Poltergeist

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense frightening sequences, brief suggestive material, and some language.
Run Time: 93 Minutes
My Rating; 3.5/5
Hey everyone, so Monday
I went and saw Twentieth Century Fox and Ghost House Pictures' Poltergeist starring Sam Rockwell (The Way Way Back) and Rosemarie DeWitt (AMC's Mad Men). The film is a reboot of the 1982 horror classic of the same name.  The film tells the story of the Bowen family who relocate to a suburban home after experiencing some financial trouble.  However what they don't know is that their new home is invaded with angry spirits.  When things start to escalate and the spirits end up taking their youngest daughter to the other side, the family must come together in order to save her.
So I actually liked this film and I think that it is a good addition to the horror genre.  However with that being said, I am sure that you have heard mostly negative things about this film.  That is because everyone is comparing it to the original and let me just get this out there, this film is nowhere near the greatness of the original.  It could never have reached that milestone, but on its own, it is actually a pretty good film.  Yes it has its moments of cheesiness, but all movies have that.  Even the greatest movies out there have their moments where they falter a little bit.  However, I actually enjoyed this film and would probably go see it again.
So one thing that I liked about this film is that it wasted no time building suspense.  From the moment the family steps into their new house, weird things begin to happen.  The film knows it is a horror film and wants to reward the audience by building up the suspense early on.  Another thing I liked about this film was that it actually had a lot of funny moments.  I couldn't believe how funny the film actually was.  Now I am not saying that it was funny because of the film itself, but that the script actually contained funny moments.  This is something that is quite rare in horror films.  Horror film don't tend to have comedy in their scripts, so to see that here was actually a good thing for me. Finally, just like the original film that wasn't overly scary, this film wasn't overly scary as well.  Now this may seem weird coming from a person that loves horror films, but the thing that I loved about the original was it didn't focus on jump scares like most horror films do, but it focused on building suspense and keeping that suspense going throughout the entire film.  That is what I thought that this film was able to accomplish; a feat that few films actually do.
With all of the good things about this film, there were still things that weren't so great.  Probably the biggest flaw in this film was the crucial character development.  Though I loved that the film wasted no time in building the suspense, it took away from key character development that needed to happen.  One of the key things in horror films that makes us terrified is not that we are scared of the thing in the film, but we don't want to see the characters on the screen get hurt.  In the beginning of horror films we subconsciously become attached to the characters and then we get scared when we see the characters that we have become attached to get haunted or attacked. Unfortunately in this film, there was no such attachment.  I did not care about a single person in that family which makes it very difficult to feel sorry for them and get scared when strange things start to happen.
Overall, I thought the film, on its own, was pretty good.  Is it as good as the original? No.  Is it the best horror film out there? No.  However, it is a good horror film.  Yes it has its flaws, but so do all films, especially in this genre.  I would recommend this film to everyone, but really I think this film would be most appreciated by a younger audience who haven't seen the original, because they won't be as disappointed as those that have seen the original.  My hope is that after seeing this film, it will lead the younger audience to want to see the original and in my opinion if this film can do that, then I would call it a success.

