The Green Hornet

I can sum this movie up in one word. "lol". Well, an acronym, but who cares? It was funny! It was full of action! I mean, a LOT of action. I was beginning to miss explosions. All the movies I've seen this month have been lacking you'll notice. This is also another superhero movie, which is my favorite genre. It was originally an old radio program and has been adapted to a couple movies back in the forties and and a television series in the sixties.

Story:
Britt Reid(Seth Rogen) is the son of James Reid, a man who owns a large, reputable newspaper named 'The Sentinel'. Growing up Britt's mother had died and he was having a hard time with his father's parenting and being to busy to be there for him. This was the cause of him growing up to be an out of control playboy.  One morning, on his way to see his father, he's watching the news and sees a report on the death of his father. He had been stung by a bee and had a lethal allergic reaction to it.

The next morning, he wakes up and finds his usual tasty morning cup of coffee, tastes like crap.  Outraged, he finds the maid and asks what is wrong. Frightened to death, she tells him he fired the whole staff who worked for his father.  So he rehires Kato(Jay Chou), the mechanic. The two become friends almost immediately. After a hanging out awhile, getting drunk, and finding they both hate Britt's father, they decide to do something crazy. Like decapitating the statue of his father that's overlooking his grave.

So in the middle of the night, while they're desecrating the grave of his father, Britt observes a couple getting ambushed by a group of thugs. Panicked and unsure of what to do, he does the most heroic, and what some could say stupid, things imaginable. He yells 'hey, leave them alone' to a large group of armed, mentally unstable thugs. Naturally, they chase after him. As Britt is running for his life, Kato sees him being chased down and runs to his rescue. Just before Brit get's his face filleted off, Kato pulls some moves that would rival Jackie Chan.

That night, when they're partying for their victories. They see they made it on the news. Not for saving the couple, but for stealing the head of his father's statues. They decided being the good guys felt really good, but they're seen as criminals. So they'll pose as criminals to get to the bad guys, and take them out. The Green Hornet was born.

Review:
Obviously this is a superhero movie, and in every superhero movie you have to see how they came to be.  It helps you understand the purpose of the hero even more. If you never heard of the Green Hornet before, it would be kinda backwards to hear of a superhero behaving badly with good intentions. So they build the story to clearly give an understanding why.


*Small Spoiler* What I thought was interesting, was the hero didn't get the girl. She even threatened to use a sexual harassment suit. If anyone is to say someone gets the girl, it's Kato. Even though it doesn't happen, the sidekick prevails more so.
*End Spoiler*    

I was really happy with this one. The characters felt real, the story was developed, the jokes were funny and not shown in every clip of the trailer. They also stayed true to the storyline, to my understanding. There was also nothing that makes it overbearing in regard to cursing, sex, violence, etc. Aside from final kills in the movie.

Cast:
This movie was co-written, co-produced and co-starred by Seth Rogen. Although he did none of these things by himself, I think he did an amazing job. After watching the older Green Hornet videos, he did take a more comedic approach and think it made the movie all the more better for this day and age.  Now I'll admit I've only seen three of his current movies, but to me it seems he puts a little bit of himself in every role he plays. He does so in this and I think it's great.
Jay Chou is a prodigy. The guy seeps talent from every pore. Since I can only review him about the movie, here's a link to imdb of how awesome he is. This guy knows how to fight. I like this guy more than Jackie Chan, Jet li, whatever. As for his ability to act, it didn't bother me at all. So he's good. haha.
Cameron Diaz had a supporting role. Wasn't really in the movie a lot. Before I never really liked her, but this gave her some cool points for me.


I thought it was a great movie. Anyone can enjoy it. Kids might be okay, dependent on yourself.  Personally, if I had any, I wouldn't take them.

The Dilemma

First things first, this was not a movie I planned on seeing. But when three nerdy junior high school kids are in line to see "The Green Hornet", and you don't really feel like dealing with that at the moment, you go to the movie that you haven't seen and also starts in ten minutes. Since I was seven minutes late to green hornet anyway, and I really hate missing previews, I saw this movie.

