June 30, 2012

Million Dollar Baby

It's a Hilary Swank night for me. I just saw P.S. I Love You (http://mrfilmreviewer.blogspot.com/2012/06/ps-i-love-you.html) and now, I've just finished Million Dollar Baby. I don't even know where to begin with this movie. It's over-the-top that it's hard to pick a starting point that will eventually lead to a review, or just a simple commentary, that will do the film justice. Allow me to just introduce the movie first. Million Dollar Baby was an award winning movie released in 2004. It was directed and co-produced by Clint Eastwood. The screenplay was written by Paul Haggis, based on the short stories of F.X. Toole. It starred Clint Eastwood, Hilary Swank, and Morgan Freeman. Additional fun fact, Eastwood also created the original score of the movie. He really is a man of many talents.

Let me just start by saying this movie was extraordinary. It's one of the best movies I've seen ever. The actors were all excellent, the directing was excellent, the cinematography was excellent, the screenplay was excellent. Everything was perfect, and it's truly a flawless movie. I wouldn't be able to find any fault even if I tried. That's how magical this movie was for me. It's a strong narrative, and the the way they transformed it to this movie made it even more powerful. It was a wonderful narration of a life of a simple person who had a big dream, and a person who helped her achieve it.

The relationship of Mr. Dunn (Eastwood) and Maggie (Swank) was definitely the core of the movie. It's something to appreciate, and probably be jealous about. It's a bond that was so strong and so complicated, there's nothing left to do but be left in awe by it. Watching how they started their relationship, and how it ended was amazing and devastating at the same time. Mr. Dunn was a brilliant coach who didn't attain a level of success appropriate for his skills and wisdom. Maggie was a waitress who wanted nothing more than to fight and make something of herself. The two,as opposite as they were, began building an unexpected partnership after overcoming the initial hiccups. As the movie progressed, their characters also grew and became dynamic. These two just became two of my favorite characters of all time.

One thing I liked about sports movies is how inspiring they always are. It's always a success story how a person emerges victorious after a series of obstacles and downfalls. It's always how an unlikely person, often weak and initially incapable, would evolve into an achiever, a victor. There's always a different plot for every sport, but it always ran along the same lines. Million Dollar Baby was the movie that broke all the conventions, all the prerequisites for a typical sports movie. It was still a success story, i still had an unlikely protagonist, and the journey was still filled with bumps only to be surpassed by the protagonist. But at the same time, the movie was also different in various ways. It had different dynamics, different elements, and an ending that would leave the audience finding the right words to say.

It's probably one of the most depressing movies I've seen. Also, one of the best. It was really emotionally charged and it's a drama movie that will trigger every possible emotion in a human body. There were joys, there were tears, there's anger, there's excitement, there's a sense of pride, and a sense of vulnerability. All these placed in a capsule, waiting to be digested by the viewers.

Hilary Swank won an Academy Award for her Role as Maggie Fitzgerald. I distinctly remember watching it and asking who she was. Then my sister rented (yeah that was still a thing then) Boys Don't Cry and I was immediately drawn to her. She has that quality that commands attention. Her talent then makes sure she maintains that attention. Morgan Freeman's voice was made for narrating beautiful stories. His narration here reminded me a lot of his narrating in The Shawshank Redemption. He knows how to breathe into his words that his voice is acting as well. He's a great actor and he, as always, delivered an amazing performance here. Clint Eastwood is an institution himself in the film industry. He has contributed a lot to the industry, as an actor, as a producer, and most of all, as an actor. The way he attacks every single role, the way he directs a movie, everything he does (as far as I'm concerned) exudes perfection.

It's a definite must see. The movie was nothing short of perfection and a movie I would remember for a long, long time. It's the kind of movie that leaves a lasting impression, leaves a mark on your soul (I know that sounded cheesy). I don't know how else to put it. It's a magnificent, brilliant movie that moves you and touches you and invites you to take part in the development of the story. I know I always find the movies I watch good and amazing. I am very easy to please, and I do always end up appreciating the movies I see. This one's a bit different though as it's a masterpiece. It's a privilege to have seen the movie and I want to thank Clint Eastwood for taking the time to make this, and for sharing it to the world. I don't know what else to say. Watch it, and you'll understand exactly how I feel now.


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P.S. I Love You

P.S. I Love You was a 2007 drama film (and I would insist comedy) directed by Richard LaGravanese. It was based on the novel written by Cecilia Ahern, and was transformed into a screenplay by Steven Rogers and the director himself. It starred Hilary Swank, Gerard Butler, Kathy Bates, Lisa Kudrow, Gina Gershon, James Marsters, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Nellie McKay and Harry Connick Jr.

I thought this was a comedy movie. It's probably sounds dumb but I really did, and it wasn't until midway through the movie that I realized it wasn't. The first half of the movie was really funny. Yeah, someone died, and the movie did tackle losses. But at the same time, the things that happened before and after were actually pretty comedic. The dialpgues were funny, the "tasks" were funny, " the situations were funny. Plus, Lisa Kudrow was there! How can anyone not think it's a comedy when Lisa Kudrow's being Lisa Kudrow? But yeah, the movie was actually hilarious, at least the first half of it.

After the first hour, it became dramatic. The reality of the loss started settling in, meeting new people who could potentially be significant suddenly became a possibility. It was transformed into a whole new movie and it became heavy fast. I still enjoyed that part of the movie though. It was like an exploration of some sorts. There were still some light portions but the rest of it was serious business. Hilary Swank gave a moving performance that showcased the real pain of losing someone she loved. Kathy Bates was another actress that was really brilliant in the movie. She made a huge part of this movie by letting the caliber of her talent show.

The idea behind the story was interesting and I would like to know where Cecilia Ahern got the idea. It's not the most original plot but it was still different. It's like an adventure movie, except instead of looking for hidden treasures or fighting dragons, it's innately realistic. The development of the story was also wise, and the ending was a perfect culmination of the whole movie. It kept its pace to reach the end,and it was worthwhile when they did.

I would say that I understand one of the comments I read how this movie was not made for critics. I believe that as well. I thought it was made for normal people who go to the movies. I thought they never thought about how the critical people would respond to it, and instead thought of what the vast majority would like. Then they created this dramatic, comedic, depressing yet uplifting movie.

June 29, 2012

The Amazing Spiderman

I know it hasn't been released in the United States, and some parts of the world, so this post may potentially have spoilers. I'll try not to include spoilers, or any details that may ruin it for you. I'm just saying to serve as a warning that you might read somethings that may potentially give away details. But again, I'll try my best not to. Also, let me say now that I'll use the word "Amazing" multiple times. Hey this is The Amazing Spiderman, right?

I can't help but compare this to the old Spiderman movies starring Tobey Maguire. I really liked all three Spiderman movies and I made sure to watch all of them in the theaters. I was a big supporter of the franchise which was probably the reason why I had reservations when I found out they'd be making a new Spiderman movie. I thought it had to live up to the success of the first three movies in every aspect possible, entertainment being the primary factor. I also had to see if this movie would attain the overall standard set by the first movies, which was pretty high for me.

I've read that it's an origin story. Although it did show how Peter Parker transformed to Spiderman, I thought it was already established in the first Maguire Spiderman movie. I thought it was more of a narration of the early life of Peter Parker as Spiderman, one that combined the new with the old.. This movie had new characters, new elements, new plot lines, new things. That's an instant bonus right there. It wasn't a simple re-telling of the first movie with different actors. It was a new movie that retained old elements of the previous films. It also had re-creation of what happened in the first Spiderman movie. It was like a fusion of the new things and the old things, and The Amazing Spiderman was produced.

This one had less emotions, I thought. Though there were a lot of dramatic scenes, it lacked a trigger for emotional response. It was not like it wasn't moving or touching, but it felt like it was detached emotionally if it even makes any sense. My point, basically, was a disconnect in that area. I could't determine why since I thought the actors were great, the directing was great, but somehow it just wasn't as dramatic as it should have been. You'll probably get what I mean when you see it. Or maybe that's the whole idea.

This one had a lot more humor though. I was thinking that maybe the people behind this movie decided to make it more fun than more dramatic since the people had already seen those dramatic moments. It played with the character's fun side a bit more. Even during those intense moments when the world'd (or New York's) fate was on the line, it still had humorous lines and comedic tactics. All those moments made this movie probably more entertaining and enjoyable.

I think the best parts about the movie were the action part of it, and the dangerous effects. I'd have to say that if you looked closely, you'd find a couple of inconsistencies in some areas. They were minute details, but noticeable for those with an eye for details. However, as a whole, I liked the effects they had, the creation of the monster, the scars. Everything looked insanely realistic actually. When it came to the action scenes, it was incredible. Incredible because it was exciting, and it was engaging. Those were the scenes I felt really invested in the movie, anxiously awaiting what's going to happen. The stunts were amazing. It had danger, and that's a key factor for making impressive and commendable action scenes. We all know that he's going to win, but his journey to victory were filled with bumps in the form of lizards and deaths.

Reading this post, I feel like it might seem that I didn't really like the movie. If it seemed that way to you, I apologize. I really did like the movie. I was very satisfied, had a smile on face when I left the movie house, laughed about it with some friends, and as I'm typing this, I still vividly remember my favorite scenes from the movie. The Amazing Spiderman was really amazing and I think people should watch it. It's a very entertaining film and it's worth the bucks you'd have to shell out. I'm just typing my thoughts exactly how they're being processed. I had a good time watching it and was very satisfied by it. .

