Movie Review: The Tourist (2010)

Title: The Tourist 
Starring: Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie
Paranoid Thriller
Release date: 2010

This movie has not been very popular with the general public when it comes to reviews – official or from friends – so I wasn’t dying to see it in spite of the very popular stars.  On a boring Saturday afternoon we sat down and after the first few scenes I was hooked.  I just loved the chemistry between Depp and Jolie and they way the story just flowed from one beautiful scene to the next.
 

Math teacher, Frank, meets the beautiful and mysterious Elise, on a train to Venice.  What he thinks is a chance encounter is actually a well planned rouse to get the police of the trail off Elise’s lover, Alexander Pearce who is wanted for embezzlement and tax evasion. 

We follow Frank and Elise’s journey as they seem unable to stay away from each other.  The police cannot put one foot right and muddle from one failed trap to the next with Alexander Pearce always one step ahead.

Then isn’t much action in this movie but I found The Tourist entertaining.  I did suspect the twist in the tail and what a happy twist it was!  I wouldn’t want it any other way.

I would recommend this movie for a lazy afternoon.

Movie Review: Insidious (2011)

Title: Insidious
Starring: Patrick Wilson,  Rose Byrne and Ty Simpkins
Release date: 2011

I love watching horror movies but I also scare easily :)  So you can imagine the scene when I am home alone and want to watch a scary movie on my own – I was cleaning the kitchen in the beginning of this one.  I kept one eye on the scene and hit behind the refrigerator now and again. 

The build-up is handled very well in Insidious – it is like the old scary movies of my childhood.  No blood and guts but just creepy music that accents the unusual events.  It starts when teacher John and his composer wife, Renai, moves into a new home with their family.  First it is only a few books that fall out of a bookcase and a box of music that is misplaced during the move – easily explained away.  (Truth be told – I would have run from the house that first night already!)  But then bigger events starts creeping in.  The gas stove’s flame flickers into life on it’s own, a fire spontaneously ignites in a old black stove in the cellar and then their son, Dalton, falls into a deep sleep after a slight fall.  There is no medical reason for this coma and John’s mother asks the help of her psychic friend. This is when the real scary stuff begins.

I enjoy being scared by horror movies and this one is well worth the two hours.  And off course there is a twist in the tail as any good horror story should have!

Now watch this trailer and tell me it didn’t give you goosebumps!

Movie Review: Moon (2009)

Title: Moon
Starring: Sam Rockwell
Sci-fi Psychological Thriller
Release date: 2009

This movie was on one of our cable TV channels this past month.  I recorded it and only watched it today.  Why did I wait so long??  I was drawn into this psychological sci-fi thriller immediately and there is only one way to describe it . . . WOW!!  I can see why it was a winner at numerous Festivals.

Sam is ending a three year contract on the Moon.  He is the only crew member of Lunar Industries and is supervising the automated harvesting of Helium, the new super energy source of earth.  Three years are too long to be alone and he feels like he is starting to slip mentally.  If only he can hold on for two more weeks, he will be reunited with his wife and infant daughter on Earth.  But then when he takes a rover out to do some maintenance on a harvester that have stalled, he sees something that should not be there and crashes.  Waking up in the infirmary, he hears and sees more that cannot be real.  Has his mind finally fractured?

I cannot really say more about the plot as it will ruin the twist.  Let’s just say, you won’t see it coming.

Sam Rockwell gives an outstanding acting performance considering that there are no flashy special effects or big action scenes to carry this movie.  The story is told through Sam – his facial expressions, his body language, the look in his eyes . . . not a moment goes by that you don’t feel for this character.

I really loved this movie and highly recommend it for pure psychological thriller mayhem.

Movie Review: SuckerPunch

Title: SuckerPunch
Starring: Emily Browning; Abbie Cornish; Jena Malone
Release date: March 2011

This was the strangest movie I have seen in a long time.  It is advertised as steam punk and that is probably the reason I found it all a little bit confusing – I have still to read any steam punk novels.

The movie revolves around Babydoll.  She lives in three realities. 

When her mother dies, she tries to defend herself and her little sister against the rape attempts of her stepfather. For this she is sent to mental asylum which is run by people that are mentally unstable themselves!  Cruel and ugly people.

Within the walls of the asylum she retreats into a brothel-like world where she has to dance sexy little dances for customers.

During these dancing sessions, she escapes into the third reality.  The third world is a crazy steam punk, video game reality world where she and her friends plan their escape from hell.

The special effects are amazing and this is clearly a high dollar movie.  Unfortunately it just doesn’t make enough sense even with all the girl power action to make it completely watchable.  Or maybe I am just too old to appreciate the genius of it!  :)

 

Movie review: The Blair Witch Project

Title:  The Blair Witch Project
Starring: Heather Donahue, Michael Williams, Joshua Leonard
Released:  1999

"In October of 1994, three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland while shooting a documentary. A year later their footage was found."

That is the way this creepy movie starts.

The Blair Witch Project is set-up as a documentary made by three students.  Heather is an aspiring film director who has decided to search out the legend of the "Blair Witch".  This mythical witch has supposedly murdered countless people since the 18th century.  Heather is joined by Josuah (Josh) and Michael, a camera man and a sound man. (Fun Fact:  The actors used their real names in this movie)


I have to admit that Heather really irritated me in the beginning – she was soooooo annoying and I am not sure I would have been as patient with her as the guys were.  But I guess that was part of the perfectionist character she portrayed.  But as her perfect world starts to unravel, she begins to show her human side.