Story:

It's about two guys named Ronny(Vince Vaughn) and Nick(Kevin James.) They're a couple of guys who work in auto design, and have a new idea to bring in front of a car manufacturer. An electric car, that sounds like a muscle car. A fake roar of the engine kinda deal. They pitch their idea and the company is interested, gives them the funding. Ronny who has been dating his girlfriend Beth(Jennifer Connelly) for quite awhile, is pressured by Nick's wife, Geneva(Winona Ryder) to hurry and pop the question. Telling him that if not soon, she might move on. Ronny is feeling the pressure, and he wants it to be great. So when he's planning to pop the big question at this arboretum, he see's Geneva there kissing another man. She's cheating on his best friend Nick.

Ronny has to tell him, but with Nick feeling the pressure from the deadline for their project, Nick explodes at him due to the car not working and Ronny can't get one word in. Through talking to strangers in line at the bank, and creating weird stories of explanations to his sister. He feels like his hands are tied and he can't tell anyone. He can't tell him with the project going on, his sister isn't listening to him, and he can't ask or tell his girlfriend or she would find out that he's planning to pop the question. Quite the dilemma.

Review:
The actors, the theme, the say-so, everything about this movie said it was a comedy. Except I just couldn't find it funny. I honestly couldn't get even a chuckle out. It may just not be my type of humor. Vince Vaughn may be a part of it, but I'll talk about him later. Not to mention, all the jokes in the movie are shown in the trailer. When movies do that, it's like their thinking: as long as they can get you in the theater seat, they got your money and they can move on. For you, that's unfair, and that's what i felt like they did.

Now when you look at this movie in the drama perspective, it's pretty good. You just watch the situation get worse and worse. You wonder how it's all going to play out with that good ending. I was hooked to the movie in that way.

Cast:

Vince Vaughn, to be honest I'm not a fan. I just do not like him. I tried my best to not let it affect my review. So I review his performance due to having no respect for him. Didn't help that the entire point-of-view was centered around him.

I love Kevin James though. I saw "Mall Cop" thought it was funny, though cheesy. He didn't get me to laugh in this one though. He was mostly a drama man.
They said that Jennifer Garner originally got the part instead of Connelly, but she had dropped out. I'm really glad that happened. Personal reasons. I just think Connelly is prettier.
What I'm unhappy about is that Winona Ryder got the part instead of Kate Beckinsale! I can see why. Winona Ryder is better at being an evil person. haha. And she was. She was, she was.

So if you think the jokes in the trailer are funny, then you've seen every joke in the movie. So you'd really be going to a movie just to watch a man writhe in pain as his best friend's wife cheats on him. It's lame sauce.

Season of the Witch

This was an exciting one, but yet not my favorite. It was full of action, it was gross, and it had you wondering the whole time. Even pulled a fast one towards the end. A fact I thought was funny was the whole thing took place in England and the whole cast is English, except for the two leading roles.

Story:
It takes place in England during the crusades. These two knights named Behman(Nicholas Cage) and Felson(Ron Perlman). The two are best friends and have been so for years and years, fighting side by side, battle after battle. When Behman accidentally kills an innocent woman, and sees many of his fellow soldiers had already done the same, he leaves the army and deserts the church. Felson goes along with him.

A month later, they have been traveling and they reach England once again. When they arrive at a nearby city, they see that all the townsfolk have been gripped with a highly infectious plague. They try to pass through, but when the man selling them horses sees Behman's sword, which bears the crest of a church soldier, he turns them in. The soldiers come to arrest them, but before they are sent to prison, a priest intercepts them. The priest asks them if the sword really belongs to him. He says yes. The priest brings them before the cardinal. He is also sick with the plague. The cardinal tells them that the witch is responsible. That she had brought this plague to them. He asks the two knights to take her to Severac. Where the heads of the church can cleanse her of witchcraft, and release the grip of the plague.

Review:
If you can't handle the infection theme in a movie, you might wanna look elsewhere. They don't specify what the plague is, but it's a really snotty, rotting, black and blue one. haha. Although I'm skeptic on the timing of the plague vs. the crusades. The movie's 'looks' were historically accurate. That's always a plus for me. It's got a fantasy sort of thing going with the action/adventure and i loved that. What I didn't like was the whole movie was built like a slasher film. People die one by one. I hated that. I thought that was a 90's slasher phase. Don't bring that back to the movies!

