Lincoln Review

Justin and I saw Lincoln on November 23, 2012!! This is a sure fire Oscar nominee for Best Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Director, and Picture. It probably will have a couple of nominations for things such as make-up, costumes, etc, but this movie certainly deserves the nominations if it gets it. It basically follows Abraham Lincoln's presidency during the Civil War, and the battle to get the 13th Amendment passed. The 13th Amendment is what abolished slavery. As a fan of history, I was instantly hooked when I heard about this project and that Daniel Day Lewis was attached to it. Daniel Day Lewis is my favorite actor, and he looked hauntingly like him. He is a method actor, so it made sense to me that he would definitely work to resemble the look of the 16th President. He definitely did an excellent job throughout the movie delivering speeches, stories, and impassioned arguments that captured the essence of one of the greatest presidents in the history of the United States. One aspect that interested me was his ability to change gears from previous work. My favorite movie of all time is Gangs of New York, and in that movie DDL portrayed my favorite male movie character in Bill "The Butcher" Cutting. In that movie, he was against Abraham Lincoln's policies, and was also a supporter of Tammany Hall throughout the movie. It was interesting to see him come at it from the other perspective in the form of Honest Abe himself. In fact on the call sheets, he would be listed as Abraham Lincoln, and not Daniel Day Lewis. He is an awesome actor!! Sally Field did a phenomenal job capturing the personality of Mary Todd Lincoln particularly following the death of Willie, and her refusal to allow Robert to join the Union Army. She never fully recovered from the loss of her son, and Field captured that perfectly. It has been said that she suffered from schizophrenia, and various mental disorders. In fact, Robert actually committed her later in her life. Tommy Lee Jones balanced dramatic and comedic very well with his role as the voice of the Radical Republicans: Thaddeus Stevens. He gave the feeling of the old time Senator fighting for the 13th Amendment and waving the flag of the Republican party. In the sidelines, you have great appearances from actors like James Spader as W.N. Bilbo who was great as a man trying to steal votes to gain Democrat support, and providing some genuine comedy. I also really enjoyed the scenes where the House was debating on the amendment. It showed you the divide in the House, and how crucial a vote can be in Congress. The movie certainly demonstrated a nice American flavor adding to the intrigue of one of the United State's greatest men that ever lived in my opinion. I fully expect the movie to get the nominations I listed, and hopefully if that happens some wins. Brilliant performances, great dialogue, and a fantastic cast make this a 5/5!!

The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 Review

Justin and I saw Breaking Dawn, Part 2 on November 17, 2012!! I felt this was a good ending to a series that I've actually enjoyed unlike the majority of people out there. I felt Kristen Stewart did an excellent job as Bella (my favorite performance of hers throughout the whole series). I am a big fan of her to begin with, but I was impressed with how she portrayed her new vampiric state and the remnants of her humanity, much like Elena is doing in The Vampire Diaries. She shows fire and passion as Bella, going to great lengths to protect her daughter Renesmee, and her husband Edward. She has gained strength and a keen ability to protect her family. The Cullens are an interesting family, as each character brings something unique to the table, whether it's Alice with her visions or the gentle nature of Carlisle. I liked the whole element of vampires having unique abilities. It's something I've never really seen when approaching the vampire subject. I think the Volturi is a unique group of old guard vampires, who want to protect the race by taking out threats such as immortal children. They are under the impression that Renesmee is immortal, and she will never be able to learn how to control her abilities as her life was taken from her and will be doomed to be a child for eternity. Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner did well in their respective roles of Edward and Jacob. I felt that the movie showed a maturity amongst the cast as its been a team effort since the first film, but you see how well the chemistry works on screen. I also liked how they maintained a level of campiness with Michael Sheen's portrayal of Aro at some points. The Volturi overall is a great blend of characters as many have differing ideologies regarding certain situations as you'll see throughout the movie. I think this movie did an absolutely incredible job of playing with the audience's emotions. The crowd was applauding and some were crying at certain points in the movie. I could understand why. The big twist was so well done. It was shot in such an intelligent matter that it created an extremely realistic environment. That whole sequence is one of the best scenes I've had the privilege of seeing. The evolution of characters, incredible scenes, beautiful scenery, intense emotion, music (especially the brilliant, well orchestrated score), costumes, and storylines made this a movie that I give a 5/5. I gave each one of the other movies: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn, Part 1 a 4/5 and this one I liked just a little bit more than the others. My brother Jake was the one that initially got me into these movies, and I have to thank him for it. He knows I am usually into movies and books dealing with subjects like this. These movies have been presented over a 5 year period starting in 2007, and I have liked each movie. The ending with the credits and well constructed shots of the saga's history really did a great job of wrapping up this cinematic journey. In my opinion, this was very well done. I was applauding along with everybody else in the packed theater as we bid farewell to a series filled with passion, entertaining moments, emotional moments, and of course, blood.