Tomorrowland

MPAA Rating: PG for sequences of sci-fi action violence and peril, thematic elements, and language.
Run Time: 130 Minutes
My Rating: 5/5
Hey everyone, so this review is a few days late because I had to have my laptop fixed, but my wife and I went and saw Walt Disney Pictures' Tomorrowland on Saturday.  The film stars George Clooney (Gravity), Britt Robertson (The Longest Ride), Tim McGraw (The Blind Side), Hugh Laurie (Fox's House), and Raffey Cassidy (Snow White and the Huntsman).  The film was directed by Brad Bird (The Incredibles, Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol).  The film tells the story of Casey Newton, a girl with big dreams and an optimistic attitude, who after a run-in with the law discovers a rare pin which takes her to a wonderful place called Tomorrowland.  However, her time there is short-lived and she is desperate to get back.  So with the help of some new friends, she embarks on an incredible journey to unlock the mysteries of this new place and hopefully get some answers to her most burning questions.
So personally, I loved this film.  I thought that it was an incredible film and I think that this is a film that Walt Disney would be proud of.  Now you will hear a lot of different reviews about this film and for the most part they will be negative, but I urge you to not take those to heart and try this film out for yourself.  It has such a powerful message that could possible change the way we all think about life and is a message that everyone should hear.  Also, it is basically the only purely original summer blockbuster film this year, all the rest of the big budget films that we will see this summer are either sequels or reboots.  So if you want to ever see more original films in theaters besides sequels or reboots of past films, studios need to see that there is support for their original ideas and in my opinion, there is no better original movie to go support than this one.
So probably the best part about this film is the cast.  The trailers and the marketing tried to sell this film as a George Clooney movie because he is really the only true star in this film and while he does an excellent job, it is really the other cast members that bring life to the film.  Britt Robertson has been in two films this year so far and I have to admit I am becoming a huge fan of hers.  She is so versatile and so fun to watch that I think she will have a very long career.  Also, Raffey Cassidy does an amazing job.  This is her first big role in a film and she completely steals the show.  She takes over every scene that she is in and is the person that you will be talking about after the film ends.
Overall, I thought this film was amazing.  I would recommend this film to everyone.  It will definitely be more appealing to adults and older children, just because of the content, but there were some pretty young kids in our theater and they seemed to be just as entertained.  This is definitely a film that needs to be seen in theaters.  Tomorrowland is a stunning piece of art and its colors and technology are so vibrant.  This is a great family film to go see and another fantastic film from director Brad Bird.

Thanks again for reading.  If you have any questions, comments, or ideas just let me know!!!

Pitch Perfect 2

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for innuendo and language
Run Time: 115 Minutes
My Rating: 3.5/5
So last night my wife and I saw Universal Pictures' Pitch Perfect 2, the sequel to the 2012 surprise hit. The film returns the cast members from the previous film including Anna Kendrick, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson, Anna Camp and many others, while introducing the newest cast member Hailee Steinfield (True Grit). The film picks up almost 3 years after the first film ended.  The Barden Bellas are riding high after their 3-year National Championship reign. However after an unfortunate incident in front of the President of the United States, the Bellas find themselves in their senior year of college and their A'Capella dreams crushed when they become disqualified from Collegiate competitions.  Now as they try to figure out who they are and who they want to be after college, they are given one more opportunity to reinstate the Bellas good name by participating in the World A'Capella Championships.
So when the first movie came out, I loved it.  I thought it was hilarious.  The film had a great story and a wonderful soundtrack. It became an instant classic for many people and a sequel was inevitable.  With that being said, unfortunately the sequel never quite hit the same "notes" as the original.  That's not to say it isn't good, because as a film it is quite entertaining, but compared to the first one, there is just a lot lacking. First focusing on the negatives, the film tries way to hard to be like the first one instead of being its own movie.  The film relies on a lot of the same jokes and ideas from the first one and doesn't try to form its own identity.  There are a few new jokes and ideas in the film that are actually quite great and if there would have been just more of those, this film would have reached the greatness of the original. Also, the film puts its main focus on the music, which isn't a bad thing because the music is just as amazing as the first, but it takes away from any sort of fully coherent or plausible story that there could be.  There were also a lot of major plot points in the original that barely even got touched upon.  The film just lacks a lot of important elements that the first one did perfectly.
Though there were a lot of negatives, there were some things that the film did great.  Like I said above, the soundtrack and music is still amazing and this time around they added a brand new original song which is quite stunning.  It has a great message and a great sound that honestly I wouldn't be surprised if it was nominated for Best Original Song next year at the Academy Awards. It's definitely one that you should listen to.  Another great thing  about the film is its addition of actress Hailee Steinfield.  She is an incredible actress and I think that she will have a fantastic career, but it was great seeing her in this role.  She does a great job and brings something fresh to the film.
Overall, I thought the film was good.  Honestly if it didn't have to follow its predecessor this film probably would have gotten a higher rating and I would have liked it a lot more.  However, it just borrowed way too much from the first film that there was not a lot of originality.  There are good things about this film and if you liked the first film, this is definitely one that you should go see. However, if you didn't like the first one and was hoping to give this second film a chance, I would wait until you can see it at a cheaper price and just purchase the soundtrack in the meantime.

Thanks again for reading!!!  If you have any questions, comments, or ideas just let me know!!!