Something that was surprising to me was, for this kind of storyline, there was no romance whatsoever. And to my guess, that loses about more than half of the female audience's interest in the movie.

One thing i usually like and look for in a movie is a lesson, or a moral. This one didn't have any that I picked up. The only thing i learned was 'Don't ditch God's army or he'll make you take a witch to a distant town who will kill all your friends.'

Cast:

The only ones I feel like mentioning is Nicholas Cage and Claire Foy. 

For Nicholas Cage, I will write his review in letter form. So that if he see's it, he can see how mad I am.

Dear Mr. Cage,

I cannot tell you how dry your character was. He was so dry, it was like I could blow dust off and old book and it would go flying everywhere. He lacked flavor, he was not very exciting,  and I wouldn't want to see another movie with that character in it. Please don't play him again. I want more like the one in National Treasure, or like the Wicker Man one. You know, where the guy was likeable. 

Thanks for your understanding,

                           Blackjack80 

Now Claire Foy, i can describe her performance in one word, WOW! Throughout the whole movie, it made you wonder if she was really a witch or a normal girl, and she sure pulled it off! I was second guessing my second guesses. When I see her track record, it's all these little tv shows, this is her first Hollywood film and she killed it. She's another Hailee Steinfeld! Five gold stars on her forehead.

This may be a guy movie. It's built like one. But I wouldn't rule you girls out. No kids, make them go see 'Tangled' or something instead.  

Country Strong

After this movie, I kinda wanna move to Texas. The movie kinda soaks you up in the country atmosphere. Now, I'm suburban guy who's more closer to city life then the country life. So one would normally think there probably be a lot I couldn't relate to in this movie. But whether you like country music or not, the story itself is original and entertaining.

Story:

The movie is about a small time country band singer named Beau (Garrett Hedlund), who helps country superstar Kelly Canter (Gwyneth Paltrow), fight her addiction to alcohol via the rehab clinic Beau works at. Kelly is married to her manager James Canter(Tim McGraw) who decides that she's spent enough time in rehab and that it's time to get her singing career back on track. Before she finishes her treatment. Being a really talented singer, Kelly wants to bring Beau on tour with her. James doesn't even think about it and doesn't want him to, probably because of how close he is to his wife. He tells her he's heard of a girl, and that he's going to go see her  tonight. 

That night at the bar, the headlining act is Chiles Stanton(Leighton Meester) an inexperienced, country pop singer who froze on stage at her first performance not too long ago. Beau is told he is to open for her, which is an insult due to his performance and experience versus hers. The show goes on and Beau gets the crowd roarin' and they love him. At the end of his last song Mr. Canter arrives to hear Chiles'. When it's Chiles' turn, she has to stop the song three times due to her missing her cue. As painful as it was to watch, Beau decides to help her out. He grabs his guitar, starts singing and the band plays along. When he gets the crowd warmed up,  he cues Chiles and get's her singing. Then she continues to go on. 

After the show, Mr. Canter approaches Beau, tells him if he thought about doing a duet with Chiles. Beau considers the idea crazy, that he barely knows her. Would like even less singing with her. Mr. Canter offers him to go on tour, and after a little heated discussion, Beau goes along. But with Kelly out of rehab too early, the problems haven't even started yet, and they become colossal. 

Review:

What I like about this movie is it makes you think of how we treat celebrities. It shows how much pressure and stress can be put on them by their managers, the venues, the press, and especially the fans. How cruel people can be to them, because of their popularity. How when we make a mistake, the amount of people to know about it, would be equal to a village. With them, the entire country/world knows. It makes all the alcohol and drugs their consuming make sense. 

There was this one thing I found especially true in this movie. They talk of how one cannot have a normal relationship in the entertainment industry. That love and fame, cannot coexist in the same place. The more I think, the more I see it. To have your every move judged by the public, to never be home, the elements to have a relationship don't fit with the job. 

Cast:

I think Garrett Hedlund did a really good job in this movie. When i saw him in Tron, he was okay, but others kinda took all the attention in that one. Now Garrett, I really like him, because he played that good guy. He has this really deep voice which makes his character more believable and fits with the country singer image. 

