Movies of June

Must Watch:
 Prometheus: This is the only movie that is guaranteed to be good. Ridley Scott is a great director and his talent is evident in the movies in American Gangster and Black Hawk Down. The list of talented actors and actresses like Guy Pierce, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Noomi Rapace, and Idris Elba is promising as well. Add 130 million dollar budget and a proven, yet interesting premise, and we have a great movie.

Maybe:
Magic Mike: Must watch for couples ONLY. Channing  Tatum is slowly becoming the king of chick flicks, whether he knows it or not: The Vow, Dear John, and Step Up. Add the talented director, Steven Soderbergh, and we have a good insurance. The script looks very witty and funny. However, the presence of unproven actors and Matthew McConaughey worries me. The five million dollar budget also scares me too. I truly hope this film succeeds.

That's My Boy: I really want this movie to succeed, but the premise looks B-movie-ish and over exaggerated. I love both the main characters Andy Samberg and Adam Sandler, but there are problems. Andy Samberg is unproven in carrying a movie and Adam Sandler has a streak of bad movies now: Jack and Jill, Grown Ups, and Just Go With It. Add a pair of terrible directors guiding this movie, and this movie is almost destined for failure.

G.I. Joe: Looking for just action and no substance: This is your movie. The action sequences rivals that of  established action films like Avatar. However, the quality of the actors besides Bruce Willis still scare me to a degree, but it's an action film-so it doesn't matter.

Avoid Like It The Plague:
Snow White and the Huntsman: The main two actors of the film : Chris Hemsworth and Kristen Stewart make me want to cringe. Chris Hemsworth has not proven to anyone he can act well. By the way, swinging a hammer around is not acting. Also, Kristen Stewart's role in Twilight has convinced me she cannot act. What troubles me the most is that this movie is the director's, Rupert Sanders, first big movie. These three big reasons are enough to make me look elsewhere for a movie. By the way, do NOT get sucked in by Charlize Theron. Her career may be back, but this film will not get her awards.

Madagascar 3: I did not even know there was a second movie let alone a third. The first movie was atrocious and terrible. Please do not watch this movie, and don't be fooled by the advertising: it is not Toy Story 3.

Proceed at your own risk (These are movies that cannot be rated without prior watching)
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Slayer: This can be really good or really bad.

Brave: The premise looks uninteresting and cheesy, but it's Pixar. Their track record is nearly flawless (Cars 1 and 2 made me cringe).

Battlefield America: Another dance movie.....great.

Rock of Ages: Another Broadway hit turned movie.... I really do not know want to think of this.

Movies of May

Please Watch:

Marvel's Avengers:  A list cast with a terrific director, 200 plus million dollar budget, and one of the best comics ever to provide a solid plot. Avengers is truly to big to fail.

Moonrise Kingdom: This movie has sadly gone off the radar to most people. However, after doing some research, this film has the makings of being one the best indie films of all time. Look at the cast: Ed Norton, Bill Murray, and Bruce Willis. This cast assures us of great movie with a solid plot. Also, look at the director, Wes Anderson. His influence will be the difference maker. Watch this movie.

Men in Black Three: Rumors that Will Smith is gay might be true. The fact that he hangs with a gay group(Church of Scientology) doesn't help. The Church of Scientology caters to many gay A-listers such as Tom Cruise and John Travolta. BUT, I do not care. Men in Black Three looks to be extremely interesting. With a fresh new plot and the addition of great actors, this film might be the best of May

Not sure.....

Dark Shadows: Tim Burton and Johnny Depp make one of the best actor-director duos of all time. However, after watching numerous trailers and  reading reviews, Dark Shadows seems like a replica of the disappointing Sweeney Todd. High risk, High reward. 

The Dictator: Sacha Baron Cohen has always been a hilarious comedian who has had numerous success: Borat, Talladega Nights. However, Bruno has made me more cautioned toward his films. The presence of Anna Faris, a noted actress whose knack of finding terrible movies to star is top-rate, does not console me. Watch at your own risk.

Please Do Not Watch:

Battleship: Battleship has the makings of a wannabe terrible copy of Transformers... However, Transformers is already a terrible movie than is  somewhat endurable to watch. The cast of B-list actors whose major career is not acting is troubling (Taylor Kitsch, Rihanna , Brooklyn Decker). Trust me. This has all the makings of a terrible blockbuster with even less substance than Transformers, if that is possible.

