Godzilla wreaks havoc yet again

Take a good look at this because Godzilla is coming to wreak havoc upon your puny souls in May 2014. Pardon me for being overly-dramatic but it had to be done!

Gareth Edwards, the filmmaker behind 2010's Monsters was rumoured to have helmed the directorial role behind a certain reboot a couple of years ago. And that reboot turned out to be none other than Godzilla. 

Having experienced the travesty of a monster flick that was Godzilla (1998) with Matthew Broderick, I was overjoyed when I heard about the reboot. Okay, maybe I wasn't completely fond of the idea and felt a little reluctant. But those mixed feelings did not last long due to the barrage of screens, and announcements Legendary kept pouring on fans via their Facebook page and Twitter. Suddenly, the thought of a steroid-infused Tyrannosaurus Rex-like creature rampaging through a populated city seemed gratifying. 

A few months ago Gareth Edwards revealed a 2-minute trailer for the highly-anticipated film and I speak for all those wanting to see good ol' Godzilla go to town when I say, "I am pleased." The trailer starts off filled with anxiety, featuring an iconic soundtrack that instantly reminded me of Kubrick's 2001. Grim is the best word I can come up to describe the atmosphere. And that high-pitched roar at the very end struck fear into my very bones. I seriously cannot wait for this!

Thoughts On: The Conjuring (2013)

From the director of Saw and Insidious Chapters 1-2, comes a different kind of horror in the form of The Conjuring and it's bursting with scares.

Thoughts On: Europa Report (2013)

"Are we alone in the universe?" A question that has become a premise for hundreds of Hollywood films, some which turned out to be great (for example 2001: A Space Odyssey) and others that aren't even worth mentioning in this post. 

Fortunately, Europa Report is in the 'great' category. A space thriller set not long in the future after present time, the film chronicles the first privatized manned expedition to Jupiter's moon Europa - which has long been an object of speculation and mystery among astronomers and astronauts alike. In fact, modern-day astrophysicists have gone as far as to say that life on Europa is almost certain. 

Director Sebastián Cordero wastes no time in letting the film's intentions known at the very start. Europa Report is another example of the found-footage style but it doesn't take itself too seriously because of the added documentary style. They work so well together that the transitions between interviews and what's actually going on aboard the Europa One spacecraft are almost seamless if not a little jumpy. 

Europa Report isn't perfect. It's short, clocking in only 90 mins, things seem to happen a little too rapidly. Nonetheless, we are introduced to the characters properly so as to feel for them when a calamity strikes. Think of the movie as The Blair Witch Project + Moon. 

There is an unmissable sense of dread and claustrophobia that one will feel while watching Europa Report, followed by an unexpectedly creepy surprise at the end. There's almost a bit of the Matrix in here, let's just say. 

Thoughts On: Frankenweenie (2012)

One of the most underrated of the year, Frankenweenie was forgotten soon after release last year. Or at least, nobody really cared about it in my vicinity. Needless to say, Tim Burton's dark comedy animated tale of a boy named Victor Frankenstein was everything but forgetful.

Frankenweenie is presented in crisp monotone from start to finish and this, although different, only adds more contrast to the film's explicitly grim narrative. It's for kids, like all other animated features but with a layer of maturity. Allusions to the great Frankenstein and Dracula mythologies are blatant throughout.

Those familiar with Tim Burton's work will find all 80 mins worth sitting through because Frankenweenie is full of wacky, out-of-this-world surprises straight out of Burton's wild imagination.

Dead animals are brought back to life by one curious (or mad I should say) boy's misadventure. As the annual science fair draws nearer, competition stiffens and Victor's classmates find their eyesights locked on the first prize. Frankenweenie is the type of film that will appeal to audiences of all ages, the only requirement being that you have a childhood because this feature will take you all the way back.
Loved this film!

Thoughts On: The Campaign (2012)

The reason why this film was made: I do not know. Quite frankly I don't think anyone knows.

Thoughts On: Oblivion

So I gave into Joseph Kosinski's new feature film, Oblivion, wondering if he would be able to redeem himself after the travesty that was Tron: Legacy. To be fair, Konsinski does redeem himself, but with mixed feelings.

Thoughts On: Lincoln

If there's anything to be said about Steven Spielberg's bio pic about Abraham Lincoln, it's this: Daniel Day-Lewis.

Thoughts on: The Last Stand

From director Kim Jee-Woon comes this not-too-shabby action film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Here are my thoughts on: The Last Stand.