I haven't seen a lot of movies with Gwyneth Paltrow, just Iron Man. But I really like her in this movie. She definitely knows how to cry. Hit that one on the nail.  

Tim McGraw, it was hard for me to watch him play a jerk. When i saw him in "The Blind Side", he was this good guy, but that fact he can do so well at it is amazing. But i imagine his music career would've helped strongly for this part. 'Just think of the worst manager you've ever had/met'

I'm excited to finally see Leighton Meester in something that isn't 'Gossip Girl'! Because I think Gossip Girl is really boring! Personal opinions aside, the characters in this movie are all basically the stereotypes of the country music industry, Leighton is the 'up and coming' superstar. I didn't necessarily like the character at the beginning, but I love the way she played the character. Innocent, naive, and talented. Done, done, and done. 

I really liked this one and I would see it again. It doesn't matter who'd you take to this movie. But I don't see how little kids who don't like country music would like it. For the adults, if your not into country music, the drama itself will keep you entertained. 

(One note about the trailer, it shows a scene where Beau was talking to whom I assume is his mother. That scene wasn't in the movie. haha.)

Tron: Legacy

You know, I can't be surprised that I would see this movie at least two or three times. It is just sooo good. I picked up that fact up when I watched the trailers for two months. This movie is a sequel, yes, but whether you have seen the first one or not, won't matter. With a twenty-seven year gap between the two films, they throw in a few flashbacks. Although it doesn't explain how Jeff's female co-star mysteriously disappeared...hm. Now from what I've heard, you'll either love this movie, or you'll hate it. Apparently everyone's opinion on this matter is black and white. I, for one, loved it. If you were unable to tell before. And now I'll tell you why, but first, a synopsis.

Story:
The movie begins with a father and son talking before the boy goes to bed. The two are Kevin Flynn(Jeff Bridges), and his son Sam. Kevin tells him about a world called The Grid. The Grid is a digital city, hidden inside the world of a computer. Kevin tells Sam of his adventures in The Grid, with his friends Tron and Clu. After a few minutes, Kevin tells Sam he has to go back to the office. He tells Sam that when he gets back, they'll play a few at the arcade. That was the last time Sam ever saw his father.

News spread of how the President of Encom, Kevin Flynn, had mysteriously disappeared. Leaving behind his son with the boy's grandparents. With Kevin's absence, Alan Bradley(Bruce Boxleitner), Kevin's right hand at Encom, steps in as a "surrogate father" for Sam. Sam(Garrett Hedlund), now grown, makes it a point to check in with the company once in awhile. In a sort of, unconventional sort of way. After one of his special visits, Alan stops by Sam's place. He tells him he's received a page from the old arcade his father owned.

(My favorite scene in the movie. Conversation also in the trailer. :P)
Alan: I promised you that if i ever got any information about your dad, I'd tell you first, right? I got a page last night; came from your dad's office at the arcade.
Sam: So?
Alan: "So?" That number has been disconnected for twenty years! Two nights before he disappeared, he came to my house. He said he was about to change everything - science, medicine, religion. He wouldn't have left that, Sam. He wouldn't have left you.
---
Sam: Alan, you're acting like I'm going to find him sittin' at work, just, "Hey, kiddo, lost track of time."
Alan: Wouldn't that be something...

Alan gives Sam the keys to the arcade. Saying that he hadn't checked it out yet. Sam takes the keys and heads down to the arcade. When he arrives, he turns on the power and all the machines come back to life, as if it were awoken after being frozen in time. He notices the Tron game, and tries to give it a go. He's distracted when he sees an unusual groove in the pavement, below the machine. Through some investigation, he's able to swing the game aside. Due to it being on hinges, and sees a door. He descends down a flight of stairs and finds his father's hidden office. Through a little nosy search through the files on his father's computer, he inadvertently sends himself to The Grid.

Sam, being confused of what he had done, finds himself in a strange room like his father's office. It's when he gets outside, he sees this new world. A dark, sunless city, highlighted with cool blue light on every street corner, building and being. He's in a world where every being is not a person, but a program. A world terribly different from his own. Sam must find his father, and find a way back home.


