Oblivion

MOVIE DETAILS:                               

DIRECTOR: Joseph Kosinski

GENRE: Action/Adventure, Adaptation, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

RATED: PG-13

CAST: Tom Cruise, Olga Kurylenko, Morgan Freeman

SYNOPSIS: In the year 2077, after winning a war against aliens that tried to colonize Earth, humans abandoned their home planet and left it in ruins. Jack Harper remains stationed around Earth as part of the "clean-up crew." His assigned mission to scout the area and fix drones is almost complete, and in a matter of time, he will be able to leave and join the rest of the human population at their new homes. However, on a routine day, a spacecraft crashed, and Jack encounters human woman who immediately recognizes him. A chain of events then unfold as Jack's reality is shattered and all odds are against him. 

PERSONAL COMMENTARY:                                                        

This is one of the movies that takes a shocking turn of events. You come in thinking you're going to see a specific kind of movie, but something totally unexpected happens that takes you off course. This made the movie all the more interesting, exciting, and mind-boggling. I've always enjoyed science fiction, and this futuristic setting didn't disappoint. I found the movie quite entertaining, and it actually made me start philosophizing after it was over because of the psychedelic and twisted story. 

The plot and storyline was interesting, especially near the end of the movie. Things escalated so much near the end, that it made the beginning seem a little drawn out and uneventful. I would say the pacing of the movie makes the impact of the ending a lot stronger, but I do think Jack should have been a little more productive in the beginning. I don't want to give any spoilers, but what happens is really the highlight of the movie. It was great!

Other than that, special effects were nice, and the movie was pretty well-rounded. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and if you really do enjoy science fiction, I do recommend watching this. It was probably so good because it caught me off guard. My rating is a 4.0 out of 5.

Dark Skies

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DIRECTOR: Scott Charles Stewart

GENRE: Horror, Sci-Fi/Fantasy

RATED: PG-13

CAST: Keri Russell, Josh Hamilton, Dakota Goyo

SYNOPSIS: A husband, wife, and their two sons face disturbing, unexplained occurrences in their home. They discover that something terrifying and unexplainable has targeted them and threatens the security of their family and home. The husband and wife must solve the mystery and keep their family safe. 

PERSONAL COMMENTARY:                                                        

I didn't watch anything recent for this week, so I had to backtrack a little bit to this horror movie that I had watched but never posted about. 

This horror movie isn't the typical kind with gore and violence. It actually had a good interesting story, and the characters were portrayed well. I almost teared up at the end because of what happened. I think this movie fits perfectly into to the science fiction genre with a bit of thriller and suspense. The feel of the movie reminded me of another movie, "Knowing." 

In the beginning of the movie, it took some time to develop the story, and I didn't even know I was watching a horror movie. I wasn't on the edge of my seat until it got near the end, and I wished that there was a little more thrill than there actually was.

Nonetheless, it was pretty good, and I would recommend watching if you're a little bored, or in the mood for a small thrill. It's not a must-see, but it's something different. I would give the movie a 3.5 out of 5. 

G. I. Joe: Retaliation

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DIRECTOR: Jon M. Chu

GENRE: Action/Adventure, Sequel, Adaptation

RATED: PG-13

CAST: D. J. Cotrona, Lee Byung-hun, Adrianne Palicki,  Ray Park, Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis

SYNOPSIS: The G.I. Joes must contend on their own as they face their sabotaged government and the Cobra.

PERSONAL COMMENTARY:                                                        

NOTE: I'm sorry for the horrible depiction of Storm Shadow, and Snake Eyes above. It would be nearly impossible for me to create a realistic illustration of them in the time allowed.

Overall, for those who have seen the first GI Joe movie, this on was just as good. It wasn't better, and it wasn't worse. 

The strongest point in the movie was the action, of course. It was action-packed throughout, which made it very entertaining. Some action scenes were awesome (like the one on the mountains). The plot was what is expected of these kinds of "hero" action movies, and there isn't anything quite notable, but I did like the extra focus on the relationship between Storm Shadow and Snake Eyes. Otherwise, the shift in cast and characters was a little disappointing, and not what I had wanted to see happen.

In sum, a pretty entertaining watch. If you're in it purely for the intense action, it's worth a watch in theaters, but if you're looking for a good story, maybe try something else or waiting it out. I would rate this a 3.7 out of 5.

The Host

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DIRECTOR: Andrew Niccol

GENRE: Romance, Action/Adventure

RATED: PG-13

CAST: Saoirse Ronan, Diane Kruger, Max Irons, William Hurt

SYNOPSIS: When alien creatures conquer Earth and occupy human bodies, wiping their memories, Melanie, a part of the small human resistance remaining, risks everything to protect her loved ones and human kind. 

