order for the escape to succeed they must retrieve five elements: A map, a lighter, a knife and key with the fifth item being a mystery.
The women treat each goal as a mission with Baby Doll serving as decoy because she is the most alluring and seductive dancer of the group. Whenever Baby Doll is required to dance, she escapes into her fantasy world and envisions how the missions are carried out. Each mission finds them in a different world environment. In the first, they are in World War I. The second puts them in a medieval world. The third mission has the women on another planet. In each of the environments the map, lighter, and knife are uniquely represented.
Sucker Punch is certainly a one-of-a-kind movie and is a most ambitious undertaking by director Zack Snyder. However, the real underlying story might not be starkly evident to the unseasoned moviegoer.
What some might miss, among the layers of reality and fantasy, is that Sucker Punch is a story of a young woman crushed by the tragic events in her life, yet finds the strength to fight the darkness within her.
Sucker Punch could use a few more ties to the reality that Baby Doll is experiencing, if only in support of the notion that her fantasy world is where she finds the courage to cope with the events that have occurred in her life.
Nevertheless, Sucker Punch is a movie that should not be missed. While it may seem like a crazy graphic novel come to life–in true Zack Snyder fashion—at the films core, there is a deeper human story.
Battle:Los Angeles The Few. The Proud
Battle:LA is a war movie. The main difference between it and other war movies is the enemy is not human, but from another planet and they have come to exterminate the human race.
Some might try to compare the film to other alien invasion movies, like War of The Worlds or Independence Day. Let them. They are missing the point.
What those individuals aren’t seeing is that Battle:LA salutes the armed forces of the United States of America. Most particularly the Marines.
Aaron Eckhart is SSGT (Staff Sergeant) Nantz who is preparing for retirement. When the enemy strikes he is called to battle one last time. Though soldiers in his new squad question his ability to lead because of an incident in Iraq where two men under his command were killed, he does his duty and does it well. Proving that he is a capable leader.
The mission is to locate civilians and bring them to safety before a scheduled bomb drop on the city. The Marines are met with ever increasing odds even after they are joined by an Air Force Tech Sergeant (Michelle Rodriguez). Still, the soldiers continue on. Determined to defeat the advancing alien threat.
In the end the film has one clear message: if ever the world were invaded by hostile aliens our military will fight to the death to protect their families, country and way of life because they are the few and the proud and they do it for us everyday.
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