Review:
One complaint I've heard about the first one is how it was made before it's time. Well, I, along with many others would agree this one was made at the right time. The computer graphics in this film are unbelievable. With Jeff Bridges being old in his years now, it would be incredibly difficult to make him look younger for the flashbacks or the scenes of Clu. So in those parts, it is just all just a straight CG image. It's unbelievable the stuff they did in this movie. If your into the 3d art stuff like I am, the fact that they can have Clu look at a distorted reflection, or have him hand an object to a human actor is amazing. He literally looks real. When i first saw it, i had to stare, i had began to question my own vision at first.


It's funny how much the storyline has so many Christian themes about it. If your interested in this, pay attention as you watch the movie. Some of these things you could associate Kevin Flynn as God, or Christ. A man who created a world and loves all that are in it. In some sights, you can see Clu as the devil. Who leaves fear and death in his wake. His goal to control everyone and everything to create a 'perfect system' or world. In some spots, these associations can/may kind of hit you in a spiritual way. I didn't notice these the first time around, and it had to be pointed out to me.


Cast:
Jeff Bridges, you could say he played three parts in this movie, Kevin, younger Kevin, and Clu. As i raved in my review with True Grit, he is just an amazing actor. This just adds to me becoming a bigger fan. Not to mention he's also reprising the role of Kevin Flynn. So someone else thought he was amazing enough to do the part again.
Garrett Hedlund. This is my first time seeing him in a movie, but his filmography is so short i don't feel a need to apologize as i did for Josh Brolin. In this movie I found him a likable character. Nothing really stood out to me from him in this movie, but i look forward to seeing him in "Country Strong"
Oliva Wilde. Is full of nothing but pure, amazing talent. She's kicking Sophia Bush off the pedestal as my favorite actress. Honestly, I can't think of anything to say about her work, because it would just come out as how much i think she's beautiful. But basically, she's great, especially in this movie, just take my word for it.


If your into Sci-fi, or action movies, this is a fit for you and i would highly recommend it. If you're not, then you need to man up. If your a girl, go to make your boyfriend/husband happy. I think kids will like this one. The storyline will go waaay over their head, but they'll enjoy the action scenes and all the pretty colors.

True Grit

If your looking for a comparison between the new film and the old film, your in the wrong place. I haven't seen the previous one, nor will I ever. Due to a behavior thing I rather not delve into. My sole focus here is only the new one, and how I thought it was good movie. It was also supposed to be more based off the book than the previous movie anyway.

Story:
That aside, this movie is about a young girl named Mattie Ross(Hailee Steinfeld) who's father was killed by his hired hand Tom Chaney(Josh Brolin). As Miss Ross is out to claim her father's body, she decides to find the man who killed her father. After asking around some, she decides to hire the notorious US marshal Rooster Cogburn(Jeff Bridges) to go after him. Her condition? Only that she tags along. With that, and the suspicion that she can't pay for this manhunt, he declines.

After some time of dealing with Mr. Cogburn, she heads back to the boarding house where she is staying for another night's rest. On the porch of the boarding house she sees a man sitting on the porch of the boarding house. It's dark, and while he's lighting his pipe, the firelight shines a brief look at his face. To see that he is staring at her. Nervous, she quickly makes her way into the boarding house. She wakes the next morning, to find the same man sitting in a chair across the room from her. The man introduces himself as LeBeouf(Matt Damon), a Texas ranger. He has been requested to take Miss Ross back home. She says she won't go home until she sees to it that Tom Chaney is brought to justice. LeBeouf reveals that he's been chasing Tom Chaney, all over Texas and the other southern states. So that he may bring him back to Texas for imprisonment. Miss Ross being a stubborn girl, says she can have him after the term he serves for the murder of her father.

Eventually things work out, but not to her liking. LeBeouf had made some arrangements for her to be sent home, while he and Cogburn set out to capture Cheney. Being the stubborn girl she is, she chases after them. Ignoring all in her way, she catches up with them. Angry at first, they begin to realize there is nothing they can do to keep this girl from sticking with her convictions. So they all go, venturing into the indian lands together.