Skyfall Review

Justin and I saw Skyfall on November 10, 2012. I am not a huge fan of James Bond overall, but I have to say this installment was excellent!!! Daniel Craig has been amazing as the iconic male agent giving it a darker realism to it, much like Christopher Nolan and Christian Bale have done with Batman and The Dark Knight trilogy. The cast of this movie was excellent from Daniel Craig to Javier Bardem to Ralph Fiennes. The opening sequence in general is one of the most entertaining openings I've ever seen. It's action packed and certainly presents a pulse-pounding cinematic experience. From there, we go into Adele's Skyfall theme-probably one of my new favorite songs. The main theme of this Bond is to show how much loyalty Bond has to M. He has to help her erase the past and infiltrate who is behind the threat...at any cost to himself physically or emotionally. We definitely see Bond take a beating, and as I've said before I feel Craig has stated in his contract: I must have the crap beaten out of me. Bardem's portrayal of Silva was great-he was intimidating and at the same time had some silly qualities. Bond in general should have a mixture of both and it does. It really helps revitalize the British feel to the Bond franchise which is important. I thought the different shooting locations capture the emotions at each stage of the movie. The Shanghai sequence in particular was beautiful in terms of scenery and displaying the suave demeanor of Bond. I really liked the red and gold atmosphere amidst a kaleidoscope of greens, blues, pinks, and yellows on the skyline. You also have a deserted mansion/church which is demonstrative of Bond's early childhood as an orphan. Sam Mendes did an amazing job at the director's helm. The emotional ending really wraps up this trilogy of Craig's take on the character. Each character's arc comes to a crescendo at the Bond mansion-so nicely done filled with intense action and strong dialogue. I definitely give this movie a 5/5-the movie received a huge applause from the packed theater I saw this in as the signature gun barrel walk concluded. Also, it seems that Voldemort is now in charge of England's national defense which is awesome!!! I give this movie a well deserved 5/5 for brilliant action, characters, dialogue, and scenery.

Wreck-It Ralph Review

Justin and I saw Wreck-It Ralph on November 4, 2012!! I LOOOOOOOOOVED this movie!! As many know, I am extremely picky on animated movies and I was absolutely impressed with this. I thought the writing, characters, and voice talents worked perfectly to create something amazing. The visuals in each world were all different which was great to show how video games have changed over time. The movie takes place inside an arcade, and characters jump between games through the various plugs in the arcade. The movie centers around Ralph, who is the main villain of a video-game called Fix-It Felix. He wrecks buildings and Felix fixes them. He has been doing that for 30 years. The problem is, he wants to be seen in a different light. He wants to be the one that wins the medal and be viewed as the hero. He is tried of being the guy thrown off the building into a puddle of mud. After a party celebrating the game's 30th anniversary, he decides that he wants something different. He goes through different worlds like Hero's Duty-which is where he initially goes to gain recognition as a hero and get a medal. This leads to some consequences, and even leads to problems for Fix-It Felix which could result in the game being shut down. Ralph's reputation of wrecking things leads to him crashing into the world of Sugar Rush. Automatically, I loved the set-up of this game with the characters named after candy, and the design of each of the characters. I would play this game for hours if it was available for real. It's awesome!! Ralph is introduced to Venelopee, who appears to be a glitch which means she can't jump between games. Venelopee is my favorite character in this movie. She is so upbeat and optimistic. Ralph's quest actually leads to consequences for the whole arcade, and you see these developments over the course of the movie. I found the Sugar Rush storyline to be absolutely amazing. I loved the twists that resulted at certain points, and I like how each twist showed how much of a good guy Ralph really is. His committment to help Venelopee is what ultimately makes him a hero. The different video game worlds playing a role at the end was awesome to watch as it combined incredible visuals and awesome conclusions for each character. The movie's ability to combine incredible characters, phenomenal writing, tremendous visuals, great voice talents such as John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman, and positive messages of ultimately realizing that your glitch makes you special and can be a positive make this movie a 5/5!! I'M GONNA WRECK IT!!! The only thing is I hope nobody decides to start calling me Old Ham Hands now. Haha.