Thoughts on: The Bourne Legacy

It seems like it was just yesterday when I was sitting on my bed watching the Bourne Identity. Then came The Bourne Supremacy and then finally my all time favorite of the trilogy: The Bourne Ultimatum. Good heavens I miss the chills I got when I watched that one for the first time. It was excruciatingly suspenseful, especially the ending when Moby's remixed Extreme Ways hit and you see an underwater shot of Jason Bourne swimming away into darkness having survived yet another bullet to the back. Paul Greengrass did an incredible job of closing the loop opened by Doug Liman two movies earlier.

Based on Robert Ludlum's novels, the Bourne Trilogy was brought onto the silver screen by Tony Gilroy and company. Boy was it ever worth it. Perhaps the most brilliant aspect of the series is its unexpected bursts of wit and high octane action. Looking back, there was really nothing impeccably appealing about the visual style of the first film. The cinematography was plain. Doug Liman got the job done with simple tracking shots and chase sequences while keeping Ludlum's ever so winding plot intact. 

Enter Paul Greengrass on the Bourne Supremacy and the conclusion where Jason Bourne finally comes 'home': The Bourne Ultimatum. He introduced a style of filming that I think is his specialty and his alone. Keeping the viewers' eyes where they need to be is difficult in choreographed action sequences. Reminds me of the words of an actor (and friend of mine), Patrick Stevenson: 'Fight scenes in film are not a whole lot different from dance routines.' I'm talking about Greengrass's work extensively because the difference between his work and that of screenwriter Tony Gilroy - who directed The Bourne Legacy - is very slim. The work would've been almost identical were it not for Matt Damon's absence.

The Bourne Legacy (2012) sits at a rating of 56% on Rotten Tomatoes - which in turn, doesn't sit well with me because I approached the film with a rather positive attitude. As with all movies really. A fresh pair of eyes is key when enjoying a movie, I believe. I can proudly conclude that this ideology is what served me well during my viewing of Legacy. That's not to say that Tony Gilroy produced a flawless motion picture. It does, as with everything, come with a few minor issues. Then again, you'll hardly notice these minor plot issues if you take away the works of Greengrass on the last two films.

Tony Gilroy is a phenomenal screenwriter, and being able to craft something totally new, and at the same time make it run parallel to something he did not direct is difficult. But Gilroy pulls it off. From handheld shots to tension-relieving drum hits. He's done it all.

The story follows Aaron Cross. As with Bourne, he's an agent operating under the intelligence who has been brainwashed to, well...kill. He's operating not under Treadstone, but a standalone program called 'Outcome'. After Bourne shows his true colors by infiltrating and ultimately exposing Treadstone and Blackbriar, the agency has no choice but to shutdown all active programs. Including Outcome. Which means everyone has to be eliminated.

At this point, the Bourne Legacy becomes a prequel of sorts. I particularly loved the detailing of the agents' training program. The brutality that the agents were put through despite their resistance is one that'll make you feel for the characters. It's not easy to start a new life and leave everything you loved behind you. This is the premise of the film. The allusion to Jason Bourne is also great. Like I mentioned before, Legacy runs parallel to The Bourne Ultimatum. Anything crucial that happens in New York as a result of Bourne's work ripples into Aaron Cross's (Jeremy Renner) run.

Tony Gilroy moved forward with The Bourne Legacy for all the right reasons. He knows the Bourne series inside out and it shows.

There were some issues I had with the film though. For instance, I loved how he tried to mimic Greengrass' style (of filming) but since it's a new take on the series, wouldn't it have been cool if he established his own style? I mean, shaky cam-ing everything isn't always the answer. We learned that the hard way when we saw Taken 2. Good lord. I also had a bit of a problem keeping up with what was going on. Flashbacks didn't seem like flashbacks and because of that, dialogues were difficult to comprehend.

Ed Norton is great in whatever role he plays but he's too flat of a character. In case you're wondering, he plays the head honcho on Aaron Cross' trail. Vosen and Landy had stories of there own, they had vendettas in place that motivated them to find Bourne, but Norton's character functions like a robot. If it's Cross the higher ups want, it's Cross they'll get. Not to mention, he has a personal vendetta against Cross himself...which we are never exposed to...which sucks really.

