Spanks - 4
Director - Jon Favreau
Writers - Justin Theroux
Starring - Robert Downey Jr., Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sam Rockwell, Mickey Rourke, Samuel L. Jackson & Garry Shandling
Release Date - 7 May 2010
MPAA Rating - PG-13
Iron Man 2 is the third movie produced by Marvel Comics based on the universe they created in comic books adapted for the big screen (Thor and Captain America are in production for release next summer). The film takes place about six months after the first film and is about the repercussions of Tony Stark creating and becoming Iron Man. Tony has problems with the US military who want the suits for their soldiers. Problems running his company that is now in the business of peace instead of creating weapons. A poor disgruntled Russian man, Ivan Vanko, who wants to kill Tony because their fathers worked together and his was deported and the Stark’s got rich. And to top it all off, Tony is dying.
Robert Downey Jr. continues to portray Tony Stark perfectly. Mickey Rourke plays such a convincing Russian that you would think he was from Russia and not New York. Don Cheadle fits the role of assistant/sidekick/friend Colonel Rhoades better then Terrance Howard did in the first film. Howard was replaced because of salary issues. Cheadle looks more tough and military like then the former.
The film doesn’t one up itself from the original like some recent sequels like The Dark Knight or X2. I’m not saying it’s a bad movie, just when you compare the two the first is better. The film has less action overall then the first one, but the final action scene verses Whiplash is better then the final battle with Ironmonger. Whiplash was a much more bad ass villain too, and you can never go wrong with adding Scarlett Johansson kicking ass as the Black Widow.
Iron Man 2 is a true summer film, It is full of fun, edge of your seat excitement, things blowing up, beautiful women, laughs, and fighting. All the things needed and wanted in the opening weeks of the summer at the cinema. It is a movie that will not disappoint you.
09 May 2010
18 April 2010
Kick-Ass
Spanks - 5
Director - Matthew Vaughn
Writers - Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn
Starring - Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Lyndsy Fonseca, Nicolas Cage & Chloe Grace Moretz
Release Date - 16 April 2010
MPAA Rating - R
Kick-Ass is the first superhero/comic book movie to be released this summer movie season. However, Kick-Ass is not your typical superhero film. Most superhero and/or comic book movies are rated PG-13 or even sometimes PG and Kick-Ass is rated R. Like any superhero movie, it isn't to be taken seriously.
The film is based on comic written by Mark Millar and is set in a world without superheroes. Dave Lizewski, a normal New York City teenager who hangs out reading comic books has always wondered why nobody has ever become a superhero. He makes a costume, makes a MySpace page and sets out to save New Yorkers and calls himself Kick-Ass. When Kick-Ass tries to help his school crush by telling a drug dealer to leave her alone he meets Hit-Girl and watches her kill all the "bad guys" in the apartment, and gets pulled into something way over his head.
There is a lot of controversy going around about the large amount of violence, gore, the bad language and Hit-Girl. Unlike Batman or Iron Man, the violence is not toned down and is very bloody. Every major character "curses like a sailor". The biggest of them all is the character of Hit Girl played by Chloe Grace Moretz. This is because of the language she uses (words like the ones that rhyme with sock and hunt) and the gratuitous violence (guns, knives, swords fights) and body count that her character racks up (I lost count at 6 and that was in Hit-Girls first scene) because she was 13 years old at the world premiere.
If you are not a fan of violence or bad language, this movie is not for you (go see Date Night instead). Controversy aside, since people just love to complain at everything on TV and on the silver screen, the film is funny, entertaining, and action packed. It is everything you can ask for in a superhero movie and Matthew Vaughn has done it better then most. Just remember, as Chloe Grace Moretz said "It's a movie and it’s not real"
Director - Matthew Vaughn
Writers - Jane Goldman & Matthew Vaughn
Starring - Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Mark Strong, Lyndsy Fonseca, Nicolas Cage & Chloe Grace Moretz
Release Date - 16 April 2010
MPAA Rating - R
Kick-Ass is the first superhero/comic book movie to be released this summer movie season. However, Kick-Ass is not your typical superhero film. Most superhero and/or comic book movies are rated PG-13 or even sometimes PG and Kick-Ass is rated R. Like any superhero movie, it isn't to be taken seriously.
