12 Rounds is the new movie starring WWE star John Cena. Cena reminds me of early Schwarzenegger, few lines but big on action stunts. His acting could use more work, but it could be alot worse. The basic premise is his wife gets kidnapped and he does whatever he can to get her back. This premise is not unlike Cena's first movie, The Marine. While this movie brings nothing new to the table it is fun.
I will say that I did like this one much better that The Marine and the story is more cohesive. The movie does start to drag on after the first hour, but I did find myself on the edge of my seat for the climactic ending.
12 Rounds doesn't impress, but it's not a tease. You pretty much know what you're gonna get when the movie starts. Bottom line
12 Rounds - Rent It.................
Friday, March 27, 2009
Review - Haunting In Connecticut
Haunting In Connecticut is the latest movie to come out in the 'haunted house' genre. There are several films belonging to this genre, most notably 1979's The Amityville Horror (based on a novel and was also remade in 2005) and 1963's The Haunting (also inevitably remade in 1999).
Like The Amityville Horror, Haunting In Connecticut claims to be based on true events.
Whenever someone makes a movie that's immediately going to similar previous movies, it must follow certain criteria. Mainly it needs to be unpredictable and contribute something new to the genre. Sadly Haunting fails in both these areas. It's one of the most predictable movies I've ever seen. I could cue when some 'scary' thing was gonna jump out. There's really nothing in this movie that haven't see before.
One thing that could have made it better: I kept hoping that the for some reason the police would be called in...who in turn would have to call in the FBI...and BANG there's Mulder & Scully on the case. But it didn't...
For someone who's new to this type of movie you may wanna go see it but for most everyone else...FX It.
Haunting In Connecticut - FX It
Like The Amityville Horror, Haunting In Connecticut claims to be based on true events.
Whenever someone makes a movie that's immediately going to similar previous movies, it must follow certain criteria. Mainly it needs to be unpredictable and contribute something new to the genre. Sadly Haunting fails in both these areas. It's one of the most predictable movies I've ever seen. I could cue when some 'scary' thing was gonna jump out. There's really nothing in this movie that haven't see before.
One thing that could have made it better: I kept hoping that the for some reason the police would be called in...who in turn would have to call in the FBI...and BANG there's Mulder & Scully on the case. But it didn't...
For someone who's new to this type of movie you may wanna go see it but for most everyone else...FX It.
Haunting In Connecticut - FX It
Friday, March 20, 2009
Review: Knowing
Lets get down to business. Knowing starts off with a pretty good premise. A time capsule is buried and in it are drawings of what elementary school students imagine the future will be like. Fifty years later it is dug up. It just so happens that this time capsule contains the "drawings" of one not so normal students. Her drawing contains the dates of every major disaster that has happened and those to come. Events are set into motion and horrible things begin to happen and our only hope is Nicholas Cage.
Don't get me wrong the first hour and thirty minutes of Knowing gives the audience what it promises. There is no lack of suspense, this movie doesn't pull any punches. Where this movie fails is in its ending. The ending falls flat on its face.
About twenty minutes from the ending I began to have this sense of fear, fear that the ending was going to be bad. It had all of the classic signs of a bad ending. There is only one way to sum up the ending of this movie. It was like an bad M. Night Shamalyan movie mixed with The Day the Earth Stood Still (Re-Make). I saw it coming from a mile away and my exact thoughts about the end were, "Are you serious?" .
Truthfully the only thing saving this movie from "Stand Outside Your Local Theater and Warn People" status is Nicholas Cage's performance. I believe this was possible the best acting I've ever seen him do. The rest of the cast doesn't do to bad either. Bottom Line...
Knowing - FX It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Don't get me wrong the first hour and thirty minutes of Knowing gives the audience what it promises. There is no lack of suspense, this movie doesn't pull any punches. Where this movie fails is in its ending. The ending falls flat on its face.
About twenty minutes from the ending I began to have this sense of fear, fear that the ending was going to be bad. It had all of the classic signs of a bad ending. There is only one way to sum up the ending of this movie. It was like an bad M. Night Shamalyan movie mixed with The Day the Earth Stood Still (Re-Make). I saw it coming from a mile away and my exact thoughts about the end were, "Are you serious?" .
Truthfully the only thing saving this movie from "Stand Outside Your Local Theater and Warn People" status is Nicholas Cage's performance. I believe this was possible the best acting I've ever seen him do. The rest of the cast doesn't do to bad either. Bottom Line...
Knowing - FX It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, March 13, 2009
Review - The Last House On The Left
The Last House On The Left was filmed and released in 1972 and has become a milestone in film history. It was the very first film ever written/directed by the legendary Wes Craven. It was rather controversial to audiences in the 1970s and, in fact, still is.