I'd be honest and say I had my reservations with Andrew Garfield, who I thought was superb in Social Network, playing Spiderman since I would always associate Tobey Maguire with the character. I've seen posts of people stating that they didn't like Tobey Maguire as Spiderman very much. On the contrary, I greatly appreciated the Spiderman franchise partly due to Maguire's portrayal of the character. Andrew Garfield was just as amazing (maybe that's why it's Amazing Spiderman?). Probably a little bit more cheerful, ecstatic, and funny. But overall, I thought both embodied the character of Spiderman rather well. I think Webb picked the right actor to continue the Spiderman hype. Emma Stone had Easy A Emma Stone bits in the movie, and those were awesome. Emma Stone's really growing on me. I've always been fond of her before, but I think I like her even more now. I read the article how she was apprehensive on taking on the role, but I thought she was perfect in it. Rhys Ifans as the film's antagonist was frightening, but at the same time, a likable villain. Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, Sally Field, and Chris Zylka as the supporting cast even made this movie better with their appearances.

It had a few things that seemed off or lacking in this movie. Having said that, I still am glad I saw the movie. I waited for this movie to come out despite my reservations. I made sure to be at the ticket counter early to secure tickets. It was all worth it, the waking up early, the money, the time. It was an enjoyable movie and I had fun watching it. I worried over nothing as this movie surely delivered. I know I did a lot of comparing, but this movie was strong enough to stand on its own. It;s a great movie in itself! By the way, as part of the Marvel tradition, be sure to stay a little while longer as there will be an after credits scene.

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June 28, 2012

Star Trek

I never intended to watch this movie before as I was never a big Star Trek fan (I'm sorry to those of you who are). If I did intend to see it, it would have been much later, maybe when they decide to do a sequel or something. Maybe I would have checked it out then. Star Trek just wasn't part of my interests. I can't necessarily pinpoint why, it just wasn't. Suddenly I found myself watching it anyway.

Watching this movie made me consider giving it another try. This movie made me appreciate Star Trek. I have no idea how close this movie was to the original, or which elements were retained and let go. However, this film was enough to trigger my interest and made me realize I probably might be missing out. Since I never really liked Star Trek, I never knew anything about it, except for what Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory share/lecture about. I did know Spock and Kirk , though so please don't kill me.

I really liked this movie (I was about to use a different term than really, one that starts with an F, but thought I should keep it clean). The effects won me over, if I'll be completely honest. It was just magnificent to witness all the creativity that went to the effects. As I've mentioned before, I'm a very visual person so I enjoy visual movies. This movie had much more amazing visuals than I could have hoped for. Another thing I liked about the movie was how hilariously entertaining it was. There were a lot of things and details in the movie that brought happiness to me as a viewer.

I also enjoyed enjoying identifying the members of the all star cast. I was surprised to see several faces, as I did not do any research about the movie prior to watching it. I knew Chris Pine starred in it, but it was a pleasant surprise to see other stars as well. I was glad to see Jennifer Morrison, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, Simon Pegg, and other actors in it. I was not even sure if it really was Anton Yelchin, but I became sure as the movie went on. Seeing him speak with his Russian accent was definitely one of the highlights for me. Another highlight, seeing John Cho have a fight scene. Who knew Harold was such a badass. It really was a great ensemble and I had fun seeing all the familiar faces work together. Also, although I didn't know him before this, Karl Urban was superb as Bones McCoy; easily one of my favorite characters in it.

Now that I think about it, it's actually a very interesting idea for a movie. Anything out of this world, in this instance, literally, is always interesting cause it's new, it's different. Star Trek has been around for quite some time now, but the idea behind it one we can't really fully grasp since it's out of this world, pun intended. For the movie, that apparently had a huge budget evidenced by, well the whole movie, I liked it a lot. I liked it a lot more than I ever thought I would. It exceeded all my expectations and more, and proved to be one fantastic movie. It'shad to discuss specific elements of the movie that I liked because I liked it as a whole. It was really awesome! Trust me on that.

I just saw that there would be a sequel, and I'm happy to say that all the characters I liked will be back. Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin, and Simon Pegg will be back and that's very good news. It's funny cause it doesn't even have a title yet, but hey it ought to be good. I have a feeling they will step everything up, starting with the budget, so hopefully, the sequel will be even better than the first. If they pull that off, people will just flock to movie houses to see it.


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June 27, 2012

The Whole Nine Yards

The Whole Nine Yards was a 2000 comedy movie starring Matthew Perry as Oz and Bruce Willis as Jimmy. It also featured Amanda Peet, Natasha Henstridge and Michael Clarke Duncan. The screenplay was written by Mitchell Kapner and the movie was directed by Jonathan Lynn. It was a huge commercial success earning more than 106 million dollars. Surfing the net, I found out that this was the only movie to perform well among all the movies released by Franchise Pictures.

The story was about a dentist, Oz Oseransky, finding out that his new neighbor, Jimmy, was a known contract killer who's hiding after ratting out his former bosses. Things got complicated when Oz's wife asked Oz to go to Jimmy's former bosses to inform them of Jimmy's whereabouts in exchange for money. However, the real reason behind his wife's request/orders was to send Oz on a suicide mission that would only get him killed. Pretty intense plot, isn't it? It was a very complex, adventurous screenplay and I liked it a lot. Actually, it probably wasn't as complicated as I made it sound. But you'll get the idea. I actually liked the story of the movie, it's dangerous and hilarious at the same time. I also liked how the twists of the movie were revealed, especially one concerning Jill, Amanda Peet's character. That was unexpected.

The movie had some really great comedic moments, much thanks to Matthew Perry being, well, Matthew Perry. Matthew Perry is one of the best comedic actors to ever hit the film industry. From his exaggerations, to his perfect timing, to his perfect way of delivering his lines, he is always on the point. I'm sure we all remember him as Chandler in the television series FRIENDS. In fact, he was my favorite character in the series along with Joey, played by Matt LeBlanc. The movie was released in 2000, so it's not surprising to see a little bit of Chandler in Oz. But they're both hilarious it's just a bonus to identify these two together. But his portrayal of Oz was just as, dare I say, adorable. He was witty, and his exaggerations worked very well with this character.

I'm also glad Bruce Willis was still a kickass, gun-holding killer in the movie. At first I was thinking how the movie would be like with Bruce Willis acting funny, or being funny. I was surprised, but also delighted about how his character turned out. I'm not saying he wasn't funny, because he was. His humor though was on the sarcastic, sort of threatening side, which I also enjoyed. But I still would prefer a badass Bruce Willis any time.

I guess there's a reason why this movie was the only commercially successful film Franchise Pictures had; that reason being the movie was witty, hilarious, dangerous, and charming. It had all the funny bits in it and it also had intensity in it. And towards the end, a pinch of romance. The Whole Nine Yards was a very relaxing movie, and a very funny one as well.

June 26, 2012

Ip Man

Ip Man was a 2008 martial arts, drama movie about the life of Yip Man who would become the master of Bruce Lee. It starred Donnie Yen, Simon Yam, Fan Siu-Wong, Lynn Hung, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi, Shibuya Tenma, and Xing Yu. It was written by Edmond Wong and was directed by Wilson Yip. I've already posted about a Spanish movie, a Korean indie film, talked about Japanese movies, why not include a Chinese movie (well, technically, it's a Hong Kong movie).

The film was set during the time the Japanese forces occupied China. It was actually close to a war film as it tackled issues during that era. It portrayed poverty, desperation, violence. Although the main focus of the movie was the life of Yip Man as the martial artist, the time frame they used depicted a time in Yip Man's life when everything changed, at least according to the plot of the movie. Yip Man was a master Wing Chun, a form of the martial arts, lived a comfortable life with his wife and son, and  was celebrated by the people. However, after the Japanese took his home to be the designated Japanese headquarters, his life suddenly changed and he lived life in poverty.

I read in the net that there were some discrepancies between the details in the movie and the historical facts. To be honest, I;m not all that surprised since a lot of biographical movies tend to change some details to create a dramatic effect - to boost the cinematography. It was the same thing with The Blind Side (http://mrfilmreviewer.blogspot.com/2012/05/blind-side.html) when certain details were altered to probably create drama. I won't focus on that and just talk about the movie as it was, given that certain details had been added, or removed.

I actually liked how the story went. It was a success story of a man who suddenly found himself fighting for food, and fighting for revenge. I liked how the story flowed, although now I wonder which specific parts of it were true and which parts weren't. But focusing solely on the movie, I'd say it was really good. I liked the whole idea of it, and I also enjoyed the narration of Yip Man's life.

Since it's a martial arts movie, I also must not forget the amazing choreography of the fight scenes. From what I got, the film stuck with Wing Chun as it was the style of Yip Man. If I'll be complete honest, I have little idea how different styles of martial arts differ from one another. However, I always find myself enjoying all of them. Growing up as a Jackie Chan and Jet Li fan, I've always admired martial arts movie. I always thought that martial arts films are so cool. The stunts done in Ip Man were impressive and the fight scenes got me excited. It's impossible to be let down by the challenging fight scenes that the filmmakers included in the movie.

They made the sequel to Ip Man which I also enjoyed. Although I will say that the pattern, the transitions, and the basic storyline of the sequel was very similar to the original one. The fight scenes were just as impressive, but the plot was basically the same. However, both films were very enjoyable and showcased the talent of Donnie Yen both as an actor and as a martial artist. He's actually really good and a legit badass. Ip Man was a fantastic movie to see, and a perfect way to familiarize with the Chinese culture and history. Of course, it also helps that the movie is about one of the greatest masters of martial arts.