Reservoir Dogs: Great or Just Glorious Gore and Debauchery

MR. PINK: I don't believe in it. NICE GUY EDDIE: You don't believe in tipping? MR. WHITE: I love this kid, he's a madman, this guy.

      These first few lines from the opening scene of Reservoir Dogs combined with men sporting black suits and matching skinny ties illustrate the type of movie the audience is watching; a brutal crime movie coupled with humor that would only come from the mind of Quentin Tarantino. This movie is in my opinion the best film Tarantino has ever written/directed/starred in. The main reason for why it his best because the cast, plot, unorthodox film sequencing, humor, and creativity is combined in such a fashion that propelled his name to greatness. Year after year, Tarantino's film's has become increasingly more mainstream, which is seen in disappearance of certain elements of style in his recent films such as the use of drugs. However, this film illustrates why Tarantino is so great: plot and cast.

       Most of Tarantino's plots run on the same thread: betrayal, violence, vengeance, and events going wry. However, somehow Tarantino somehow makes them all unique. Reservoir Dogs' plot keeps the audience captivated throughout the entire movie due to the unorthodox nonlinear story telling. With certain scenes placed next to each other, such as the coffee shop scene and Mr.Orange's car scene, the audience is thrilled and excited for the events that are about to enfold. In comparison, the way in which Tarantino's plot twists enfolds are also superb. It slowly happens and causes the audience to be shocked at the scenes such as the three way duel between Mr. White, Joe , and Nice Guy Eddie. Lastly, the humor in this film is amazing. Critics call it vulgar and crude, but I call it hilarious and fitting for our time. the wittiness of each line provides quick and sometimes much needed comic relief. Tarantino's plot devices of plot twists, humor, nonlinear story telling is superb and is best represented with this film.

     The movie has one of the best casts imaginable, led by the legendary, but old crime boss Joe(Lawrence Tierny). Tierny has been in and out of jail both on the screen and in real life, which greatly helped him play his character. He is incapable of uttering a syllable that sounds inauthentic. Tierney plays Joe Cabot, an experienced criminal who has assembled a team of crooks for a big diamond heist. The rest of the team are poised, smooth, and delivered great performances especially Tim Roth(Mr. Orange) and Harvey Keital (Mr. White). The key elements of their performances that stood out was Roth's perfect portrayal as a man in pain, and Keital's look of anguish when he discovered he killed his old friend for an undercover cop. Both parts truly convinced the audience of their pain, thus proving their ability as actors. Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs cast is truly spectacular in all aspects.

      Truly, Reservoir Dogs is best representation of the Tarantino's ability as a actor, director, and writer.

Ip Man: The last great martial arts film

Ip man truly epitomizes the martial arts genre and arguably revived it. There were three things that truly illustrates the brilliance of the film. The acting, plot, and fight sequences truly were the greatest aspects of the film. Other aspects of the film that was of note was the editing and the scoring. Even though this film was one of the best martial arts movie since the Bruce Lee era, it contained a few faults, but two of them really stood out. The two main flaws of the film were the Chinese propaganda rampant throughout the film and Ip Man's invincibility. For a martial arts movie Ip Man had surprisingly good acting performances. Donnie Yen excellently portrayed a humble, caring,  yet powerful martial arts master(Ip man). His facial expressions demonstrated raw emotions that immediately connected with the audience. Yen was also able to emit a reserved, calm aura that enhanced the character of Ip man. The supporting cast also gave captivating performances. Hiroyuki Ikeuchi who portrayed the character of General Miura delivered a convincing portrayal of a Japanese office who respected strength. He was able to emit a very forceful and commanding atmosphere that seemed fitting for a Japanese general. Even the extras played their roles perfectly. The extras were able to recreate the atmosphere that occupied China. One could feel the dominating attitude of the Japanese military and the resistant fire that burned in every Chinese man's heart. Overall, the film was filled with exemplary acting. The film  exhibited an excellent plot, which in comparison to it's acting is surprising. Most martial arts movies have the same formula for plot. In this formula includes such plot like a rescue and  revenge themes. However, Ip Man also use this formula and added a rich storyline to it. The film's plot was especially good because it did not overly use fight sequences, and centered the movie around fighting. The movie's plot was able to follow Ip Man's life and how he resisted the might of the Japanese empire and their army. Ip Man's plot was fresh and original.  