37 years later it has been remade and directed by Dennis Illiadis. Unlike many film remakes this one may be deemed more authentic since it's approved, and indeed produced by Craven. In many ways this review concerns both versions.
Last House is a very unique story because it doesn't exactly deal with good vs bad. Rather it's a story that is based on an uncomfortable combination of the two. There are the 'bad' guys: a very weird-disfunctional kinda family. Then there are the 'good' guys: a very wealthy and proper family with a father/husband who's a doctor. I believe the main reason that this story has always been unpleasant for audiences is because it illustrates vividly how alike all people are. We naturally like to think that people are different and that there are 'good' people and 'bad' people. However, Last House suggests that people are closer to being alike. This is hard for many people to think about. Most people like to think they are good and could never succumb to the hideous level of 'bad' people. Yet that's what the 'good' people in Last House seem to do. The motivation may come across as different but the end result is the same.
I was intrigued by the audience that I shared the theatre with. The were all abhorred by the acts that the 'bad people' did to the 'good' people. But then they cheered on the 'good' people when they performed similar acts on the 'bad people'. That's Craven's point in this story. The 'bad' people do bad things but are YOU really any different?
Other quick comments. The original version was filmed much like a documentary. That's not really the case in the remake but there are certainly moments where the new one feels like a 1970s movie. In my opinion the new version doesn't match the level of intensity in the original.
I'm giving this movie a Rent It rating since I'm trying to get tougher on my ratings. Overall it doesn't offer a whole lot more than the original. If you are serious fan of Wes Craven then you'll probably wanna go see this movie now. And try to observe the reactions of the other people in the theatre with you...
Last House On The Left - RENT IT
37 years later it has been remade and directed by Dennis Illiadis. Unlike many film remakes this one may be deemed more authentic since it's approved, and indeed produced by Craven. In many ways this review concerns both versions.
Last House is a very unique story because it doesn't exactly deal with good vs bad. Rather it's a story that is based on an uncomfortable combination of the two. There are the 'bad' guys: a very weird-disfunctional kinda family. Then there are the 'good' guys: a very wealthy and proper family with a father/husband who's a doctor. I believe the main reason that this story has always been unpleasant for audiences is because it illustrates vividly how alike all people are. We naturally like to think that people are different and that there are 'good' people and 'bad' people. However, Last House suggests that people are closer to being alike. This is hard for many people to think about. Most people like to think they are good and could never succumb to the hideous level of 'bad' people. Yet that's what the 'good' people in Last House seem to do. The motivation may come across as different but the end result is the same.
I was intrigued by the audience that I shared the theatre with. The were all abhorred by the acts that the 'bad people' did to the 'good' people. But then they cheered on the 'good' people when they performed similar acts on the 'bad people'. That's Craven's point in this story. The 'bad' people do bad things but are YOU really any different?
Other quick comments. The original version was filmed much like a documentary. That's not really the case in the remake but there are certainly moments where the new one feels like a 1970s movie. In my opinion the new version doesn't match the level of intensity in the original.
I'm giving this movie a Rent It rating since I'm trying to get tougher on my ratings. Overall it doesn't offer a whole lot more than the original. If you are serious fan of Wes Craven then you'll probably wanna go see this movie now. And try to observe the reactions of the other people in the theatre with you...
Last House On The Left - RENT IT
Friday, March 6, 2009
Review: The Watchmen
Here it is the movie we've been waiting for all winter, The Watchmen. This movie is probably one of the most faithful screen adaptations of any graphic novel ever written. If you like the graphic novel, you will most definitely like this movie.
The plot is to much to discuss in length. The main plot follows a group of disbanded superheroes known as the Watchmen. Most of the members have gone into peaceful retirement, until one of them is brutally murdered. The story then follows the remaining members as they are methodically placed in situations which make it hard for them to help anyone. Through the course of the movie, a more sinister plot is uncovered.
The movie delivers on what it promises. Reading the graphic novel prior to the movie greatly enhances the experience. Even though it's March, this should be the official film to kick of the summer movie season. Bottom line....
The Watchmen - Go Now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The plot is to much to discuss in length. The main plot follows a group of disbanded superheroes known as the Watchmen. Most of the members have gone into peaceful retirement, until one of them is brutally murdered. The story then follows the remaining members as they are methodically placed in situations which make it hard for them to help anyone. Through the course of the movie, a more sinister plot is uncovered.
The movie delivers on what it promises. Reading the graphic novel prior to the movie greatly enhances the experience. Even though it's March, this should be the official film to kick of the summer movie season. Bottom line....
The Watchmen - Go Now !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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