Fast and Furious

I've always enjoyed this franchise, and I get excited everytime they make a new one. It's one of the franchises that I wish would go on and on, and never stop. It's no secret that I'm a big lover of car scenes, and the Fast and the Furious franchise always satisfies my hunger for a solid, raw car chase scenes. After all it's a franchise about cars. But yeah, I always look forward to the next installments cause each of it satisfies me. It always delivers what it promises to give.

Fast and Furious, aka Fast and the Furious 4 was released in 2009 and starred its original cast Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster. It was directed again by Justin Lin, and was written by Chris Morgan. It was a highly successful movie in the box-office earning more than 363 million dollars on an 80 million dollar budget.

What I really liked about the movie was how they went back to its roots, bringing the original cast back together and having them speed up once again. I really enjoyed the team-up of Paul Walker and Vin Diesel in the first movie which led me to be a little disappointed when Vin Diesel didn't return for 2 Fast 2 Furious, and Paul Walker didn't return for Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (Vin Diesel appeared in the third movie, though the third film was very far from the first two and next two movies). I also really liked Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster in it. Michelle Rodriguez is one of the most badass chicks in the movie business and seeing herin action is always a pleasure. Jordana Brewster's one of the most beautiful women in the movie industry and a great actress as well. These four will always be the Fast and the Furious team for me.

Normally, I wouldn't give much attention to the story since it was always about the action, the cars, the chase scenes. The plots of the movies always came in second. However, for this movie, at least for me, the plot got me interested. It was a tragic one, but it was engaging. I did wish the "tragedy" didn't happen cause I liked this specific character a lot and wanted her to stay on. I was hoping that at the end of the movie, a twist would be revealed. It never happened, but that element of the movie locked me in the movie. Of course, things would change in the fifth installment of the movie, Fast Five. I'd say the plot for this movie was probably one of the better ones as it really coincided with the whole movie.

I really liked this movie. As one critic said, this is the "first real sequel" to the first movie and I enjoyed every single second of it. It still had the fantastic cars, the thrilling chase scenes, and it reunited the awesome cast. They are currently creating the sixth installment of the franchise, and the plot looks promising as well. The twist revealed at the end of Fast Five will be a great development for the story.

June 25, 2012

Inglorious Basterds

There are a lot of lists aound the web about what the best films of all time. The American Film Institute has one, IMDB has one, different critics have one. I guess it's inevitable to put all these works of art into a list, to pit them against each other to achieve their proper rankings. Personally, I enjoy reading these kind of lists. I don't necessarily approve of the numbers/rankings, as I think it is impossible to gauge how one film is better than the other, but I still quite enjoy looking at these lists.

Sometimes, a film comes a long that challenges these lists. There comes a film that presents itself as a beautifully crafted piece of art that sets itself as a competitor for a spot on the list of the greatest. Let me now say that I don't think the movie was made to compete in any list. However, it's a film that can be on those lists.  I firmly believe that in a few years, Inglorious Basterds will belong in the list of the greatest films ever made. Will it be the greatest? I'm not sure. I don't think so, but I won't be surprised if it finds itself on the top spots. It's one of those films that moves you in different directions, sparks curiosity and emotions.

No one can ever deny the genius that Quentin Tarantino is. He has established who he is in the film industry and I'm sure everyone recognizes the talent and passion that Tarantino oozes. He's a pure genius, that's exactly what he is. He was also able to use all the actors to portray a disturbing portrayal of a war story. Everyone in the movie's so good, especially Christoph Waltz. He actually struck fear into me, just minutes into the film. There were times when I just wanted to close my eyes because of the anxiety of watching his character strike fear and terror into others. It really felt real. Another standout was Melanie Laurant. Her portrayal of Shosanna allowed me to empathize with the character. She was really good in this movie. Everyone was phenomenal in portraying their own characters, but these two were exceptional in this movie.

I liked how each section of the movie was assigned a certain chapter. It was like reading a book, except not really. Still it was a nice touch to the film to have it organized that way. It became a smooth transition from one chunk of the movie to the other. The story of the movie was intriguing. There were basically two attempts to kill the Nazis, One was a form of revenge by a Jew, and the other was plotted by Germany's enemy. With that much characters involved, it's interesting to see how they all played a part in the story. Some had a bigger role than the others, but all of them were equally important. That's one of my favorite things about the movie. Every character was relevant, every detail was worth noting, every scene was significant. It showed the caliber of Tarantino's writing, which we all know exudes nothing but brilliance.

I had flashbacks from Schindler's List, one of my all time favorites. It tackled the same era, the same war, the stories of the same people. It had a different approach, it had a different plot, it had different characters, but the main essence of the both films, I thought, were similar. It's about the World War and how the war affected different nations, especially the Jewish nations. Although similar, Inglorious Basterds still set itself apart by having multiple elements to it. There's an element of revenge of a surviving Jew, a gang ready to kill the Nazis for all their atrocious activities,

This movie was very disturbing and very violent. I still liked it, though. Not because of the blood or the violence, but because it's probably one of the best movies created. It was invigorating and depressing at the same time as it showcased a variety of details in the storyline. The plot was strong and structured, the cast gave performances nothing short of excellence, and the whole way the movie was done, from the shots to the music, was painfully breathtaking. It's a movie that future generations will still watch. It's a film that will be discussed for a long, long time.

The Expendables

The Expendables was a 2010 movie starring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Mickey Rourke, Dolph Lundgren, Randy Couture, and Terry Crews as a gang of mercenaries. It also starred Giselle Itie as Sandra, the protagonist's love interest. Eric Roberts played the film's main antagonist,  James Munroe. It also featured the appearances of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis. The movie was written directed by Stallone himself, although David Callaham took part in the writing stage. The movie went on to become a commercial success, earning more than 274 million dollars worldwide.

The movie was action-packed, drama-driven, and an overall delight. It followed a gang of mercenaries taking jobs in exchange for money - lots of money. One day they were called upon by "Mr. Church" to accomplish a difficult mission, one that Barney Ross (Stallone) was ready to turn down after scoping the area. However, things changed when he decided to save the girl he met in the island. In between saving his love interest and leading the gang, a lot of sub-plots took place, including the personal life of Lee (Statham). I liked that aspect of the movie. It was intriguing. His part of the story was probably one of the scenes I enjoyed the most.

It was fantastic to see the whole ensemble, especially the three frontmen. Sylvester Stallone has been an action movie icon for decades now. He's the one and only Rambo and Rocky, and he's been an action star probably most recent action stars aspire to be. I grew up watching Jet Li, and I aspired to be like him when I was a kid. Honestly, I'd still want to be an apprentice of Jet Li just to learn martial arts from one of the best. Jason Statham is the modern face of action movies, at least for me. I've probably seen a lot of his action movies, and I haven't been let down by any of it. He has established himself as a modern day kick-ass icon.

Seeing all these three together in one movie is like heaven in a big screen. That's three times the intensity, three times the stunts, three times the enjoyment. Having three well-equipped, and versatile actors gave the filmmakers an opportunity to experiment with different action choreography. I actually liked the action sequences in the movie. They had a lot of scenes to do, and each one differed from the other. Sometimes it's all about hand to hand combat, sometimes they used guns and knives, and for the finale, they used explosions. Each scene was distinct from the others and each scene was a stand out. I guess that's what we get with the Stallone-Li-Statham combination. No, make that Stallone-Li-Statham-Couture-Crews. All five delivered flawless performances.

It was a great action flick. It had a substantial kick-ass scenes, different layers of drama, and a lot of blood. Some scenes were really bloody and violent, especially in the final battle/fight sequence. It wasn't done in a disgusting way, but in a more realisitically-fighting-for-one's-life way. All the scenes were believable, which made the film more enjoyable. Now, all I have to do is wait until August for the sequel. I'm glad they're giving Bruce Willis a bigger part in the sequel cause him being on it will make the movie a lot more exciting.


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June 24, 2012

Se7en

Se7en or Seven was a 1995 thriller movie starring Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman, Gwyneth Paltrow, and an incredibly thin Kevin Spacey. It was directed by David Fincher, who also directed Fight Club (http://mrfilmreviewer.blogspot.com/2012/05/fight-club.html) and Social Network (http://mrfilmreviewer.blogspot.com/2012/06/social-network.html). I've seen three David Fincher films and have been impressed by all three. I'm not yet sure if I like Se7en more than Fight Club, but both films were fantastic. Andrew Kevin Walker wrote the screenplay for the movie, and I must say the screenplay blew my mind. It's been a while since I really got into a thriller movie, especially at this certain level.

I actually liked the concept of the movie: the seven deadly sins. It's basic knowledge to know the seven deadly sins, of course for the Christians. It's something we encounter always, and even refer to in everyday language. To transform this common religious teaching to a daunting, scary thriller movie, I think, is genius. It wasn't only about using the seven deadly sins in a movie, they used it as inspiration for 7 murders, taking away seven lives in the process. It's a very dark idea, but the execution of it made me look past the darkness and just be in awe of the production.

The movie became a mystery movie with the lead characters trying to piece together whatever they ca with the hope that something will eventually turn up. It was like an episode of Castle, only much darker. The detectives found themselves playing a game they never intended to participate in with a psycho-killer. That aspect of the movie was the most intense for me; trying to solve the 5Ws and the 1H.