The Man With The Iron Fists Review

Justin and I saw The Man With The Iron Fists on November 3, 2012!! This movie was very entertaining and had a great mix of martial arts and a decent story to it. This movie was shot very much like an old kung fu movie you'd see being made in China in the 1970s-1980s. The movie centers around plots to conquer kingdoms, gain gold, and ultimately gain revenge on those who have wronged. Silver Lion takes over a kingdom by betraying his father and his brother Zen Yi who would be next in line. Silver Lion wanted the power now so he kills his father Gold Lion, and begins to take over a village in feudal China. Silver Lion was a great villain from the start. RZA plays a blacksmith who created weapons that were then used to take over Gold Lion's kingdom, which he regrets. He is now looking for ways to redeem what he has done. All the storylines from the rogue British soldier Jack Knife (which Russel Crowe definitely had fun with) to how RZA would become the Man With The Iron Fists and Zen Yi's revenge on Silver Lion come to a crescendo at Lady Blossom's brothel. The thing about this movie that really sticks out is the awesome action sequences and weaponry involved. I personally loved a scene in the middle of the movie with the Gemini vs. Silver and Bronze Lion. The martial arts were so well choreographed mixed in with some great camera work to create something special. I thought the usage of Batista as Brass Body was well done. Batista is somebody that has a big presence so the way he was used is natural. I thought RZA's back story was interesting and it is very important in terms of connecting the action to the stories. I think the usage of weaponry mixed in with the larger than life characters created a fun movie. The main battle at the conclusion wraps up each storyline nicely and creates an amazing visual presence. From the Black Widows in Lady Blossom's brothel revealing themselves as warriors; to Jack Knife squaring off with the man he had an issue with in Dagger; to Zen Yi and Silver Lion squaring off; to RZA vs. Brass Body, each sequence ended on a big note. Through gold, blood, amazing characters, and interesting stories, this movie created an amazing cinematic experience that will certainly result in me buying the DVD. I give it a 4/5!!

Here Comes The Boom Review

Justin and I saw Here Comes The Boom on November 2, 2012!! I am a fan of Kevin James and this movie was a great example of why. It shows the importance of how much difference a teacher can make whether it is with the students or fellow teachers. The movie follows high school biology teacher, Scott Voss, who seems to have initially lost his passion for the education profession over ten years. He had won Teacher of the Year and was enthusiastic about educating students. Now he shows up to work late, acts like teaching students isn't important, and basically treats the periods like study halls. At the faculty meeting at the beginning of the year, we find out that to meet budget, the school is going to cut all extra-curricular activities, which includes the music department. Scott doesn't agree with this, and I automatically see where he is coming from. It's cutting a school's ability to allow students to express themselves in a creative way, and provides avenues for students who may not be academically motivated. He assures Marty Streb (played by Henry Winkler) that he will help get the money for the school and the students. They need to raise $48,000 to save the extra-curricular activities. The assistant principal and Voss don't see eye to eye. Scott also teaches a citizenship class to earn extra money on the side. He is also trying to figure out a way to help Marty. He realizes it might be a failed effort based on the amount of money he earns. One of his students in the citizenship class, Niko (who was hilarious) wishes to get extra tutoring for the test. Scott sees UFC on television and hears that the fighters earn certain amounts of money, $10,000 if they lose, $50,000 if they win. Scott sees this as the opportunity he has been looking for. As a former amateur wrestler, he thinks this will be easy. After several beatdowns and pulled body parts, as well as frequent trips to the school nurses office, he begins to get serious about his training as the goal is to make the money and give it to the school. I like the chemistry between him and Salma Hayek's Bella Flores character as well. He has been trying to go on a date with her for years, but he either came across as too cocky or other circumstances came to light. With the new training and drive to fight for something, it ignites his passion for the students and his interactive lessons bring him back to how he was ten years ago. With this new passion, his attitude with Bella changes and leads to a nice conclusion to the romantic arc building between them. Salma Hayek is beautiful!! It's great to watch Scott change over the course of the movie. A meeting with Joe Rogan allows Scott to qualify for a UFC fight. Now he literally is in for the fight of his life. He is fighting for more than himself. There is a twist with money he has already raised that had me and the audience flipping out, but Scott manages to bounce back and in an intense battle is able to reach the school's goal. It's an amazing story of fighting for what you believe in. I give it a 3/5 for a good cast, legitimate comedic parts, and an overall positive message of determination to meet goals.