Jeremy Renner's badass and watching him take down a barrage of oncoming agents is a treat. He's not as mechanical as Bourne was and at times it's hard to keep up with what he's trying to accomplish. We're kept in the dark until Eric Byer's (Norton) team members say it out loud. This was a bit annoying. Rachel Weisz is cool too - though her vocal chords can be a bit irritating. My advice to you Rachel: Practice screaming your ass off! :)

Take away all those minor issues up there and what you get is a movie that is totally worth the 2 hour mark. I would give it another watch just to see Renner kick ass and listen to the gut-wrenching scores. The Bourne Legacy is a successful spin-off of the Bourne Trilogy.

Thoughts on The Prestige (2006)

It's not every year that we see a movie as mind-boggling as this one. Granted that I was a good 6 (nearly 7) years late, The Prestige proved to be a truly genuine experience. And a treat to watch.

Fresh off the Dark Knight Rises, I've become a little obsessive about Christopher Nolan's work. Having watched Memento and Insomnia, I thought, 'Those were 2 amazing films, why not give this a shot?' And it didn't disappoint.

Christian Bale and Michael Caine reunite with Nolan to accomplish what very few films have done. That is, create the ultimate drama combined with mystery and intrigue. Not to mention Hugh Jackman is also in this movie which kicks it all up a notch. The Prestige is full of twists and can best be described as a 2 hour long roller coaster ride.

The plot surrounds professional magicians Alfred Borden (Bale) and Robert Angier (Jackman) as they go head to head in uncovering each other's secrets. Bounded by jealousy and hatred, both their personal lives and skills are put to the test.

I was surprised that Nikola Tesla (not often remembered but deserves most of the credit for Electricity as it is used today) also makes an appearance. A sort of dull but mysterious character. Yet one who serves his purpose in the story. He basically makes machines for rich people and conducts funded after research. Tesla can best be described in the film as a facilitator for the magicians and a motivator for ending this feud as consequences would be dire.

With a conclusion that blew my mind, the Prestige was totally worth the watch and goes down as one of my must-watch movies.

P.S - I really find this idea of having a 'mistress' while having a wife at the same time rather amusing. If not annoying -raises eyebrow- Don't judge me.



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New Images Of Henry Cavill As Superman

I must say, all these posters and teasers are doing a very good job of hyping up the film. 

Stay The Heck Away From This Sequel...!

So I had a chance to watch the sequel to Grave Encounters last night with a bunch of friends. It was just horrible...

A Very 'Grave' Encounter...

In a time when we're bombarded by popcorn horror flicks like Paranormal Activity, we may never see an end to found footage films. The Blair Witch Project is largely responsible for popularizing this style of filmmaking. And it's gotten a little unoriginal ever since.

Grave Encounters is a great example of such a film yet with loads of memorable scares to offer...

How Amazing Is This Spider-Man?

Celebrating the release of the bluray, I thought it would be the perfect time to have a look at The Amazing Spider-Man. 

Abraham Lincoln: Underrated Hunter

I can't help but feel that I lack creativity - blame the mediocre title of this blog post. I know I suck at this but you shouldn't care. But you SHOULD care about Abraham Lincoln. 

Never Has My Imagination Been Teased To This Extent!

Watched an AMAZING staff picked video on Vimeo. Never has my imagination been teased, chewed and spat out quite like this before! 

Directed by Jodeb, 'Language' is surreal and bursting with juicy animation that serves it's purpose and delivers. 

Porter Robinson - Language from Jodeb on Vimeo.

'Once more into the fray...' - The Grey

A controversial film that has so much to offer. When The Grey was unleashed at the box office it sparked the interest of many people, including animal's rights activists - arguing about the violent (perceived as false) portrayal of wolves. Which is, however a very invalid point. The Grey seeks to accomplish on land what Jaws did at sea in that nature can sometimes dominate over man while taking it's course. 

Ottway (Neeson) after surviving the plane crash

Liam Neeson is part of a stellar cast in this ode to the survival genre, making The Grey one of the most thrilling movies of the year. The characters are so carved out that you will know everything there is to know about them before the credits start rolling. This makes The Grey a bit more than just a thriller as it explores all the different features of the Human when facing the inevitable - death. 

Lack of excessive special effects make The Grey a convincing film to watch, that will keep you at the edge of your seat since the very beginning. It's as meaningful to watch as it is brutal. 