This movie constantly gave me chills. It was freaky, it was disgusting and it was very disturbing. The staging of the murders in the movie was sickening cause everything was realistic.The idea of the movie was already frightening to begin with. However, to top that, they also really invested in the idea by implementing it in a bloody, yet creative manner. The one that shocked me the most was the "lust" section of the movie. It was really appalling to imagine what just happened in that room. But that's the magic of it, they had an idea and broadened it up. How they came up with these ideas, I'll never know. In fact, I don't want to know. But the twisted side of it made me appreciate the brilliance that went to this movie.

I also liked how it ended, The ending, I thought, was a perfect way to complete the list since it was a very smart ending. It caused a highly dramatic moment, much thanks to Pitt's moving performance, and Spacey's cynical glare. It's a twist I liked, although watching it made me feel a little sick. Kevin Spacey's John Doe must be one of the most frightening, insane villain the movie industry has ever produced. The look, the stare, the craziness were all a little scary to see. But it worked.

This movie's considered as one of the best films of all time, and I won't dare disagree with that. The idea behind it, the conceptualization of the movie, to the plot, to the writing, to the directing, to the acting, to the camera shots. Everything was in order and everything harmoniously worked well with each other. It's a smart movie, that's the simplest way to put it. It was interesting and engaging as well that it invited me to take part in it by being a witness to all the madness. Definitely not for the kids, though.

Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows

I was a huge, huge fan of the first movie and I constantly anticipated the release of the sequel. I've been reading and researching about it the moment it was confirmed that there would be a sequel. Simply stated, I was beyond ecstatic about this movie. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to watch it in the theaters due to a lot of factors, school being the most dominant one. I knew it would be a long wait for the DVD but I also knew it would still be worth it. Finally, I have seen it, and it was perfect.

What I absolutely liked about the movie was the thickness of the plot. There were different elements, and each scene served to enrich other scenes as well. A lot of things were happening in a span of a couple of minutes, but nothing seemed rushed. It was moving at its regular pace, but the volume of things happening was really wide that there were a lot of things to see. I liked that about this movie and its predecessor. Sometimes I felt like I had seen 10 minutes of the movie, but in reality, i had only been 4 or 5 minutes. There was constant action in it, and more than satisfying action, might I add.

It was also apparent that the movie had a big production budget, evident by the sets, the locations, and even the props. Everything seemed meticulously crafted for a specific purpose. It had a budget of 125 million and it was great to see that they had put the money to good use. They probably knew that investing that amount of money would be a good way to attract movie goers and earn much more. Considering they made more than 54 million, I'd say they made a wise choice.

I found the first one more detective-y (I know that's not a word but that's how I thought I'd put it), more smart when it came to crime/mystery solving, but I thought the second one had more action and more entertaining. In the first one, they focused on the intellectual side of things, figuring things out and trying to solve the mystery. In the second one, it was more about the action to be taken upon solving the mystery. I guess they wanted another approach to make the sequel still distinct from the first one. Plus seeing Robert Downey Jr in that awfully ridiculous "disguise" in the train scene, was probably one of the movie moments of 2011 (2012 for me).

I was also glad to see that they kept the charm of the first movie. It still had the hilarious quips and the personality of the lead characters. It was also nice to see Rachel McAdams come back for the sequel though her part was small. Still good though. Noomi Rapace and Stephen Fry were excellent additions to the cast. Stephen Fry is a genius! The sequel was a good continuation of the adventures of Holmes and Watson as it stayed true to the essence of the first movie. Action, comedy, drama, everything was perfect. I couldn't help but be in awe of the differnt details of the movie. It was truly magical and absolutely brilliant.

It's been reported that Sherlock Holmes 3 is in the initial stages of development. I am really looking forward to that, and this time nothing will stop me from watching the third installment. I will be sure to be in the cinemas the day they release it, if they do proceed in making it. They're still developing the script, but I already know it will be awesome!

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June 23, 2012

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps

Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps was a 2008 film starring Michael Douglas and Shia LeBeouf. It was directed by Oliver Stone. Apparently it's a sequel to the 1987 movie, Wall Street. I haven't seen the original movie so I'll just treat this sequel as an independent entity, separate from any of its connections to the original movie.

The first part of the movie was really boring. I was doubting why there was such a hype around this movie before, and why people were saying it was good. I was ready to give up on this movie after the first ten minutes because it really wasn't all that interesting. As usual I decided to stick with it, but unlike the other movies, I still didn't get too excited about it. I'm not saying the movie was bad, but it took a lot longer for me to see the good bits.

It got a whole lot better when Gordon Gekko (Douglas) and Jake Moore (LeBeouf) met. That's when the movie got good and interesting. That's the point in the movie I started investing, looking what would happen. From that point on, I thought the movie was okay. The interaction of these two characters was dynamic and both characters had growth. The characters were developed and transformed.

One thing I will say is how amazing the cast was. Michael Douglas and Shia LeBeouf were so into their characters, so passionate about them that it was amazing to see them act it out. As much as I hated the personality of Gekko, Douglas' portrayal of the character made it that much tolerable. I actually looked forward to the scenes of Gekko just to be amazed by Michael Douglas. LeBeouf made sure the spotlight would not be focused on Douglas though. He was very invested in the character and it was great to see that passion. I really enjoyed Carey Mulligan's performance here and I thought she was nothing but superb. She's a great actress cause she made me involved in her character's life. 

I even liked the supporting cast. Frank Langella was "lovable" and I meant that as a character you would want to see all the time. I also liked Jake's friends, Robby and Audrey, played by John Buffalo Mailer and Vanessa Ferlito respectively. I was surprised to see a lot of the cameos, especially Warren Buffett and Charlie Sheen (who starred in the 1987 movie). 

I felt like the movie had a lot of potential, but somehow, somewhere, they never fully tapped into the potential. It was an okay movie. It eventually got interesting and it had a lot of twists and turns that made kept it interesting. But it started slow, moved slow, and there was never a big moment for me. Again, it's an ok movie for me. Decent enough to see, but nothing to be excited about. I'll see if my opinions will change after re-watching it. But as of now, I'm just going to say it was okay.

June 22, 2012

Salt

Salt was a 2010 action spy movie starring Angelina Jolie as CIA agent accused of being a double agent for the agency's enemies. Along with Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Olbrychki, August Diehl also starred in the movie. It was written by Kurt Wimmer and directed by Phillip Noyce. The movie did well in the box-office earning almost 294 million dollars worldwide, which made me very happy because I thought the movie was really good.

To be honest, the plot was generic for a spy movie. Salt was an agent on the run and some of the ideas the movie had have been done before. The way they did it was excellent though. Also, although the movie had a generic/formulaic/predictable plot, it still had different layers with it. One thing that stood out the most was Salt's relationship. It wasnt so much about the romance between them as it was about the fire and the drive that Michael Krause (Diehl) was giving Salt. The passion between them was so intense that it somehow made me think the movie was taking me to a whole new experience. The drama that ensued following the events that happened, concerning their relationship, was heavy and amazing to witness.

I've always believed that Angelina Jolie is the one actress that can play these kind of roles, well before I saw Columbina with Zoe Saldana. Still, I think she will be the go to actress of every studio for ass-kicking, people-killing spy roles. Not only is she good at it, she's also very believable when she does it. So needless to say, Angelina Jolie was absolutely amazing in this. She had power, strength, stealth, and everything else any spy would need. I also liked that Liev Schreiber, was just as intense and conniving. The dynamics of their characters create fire, to put it in a figurative context. It's so strong but it was still vulnerable and fragile.

The action sequences were absolutely thrilling. The scenes were dangerous, to sum it up in one word. Dangerous that it made me too invested in the movie, feeling the intensity of every single moment. The explosions, the fighting, the shooting, everything was well choreographed that it was such a pleasure to see how it would unfold. The people behind it also took a creative approach on how to make this action flick have that much action.

I was very disappointed when I read that Jolie turned down the script for Salt 2. Who wouldn't want to see Jolie as Salt again? She's perfect for it. The character was firm and Jolie commands that kind of thing. I'm still hoping that Salt 2 would happen, mostly because Jolie and action movies seem to mash up really well. Turning down a script doesn't mean letting go of a project, right? maybe the writers would be able to create something that would make Jolie jump back on board. Salt was really good, and it would be a shame if we've already seen the last of the sly, badass spy.

Monsters Inc.

Monters Inc. was a 2001 animated comedy movie created by Pixar. It starred John Goodman and Billy Crystal as the voice of the two leading characters, James Sullivan and MikeWazowski. Steve Buscemi and James Coburn voiced the main antagonists of the movie. Jennifer Tilly voiced the character of Celia, Mike's love interest.  It was directed by Pete Docter with the help of Lee Unkrich (Director of Toy Story) and David Silverman.

The opening sequence of the movie is probably one of the most creative opening sequences. After watching the entire film, I realized that the opening credits itself summarized the entire movie, or at least provided a brief summary of what the movie's about. I also really enjoyed the closing credits. In fact, I probably enjoyed it more just as much as the entire movie. I liked how they tried to make a legitimate behind-the-scenes using the characters as actors. It was creative, and I don;t think I've seen anything like it before. I also liked how they continued to stage the play mentioned in the movie itself. I think more than these BTS or plays, it's the fact that the movie was very cohesive that impressed me the most. Every single detail coincided with the rest of the movie. That, for me, is a very clear sign of good filmmaking.

The film itself was also enjoyable to watch. I couldn't help but compare it to How to Train Your Dragon (http://mrfilmreviewer.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-to-train-your-dragon.html) since I also just saw the movie (thanks to a friend recommending it). In terms of visuals, I think How to Train Your Dragon won. However, in terms of story, I think Monsters Inc. had a stronger plot and script. Both movies were great, but they also had their own strengths, at least in my perspective. Monsters Inc. didn't have the amazing effects of How to Train Your Dragon (though they really didn't need it) but it had the same quality of humor and enjoyment. It's humor was a little different but still funny nonetheless.