 In contrast to most martial arts movies, Ip Man had spectacular and surprisingly real fight sequences. The fight sequences truly displayed martial arts and it's real life applications. In addition, the fight sequences were natural and was not forced which is a quality which most martial arts movies lack. In my opinion the best fight sequences took place when Ip Man showed his emotions. Thus, his best fights were against the Japanese general and martial arts practitioners. The fight sequences in this movie truly separates Ip Man from the rest of the movies in the martial arts genre. Even though the movie was great, it still exhibited a few flaws, which was the invincibility of Ip man and the Chinese propaganda. Sadly Ip Man fell into the category of martial arts movies that make the main characters seemingly invincible and impervious to enemies' attacks. Even in his toughest battle against general Miura he was barely scratched. The most damage Ip Man took was against a bullet which is disappointing in a film such as Ip Man. Secondly, the movie's most irritating feature was it's propaganda against the Japanese. Every scene in which Japanese soldiers were depicted they committed horrible actions which made the audience hate them. They made the primary villains in the movie one dimensional which is disappointing. These two attributes of the film is what truly keeps Ip Man from being one of the best martial arts movie of all tim . Ip Man was an astounding movie however it was compromised because of it's two flaws. It's magnificent plot, acting, and fighting sequences is what truly distinguishes it from the other martial arts movies. However, it's flaws of Ip Man's invincibility and Chinese propaganda tarnishes it's greatness. Ip man was a great movie, but it's flaws tarnishes it's chances if being considered as one of the greatest martial arts films.

Singing in the Rain: Purely Magical

Singin’ in the Rain is widely considered as one of the greatest Hollywood musicals of all time. The film did a great job of living up to such high esteem. The competition, such as West Side Story, Wizard of Oz, and the contemporary High School Musical, pales in comparison. Everything about the musical production was enchanting and pure.

The actors proved to be valuable assets to the film. The production had four stars: Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds, Donald O’Connor, and Jean Hagen. Gene Kelly proved to be an invaluable asset because he was the choreographer, co-director, and actor. Kelly’s singing, dancing, and choreography was flawless. He also gave an outstanding acting performance, in which he portrayed Don Lockwood, a silent screen hero. Debbie Reynolds brought the quirky, cute, and intellectual Kathy Sheldon to life. With her wonderful voice and excellent dancing, Reynolds seemed like she was born to play the role of Kathy Sheldon. In comparison, O’Connor (Cosmo Brown) also gave an excellent performance. Likewise, O’Conner created a goofy, amusing musical director whom the audience grows to love. Lastly, Jean Hagen’s contribution to the film was also significant. Without her amazing voice, the squawky-voiced silent film queen, Lina Lamont, would not be portrayed accurately. Without a central “villain,” the film would be incomplete.

The most understated part of this film is its comedic aspect. When Singin’ in the Rain is discussed, people often compliment the musical numbers and the actor’s various skills, but people usually fail to acknowledge the humor in the movie. The wit of screenplay should not be underestimated. There are a number of hilarious moments. For example, the moments in which the director’s frustration is evident due to microphone issues were hilarous. The dialogue also contains several astonishingly amazing lines. For example, Cosmo describes Lina in the following line, "She can't act, she can't sing, she can't dance. A triple threat."

Lastly, the twelve songs in the movie were surprisingly not corny and banal. Instead, they were fresh, original, and unique. “Good Morning” made the audience want to perform the number at one o’clock in the morning. It almost hypnotized the audience to do such things because it had a happy, upbeat, and catchy tone that proved to be irresistible. In contrast, songs such as “Singing in the Rain” and “You Were Meant For Me” were touching because songs like these celebrate pure and unadulterated love between two individuals. Other numbers were captivating and amusing to watch such as O'Connor’s “Make ‘Em Laugh” and Kelly’s and O’Conner’s “Moses.” O’Conner’s “Make ‘Em Laugh” was incredible because it looked unexaggerated and it appeared to be made up on the spot even though as an audience it is obvious that it is not. "Moses Supposes," with O'Connor and Kelly dancing on tabletops, also seems that way. Both numbers exhibit humor, while displaying great choreography and dancing prowess.

