Shutter, Crazy, Alice Movie Reviews

In the past I usually get super excited to write about movies I've recently seen. However, over the last few months things have been kind of hectic and I sadly have not been inspired to write about anything let alone the movies I've seen - my writing bug went missing. But thankfully I found it. YAY! So with that being said, here are my thoughts on the last few movies I've seen in theaters.

Shutter Island

When I read this book by Dennis Lehane last fall, I could not put it down. I simply loved it! Martin Scorsese did an outstanding job directing this film. He followed the book so well without suffocating it to death. And his vision of certain scenes in the book translated on film perfectly with my vision. That doesn't happen very often. The movie was dark and gray throughout without giving us this washout, dull look. My favorite actor, Leonardo DiCaprio did an amazing job portraying the main character, Federal Marshal Teddy Daniels. The movie was thrilling, intense and it pretty much had you guessing how it would end throughout. However, being that I already read the book there were unfortunately no surprises for me, so with that being said, I felt the book was more fun for me than the movie. I had some friends complain it was a bit long, but I felt it was just perfect. I loved this movie! It's definitely a "Must See."

RATING: A-

The Crazies

I wasn't planning on seeing this movie, but a friend of mine and I were already downtown and we had some time to kill. This movie definitely had some appealed, but wasn't worth paying full price - most movies aren't these days. It stars one of my favorite actresses, Danielle Panabaker, which was definitely one of the main appeal factors. I love her and will pretty much see anything she's in. She's a really talented actress. I just wish she was in more movies. Timothy Olyphant played the main character as Sheriff David Dutton and I thought he did a pretty good job in the lead role. This movie was dark and gory and pretty much met all of my low expectations. However, I didn't think it was that scary. The trailer was definitely deceiving in that regard. I was a little disappointed by that. I love a good scary movie. Anyway, it wasn't necessarily a horrible movie or a complete waste of time. The plot was pretty decent and I was entertained the whole time. It does however, leave you with a lot of unanswered questions and there were a few loop-holes as well. It was just an average movie and a renter at best.

RATING: C-

Alice in Wonderland

I had every intention of seeing this movie opening night. I'm a huge Tim Burton and Johnny Depp fan. However, life got in the way and I'm thankful for that, because I think I may have been a little let down had I seen it opening night with my high expectations. Most of my friends saw it before me and were disappointed with it. After hearing their thoughts, my expectations shrank lower and lower. When this happens I usually end up loving the movie. Well I didn't end up loving it, but I did find it quite enjoyable. Mia Wasikowska is such a doll. I love her! She did a great job portraying Alice. I loved her character so much! All the characters were so lovable, especially Tweedledee & Tweedledum. Helena Bonham Carter is so great in these villainous roles. She did a wonderful job portraying the evil Red Queen. The plot was a little weak I thought and I wasn't a fan of Johnny Depp's lisp. His make-up was amazing though. The scenery was incredibly beautiful and visually striking. In the end I really loved the underlining message the most - you are in charge of your own life and what path you choose is always up to you. All in all I really liked this movie. It's definitely worth seeing in theaters.

RATING: B

What did you think of these movies?

First Full Trailer for Nimrod Antal's Predators!

Source: IGN

20th Century Fox has debuted the first official trailer for Robert Rodriguez & Nimród Antal's Predators - the reboot of the classic action series that first hit theaters in 1987. I grew up on this movie. My dad and three older brothers were huge fans, so of course I become a huge fan as well. The first film was pretty bad-ass. I loved it! My dad took me to see the second one in theaters and I remember thinking it was really stupid... um, maybe that's because it was. I had my reservations when I first learned they were rebooting this series and there were a lot of concerns that Rodriguez couldn't pull this off, but I definitely think he might have done just that, as this looks awesome. I'm now looking forward to seeing it this summer. I love the characters, I love the jungle setting, and I love Laurence Fishburne and Adrien Brody - so bring it on!

Predators is being directed by Nimród Antal, of Kontroll, Vacancy, and Armored previously. The screenplay was co-written by newcomers Michael Finch and Alex Litvak and is based on early draft written years ago by producer Robert Rodriguez, who also worked with them on the script. This is a reboot of the Predator series created by Jim & John Thomas and directed by John McTiernan in 1987. We're not sure what the actual plot is, but all we need to know is that it's about a bunch of bad-ass elite warriors who fight a bunch of predators out in the jungle. 20th Century Fox is bringing Predators to theaters everywhere on July 7th.

Will you be catching this movie in theaters?

Vampires Suck

Source: YouTube & SlashFilm

Oh great, another vampire movie. That's all we need, right? However, this vampire rock 'n roll musical comedy, titled Suck, looks pretty damn funny and could end up being a cult movie classic. It's already been played at a couple film festivals and has been getting pretty positive reviews. There are feature appearances by Alice Cooper, Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins, and Moby, as well as other rockers. That beauty with the killer vampire eyes above is Canadian actress Jessica Paré, also seen in Hot Tub Time Machine. Check it out!