What I like about children's movies is how they manage to state a simple value or lesson and convey it such a creative manner. I think it's a prerequisite for a children's movie to make sure that the message being imparted is suitable and something that will actually allow children to recognize the importance of certain values. It's simple but it does the job. This movie had lots of lessons to be learned, and that's a very good thing.

I just found out that they are making a prequel, Monsters University, to be released next year. I'm glad the stars of the movie will return to reprise their roles, and I can only imagine how hilarious this prequel is going to be. The monsters stuck in school will provide more windows for these monsters to create chaos. Monsters Inc. was really good, but I feel like Monsters University will even be better.

June 21, 2012

How To Train Your Dragon

I know I'm late with this, but I just saw the movie. Forgive me movie masters. To be honest, I probably would have watched the movie a lot later if it hadn't been for a couple of friends who strongly recommended the movie. I did plan on seeing it, but there was no sense of urgency before my friends chastised me for not seeing this movie. Apparently it's considered one of the greatest films, making it to the IMDB Top 250 films of all time. After watching it, I finally got what the buzz was all about. The film was breathtaking!

The best thing about the movie was how it managed to sustain the humor, the smarts, the excitement. It started really strong for me. I was feeling a little sleepy and tired when I turned it on, but literally seconds into the movie, I was already feeling wide awake and lively. The movie had that effect on me since right from the get go it was already funny and entertaining. The lines were witty, the visuals were stunning, the voice actors were in it to impress. It established itself in that short time frame and I immediately got hooked. Probably one of the strongest starts for an animated movie, or any movie in general, at least in my opinion.

I'd like to put emphasis on how amazing the visuals were. First of all, I liked how the characters were created. It screamed Dreamworks! Second, I also liked the variation in the appearances of the dragons. It had diversity and I felt like the filmmakers exhausted all the possible ideas to create a wide range of dragons. Third, I was very impressed by the visual effects. Because I am a very visual person, I greatly appreciate strong visuals and intrinsic effects. Everything that had to do with effects was spot on, right on the money.

The movie had also clear and powerful messages. That it's ok to be different, and being different does not mean being inferior to others. That being different can actually be a good thing and something to be proud of.  That appearances don't mean everything, and we can never judge something or someone simply by the way they look. That there's always something more substantive beneath one's skin. That however dysfunctional a family may be, family will still be there when you're in need. I can go on and on with this list. The bottomline is it teaches a lot of values to children and even adults. It made sure to deliver lessons children can learn from, as most children's movies do.

The ending sequence of the movie was stellar! One of the better ones in recent history, I think. It was action-packed, but it also maintained its humor. I felt a little bad at the ending though, but I guess it was just trying to show that disabilities can never be seen as hindrances. However, I definitely enjoyed watching it. It's probably one of my favorite scenes in the movie.

The movie was too cute and that's saying a lot cause I almost never uses the word cute, but it really was. It's a definite must see movie. Everything about it worked, from the story to the visuals, to the funny lines. It also helped that they gathered some of the most talented people to voice the characters. It was such a great pleasure to watch and a perfect way to end a long day.

June 20, 2012

The Losers

The Losers was a 2010 action movie based on the comic book series of the same title by Vertigo Comics. It was directed by Sylvain White and starred Jeffery Dean Morgan, Zoe Saldana, Jason Patric, Chris Evans, Idris Elba, Columbus Short, and Oscar Jaenada. The plot was focused on the revenge of "The Losers"  when they found out that a guy named Max wanted them dead. After faking their deaths, they continued to live ion Bolivia to create a plan to get back at Max. Here's where Aisha (Saldana) comes in when she offers to help the gang locate Max. Then follows their quest to put their plans into motion and claim their victorious revenge against Max.

The movie did not please the critics, and did not perform well in the box office either. Personally, I liked it. It's something I could watch again and would enjoy again. People complained about how little the film was doing, but that's one thing I liked about it. It didn't overdo anything. It stuck to its simplistic portrayal of the story, gathered amazing actors to play the revenge seeking gang, and it worked. I'm not saying it's a great movie, but it's a lot better than some of the critics made it seem. It had its faults. Several things could have been improved and I would no longer mention them. But I guess everyone who saw the film would agree that some things could have been done better. Having said that, I thought it was unfair for people to put down the movie the way they did because even though the film had its faults, it also had its merits.

I never saw the comic book series, but I did research about it after seeing the movie and from what I read, the movie tried to follow the original premise of the comic book story. Also, I also liked the action sequences, the craftiness of the planning stage to the execution. I especially enjoyed the first encounter of Morgan;s character and Saldana's character, it was rough and raw and an unlikely start to a partnership. Plus it felt natural and it didn't feel like everything was placed or rehearsed. It just went naturally. It also didn't hurt that it was very enjoyable to witness the two get into each other's throats, literally.

I enjoyed the drama of the gang having the urge to kill someone who deliberately executed a plan to kill them. At the same time, I also chuckled at the few comic reliefs the movie provided, mostly in the form of Jensen, Chris Evans' character. Also, I found it amusing how the character of Max turned out. He was all evil but a quirky one. While at it, it was really weird seeing Jason Patric in this role, he's better suited as the good guy, I think. But it was a great kind of weird. It showcased his versatility.

To be honest, I really didn't care about the romance part of it, but Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Zoe Saldana had the connection. It just didn't work for me. That's one of the things that really didn;t work in my opinion. Just thought I'd include this. But yeah, as a whole, I had fun watching the movie. Again, I'm not claiming it to be a would-blow-you-away movie but I am saying it's worth a shot. If you end up not liking it, then at least you saw it to make a judgment. If you like it, then good, join our (those who actually liked the movie) side.

June 19, 2012

Hangover Part II

After watching the first one, I understood the comments of the other people about how it's the same movie, except instead of Las Vegas, they were in Bangkok, and instead of Doug, it was Stu getting married. In reality, there were a lot of parallel scenarios, a lot of similar elements, a lot of similarities, simple as that. Personally, I didn't mind because that's the whole concept of the movie. Getting so wasted, they could not remember a single thing. That;s the premise of the hangover so i really didn't mind.

I thought it had the same story as well, but with different (similar but different) elements. For starters, they were in Bangkok, and that gave them a lot of new opportunities. There were a couple of scenes I wish I didn't see. No matter how fast I turned my head to avoid seeing the scenes, there's a split second when I saw things I really wish I hadn't. It was done for entertainment purposes, for the comedy, for the laughs, but yeah, those scenes were just something. Having said that, I thought the movie maintained the quality of the first movie in terms of the comedic aspect of it,

I thought the sequel was a lot more sexual and raunchy. It was already on that route on the first movie, but I thought they took it up several notches up when it came to the dirty humor. It also had a lot more uncomfortable nude scenes. Maybe that's the goal, to make the movie into a dirtier version of the original. I still found it funny, but the more sensitive ones probably didn't. Then again, if they were sensitive, why did they watch the movie? So I guess nobody got offended by that. Regardless of that, the movie was still funny.

It's a shame Heather Graham didn't return as Stu's girlfriend. I liked Heather Graham in the first movie and it would have been awesome to see her back. But it;s hard to complain when the person who replaced her was Jamie Chung. Also, why won't they give Justin Bartha the chance to join the gang? He's part of the wolfpack but they ust won;t allow him to join the escapades. Hopefully they will in the third installment. But the trio of Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, and Ed Helms is always great to see. From the original movie to the sequel, they knew exactly how to produce the laughs, of course much credit must be given to Todd Phillips.

In an interview, Galifianakis said there was a worry to live up to the hype of the first movie. I didn't get that since clearly they had the right materials to create an even better movie. Was it surprising? Even I don't think so. But was it funnier? I think so. It's not as bad as people seem to think. I guess the problem was the sequel followed the exact same path and plot of the first. I didn't mind because I thought that's the premise of the hangover films. They'd probably change it up a bit for the third installment. I guess we'll have to wait and see how they do that.

June 18, 2012

Crazy, Stupid, Love

Crazy, Stupid Love, was a 2011 comedy, romantic movie that featured a stellar cast including Steve Carell, Julianne Moore, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Marisa Tomei, Kevin Bacon, Analeigh Tipton, Jonah Bobo. Liza Lapira and Josh Groban were also present in the movie. It was directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, and was written by Dan Fogelman. It went on to be a highly successful movie, earning a huge revenue in the box office.

I am a huge Steve Carell supporter and the moment I found out about this movie, I immediately thought I'd see it. I didn't. It was probably because the movie seemed like a romance movie to me than a comedy, and I suddenly was not too sure. I was right, it was a bit too romance-y for me, but it was still funny as hell. The title says, Crazy, Stupid, Love, but they should put more emphasis on crazy. Crazy good, thought, and not crazy bad.

The movie had a lot of pairs. Steve Carell and Julianne Moore, Steve Carell and Marisa Tomei (sort of), Julianne Moore and Kevin Bacon, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. However, my favorite was Analeigh Tipton and Jonah Bobo. The pair was really awkward that it became really funny to see how their characters interacted. I laughed so hard when the kid told Jessica (Tipton) about his activities while thinking about her. I even laughed harder when I saw her disgusted look. Despite having a famous cast, these two newcomers were noticeable and were right where the stars were. Well, I'm not sure Bobo if still a newcomer, but I think this was his big break so I'll just leave it at that.