Cloud Atlas Review

Justin and I saw Cloud Atlas on November 1, 2012!! I thought this movie was visually impressive with a phenomenal cast. There were some great storylines connecting past, present, and future that had me invested from the beginning. From Tom Hanks to Halle Berry to Jim Broadbent to Jim Sturgess to Hugo Weaving to my favorite part of the movie Doona Bae, I was into everything. It carries over six different worlds from the 1800s to 2145 in New Seoul. Each character is somehow connected in some way whether its by relation or causes that a particular character is fighting for. The storytelling followed the book pretty well and resulted in a cinematic experience that the Wachowski Brothers and Tom Tykwer turned into something special. The different worlds such as the futuristic New Seoul with Sonmi-451 to the post-apocalyptic world were great. It had a nice blend of storytelling, acting, action sequences, and great dialogue scenes. It is a movie that you should see multiple times just so you can keep making connections with the characters. It's interesting to me that Doona Bae was actually the most important character. Her world actually connects each piece of the movie in some way. I think the concept is interesting, and something that many people might actually agree with. It's a belief that we are here in our present form, but we existed in the past, and will in the future. The way we are is shaped by actions from the past, and what we do in the present will impact how we will be in the future. Even when we pass away, we will still continue on in the some form as somebody else in the future. It might not be the same name, but it will us in a different form. I really like that deep meaning and connection. Natalie Portman gave the Wachowski Brothers a copy of the book to read on the set of V For Vendetta. They read the book and instantly began creating this. I believe they did an excellent job of adapting the book into movie form. It's a complicated book to turn into visual form and through the amazing visuals combined with the characters and messages of connections through time, it resulted in a successful effort. I will give this a 4/5. Tremendous movie that certainly did an excellent job of making me care about each character's obstacles and ability to overcome them.

Fun Size Review

Justin and I saw Fun Size on October 31, 2012!! We saw movies five days in a row due to power issues at home, but it was great to get caught up on some movies we wanted to see from the prior weekends, and the newer releases we had anticipated for some time. We were automatically interested in this movie because we are big fans of both leads: Victoria Justice and Jane Levy. They star on the shows Victorious and Suburgatory respectively. It was produced by Nickelodeon films, but had many more adult themes which I liked. Wren played by Victoria Justice is planning on attending a party with her best friend April at Aaron Riley's house. April really wants to fit into the social ladder. Attending Aaron's party is the ticket. It's even called the party of the year. Wren is automatically a character you like. She is determined to attend college at NYU and create a great life for herself. She lives with her mother played by Chelsea Handler (who is worried that Wren will leave and she will be alone) and her little brother, Albert. The father had died a year ago, and each member of the family has been grieving in their own way. The mother is going through a phase of seeing younger guys, which bothers Wren. Albert doesn't speak since their father's passing, and he is also quite bratty. Wren's plans are shot when she has to baby-sit Albert and take him trick or treating. This is where the movie really gets exciting. Wren and April get separated from Albert and each character has their own adventures. The thing about all of these adventures is they all end up connecting together, which is something great to see. Wren is good friends with Roosevelt (played by Thomas Mann), who like Wren has more nerdy qualities, and natural chemistry. I like the innocent young love storyline. He has a crush on Wren, and ultimately you see she does as well. Levy is one of the prettiest girls in Hollywood in my opinion. She was completely opposite from her role on Suburgatory in this, but still showed a nice parallel between the two main leads, with Wren being more of the sweet side and April being the sour side. Roosevelt's friend Peng was hilarious as well dressed like Aaron Burr. I thought the adventures the characters get in whether it was Wren, April, Roosevelt, and Peny dealing with bullies from the high school, Roosevelt's very liberal parents, or a duel at the chicken restaurant to Albert's adventures with convenience store worker Fuzzy (who was pretty funny). There's a nice subplot with Johnny Knoxville, who is a major enemy of Fuzzy, and this leads to a rescue mission from Wren to protect Albert. I really liked the Wren character. I thought a scene at the end after the chaotic adventures had ceased where Wren and Albert go to visit their father's grave was emotional and had me tearing up a little bit. I am not going to lie about that one. The characters, adventures, intertertwining stories, and plot twists you wanted to see happen made this an enjoyable experience. I will give this movie a 3/5. Justin commented on the movie: "It was a good movie. I don't know why it's getting such bad reviews." It balanced family entertainment with young adult themes that gave it a very realistic quality of the importance of family and what real friendship is.