 The actors, comedic screenplay, and music is what truly proves Singin’ in the Rain as the best Hol

Ponyo: My Childhood Rediscovered

Do remember when your childhood years, a time in which you believed magic was real, and the world seemed amazing and a bright place? Ponyo is one of those rare films that charm both children and adults. For children, it amazes them with the creativity of the entire film and its characters. For adults, it reminds them of an era long past, a time when taxes and loans were not issues. Ponyo is simply magical due to the efforts of master Hayao Miyazaki. In particular, his artistry and imagination stands above the rest of the animation world, and are the main reason why the film was so enchanting.

 One of the best scenes was the opening scene. The film opens with a spellbinding, amazing sequence beneath the sea, in which portrayed floating jellyfish and scampering bottom-dwellers. The pastels of this scene make Ponyo one of the very rare movies that made my jaw drop in wonder, in awe. This is more than “artistry.” It is art in its purest form. The film had multiple moments, which were jaw dropping. The primary reason why the artistry is so great is that the intricateness and quality of the scenes are superb.

 Secondly, the imagination of the film was truly refreshing. Miyazaki turns a clichéd and unoriginal theme and makes it his own. From the toy boat that Ponyo magically enlarges to the dreamlike journey among flooded treetops in search of Sasuke’s mother, Miyazaki proves that his imagination is still bustling with such creative juices that rivals that of child’s.

 Miyazaki also seems to add some of his ideals about the environment and the wastefulness of humans. This is seen in the keeper of ocean’s suspicion of humans and Ponyo’s journey to Sasuke. Throughout the entire film, the keeper has expressed his dislike of the human race due to their wasteful nature, and has expressed his desire for their downfall. Also, the wastefulness of humans is depicted in Ponyo’s journey to Sasuke. The garbage that is piling up in the ocean is disgusting. It has reached a point that Ponyo almost died due to the waste. These reasons show Miyazaki’s hidden position on the environment.

 Ponyo is a magical film due to the artistry and imagination of Hayao Miyazaki, which also shows his positions on the environment.

Spirited Away: The Best?

Arguably, Hayao Miyazaki’s best work, Spirited Away is truly one of the best-animated films ever created.

 Hand drawn animation makes this film spectacular. The artistry, creativity, and emotions of Hayao Miyazaki are depicted in the film. Firstly, each frame of the movie is beyond belief. The complexity of each frame is superb. From the boiler room to the main floors of the bathhouse, Miyazaki does an excellent job of portraying the setting and making a set of intriguing and awesome characters. The emotions painstakingly given to each character is truly amazing. The emotions enrich the story, and make the overall plot and story telling much better.

 The underlying themes in the film make Sideways or The Reader appear foolish. From the Japanese cultural references to major themes, Spirited Away has so many good underlying themes that it is difficult to know and completely understand all of them. These themes help enrich the story and aid in the development of the audience’s attraction and appeal to the movie.

 Lastly, the film’s ending was satisfying, but heart-wrenching. The ending portrays Chihiro gaining freedom of her family and herself from the other world, at the cost of losing all of her new friends (most importantly, Haku). She also lost her innocence as a cost for maturing. The ending also confirmed that the movie was not a dream. These ending elements give the audience a sense of satisfaction, but a yearn for more.

 In conclusion, Spirited Away remains one of the best animated films ever due to the brilliant story-telling, (This was caused by the superb hand-drawn animation of Hayao Miyazaki), under-lying themes, and the great ending.

Toy Story: Now and Then

Toy Story. One of the first movies that I have watched, this film remains magical to people of all ages. It appeals to kids and adults because of its hilarious plot and exciting sequences. Also, the universality of the themes such as jealousy and teamwork allows it to appeal to all ages without alienating one specific group. Besides the mass appeal of the movie, it movie had two distinct qualities that contributed to its enormous success.

 The distinctiveness of the characters is superb. Each character is unique, and they contain certain quirks that make you "hate em' or love em." For example, Slinky's loyalty is warming, and his attitude of helping others makes Slinky one of the most understated, but beloved characters in the trilogy. However, I loathed Mr. Potato Head with a passion. His quick accusations against Woody reminds me Joseph McCarthy, the "red-hunter." Also his role in negative influencing Woody and Buzz's plan to get back, shows his terrible character. However, personality of each character is very intriguing and excellent.