Seeing Josh Groban in this movie was really weird, and I never would have thought he'd be doing movies. But it's a great thing. Liza Lapira was another exciting person to see in this movie. I've been a fan of hers ever since her stint in NCIS as Michelle Lee. I've seen every single episode of that show and her last episode in the show is still one of those that I distinctly remember. It was refreshing to see her in a move light, funny role. You can catch her in Don't Trust the B in Apartment 23 now.

The story was very simple. It was about a family on the verge of being broken because the man;s wife wanted a divorce. There's the layer of cheating, of not being satisfied in the relationship, dealing with all the emotions. I know it was a serious matter, but the way they did it was really hilarious (especially the Twilight line) that I could not help but laugh at it. As we all know, that's the goal of the movie: to make the viewers laugh. It is a comedy movie after all. Dan Fogelman did amazing in this movie, with those lines, and the development in general.

It wasn't my favorite Steve Carell movie, but it was still a really good Steve Carrell movie. Date Night still takes the cake as my favorite Carell movie, which I don't think is a very popular opinion. Crazy, Stupid, Love still had the Carell effect on it, which is always funny to see. He really is one of the best actors to see when it comes to comedy. However, I'm a little disappointed at how little Emma Stone had to work with in this movie. She is one funny gal and it was underutilized in the movie, She had little exposure and even less lines. She did great with what she had, but I was hoping she'd have a little more. Luckily, it featured Analeigh Tipton and Jonah Bobo enough to allow me to see the hilarity of their relationship, or the lack there of.

Overall, I had a lot of fun watching it. I liked the humor, I liked the progression of the story and the development of the characters. It was a think story with a lot of points for discussion, or probably just appreciation. It was funny and it didn't fail to deliver what it promised to do so.

Like Crazy

Like Crazy was a 2011 romantic drama movie starring Anton Yelchin, Felicity Jones, Jennifer Lawrence, Charlie Bewley, Alex Kingston and Oliver Muirhead. It was written and directed by Drake Doremus. There have been news on the net that it might have been based n the story of Doremus and his ex-wife, though I;m not really sure if that's true as I haven't found any statement from Doremus. I wanted to watch the movie before because Jennifer Lawrence was in it, and a few hours ago, Simon Pegg tweeted about it saying it was good. That sealed the deal and I went ahead and watched the movie.

The story was about two lovers, a British student, Anna (Jones), who came to Los Angeles to study, and Jacob, an aspiring furniture designer. Things started out simple, and I really liked that aspect. There was no overly romantic cliches usually seen in other movies. It was simple, subtle, and silent. It worked well that way. Their love story suddenly became rocky when Anna could no longer enter the United States because of a ban issued against her pertaining to her violation of her student visa. The story then went on to tackle troubles of having a long distance relationship.

The relationship became highly unstable. They loved each other but at the same time other factors needed to be considered. Thus starting the sequence of their on-again-off-again relationship. I guess what the movie highlighted was the difficulties of having to deal with long distance relationships. The longing, the paranoia, the lack of a particular something. It wasn't just about the distance, it was the other factors surrounding the relationship. The attack of Doremus, given that he wrote and directed it, was just amazing. And the actors were all amazing as well. It was like the perfect trio, a good story, a wise director, and talented actors.

I'm not sure if this was the goal, but I found it a little heartbreaking. For starters, the soundtracks and background music of the movie was insanely melancholic at times, although very fitting. The music just created this certain atmosphere for me. There was also the story and the way the actors played their parts. There were a lot of silent moments in the movie, but with the way the actors were just looking at each other, or just sitting, I could tell what was going on. The body language did everything, and it worked even more than the dialogues.

Just a thought, and I'm not trying to sound like anything, but I really pity the characters of Jennifer Lawrence and Charlie Bewley, Samantha and Simon respectively. I thought it was painful for them to be involved with people even though they knew that those people loved someone else. I thought it was a lot more painful for Samantha only because she got involved in a relationship she knew would be doomed sooner or later, at least the first time she got together with Jacob. Just thought I'd mention that.

The ending was abrupt. The film just ended right when things were getting unclear. That's the beauty of it, I guess. It's an open ending and the viewers could theorize if they do end up together or not. Personally, I interpreted it as the former. I don't think they ended up together for several reasons. First, while showering together, they reminisce all the good times they had, the happy times when they were just starting the relationship. It was not about the memories, but it was more of the difference. There was no longer a spark between them. Second, throughout the movie, the relationship had been turbulent and during the shower, they had the same look as the ones they had before saying goodbye to one another. Third, they way Anna left Jacob in the shower, I thought was symbolical of the upcoming breakdown of their relationship. These are all just speculations and personal interpretations. Regardless, I thought the ending was perfect as there's something to take away, to reflect upon.

I just found the story compelling. It got a little complicated after the first hour, but the whole story, I thought, was really good. I'm not one to watch romantic movies regularly; and when I do, I greatly appreciate it when the story and the whole movie work. I just thought aloud by writing my thoughts about the movie. But it really was a good movie. I was practically smiling the whole time, even though I didn't think I'd like the movie all that much. But I did. It was an unexpected surprise, and I absolutely enjoyed it.

June 17, 2012

Ladder 49

This post will have spoilers. Just thought I'd let you know.

Ladder 49 was a drama film released in 2004. It starred Joaquin Phoenix, John Travolta, Jacinda Barrett, Robert Patrick, Morris Chestnut, Balthazar Getty, and Billy Burke. It was directed by Jay Russell and was written by Lewis Colick. It did well in the box-office earning more than a hundred million dollars on a budget of 60 million dollars.

Back in 2004, I was invited to go to a birthday party where Ladder 49 would be showing. It was the first week of its release and a friend of mine decided to hold a party in a cinema house. Unfortunately, I was not able to go for reasons I don't even remember. Fortunately, however, I was still able to see the movie 8 years later after reading one article stating Ladder 49 was a sad but good movie. Although some didn't have the same level of praise.

The story practically revolved around the life of Jack Morrison, a firefighter who got trapped in a burning building after saving another man's life. It then utilized flashbacks to recount how he became a firefighter, how he related to the members of the team, how he became a sort of apprentice of the captain, how he met his wife, and how he was as a family man. It showed the struggle in balancing a life his family life with his dangerous job. The anxiety that went along with being a firefighter charging towards the danger while the other people run away from it, as the movie stated.

It was an insider look to who the firemen are, what they do, what they go through. It showcased how these men relate to one another, and also to the people they save. They are people who face danger and risk their lives for people they never even met. It showed the heroism surrounding the lives of the firemen. However, with all the good things there were also bad things. It also showcased how easy people could get hurt or even die in this job. One single thing could take one firefighter's life. The movie tried to portray different scenarios of how fragile the lives of the firemen were. These were real people facing real danger every single day just to try and save complete strangers.

I don't know if I've mentioned this, but stories with no happy endings frequently works for me. It seems more real and more touching, I guess. However, this was one movie I was hoping would get a happy ending. I was really looking forward to seeing Jack Morrison (Phoenix) get saved and return to his family. I was hoping for a family reunion. If you saw the movie, you'd know that none of these happened. It ended with Jack asking his superior to stop all efforts to save him, accepting the inevitable - his death.

That scene was the most moving part of the movie. Letting go of any hope that he'd be able to return to his family, and making sure that none of the other firefighters would be put in jeopardy. It felt real and the authenticity of Phoenix's performance just made it even more real. The reaction of Travolta and Barrett complemented the magnitude of emotions around the character's death. The eulogy given by Travolta's character at the wake, although cheesy, was really emotional and heart-warming. I suddenly understood why people had been saying that Ladder 49's a tear-jerker movie. It was a depressing movie. More than the story or the plot, it was the genuine emotions behind the actors' performances that moved me. I felt real pain, real suffering, real loss.

Going into it, I knew that the movie would be dramatic, that it would have heavy drama. That anticipation did not necessarily prepare me for the intensity of the movie. I did understand why some people, mostly the critics, did not like the movie. I can see where they are coming from. However, from my point of view, this movie had everything going right for them.

June 16, 2012

Journey To The Center Of The Earth

Journey to the Center of the Earth was a novel written by Jules Verne in 1864. It became the inspiration for the movie of the same name, a sci-fi adventure movie. It featured Brendan Fraser, Josh Hutcherson and Anita Briem as the main characters who would explore the magic around the center of the world. The movie was directed by Eric Brevig, who did a fantastic job in creating this movie.

I had a smile on my face practically the whole time because it was truly enjoyable. It grabbed me right from the beginning with Brendan Fraser's comical portrayal of Trevor Anderson and his interaction with his nephew, Sean, played by Josh Hutcherson. It also moved at a generally fast pace in that within the first few minutes, they were out of their houses and starting their adventure. It also helped that the movie presented amazing visuals to create the ideal paradise to be found in the center of the earth.

It was funny and witty as well. A few snide remarks and some unfortunate yet hilarious circumstances here and there brought the laughs. I guess they wanted it to be a fun adventure film, and if that's the case, they surely succeeded. Maybe it's because of the target audience of the movie. I would assume that the people who went to see the movie belong to a younger age bracket, and people who just wanted to relax and enjoy a movie with family and friends. Regardless of the reason, I'm just glad it was very entertaining.

It was visually also stimulating, which was my favorite thing about this movie. The effects were just phenomenal, although some could have been done better (especially the one when Josh Hutcherson was getting his knife in the electromagnetic rocks place). A couple of the effects could have been improved. I know the movie didn't aim to be factual, or scientifically accurate but it would have been just that much better if these effects were polished because they had great effects. The movie was actually a lot of fun to watch because of the effects.