Suck is a rock vampire comedy about a group of musical wannabees in search of immortality and a record deal. Rock band The Winners have sunk so low, they'll do anything to make it big. After meeting a vampire they rocket to stardom only to discover that fame and fortune are not all that they’re cracked up to be.

Suck is both written and directed by Canadian actor-turned-filmmaker Rob Stefaniuk, of only the Canadian film Phil the Alien previously. This first premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last year and is also playing at the SXSW Film Festival. Suck still doesn't have a US distributor, so we're not sure when it'll be arriving in theaters. However, we'll keep you in the loop.

Let me know what you think...

What's Up Doc?

Of course I've always loved watching them in the past (Blue Planet, Planet Earth, Shark Week etc.), but for some reason, over the last month or so, I've been extremely interested in them. It seems I've been watching them pretty regularly now. I was channel surfing one day and happened upon this documentary called The History of Plastic. It was really fascinating and quite informative. I realized how much I didn't know and/or took for granted. It was very educational. I loved it! It was from there that spawned the re-birth of my documentary watching phase. Soon after that some friends and I rented Food Inc. which I also LOVED! From there I started checking out more and more films like The History of the Egg, American Teen, Blue Gold: World Water Wars and The History of the Plague - all really good, informative and well done documentaries. I recommend checking them out. Below are just a few, on my long list of documentaries, I'd like to check out. Some have already been released, while others will be later this year. (Click on links to learn more)

Flow: For Love of Water





The September Issue





Waiting for Superman





The Art of the Steal





Océans

What documentaries do you recommend I check out?

Too Intense To Re-Watch

One of the many reasons film is so fascinating is they have the capability to bring out so many different kinds of emotions in us. There are so many excellent films that can easily make us laugh, cry and reflect. They can scare us, make us edgy, disturb us, make us angry, sad and/or happy. Movies can also be entertaining enough that we find ourselves watching the same one again and again. However, there are a few movies that are much too intense to view more than once. This is what I'd like to focus your attention on. These movies usually tend to touch base on sensitive topics. They are definitely worth watching once, however after that the need to re-watch them any time soon, or ever again for that matter, is undesired. And on many occasions these powerful, intense movies win Oscars. To prove my point, I have made a list of the top 5 films I consider to be amazing and extremely well done, yet "Too Intense to Re-Watch."

Sybil (1976)

Monster (2003)

Schindler's List (1993)

Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire (2009)

Boys Don't Cry (1999)

What are some movies that make your
"Too Intense to Re-Watch" list?

A Total *Eclipse* of the Heart

Bring on the barf bags, because here we go again. (rolls eyes) The only reason I'm posting this trailer is because I loved the book so so much. Eclipse was definitely my favorite in the saga. I just hate, HATE how they ruin the movies. They make me want to vomit! With that being said, I'll most likely see it anyway, just because I'm a huge fan of the love story/books.

This teaser/trailer for "Eclipse," is the third movie in the Twilight Saga, based on the books by Stephenie Meyer. This time Bella must choose between Edward the vampire and Jacob the werewolf. Reprising their roles are Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan, Robert Pattinson as Edward Cullen, and Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black. Also starring Anna Kendrick, Ashley Grene, and Peter Facinelli. In theaters June 30, 2010.

What do you think?

Final Full-Length Trailer for Robin Hood!

Source: Yahoo

"Rise and rise again until lambs become lions."

I remember seeing the first teaser/trailer back in December and thinking, this is pretty much Gladiator set in a different time. However after seeing this final full-length trailer it definitely changed my mind. Sure it has kind of the same feel, given that it's a period piece, directed by Ridley Scott and staring Russell Crowe, but it still looks pretty bad-ass. We finally get more of the story from this trailer and we definitely get to see more Robin Hood-specific action, which looks really awesome. I'm excited for this - I love seeing Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe work together.

You can also watch the new trailer for Robin Hood in High Definition on Yahoo.

Follows Robin (Russell Crowe) from his early days in King Richard's army to his return to Nottingham to his creation of a band of mercenaries who challenge the sheriff and eventually try to prevent civil war.

Robin Hood is directed by British Oscar filmmaker Ridley Scott, of many classics like Alien, Blade Runner, Black Rain, G.I. Jane, Gladiator, Hannibal, Black Hawk Down, American Gangster, and many more. The script is written by Oscar winner Brian Helgeland, of L.A. Confidential, Conspiracy Theory, Mystic River, Man on Fire, Green Zone, and more. Universal Studios is bringing Robin Hood to theaters May 14th.

Look any good?

Oscars 2010

I'm not going to lie, I wasn't all that excited about the Academy Awards this year, which of course is a little unusual for me. With that being said, I was going to forgo throwing an Oscar party, however at the last minute I changed my mind. I'm glad I did, because this year my party was so much fun! We all really go into it. We drank, ate and laughed the whole time. It was definitely one of my favorite Oscars parties yet!

Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin co-hosted the show and in my opinion, they did a pretty good job. However, over all, it was a little blah. They weren't given enough stage time. I wanted more from them - more jokes, more excitement... I just wanted more. I will say I was a little disappointed Inglourious Basterds didn't win Best Picture. I guess Hollywood isn't ready for that kind of edginess yet. But I am happy we made Oscar history by awarding Best Director to the FIRST female ever - Kathryn Bigelow. And how awesome was it that she was up against her ex-husband, James Cameron. You go girl!

*BEST PICTURE*

**First female win for BEST DIRECTOR**

*BEST ACTOR*

Jeff Bridges & Sandra Bullock


*BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR*

Mo'Nique & Christoph Waltz

Now I knew these four actors were going to win this year, so I wasn't really surprised by their win. Come to think of it there really weren't any surprises at all this year. Like I said, it was just a blah Oscar night. Nothing really stood out or made me laugh really hard, I'm mean difficult, I mean hard. I was sad Fantastic Mr. Fox didn't win for Best Animated Movie. I loved that movie and it definitely deserved an Oscar. I was happy to see Up win for Best Score though. There were a lot of really good ones this year, so it was a toss up for me. But I think they made the right choice by awarding Up. The musical score has a timeless, joyous feel to it. It's beautiful and sweet. It just makes me happy and hopeful.

On to Fashion...

One of the best parts about Oscar Night are the dresses and jewelery, what's hot and what's not. The fashion this night is almost just as important as the movies themselves. Here are my picks for Best and Worst Dressed.

*Best*

Mariska Hargitay

When I saw her step onto the red carpet in this black strapless Vera Wang gown that's anything but basic, I knew this would be my favorite dress of the evening. Check out all the details, especially at the bottom. I really like the bow tied to the side as well. I thought this dress was extremely flattering and absolutely stunning. Her hair was done up beautifully and the gorgeous tiered diamond necklace and diamond bracelet added further luxe to her already dazzling look.

*Worst*

Kate Winslet

This Yves Saint Laurent dress was absolutely boooooriiiiiiing. I can’t understand why it made so many best dressed lists. Don’t get me wrong I love Kate Winslet, she looked stunning from the neck up, but in my opinion she always plays it much too safe with her dress choices. The color of this dress was dull, the texture was even worse and the shape is super unflattering. It was just blah, blah, blah-ful.

There you have it, my take on the Oscars this year. If anything it was my Oscar party that made watching the Oscars so much fun. I hope next year they spice the show up a bit, like they've done in past years. Anyway, I'm excited for what Hollywood has in store for us this year. All good things I hope. See ya at the movies!

Oscar Thank You Speeches Montage Video

Source: Vulture

Ah yes, the infamous thank you speech. A very important part of the Academy Awards legacy, wouldn't you agree? This year the producers of the Oscars are trying to get winners to minimize the length of their speeches so that they can keep the show from getting too long and boring. But if you ask me they've been trying to do that for years and years.haha Good luck. Anyway, before we see this year's thank yous, I've got a fun video to share with you this Oscar weekend. It comes from Vulture (via In Contention) and is a "Hypnotic Montage of Oscar Thank-Yous" that, in 73 seconds, runs through a whole bunch of thank you speeches, but only just the names. This should definitely put you in the Oscar mood!

The Academy Awards ceremony begins Sunday (5PM PT / 8PM ET). I look forward to seeing who will go home with a golden Oscar and who will leave empty handed. I really think/hope Inglourious Basterds will win Best Picture, even though everyone else is saying The Hurt Locker will take it. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Must Watch: A Nightmare on Elm Street Final Trailer

Source: MySpace

Warner Bros has debuted the final trailer for Platinum Dunes' A Nightmare on Elm Street remake starring Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy Krueger as well as Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner, Kellan Lutz, Thomas Dekker and Clancy Brown. The first Teaser Trailer for A Nightmare on Elm Street debuted last September, so we haven't seen anything new for a while, and it's great to see a really well put together trailer like this one. I'm not a die hard Nightmare on Elm Street fan, but I do enjoy a good scary movie and I can say the look of this new one looks fantastic. Now even though Johnny Depp isn't in this remake (like he was in the 1984 original), I'm definitely interested in checking it out.

Watch the final theatrical trailer for Samuel Bayer's A Nightmare on Elm Street:

You can also watch the final A Nightmare on Elm Street trailer in High Definition on MySpace

A new reimagining of the horror icon Freddy Krueger, a serial-killer who wields a glove with four blades embedded in the fingers and kills people inside their dreams, resulting in their real death in reality, too.

A Nightmare on Elm Street is directed by first-time filmmaker Samuel Bayer, who got his start directing commercials. The screenplay was co-written by Eric Heisserer and Wesley Strick (The Saint, Doom). This is a remake of Wes Craven's original Nightmare on Elm Street horror classic from 1984. New Line / Warner Brothers is bringing A Nightmare on Elm Street to theaters on April 30th.

Will you be seeing this movie?