Spanks - 3
Director - Simon West
Writers - Richard Wenk and Lewis John Carlino
Starring - Jason Statham, Ben Foster, Tony Goldwyn and Donald Sutherland
Release Date - 28 January 2011
MPAA Rating - R
The Mechanic is the latest action film starring Jason Statham. I just found out, after seeing the film, that it is a remake of a 1972 film starring Charles Bronson. The film is about a hit man named Arthur who after a hit on his good friend Harry, must fight back against the company he works for who made the hit on Harry. Arthur takes Harry's son Steve as an apprentice after the death of his father.
From watching the trailers before seeing The Machanic, I expected the film to be a no holds bar adrenaline thrill ride like Jason Statham's other action movies like The Transporter and Crank. It does not compare. There is only two action sequences including the climax of the film. The climax that is so quick that if you blink you can miss it. The story is nothing original, and I got bored a few times waiting to see what I came to see...gun fights and stuff blowing up.
30 January 2011
04 January 2011
True Grit
Spanks - 4
Director - Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Writers - Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Starring - Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper
Release Date - 22 December 10
MPAA Rating - PG-13
True Grit is a western based on the book by Charles Portis and is also a remake of the 1969 film starring John Wayne, but follows the book more closely. The film follows teenager Mattie Ross, who goes to Fort Smith Arkansas to pick up her fathers body after he was murdered by Tom Chaney. Disobeying her mother, she sets out to personally hire a US Marshall to hunt down Tom Chaney to bring him to justice. She chooses Rooster Cogburn because she is told by the town's sheriff that he has "true grit".
The film is very much more a period specific then a lot of recent westerns in that it uses a lot of dialog that they would use in the 1870's. Mattie uses some words that I have never heard before because they are words that every day Americans don't use anymore. Hailee Steinfeld, the actor who plays Mattie, is a very talented young woman who should be a big star in the next few years.
The Coen Brothers have made an excellent film. The acting by all three stars is brilliant. Who would ever think The Dude would win Oscars 12 years later. And how did they get Matt Damon to grow that mustache?
If you are not a fan of westerns, you don't have to worry about not liking the movie. My girlfriend never wants to watch westerns with me, and she loved True Grit even more then me.
Director - Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Writers - Joel Coen & Ethan Coen
Starring - Jeff Bridges, Hailee Steinfeld, Matt Damon, Josh Brolin and Barry Pepper
Release Date - 22 December 10
MPAA Rating - PG-13
True Grit is a western based on the book by Charles Portis and is also a remake of the 1969 film starring John Wayne, but follows the book more closely. The film follows teenager Mattie Ross, who goes to Fort Smith Arkansas to pick up her fathers body after he was murdered by Tom Chaney. Disobeying her mother, she sets out to personally hire a US Marshall to hunt down Tom Chaney to bring him to justice. She chooses Rooster Cogburn because she is told by the town's sheriff that he has "true grit".
The film is very much more a period specific then a lot of recent westerns in that it uses a lot of dialog that they would use in the 1870's. Mattie uses some words that I have never heard before because they are words that every day Americans don't use anymore. Hailee Steinfeld, the actor who plays Mattie, is a very talented young woman who should be a big star in the next few years.
The Coen Brothers have made an excellent film. The acting by all three stars is brilliant. Who would ever think The Dude would win Oscars 12 years later. And how did they get Matt Damon to grow that mustache?
If you are not a fan of westerns, you don't have to worry about not liking the movie. My girlfriend never wants to watch westerns with me, and she loved True Grit even more then me.
11 December 2010
Black Swan
Spanks - 4
Director - Darren Aronofsky
Writers - Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John J. McLaughlin
Starring - Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder
Release Date - 3 December 2010
MPAA Rating - R
I went into seeing Black Swan expecting a bizarre movie with a Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis sex scene. What I got was an excellent and bizarre movie that also makes you think, with a Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis sex scene. Black Swan follows a young ballerina named Nina who is up for her big break starring as the lead in "Black Swan" after the retirement of the groups' star. Nina befriends Lily, the new girl in the company. Lily also wants the lead role but is awarded the job as Nina's understudy. The pressure, hard work, and fame gets to Nina which makes her go through a transformation of her own.
The movie has a lot of sex throughout, which could make some people uncomfortable, and it can be debated if it was needed for plot development or not. Even though it is about ballet dancers(which I have no interest in going to see), Aronofsky made a film that keeps your attention from start to finish.
The camera work for the ballet scenes are incredible. The director of photography and camera operator made the camera another dancer to put you right in the middle of the action. Clint Mansell's music fits perfectly and was one of my favorite parts of the movie.
Black Swan was made very well and the actresses do deserve the award nominations that are being predicted. I also wouldn't be surprised it the film got a nomination for best picture.