Other than those tiny personal problems, I had a blast watching this one.It was exciting, and it kept my heart racing. I specifically liked the Jumanji-esque parts, especially when the kid was being chased by a T-Rex. The good ol' Jumanji days, and this movie made me reminisce the movie cause it gave me a similar feeling, that feeling of "Are they gonna make it?" Since it was a sci-fi, adventure, fantasy movie, they had the proper license to toy with different creatures, different types of magical objects, and an untouched paradise located in the most uncommon place. They didn't waste the opportunity and they provided the viewers with a variety of things to make this once in a lifetime adventure worth looking back.

Honestly, it never got boring for me. It had a 95 minute running time but a lot went on and they utilized every single second of their time. It even had a lot more going on than some of the movies that had a 2 hour running time. It was rich, and filled with different elements. It showcased a lot of interactions with the characters, dilemmas, and a fun-filled, intense adventure. That's really all I have to say about the movie - it was a lot of fun to watch.

Good Will Hunting

"Real loss is only possible when you love something more than yourself" - Sean (Robin Williams)

Good Will Hunting was a drama film Starring Matt Damon, Robin Williams, Ben Affleck, Minnie Driver, Stellan Skarsgard, Cole Hauser, and Casey Affleck. I assume it was one of the biggest movies of 1997 considering the movie earned more than 225 million dollars on a budget of 10 million dollars, not even a tenth of what the movie earned. It was  also well-received by critics. If I was old enough back then, even I would pay up to see this movie. 

For me it was like a painting, a very good one at that. In a painting there are certain portions or characteristics that blows your mind, there are also some details you don't necessarily appreciate. However, taking a step back and looking at its entirety, you begin to fully realize the magic and beauty a painting possesses. That's what I thought about this movie. It had some really, really, mind-blowing sections, and some boring bits. The whole thing, however, is a work of art. 

It was not flawless, but it was damn close to perfection. It's fascinating to think that Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote this screenplay. They're already great actors, and apparently they are brilliant writers as well. The story revolved around a man who grew up experiencing traumatic experiences that had an impact on him. It followed his struggles with dealing with his past, and present. The story had many layers, from him being a good mathematician, to him being a manual laborer with a mind of a genius, to his own love story, to the story of the people helping him, to the story of his friends. All these layers were so distinct yet so well interwoven with one another. 

The movie received high praises, landing several of the actors nominations from different award giving bodies, including the Academy Awards. Robin Williams was meant for this role. It had some similarities to his character in Dead Poets Society, a movie I always look back to as one of the best films I've seen, and he nailed it here once again. Also, it was a bit weird seeing Matt Damon play this kind of character especially since I saw the Bourne trilogy a few days back. From an ass-kicking spy to a broken, vulnerable orphan, he just transforms himself for the roles. The supporting cast also convincing in their performances. Ben Affleck, Cole Hauser, and Casey Affleck as the gang were a lot of fun to watch. Stellan Skarsgard, whose most recent role was Dr. Selvig in The Avengers, was awesome in this! Really awesome! But Minnie Driver stole the show. It was just impossible not to be attracted to this English actress.  

Gus Van Sant didn't waste the material produced by Damon and Affleck. Even the music had the right level of drama, enough for it to be moving and appropriate for the progression of the story. The screenplay was amazing, and Damon and Affleck have an Academy Award for Best Screenplay to prove it. But it really was. I have to admit that I was about to lose my interest around halfway to the movie, but things picked up, and it really picked up. 

I don't think I have enough words to convey what the movie made me feel and think. I do not want to oversell it, but at the same time I want to do my best to give whoever can read this an idea of what the movie was all about. I'm still deciding whteher this is one of those movies that falls into the the you-either-like-it-or-you-don't category. I don;t think it is, but I can't be too sure. Personally, I really liked it as a whole story, and as a movie. I suggest you go ahead and see it, and tell me how you found it. If you do, tweet me @sirfilmreviewer, or email me at mrfilmreviewer@yahoo.com your thoughts or opinions.

June 15, 2012

Sin City

I saw this movie in a list of must-see action movies so I went ahead and checked it out. It was an interesting choice, since it's more of a crime suspense-thriller movie. Well, I guess it does fall into the action genre with the amount of crimes and blood, and murders.

I really, really liked it. It was scary and too dark and too violent, but it just blew me away. It wasn't because of the amount of blood flowing all over the town, nor was it because of the killing spree of the different characters. It was the whole of it from the story to the persona of the characters, to the actors playing them, to the way the movie was directed. Everything was just great. Everything worked, and every ingle aspect of the movie was just perfect.

I genuinely felt haunted by the story. There was too much intensity to it that it's impossible not to be involved in the charaters' lives, and not to get affected by what happened to them. The interaction of these characters into this sick, twisted story was just amazing

It received critical acclaim, and performed well in the box office. I felt a sense of happiness that this movie did so well cause it was just that kind of movie that took me on a ride, as people would say. In fact, I took some time before writing this because I wanted to digest everything that happened in the movie, to process all the scenes, the characters, the overall plot line.

My favorite part was the one with Bruce Willis and Jessica Alba/Mackenzie Vega, who played the young Nancy. That story just drilled through my core. It was painfully beautiful to witness their story, the ups, the downs, and the the downers. It was depressing, but at the same time I was able to appreciate it. It was the one that really pulled my heart out, so to speak, with the magnitude of the drama surrounding them. Plus the development of their reaction was just really brilliant. However, the other stories were also phenomenal. The characters and their stories intertwine which was really awesome! Josh Hartnett's character was really weird for me though. I never got where exactly he fit in, aside from his last scene.

I just found out they are making a sequel, and to be honest I got worried. It's probably because Sin City was genius, a brilliant movie from concept to execution that I fear that the sequel wouldn't be able to live up to the quality of the first one. I know better not to think this way as there are a lot of sequels that ultimately worked. However, we have also witnessed sequels that became disappointments. I would still look forward to it, and I do hope they pull it off. At least they're keeping some of the cast/characters who managed to stay alive in the otherwise death-filled movie so that ought to be good news.

I must admit that at the beginning, I was ready to hate this movie. However as the story went on, I got more involved. I, to a certain extent, went along with these people and "lived" through what they were going through. After the move, it slowly dawned on me how amazing and well-done the movie was. It has an aftershock effect on me that I continuously like the movie more and more as the time goes by. It was that good and I deeply enjoyed watching the movie.

June 14, 2012

Snow White and The Huntsman

I've joined the bandwagon and I went ahead and watched Snow White and The Huntsman. I've read several reactions towards the films and most of them were positive. I remember seeing Ben Lyons' tweet how good the movie was, and I read a couple of reviews about it.

I didn't want to see the movie at first for several reasons. First, I'm not a very big fan of Snow White, but the darkness of this particular story did interest me. Second, I;m also not a very big fan of Kristen Stewart so I wasn't sure if I would be able to enjoy it. Not to take anything away from her, because I think she's a good actress despite the claims of her just having one emotion. I just wasn't a huge fan - I liked her in Adventureland but that was about it. Third, I wasn't sure just how exactly the story would work out because I got a feeling that it would be overly romantic, and extremely cheesy that it would lose the essence of it being a twisted take on the Snow White story. These were just my initial thoughts on the movie.

I can now say that I am guilty of judging this movie too early. I actually quite enjoyed this one despite my initial worries. I didn't find it as good as the other people said, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it.

I actually like Kristen Stewart more now after watching SWATH. She can actually be a badass. Although at the beginning, I was a little disappointed since I expected this Snow White to be strong and feisty, but she was nothing more than a damsel in distress. There was an evolution, though, from that damsel, to a soldier ready to fight back. I don't think I'd be watching the Twilight series because of her performance here, but I will be more open to watching her upcoming movies.

I really liked the darkness of this movie. I liked how they transformed this children's story to this sick twisted adaptation, a more interesting and bold take on a well-known story. I liked the concept behind it. It's new and it's not about the pretty side of this story. It took the darker route and I greatly appreciated the concept behind it. It gave a new spin to our beloved Snow White.

I also liked that the romance portion of the movie was not overdone. It was just right, nothing too much. It was the perfect amount of romance for a movie. I actually liked that aspect of the movie, exploring the possible would-have-beens of Snow White and the huntsman. It's very interesting to see that aspect.

The ending was just a bit anti-climactic. There was a huge build-up to the face off of the evil queen and Snow White, and I did expect a lot more action than what they did. I remember thinking "That's it?" when the fight ended. It was really a bit underwhelming. It's probably just a matter of preference to anticipate a huge battle scene between the two. I guess I just expected a little more. However, the ending was still a decent way to end the quest for their freedom .

I found it a pretty cool movie to watch mostly because of the idea behind it. The execution didn't falter either which made the movie work for me for the most part. There were some off moments, but as a whole it really was a good movie. The portrayal of Charlize Theron of the evil queen is a whole lot of reason to watch this movie. It was freaky and disgusting. It was wretched that you just recognize the awesomeness of her capacity as an actress. Also, it's a twisted Snow White story, and it was interesting to see the development. I guess, the movie had its own merits, but also had a few flaws, so it will be up to the viewers to decide what their take on this film will be. Personally I think the good bits outweigh the not-so-good bits so it was worth it for me.