Hot Pursuit

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for sexual content, violence, language 

and some drug material

Run Time: 87 Minutes

My Rating: 2.5/5

So tonight my wife and I saw Warner Bros' and New Line Cinema's Hot Pursuit starring Reese Witherspoon (Wild) and Sofia Vergara (ABC's Modern Family).  The film tells the story of a by-the-book, uptight cop (Witherspoon) who is put in charge of protecting the widow of a drug boss (Vergara) who is supposed to testify against the biggest drug lord in America. However, what seems like an easy task turns into a fiasco when they find out that the drug lord isn't the only person after them.  

So personally I was expecting a whole lot more from this movie. That's not to say that I thought the movie was bad or anything, I was just expecting more.  I have said this before, but I love Reese Witherspoon as an actress.  I think she is great in both dramatic and comedic roles.  However, I feel like neither her nor Sofia Vergara were used to their full potential.  I mean most of the jokes that the writers came up with was either calling Reese Witherspoon short or saying that Sofia Vergara was old or has a weird accent.  While at times it can be funny, by the end of the film, it is just gets boring and tiresome.  There is so much more that could have happened to make the film more exciting, but unfortunately they don't happen.  To be completely honest, the best part about this film is during the credits where they show bloopers.  It is then that you finally see Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara finally acting like themselves and actually look like they are having a good time.

Now though I thought that the film could have been better and the writers could have used the two stars better, probably the greatest thing about this film and really the only thing that saved the film as a whole was the great relationship and chemistry between Reese Witherspoon and Sofia Vergara. They work so well together and are able to help push each other to the next level.  I personally would love to see these two in another movie together, but hopefully the next one will be a whole lot better than this.

Overall, I thought that this film was just okay.  Personally, I would probably watch it again, but I would wait until it came to the dollar theater  There are definitely better comedies that have been made, but if you have free time and want a few good laughs then you might want to check this out. This film is definitely not for everyone and if you think that you aren't going to like it, then you probably won't and you should skip it.  

Thanks again for reading!!  If you have any questions, comments, or ideas just let me know!!!

Avengers Age of Ultron

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and destruction, and for some suggestive comments.
Run Time: 141 Minutes
My Rating; 5/5
So today we went and saw Marvel Studios' Avengers Age of Ultron the sequel to the 2012 box-office phenomenon Avengers. The film brings back those from the first film including Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, and Mark Ruffalo.  The film also adds to the amazing cast Elizabeth Olsen (Godzilla), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (Godzilla), and James Spader (NBC's The Blacklist).  The film continues the story of Earth's Mightiest Heroes, as they are called to save the world from a monster that some of them created.  This new threat is seemingly indestructible and puts the future of the entire world at jeopardy.  As Ultron continues to get stronger and stronger and the team seems defeated, they must come together in their darkest hour with new allies in order to save the world from their own mistake.
So personally, I absolutely loved this film.  It completely exceeded all of my expectations and then some.  There is so much going for it that it is hard not to like it.  I remember that just 3 years ago when the first Avengers came to the big screen everyone was so excited and were in complete awe that it was actually happening.  Well after seeing this film, I am still in awe that a film that has way too many actors and important characters can still be cohesive and entertaining.  Though you may hear some differing opinions from other critics, I believe that this film still just as magical and must more entertaining than the first film.  Probably one of the best examples of this is in the film's opening sequence.  This scene is so exciting and thrilling that I would put it up there as one of the best scenes in cinematic history.
Other than the greatness of having all of the Avengers back in the same film, probably my favorite thing about this film is the voice talent of James Spader as Ultron.  I have always loved James Spader and I think he is an amazing actor and this role is no different.  His voice is so haunting and so daunting that he truly makes the perfect villain.  His portrayal as Ultron will haunt you for a long time, which is exactly what you want in a villain.  He is fantastic.
Overall, as if you couldn't tell, I loved this film.  There is so many positive things to say about this film that there is no enough room to tell you about everything.  This will definitely be one that I will see again in the theaters.  This film is definitely a film that you want to see on the big screen.  It is truly a one-of-a-kind experience.  I would definitely recommend this film to anyone.  This is a fantastic movie and definitely worth every penny!!!!

Thanks for reading!!!!  If you have any questions, comments, or ideas just let me know!!!
 