PERSONAL COMMENTARY:                                                        

Firstly, this movie was based on the novel by Stephanie Meyer, the well-known author of the Twilight series. I have heard from most that this book of hers was much better than the Twilight books, but I have not read it myself. 

Without having read the book, I was a little apathetic near the beginning of the movie, and there was a little too much drama and romance going on. I found the pace of the movie slow steady. Things picked up a bit near the second half of the movie, but I wouldn't consider this movie to have much action, as the genre and trailer may suggest. 

The storyline and concept was quite interesting and had a bit of sophistication to it, and it was what kept my attention the most. Obviously, since it was based on the novel, the plot was well thought-out. 

Overall, it was a nice movie, full of emotional scenes, and I admit, it slightly grew on me near the end. I wished there was a little less emphasis on the romance part though. In sum, it's not that great of a watch, and I wouldn't suggest watching this in theaters. Maybe I'm just missing out from what was in the book, but just from the movie, I would rate it a 3 out of 5.

Olympus Has Fallen

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DIRECTOR: Antoine Fuqua

GENRE: Action, Thriller

RATED: R

CAST: Gerard Butler, Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman

SYNOPSIS: A terrorist group takes over the White House and has the President hostage. Disgraced former Presidential bodyguard, Mike Banning, finds himself stuck in the White House, fighting these terrorists alone. Banning is the only hope the national security team has of saving the life of the President and of the world.

PERSONAL COMMENTARY:                                                        

A true movie critic may find this movie boring and unoriginal, but as a part of the general audience, I thoroughly enjoyed this movie.

The plot and storyline was pretty well done, and although not outstandingly unique, it was above average and well-executed. The strong group of actors starring in the movie contributed well to building character and depth. There was a lot of action -- not the pointless action scenes in most other movies where people fight for the sake of action -- these actions scenes made sense as part of the plot. The timing and pacing of the entire film was also very good. From start to end, the pacing was fast and furious, engaging me every second. As a whole, it seemed like all of the elements in the movie were well-established.

Without thinking too critically, the movie was purely entertaining all the way through. It would definitely be an enjoyable watch at the theater. My rating would be a 4.2 out of 5. 

Dead Man Down

MOVIE DETAILS:                                                                                                       

DIRECTOR: Niels Arden Oplev

GENRE: Action, Crime, Drama

RATED: R

CAST: Colin Farrell, Noomi Rapace, Dominic Cooper

SYNOPSIS: Victor is rising in his position as a gang member, ruled by Alphonse, with vengeance in mind. Beatrice, Victor's neighbor, discover's Victor's secret and threatens to reveal the truth unless he helps her with her own revenge. Together, they devise a life-changing revenge.

PERSONAL COMMENTARY:                                                        

This movie was quite an entertaining watch. I think it was pretty different from the normal action movie.

The best thing about the movie is the story. It starts out kind of throwing the audience right into the middle of the story, and it reveals little by little. The storyline was engaging, and I thought the cast was pretty well put together, including the supporting cast of gang members. Along with that, there was good action and a decent (and kind of expected) amount of drama. 

One thing that really got my attention in the movie that I wanted to share was the song "Eblouie par la nuit" by Zaz. It played on Beatrice's stereo in the movie and during the credits, and I fell in love with it even though I have no idea what it means. 

In sum, it was a pretty great watch. Something a little different and twisted. It would be a good movie to watch in theaters, but not exactly necessary. I would rate it a 4.1 out of 5 (an extra ".1" for the wonderful song).

Jack The Giant Slayer

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DIRECTOR: Bryan Singer

GENRE: Adventure, Drama, Fantasy

RATED: PG-13

CAST: Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor

SYNOPSIS: Jack, a farm boy, finds himself in the middle of a legendary war between humans and giants. He fights for the kingdom and the love of the princess to do whatever it takes to take down the giants.

PERSONAL COMMENTARY:   

It hasn't been long since I have seen Nicholas Hoult in his role as a zombie in "Warm Bodies." In this movie, his character does not disappoint. I think the overall cast for this movie was solid, and each character was portrayed well. 

I have always loved the fantasy genre, and I was eager to see a modern twist on classic fairy tales. It was incredibly exciting and fun to watch, and my attention was captured by every second of the movie. There was one point where I thought the movie was going to be quite predictable, but there was an interesting twist. I loved that it kept the basic concept of the fairy tale while implementing some new ideas to the plot. 

The effects and scenes were amazing. The whole movie was filmed in such a creative way; it was literally a work of art. Everything about the visuals was so artistic and fantastical. 

In sum, I extremely enjoyed watching this movie, and I think an audience of all ages would enjoy it too. It would be a great family movie, and it is worth going to the theater to watch. My inner child wants to rate this movie close to a 5 out of 5.