Review:
What I loved about this movie, is how the whole thing feels. If i didn't know any better, I would've thought they went back in time and filmed this whole movie. When it comes to settings, props, accents, behavior, costumes, attitudes, and all that jazz, it feels so incredibly real. They did not miss a detail on any of that. I mean, Cogburn was sleeping in the back of a chinese restaurant where dried, skinned and probably seasoned, chickens were just hanging from the rafters.

One thing that surprised me about this PG-13 movie was an encounter in this one cabin. If your weak in the stomach, i suggest you look away when it gets really intense.

Cast:
Now this movie, it made me a fan of Jeff Bridges. My goodness. Now, I've never seen "Big Lebowski" or the original "tron", and he never wowed me in "Iron Man", but this movie, wow. He killed it. He took out a baseball bat and beat that part to death in my opinion.
From what I understand, this is Hailee Steinfeld's first hollywood movie, and she did an amazing job herself. Her role was to play a young teenage girl, with the mind of an adult, and have the strongest determination that can be put into one person. She did it. Wonderfully.
Matt Damon, come on, it's Matt Damon. Whatever role this guy touches turns to gold. Enough said.
Now, Josh Brolin, I had realized the last movie I had seen with Josh Brolin, was the movie that was his first. The Goonies. This guy was 'Brand' from the Goonies! I feel terribly ignorant and i humbly apologize Mr. Brolin. The thing is, I didn't really like you in this movie. I mean, the other three stole your thunder. The movie was better focusing on them more than you. I know, I know, I'm saying you got beat by a an old man and a little girl, but it's okay. You'll do better next time. I believe in you.

This is a movie where you leave the little kids at home. And if your dad's a history buff, a western fan or even a John Wayne fan. Take him. My dad was all three and he was amazed, he couldn't stop talking about it. This one is highly recommended.

Gulliver's Travels

The great thing about this movie is it's modern take. True, the original story was a book, and in this case, it did not stay true to it. As a modern audience, that's what we like, the movie staying true to the book. Just as we had read it. How would the world have reacted if Harry Potter didn't have black hair or a scar on his forehead? Not very well.

Although, I would say that the story being retold in a modern light is alright. The original story is really old and has been told over and over countless times. Due to the age of the story, there is no way a modern audience could find a way to apply it to themselves.

Story:
That aside, the movie is about a mail room worker named Gulliver(Jack Black) who is a bit less mature than others his age. He is a man who is all bark and no bite, and can talk a big game, but not bring anything to the table. An unlikely hero. One day he's challenged by another mail room worker to ask out the girl of his dreams(Amanda Peet), whom is a travel editor for the magazine they work for. That night, he find the courage to go to her office and ask her out, but chickens out at the last minute. And, thanks to his big mouth, gets a job working for her to investigate the Bermuda Triangle. After all the arrangements have been made, he's set sail for the triangle and comes upon a tremendous storm.Which comes to swallow him and his ship into a tremendous tempest.

When he comes to, he finds he cannot move. To his surprise, he's been tied down to the ground with tiny ropes and people all around him who are no more than five inches high, whom are called Lilliputians. After a few good deeds and some laughs, Gulliver befriends the Lilliputians. Only to see more problems arise.

Review:
One of the things I liked about this movie is the subtle lessons it shows. It shows that times definitely change, that through time attitudes, opinions, and the way we talk will change. It shows that we can come to change ourselves, through the new people that we meet. Or even the opposite, how we can inadvertently change everyone around us. It tells us that lies can make people like you at first, but when they learn the truth, don't want to be around you.

Cast:
Now for the headlining actors and actresses. I thought they were all amazing. There was no doubt that Jack Black was the perfect person for the part. Now i don't know if it was, but the part was probably written with him in mind. Even still, I really enjoyed his character. Amanda Peet wasn't around a whole lot during the movie, but her character was likable and well played. Now, Jason Segal, this is a new thing than what I'm used to seeing him in, which would be a comedic role. Now this movie was a comedy, but his character was all drama. Which he pulled off wonderfully! I want to see more from him in that genre. But all the comedy with his character was due to the Gulliver role. Perfect example was the parody of the infamous 'Cyrano de Bergerac'.


Overall, this was a very funny, family film. Highly recommend it.