Child 44

MPAA Rating: R for violence, some disturbing images, language and a scene of sexuality.
Run Time: 137 Minutes
My Rating: 1/5
So today my wife and I saw Summit Entertainment's Child 44 starring Tom Hardy (Warrior), Gary Oldman (The Dark Knight Trilogy), and Noomi Rapace (Promethus).  The film is set during the Stalin-era of the Soviet Union.  It tells the story of a pro-Stalin soldier who decides to investigate a series of child murders in a country where they deny that such a person could exist. With no one by his side except for his wife and constant backlash from his friends, he faces exile and persecution in order to capture a murderer that no one believes exists.
So personally I did not like this film.  It was one of the biggest waste of 2 hours of my life.  When I saw the trailer for this film it looked very promising.  It looked very thrilling and intense, unfortunately that was not the case.  The film was not what it was portrayed to be and really the hunt for the murderer began when there was only 30 minutes left.  With that being said, the first half of the film was a complete waste.  It was so confusing that by the end of the film I still don't even know what exactly happened.  There were so many plot points and story lines that were not necessary that it made the whole film unbearable.  These pointless story lines also made the film last way longer than it should have been.  If the film had stuck to the premise in the trailer it probably would have been bearable and maybe even enjoyable, but as it drifted away from that premise, so did my attention.
However though I hated this film, I do have to give credit where credit is due.  Tom Hardy does give quite an incredible performance.  He is the only good thing about this film and really the only reason why I didn't stand up and walk out of this film.
Well as if you couldn't tell, this is definitely not a film that I would watch again.  I would recommend this film to no one because I feel like no one should have to sit through 2 hours of boredom.  I hate to say this, but there is a reason why this film lost so many showtimes from last week (opening weekend) to this week.  I wouldn't be surprised if this film isn't in theaters come next week or the week after.  Yes, it is that bad.  My recommendation is please don't see this film and waste your time and your money!!!

Thanks again for reading!!  If you have any questions, comments, or ideas just let me know!!!!

Little Boy

MPAA Rating: PG-13 for some mature thematic material and violence.
Run Time: 100 Minutes
My Rating: 2.5/5
So today I saw Open Road Films' Little Boy starring Kevin James (CBS' King of Queens), David Henrie (Disney Channel's Wizards of Waverly Place), Emily Watson (War Horse), Michael Rapaport (Hitch), Tom Wilkinson (Selma), and Jakob Salvati (ABC's Red Widow).  The film tells the story of Pepper Flynt Busbee, a young, little boy whose life gets turned upside-down when his dad is enlisted into the army during World War II.  As his dad is off fighting in the war, Pepper is faced with his own war when he is told that if he has enough faith he can bring his father home. While the methods that Pepper takes to bring his father home don't quite resonate well with everyone in his town, he has to show that even the unlikeliest of friends and having the faith of a mustard seed, can truly bring about miracles.
So, let me be the first to say, this was not the kind of show that I was expecting.  In the trailers it portrayed the film to be more about the kid trying to bring his father home, and though it does touch upon that, the film is more about how a family struggles when their loved one is at war.  The film also shows how in order to gain faith, we need to help others and do things that may be difficult for us, but are things that God would want us to do.  It is these values and these lessons that makes this film intriguing.  What the film wants to teach, it does well.  However, when it deviates from these teachings, that is where the film fails.  The thing that holds the film all together though is the young Jakob Salvati.  He carries a heavy burden in portraying Pepper Flynt Busbee, and he carries that burden perfectly.  He is the only reason why I continued watching this film.  He is absolutely amazing in the role and it it weren't for him, the film would fall apart pretty quickly.
Though Jakob Salvati is amazing in the film and the film's messages are inspiring, the film still has its flaws.  One of them being was the pace of the film.  It honestly felt like I was in the theater forever. For a film being just over an hour and a half, it sure felt like it was over two.  Another flaw that the film had was that it wasn't the story that was being represented during the trailers.  This was not the film that I was expecting, Though the film wasn't bad, it just was not what I was expecting.
Overall, the film was good, but not great.  I had a lot higher expectations for this film.  With that being said, if you like inspirational films, you will like this film.  It does teach some pretty powerful lessons and in the center of it has a lot of heart.  Like I said before Jakob Salvati gives a fantastic performance and that is reason enough to see it.  However, this film is not for everyone.

Thanks again for reading!! If you have any questions, comments, or ideas just let me know!!!