Director - Darren Aronofsky
Writers - Mark Heyman and Andres Heinz and John J. McLaughlin
Starring - Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis, Vincent Cassel, Barbara Hershey, and Winona Ryder
Release Date - 3 December 2010
MPAA Rating - R
I went into seeing Black Swan expecting a bizarre movie with a Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis sex scene. What I got was an excellent and bizarre movie that also makes you think, with a Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis sex scene. Black Swan follows a young ballerina named Nina who is up for her big break starring as the lead in "Black Swan" after the retirement of the groups' star. Nina befriends Lily, the new girl in the company. Lily also wants the lead role but is awarded the job as Nina's understudy. The pressure, hard work, and fame gets to Nina which makes her go through a transformation of her own.
The movie has a lot of sex throughout, which could make some people uncomfortable, and it can be debated if it was needed for plot development or not. Even though it is about ballet dancers(which I have no interest in going to see), Aronofsky made a film that keeps your attention from start to finish.
The camera work for the ballet scenes are incredible. The director of photography and camera operator made the camera another dancer to put you right in the middle of the action. Clint Mansell's music fits perfectly and was one of my favorite parts of the movie.
Black Swan was made very well and the actresses do deserve the award nominations that are being predicted. I also wouldn't be surprised it the film got a nomination for best picture.
30 November 2010
Faster
Spanks - 1
Director - George Tillman Jr.
Writers - Tony Gayton, Joe Gayton
Starring - Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Tom Berenger
Release Date - 24 November 2010
MPAA Rating - R
Faster is the first Dwayne Johnson action movie in six years. He should stick to comedy and children's movies if he is going to make action films like this one. In Faster, his character is jailed for robbery for ten years. Now that he is free, his only goal is to get revenge and kill everyone who was involved in the robbery that had him put in prison and his brother murdered. Billy Bob Thornton plays a drug addicted detective that is a week from retirement. There is a hitman that the bad guys hire to kill Dwayne Johnson's character. I guess killing him in prison would have been too easy.
The film is unoriginal and extremely predictable. There wasn't any part in the 98 minutes run time that I was surprised by what happened. They didn't do anything groundbreaking or original in the cinematography. It is a very generic movie.
If you want a good revenge movie just watch any of the Transporter films, Kill Bill or Taken instead.
Director - George Tillman Jr.
Writers - Tony Gayton, Joe Gayton
Starring - Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Carla Gugino, Tom Berenger
Release Date - 24 November 2010
MPAA Rating - R
Faster is the first Dwayne Johnson action movie in six years. He should stick to comedy and children's movies if he is going to make action films like this one. In Faster, his character is jailed for robbery for ten years. Now that he is free, his only goal is to get revenge and kill everyone who was involved in the robbery that had him put in prison and his brother murdered. Billy Bob Thornton plays a drug addicted detective that is a week from retirement. There is a hitman that the bad guys hire to kill Dwayne Johnson's character. I guess killing him in prison would have been too easy.
The film is unoriginal and extremely predictable. There wasn't any part in the 98 minutes run time that I was surprised by what happened. They didn't do anything groundbreaking or original in the cinematography. It is a very generic movie.
If you want a good revenge movie just watch any of the Transporter films, Kill Bill or Taken instead.
21 October 2010
RED
Spanks - 4
Director - Robert Schwentke
Writers - Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber
Starring - Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Karl Urban, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich & Helen Mirren
Release Date - 15 October 2010
MPAA Rating - PG-13
RED is the latest action comedy that is based on the DC comic of the same name. The film follows Frank Moses who is a retired CIA agent. One night his home is attacked by a group of assassins. He escapes and with the help of a group of retired CIA agents, and the girl he likes, he finds out the conspiracy he was dragged into and sets out to clear his name.
RED is an extremely funny movie. You will be laughing through out the entire film. John Malkovich's character Marvin makes you laugh the whole time he is on screen. This is definitely the film to see to just laugh your ass off.
The only down side of the film is it is very predictable. It follows a very generic action movie formula, but since the movie is meant to be funny this is easy to overlook.
Director - Robert Schwentke
Writers - Jon Hoeber & Erich Hoeber
Starring - Bruce Willis, Mary-Louise Parker, Karl Urban, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich & Helen Mirren
Release Date - 15 October 2010
MPAA Rating - PG-13
RED is the latest action comedy that is based on the DC comic of the same name. The film follows Frank Moses who is a retired CIA agent. One night his home is attacked by a group of assassins. He escapes and with the help of a group of retired CIA agents, and the girl he likes, he finds out the conspiracy he was dragged into and sets out to clear his name.
RED is an extremely funny movie. You will be laughing through out the entire film. John Malkovich's character Marvin makes you laugh the whole time he is on screen. This is definitely the film to see to just laugh your ass off.
The only down side of the film is it is very predictable. It follows a very generic action movie formula, but since the movie is meant to be funny this is easy to overlook.
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