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Forgetting Sarah Marshall

I just had to watch this movie after watching Get Him to the Greek a couple of days ago. I had fun watching the tandem of Russell Brand and Jonah Hill that I had to see the movie that started it. In addition, I got positive feedbacks regarding this movie, and I was told that it was really funny. I won't disagree with that one as I really found this comedy amazing.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall introduced the character of Brand, Aldous Snow, and it was nice to know that hey kept the character's core and didn't change anything up. Jonah Hill was also in Forgetting Sarah Marshall, althopugh he was playing a different character. I guess changing his hairstyle became his license to play another character. I won't complain though.

The story of the movie revolved around a man getting out of a 5 year relationship with his celebrity girlfriend, Sarah Marshall. To cope with the recent events he went to Hawaii only to find out Sarah Marshall was checked in with her new guy, Aldous Snow, in the same hotel. The whole awkward phase quickly thickens as they constantly bump into each other. It also became complicated when another character, Rachel (Mila Kunis) came to join the chaotic party.

I think Forgetting Sarah Marshall had a stronger, more precise story line than Get Him to the Greek. It had more substance and was a whole lot deeper than the latter one. It had a clearer direction, I think. It also took the sob story route, which made some of the scenes a bit dramatic. Although, it did afford the filmmakers a lot more opportunity to create different humorous scenarios.

I did find Get Him to the Greek just a little bit funnier, but that's probably due to the hysterical characters of Russell Brand and Jonah Hill. Fogetting Sarah Marshall was really good and really funny as well, but I think Jason Segel's character had more reservations than that of Brand's. Both were really fun, entertaining movies. I guess Get Him to The Greek just had a little more humor and remarkable witty lines. But Forgetting Sarah Marshall was really good as well. It was a great comedy that comes with a bunch of laughter. It's as vulgar and as raunchy, and both were really funny. I had tons of fun watching it as well.


June 13, 2012

Zombieland

I first saw this movie a couple of years ago with a few friends. I wasn't all that impressed by it then but that's probably because I was not really paying much attention to it. I;m pretty sure I was just eating and talking to my friends when we were watching the movie. Watching it for the second time, I still can't say I'm all that impressed by the movie, but I definitely liked it more the second time around. 

Zombieland was released in 2009 and starred Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin. Bill Murray and Mike White also appeared in this movie. It was written by Paul Wernick and Rhett Reese and was directed by Ruben Fleischer. It garnered positive reviews and went on to be a commercially successful movie. A lot of people actually loved it. It's just funny because I never would have thought that Emma Stone was also in this movie. I saw this movie long before Emma Stone shot up to fame so it was just funny to think about it. 

At first I didn't understand why it was categorized as a comedy movie. However, halfway through the movie I finally understood why. With the appearance of Bill Murray, things got out of hand, and it became really funny. Some of the things they did were actually quite insane which is the reason why it's downright hilarious. It's a parody of how people would react, how people would respond to zombies chasing them, and it's an entertaining one at that.

It's a mockumentary more than anything and a comedic take on the possibility of an apocalypse. It's also a how-to guide to survive a zombie apocalypse with Columbus' rules. The rules were pretty sensible actually, and I could picture myself following his set of rules if I find myself running away from human eating creatures. I also found some of the references amusing. But I think Bill Murray's appearance took the cake as the highlight of the movie. 

The last 20 or so minutes were my favorite part(aside from the Bill Murray part). If zombie killing would be that much fun, I'd probably give it a try. But really, the last sequence of the movie were filled with a lot of zombie killing, and hardcore action. I really enjoyed watching it play out, especially since the location of the scene provided the movie with more opportunities to experiment. Woody Harrelson as Tallahassee was my favorite character in the movie. He's a bit on the psycho side, but the good psycho. He's very efficient in his gun use and he's someone you want to be with in a zombie apocalypse. He's your ticket to survival. 

Overall, it was a good movie, one of the better zombie movies mostly because of its entertainment value. As mentioned, it was a parody and a mockumentary, although they did give valid guidelines on how to survive. They could be useful, just in case. It was a fun movie to watch, had great actors in it, and it was filled with zombies. What more can you ask for? 

Lockout

Apparently this movie was released April 2012 in the United States, but it was only released here today. I have been waiting for the movie since I saw the trailer a couple of weeks back. I think I was about to watch Safe (starring Jason Statham - wrote a review of it a while back) when I saw the trailer and thought it would be good. I was right, I found it to be great movie.

I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, right from the start until the credits started rolling. The combination of the sci-fi aspect of it, and the action part of it was amazing to witness. It wasn't forced and it just flowed naturally. Add the brilliantly written script by Luc Besson, Stephen St. Leger, and James Mather, and we have one of my favorite movies of 2012. We're just midway of 2012, and a lot of amazing films are lined up to be released this year, but I'm sure Lockout will be one of my favorites this year. It was that good in my opinion and I was thoroughly entertained. I actually wished it was just a bit longer because I was having such a blast watching the movie. I'm not saying it's the best movie out there, but I just really liked it.

The story was a bit intense: a big escape from all the sociopaths locked up in a space prison. It didn't feel too heavy though since I was constantly laughing. I've been watching a lot of comedy movies lately, as you might have noticed from my latest posts, but this movie made me laugh even harder and much louder. This movie was just extremely hilarious at all the wrong places, which made it even funnier. Guy Pearce was just brilliant at delivering those lines with just the right amount of sarcasm and mockery. It made me wonder how he could keep a straight face saying those things. It's pretty amazing!

I was wondering why Maggie Grace looked so familiar, then I realized she was Kim from Taken, a movie I absolutely enjoyed, and actually one of my favorite movies. I liked her before, and I like her even more now. She's just the perfect partner to Pearce's flawless performance. The connection the two had in this movie was phenomenal, and it allowed all those snarky comments be funnier. The exchange of their dialogues was just epic, to use the term loosely.

I really had a great time watching this movie. I was laughing from the beginning cause it really was a funny movie. I am now a Guy Pearce fan, and I'm looking forward to watch his other movies. He portrayed the sarcastic, Tony Stark-like character and owned it. He was absolutely brilliant and the people in the cinema clearly enjoyed watching him. People responded very well to his humor and his kick ass fighting skills.

I probably am setting it up to be this big comedy film, but it was not. It's a sci-fi action movie and the development of the story stuck to it being a sci-fi action movie. It retained its core throughout the movie and stayed loyal to the idea and concept. The magnitude of some of the fight scenes were actually immensely engaging that I just held by breath to see how it will go. Joseph Gilgun and Vincent Regan brought authenticity to the danger of being stuck in a prison with 500 criminals. The whole characterization, and the way they acted it out were horrific and disturbing. More so for Gilgun's character. However, I just recognize that despite it being a sci-fi action movie, the filmmakers found a way to mix humor in it. To be honest, it made the movie a lot more enjoyable.

I don't know what's up with the people who didn't like it. If we're talking about entertainment value, this movie had loads of it. It didn't get the best reviews from critics and I firmly believe it's just one of those overly criticizing a good movie. The people in the theater had a very positive reaction, laughing at the hilarity of Pearce's character and his interaction with Grace's character, and rooting for them to get out of the prison safe. By that, I mean I can actually hear people cheer for Pearce and Grace to get out of the prison in time. I really recommend this movie despite what the critics have said. I enjoyed it and maybe you'll enjoy it as well.

June 12, 2012

The Hangover

Finally I finished watching this movie. I saw the first part of it before but never had the chance to finish it, until now. The Hangover was released in 2009 and starred Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis and Justin Bartha, with Ken Jeong and a special participation of Mike Tyson. It was directed by Todd Phillips and the story was written by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore. It went on to be very successful earning more than 467 million dollars on a budget of 35 million.

I watched the sequel first before finally finishing the first movie, which is probably the reason why I enjoyed the second one a lot more than you people. I can now understand the people's comments about how the second one was just a replica of the first, and to some extent I think so now too. However, this does not mean to say that the other one was bad, it just means, at least personally, that there were a lot of parallelisms between the two movies. Both of the movies were great, funny, and very entertaining.

It was a little raunchy and a bit vulgar so it may raise flags for some people. Taking that aside, the movie had sufficient material and a very well-thought out, well-written script. It had charm, wits, and a combination of classic and modern humor. I just can't get over how good the script was. It's one of those films that make you swear for all the right reasons cause it's just making you laugh uncontrollably.

Todd Phillips and the writers did so well with this movie. The story was simple, but the development of it was extraordinary. Where else can you see a tiger in a bathroom? It had a lot of elements to it and everything worked. Nothing was overdone considering how extreme the circumstances were. From a lost baby, to a tiger, to a missing friend, to a Chinese mobster, every single detail in the movie showed the process of creating this fantastic movie.

It also helped that they had the actors they had. Starting with Bradley Cooper, I think this movie just boosted his career as he's been constantly snagging movie deals. Zach Galifianakis is a star and one of the better actors in terms of comedy. Everything he does appeals to the audience because he's a quirky actor who can deliver the laughter. Ed Helms is one great comedian and I doubt anyone will deny that. He's just amazing at what he does and the quality of his comedy is at a level well-beyond some. I've been a fan of Justin Bartha ever since I saw the first National Treasures. I loved that movie and its sequel and I keep hoping they'd make a third installment. It's good to see him in another highly successful franchise, although I wish he'd get more screen time and a bigger part. We'll see then they make the third part of the franchise.

The Hangover is definetely a must-watch. Without question, one of the best comedies of 2010. It's been a comedy night for me, watching Get Him to the Greek (http://mrfilmreviewer.blogspot.com/2012/06/get-him-to-greek.html) and The Hangover in one night. The level of entertainment and laughter both films gave me should be illegal. Both films were very funny, intelligent, and insanely entertaining.