 The overall composition of the film’s dialogue, references, and plot catapulted this movie ahead of most animated films.The wit of the dialogue is amazing. For a child's movie, I was shocked at the level of sophistication it was. However that high level did not alienate the younger, target audience. This fact makes me truly appreciate and admire the movie more. Additionally, the subtle dialogue references to Star Wars and other things were nice and refreshing. Additionally, the plot was fresh and nice. The idea of a toy world was brilliantly exploited and the perspective of the toy was refreshing.

 In conclusion, the combination of brilliant plot and characters drove the movie the huge successes. However, the full-length animated feature also attracted most audiences, but I did discuss in great length about it because now, movies like Wall-E and Up put it to shame. However, it is still a great movie,; cherished by most kids and adults.

Finally, A Man's Chick Flick

It is clearly not the best Indie film of all time because of all time greats such as Reservoir Dogs, Mean Streets, and The Terminator. However, (500) Days of Summer is special and demands its own respect. If this film is not the best, then it has to be one of the most cherished Indie films of all time.

            It delivers a clichéd message: a break up, it the most unique way possible. It is the story of Tom Hanksian(Joseph Gordon-Levitt) and his relationship with Summer(Zooey Deschanel).

            The movie tells the story in incorrect order to draw a parallel to how most people recall relationships. People never remember the entire relationship in a correct sequence. People tend to start at the end, then go to the beginning, and switch between the good and bad moments. After going through the entire relationship once, a person would typically fail to see when it was “the start of the end” or “why it went bad.” (500) Days of Summer truly capture the realistic part of human behavior in this situation, which is brilliant.

            This movie is entirely driven by the two characters in the relationship, Summer and Tom. The strength and flaws of each character was highlighted with the riveting performances of Deschanel and Gordon-Levitt.

            Deschanel was able to portray a sweet, smart, beautiful, witty, honest, and true person. She is knows what she wants, and Tom is not part of her marriage plans. The way she acts makes men want to be in a long, fruitful relationship with her. Men believe it is not fair or right for her not to give them a chance, but conversely men respect her decision. However, what truly cements her great performance is not defining her character, but creating that aura of mysteriousness that captivates Tom and the rest of the audience.

            Her type of character is not a new phenomenon that breaks barriers, but the way she is presented; her character is so intriguing that the audience is forced to watch her. Combined with Tom’s beliefs in love, the audience futilely wants them to end up together, but the audience knows deep down it will not and cannot happen.

            Tom is a believable, real, likeable, hopeful, and easily disappointed. Gordon-Livett gives a stellar performance as the “true romantic,” the type of guy most men suppress into their sub conscious. However, his character makes most men want to cheer for him, for his happiness.

            The way in which the film was told, and the characters are truly what make the movie great. Of course the editing, directing, soundtrack, and writing was superb, however, what truly made me appreciate the film is the story-telling and the characters.

So, is this one of the best movies ever? NO, it 

Lost in Translation: Sofia is growing up

Sofia Coppola is talented writer and director whose style sets her apart from her legendary father, Francis Ford Coppola. The pure success of the film is due to her directorial style and her writing abilities. Her ability to weave a brilliant storyline was truly highlighted in this film. Her script managed to suit the characters of Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson. Lastly, the leitmotif was able to enhance the mood of the film. The abilities of Coppola, the actors, and sound editing were the primary reasons why the film was excellent.

 The two-character driven plot was extremely intriguing, but surprising. A middle-aged celebrity and a young, lively blonde in Tokyo, while both being dissatisfied with their marriages. Also, as the movie progresses, their chemistry and attraction with each other becomes even more apparent. Also, both of their spouses appear to be uninteresting and annoying. Coppola makes all the reasons and factors for a great, undisputed love affair. However, the plot is too good for such a clichéd path. Instead, the relationship is never consummated, and they just enjoy their companionship with each other. These emotions and physical attraction were heightened by Coppola’s directorial style. The cuts and angles showed the intimacy and interactions between the characters. Coppola’s writing created an amazing plot that kept the audience alive and anticipating, while her directing heightened each emotion and mood conveyed by the scenes.

 Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson also performed captivating performances that made the audience feel everyone emotions they were conveying. The audience wanted them together, the audience wanted them to stay in that hotel forever, and the audience wanted them to kiss in the last scene. The emotions they were able to convey were so raw and amazing that this film was made outstanding. These emotions were heightened by the leitmotif.