The film is based on comic written by Mark Millar and is set in a world without superheroes. Dave Lizewski, a normal New York City teenager who hangs out reading comic books has always wondered why nobody has ever become a superhero. He makes a costume, makes a MySpace page and sets out to save New Yorkers and calls himself Kick-Ass. When Kick-Ass tries to help his school crush by telling a drug dealer to leave her alone he meets Hit-Girl and watches her kill all the "bad guys" in the apartment, and gets pulled into something way over his head.
There is a lot of controversy going around about the large amount of violence, gore, the bad language and Hit-Girl. Unlike Batman or Iron Man, the violence is not toned down and is very bloody. Every major character "curses like a sailor". The biggest of them all is the character of Hit Girl played by Chloe Grace Moretz. This is because of the language she uses (words like the ones that rhyme with sock and hunt) and the gratuitous violence (guns, knives, swords fights) and body count that her character racks up (I lost count at 6 and that was in Hit-Girls first scene) because she was 13 years old at the world premiere.
If you are not a fan of violence or bad language, this movie is not for you (go see Date Night instead). Controversy aside, since people just love to complain at everything on TV and on the silver screen, the film is funny, entertaining, and action packed. It is everything you can ask for in a superhero movie and Matthew Vaughn has done it better then most. Just remember, as Chloe Grace Moretz said "It's a movie and it’s not real"
07 March 2010
The Wolfman
Spanks - 2
Director - Joe Johnston
Writer - Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self
Starring - Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Geraldine Chaplin, and Hugo Weaving
Release Date - 12 February 2010
MPAA Rating - R
The Wolfman is Universal Studios latest remake of their classic monster movie franchises. The film follows English actor Lawrence Talbot who returns home to Blackmoor England, after being sent to the United States when he was younger, after a letter arrives that his brother was missing. After finding his brother's body ripped apart he investigates what killed him. During the investigation he is attacked and bitten in the neck by a wolf, which causes him to change on the full moon.
The film has its highs and lows. Unfortunately, the highs only occur when there is a werewolf on screen. The non-lycan part of the film is very boring, which sadly used more film stock than the werewolf parts. One is not seen until about a half hour into the movie. Once the wolf shows up, it gets violent and sometimes brutal, and many people, some of whom are innocent, are torn to pieces.
Director - Joe Johnston
Writer - Andrew Kevin Walker and David Self
Starring - Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt, Geraldine Chaplin, and Hugo Weaving
Release Date - 12 February 2010
MPAA Rating - R
The Wolfman is Universal Studios latest remake of their classic monster movie franchises. The film follows English actor Lawrence Talbot who returns home to Blackmoor England, after being sent to the United States when he was younger, after a letter arrives that his brother was missing. After finding his brother's body ripped apart he investigates what killed him. During the investigation he is attacked and bitten in the neck by a wolf, which causes him to change on the full moon.
The film has its highs and lows. Unfortunately, the highs only occur when there is a werewolf on screen. The non-lycan part of the film is very boring, which sadly used more film stock than the werewolf parts. One is not seen until about a half hour into the movie. Once the wolf shows up, it gets violent and sometimes brutal, and many people, some of whom are innocent, are torn to pieces.
28 February 2010
Cop Out
Spanks - 4
Director - Kevin Smith
Writer - Robb Cullen & Mark Cullen
Starring - Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Kevin Pollak, Adam Brody, Guillermo Díaz, Seann William Scott & Ana de la Reguera
Release Date - 26 February 2010
MPAA Rating - R
Cop Out is the latest film from New Jersey native Kevin Smith, and it is his first that he did not write himself. The only connection to Smith's View Askewniverse is that Jason Lee plays a very small roll, so don't expect to see Jay and Silent Bob anywhere.
The film is about two detectives who have been partners for nine years. Paul (Tracy Morgan) thinks his wife is cheating on him and Jimmy (Bruce Willis)has his daughter's wedding coming up. To pay for the wedding Jimmy plans on selling his mint condition 1952 baseball card of Andy Pafko. At the baseball card shop, Dave (Seann William Scott) robs the place, tasers Jimmy and steals his card. Paul and Jimmy use their knowledge from nine years on the force to get back his baseball card and find out if Paul's wife is cheating on him.
Cop Out is the second funniest cop movie of the 2000's behind Hot Fuzz. The theater was full and everyone was laughing from beginning to end. Tracy Morgan is as hysterical as always. Bruce Willis is a funny John McClain. Seann William Scott continues to make me laugh even though Stiffler was annoying and not funny at all.