Pretty quickly this little adventure turns deadly as the students get lost and they start fighting with each other.  And it doesn’t help that they think someone is following them.

Then one morning, one of the guys disappears . . .

The Blair Witch Project was scary when I saw it in 1994 but now it was just a really tense thriller.  I still enjoyed it and would recommend it for easy watching pleasure.

Movie Review: Shaun of the Dead

Title: Shaun of the Dead 

Starring: Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright

Release date: 2004

I have seen Shaun of the Dead a few times and tonight it was just the right amount of silly to make the blues of the day melt away. 

I have a great love of zombie movies (and books) and SOTD is one of my favourites.

 

Simon Pegg is wonderful as the poor Shaun who lives a very mediocre life with his best friend, Ed and his on/off girlfriend, Liz.  At his job as a sales clerk in an electrical store, he is the butt of jokes and no one respects him.  Worst of all, he doesn’t stand up for himself.

At first, Shaun doesn’t realize that almost the whole world has become a zombie-infested minefield. He walks to the local shop without noticing anything is wrong.  The whole day at his job, he just walks past everyone without blinking an eye.  (Sounds familiar?  Some days I walk around without making any eye contact too :)  

Soon though, Shaun is forced to take control of the situation and of his life.  He becomes the rescuer and leader of his little band of friends.  But being the hero is not easy and his plans do not always work the way they should.

SOTD are full of very funny scenes and is a wonderful escapist movie that will make you want to see the rest of Pegg and Wright’s movies.  

Don’t miss it!  

Movie Review: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Title: Pirates of the Caribbean:  On Stranger Tides
Starring: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz
Release date: May 2011

I cannot imagine any other actor as Captain (don’t forget the “captain”) Jack Sparrow.  Johnny Depp just becomes this stumbling but very lovable drunk – he is a great actor. 

Unfortunately not even Captain Jack Sparrow can save this movie.  I enjoyed the first two movies in the series but unfortunately it has definitely been going downhill from there.  This time around we are introduced to some new characters and off course there are some major budget special effects that makes for some enjoyable eye candy.  It was interesting finding some evil mermaids in the mix and as a secondary plot one of the crew falls in love with a very beautiful mermaid that seems to have a sweeter side.

 

I only watched this movie in the background while I was playing around on Twitter, so that should tell you more about my feelings about it than anything else I have written so far. (lol)

This popcorn movie is only recommended for fans of the series that will be satisfied with a few laughs.

Movie Review: 127 Hours

 

Title:  127 Hours
Starring:  James Franco

This review contain spoilers!!

What an amazing movie! This is the true story of Aron Ralston that got trapped in a canyon by a freak rock fall which pins his arm between a rock and the wall of the canyon.  Off course Aron didn’t tell anyone where he was going.  No-one is looking for him and there isn’t anyone for miles. 

I must admit that I did not like Aron at all.  He seemed a bit full of himself.  But I still could not help getting swept into the dark emotions filling the screen as the hours stretches into days.  He starts debating the inevitable with himself and begin to fall into hallucinations. 

Off course there is the scene when he starts cutting his arm off . . . it was filmed very spectacularly and a lot is left to your imagination and the sounds filling the screen.  But I still see James Franco’s face when he had to cut the nerves and tendons and my heart aches.

This is a very heavy drama and not suitable for a Friday evening but you HAVE to see it!  So make time on a Saturday afternoon . . .

Movie Review - - Fair Game

 

Title: Fair Game
Starring: Naomi Watts and Sean Penn
South African Release date: 04 February 2011

When we started watching Fair Game, I had no idea what it was really all about.  It was just another CIA movie about the war in Iraq. 

But this movie (which is based on a true story) is all about Valerie Plame and her husband, Joe Wilson’s, plight against the US government.  The simplified version (from an outsider’s point of view) is that the US government tried to cover themselves by finding a scapegoat when it came out that they went to war based on evidence that did not exist.  When you really think about it, it is scary what a big and powerful government can get away with.  I did not follow the story in the press at the time, so I am not sure how close it stays to the real events but it made for a gripping two hours.

(Valerie and actress Naomi Watts)

Here is the official trailer.

Fair Game is a deep drama with strong actors that shows the darker side of what life can become when you give your life to your job.  I found the story gripping and it clung to me long after the last credits rolled.

Movie review: Scream 4

 

I had such high hopes that Scream 4 would be awesome but unfortunately it turned into a almost B-rate horror movie. 

But . . . luckily I love B-rate horror/comedy movies!  What fun this movie was!  Definitely not a movie that is afraid to laugh at itself.  And if you are a horror movie lover (like I am), you will have an awesome time with all the “classic movie” references.

Sidney Prescott is once again being hunted by Ghostface but gone are the victim she played.  Sidney has grown up.  She has taken her life back and is not afraid to fight back.  Original characters Dewey and Gail (now married) join the cast together with lots of pretty girls and handsome guys (who almost all get killed). 

This movie (like the previous in the series) are full of wonderful “one-liners Once again the teenagers are part of the movie club and have lots of horror movie rules that they share in the movie.  One of my favourite quotes of the movie:  “The first rule of horror movies . . . don’t F*** with the original.”  lol

 

This is not a serious movie, so just sit back and have some fun – you won’t be disappointed if you just flow with the story . . .