The plot isn't anything original and great, but it is a fun buddy cop movie. The type that we have not seen since the 80's and early 90's. The score reminded me of the scores from all the classic '80s cop movies, and is scored by the guy who scored Beverly Hills Cop. Go see this movie to just laugh.
Director - Kevin Smith
Writer - Robb Cullen & Mark Cullen
Starring - Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Kevin Pollak, Adam Brody, Guillermo Díaz, Seann William Scott & Ana de la Reguera
Release Date - 26 February 2010
MPAA Rating - R
Cop Out is the latest film from New Jersey native Kevin Smith, and it is his first that he did not write himself. The only connection to Smith's View Askewniverse is that Jason Lee plays a very small roll, so don't expect to see Jay and Silent Bob anywhere.
The film is about two detectives who have been partners for nine years. Paul (Tracy Morgan) thinks his wife is cheating on him and Jimmy (Bruce Willis)has his daughter's wedding coming up. To pay for the wedding Jimmy plans on selling his mint condition 1952 baseball card of Andy Pafko. At the baseball card shop, Dave (Seann William Scott) robs the place, tasers Jimmy and steals his card. Paul and Jimmy use their knowledge from nine years on the force to get back his baseball card and find out if Paul's wife is cheating on him.
Cop Out is the second funniest cop movie of the 2000's behind Hot Fuzz. The theater was full and everyone was laughing from beginning to end. Tracy Morgan is as hysterical as always. Bruce Willis is a funny John McClain. Seann William Scott continues to make me laugh even though Stiffler was annoying and not funny at all.
The plot isn't anything original and great, but it is a fun buddy cop movie. The type that we have not seen since the 80's and early 90's. The score reminded me of the scores from all the classic '80s cop movies, and is scored by the guy who scored Beverly Hills Cop. Go see this movie to just laugh.
22 February 2010
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief
Spanks - 4
Director - Chris Columbus
Writer - Craig Titley
Starring - Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson and Alexandra Daddario
Release Date - 12 February 2010
MPAA Rating - PG
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is based on the book of the same name written by Rick Riordan. The story follows Percy Jackson who is a regular teenager living in New York City who finds out he is the son of Poseidon, the God of the Sea. Percy finds out who he is, because he is attacked by a fury disguised as a substitute teacher on a field trip who wants him to give her the stolen lightning bolt of Zeus. Another of his teachers is Chiron in disguise who tells him who he is and that the Gods will start a war in 14 days if the lightning bolt isn't returned to Zeus. Percy and two of his friends set out to find the stolen bolt and save humanity from the gods war.
The film is great the whole family can enjoy. There was never a time where I was bored or thought it was too childlike. It wasn't as predictable as most family movies I have seen and reviewed either. Creatures from Greek Mythology are all over the movie and could be a good way to introduce your children to these stories and gets your reacquainted with them.
There is one part of the movie that was so bad it was funny when it happened, but in the end it made a little bit of sense. This is the part in Las Vegas. The song used in this sequence is Poker Face by Lady Gaga. It is so out of context in the film, that if you hear all the lyrics of the song, which adds cheeseyness of it. This is the only complaint I have about the film. I see the books 4 sequels (so far) being made in the coming years.
Director - Chris Columbus
Writer - Craig Titley
Starring - Logan Lerman, Brandon T. Jackson and Alexandra Daddario
Release Date - 12 February 2010
MPAA Rating - PG
Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief is based on the book of the same name written by Rick Riordan. The story follows Percy Jackson who is a regular teenager living in New York City who finds out he is the son of Poseidon, the God of the Sea. Percy finds out who he is, because he is attacked by a fury disguised as a substitute teacher on a field trip who wants him to give her the stolen lightning bolt of Zeus. Another of his teachers is Chiron in disguise who tells him who he is and that the Gods will start a war in 14 days if the lightning bolt isn't returned to Zeus. Percy and two of his friends set out to find the stolen bolt and save humanity from the gods war.
The film is great the whole family can enjoy. There was never a time where I was bored or thought it was too childlike. It wasn't as predictable as most family movies I have seen and reviewed either. Creatures from Greek Mythology are all over the movie and could be a good way to introduce your children to these stories and gets your reacquainted with them.
There is one part of the movie that was so bad it was funny when it happened, but in the end it made a little bit of sense. This is the part in Las Vegas. The song used in this sequence is Poker Face by Lady Gaga. It is so out of context in the film, that if you hear all the lyrics of the song, which adds cheeseyness of it. This is the only complaint I have about the film. I see the books 4 sequels (so far) being made in the coming years.
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