Once more into the fray

Into the last good fight I'll ever know 

Live and die on this day

Live and die on this day

Above are, what I deem to be some of the most touching words I've ever heard in a film. This is the poem, written by director Joe Carnahan himself for the movie, that Ottway recites in the movie. Particularly [SPOILER] the last scene before the Alpha Wolf lunges at him. The final showdown being the decisive factor in 'Live and Die'. 

As I interpret, The Grey highlights the area between black and white. In other words, both sides are equally part of the problem. The wolves aren't killing these stranded humans because they're savage beasts, on the contrary it's because these humans are trespassing in their territory (accidentally). And as it is in their nature, the wolves must defend their territory. John Ottway, played by Liam Neeson, at one point himself says, 'They were killing him' - as one of the men is killed by a pack of wolves. Which means that they're not eating him (obviously) - which highlights the fact that they aren't savage beasts but rather intelligent creatures just defending themselves. 

Again, this isn't a review - just a few points I felt that should be noted as they movie went through plenty of scrutiny after it's release for 'negatively' portraying nature. 

Overall, the Grey is a gut-wrenching movie that is effective and praise-worthy. If Liam Neeson isn't nominated for an Academy Award for his role as John Ottway, I will be one unhappy land-lubber. 

And if you'd like to see Liam Neeson vs. The Wolf Pack, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of The Grey today! 

[SPOILERS!] 

Here's an excerpt from an interview with director Joe Canahan at ScreenRant about the controversial ending - If you haven't seen the movie, STOP - RIGHT NOW!

JC: “I’m more interested in your interpretation. The very basic thesis is, ‘As important as it is how you live, it’s equally important how you die.’ People say, ‘What does the title mean?’ That’s it, it’s the grey. It’s the grey area. It’s between life and death, this nebulous thing that you don’t really understand. There’s an Easter Egg, there’s one shot at the very end, post-credits. So what does this mean? You tell me. I have one word; I think it’s harmony. That’s what that shot is, and whatever you want to extrapolate from that is up to you. It’s something my wife said early on: They thought that everybody died in that crash and all those guys were just facets of Liam’s personality, and that all those conversations were imagined. He’s the only one that lived. I thought, that’s brilliant. Great! [Laughs] When people start making their own attachments, that’s brilliant. My only hope for the film is that it plays beyond the two hours it takes for you to watch it.” 

Is it Contagious? - My thoughts on 'CONTAGION'

So evidently I just watched 'Contagion' directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Scott Z. Burns; Rated it 4/5 stars on Flixter and reviewed it as follows: 

"Contagion will do for shaking hands what Jaws did for swimming. It's THAT effective!"

I'm going to assume that I don't exaggerate my opinions because it's true, Contagion was one helluva movie. I had heard about the film when I was at Ryerson during Fall 2011; there were a bunch of volunteers going around with banners titled, 'Nothing Spreads Like Fear - Contagion'. An interesting way of advertising this film seeing as how it has everything to do with informing others with what YOU know and how it may concern them. Of course I didn't realize this until I saw the movie a couple of days ago. 

It's unique style of cutting away scene after scene and covering all corners was the most appealing aspect of the movie. After all, it's not your everyday sci-fi thriller where you have a viral outbreak wiping out the mass population of the earth. It's more than that. Contagion's viral outbreak brings it's characters together and in some cases changes those characters. The suspense never stops as you're never given that 'It's over' feeling, in fact you're made to expect more chaos to occur. 

There's politics in the movie. Period. You've got families struggling to stay intact, a freelance journalist who's more than meets the eye, a medical official who's willing to test vaccines upon herself, and a WHO worker determined to save a village from being eaten alive by the virus with no means to protect themselves. Take all of this, and the fact that each of these characters have a personal life of their own and what you get is a society much like our own. With that in mind, it suffices to say that Soderbergh's 'Contagion' delivers on so many levels. A few puzzling questions left unanswered but it's not a good thriller if everything is made obvious.  

Without giving anything away, this was the gist of what I felt about Contagion. If you want to be a part of this crisis and want to indulge in the glass case of emotion this movie builds around you, then feel free to purchase your own copy from Amazon (that's what I did). 

Contraband - A Convoluted Mesh

After trying to avoid it for a while, I finally saw Contraband last night. Needless to say, I saw it merely out of pity for the poor thing.

It wasn't all that bad, but was quite disappointing. I gave it 2.5/5 stars on Flixter. Contraband's only strength may be the presence of Mark Walhberg alone.

The Lorax and The Massive Amount Of Boredom I Had To Face...

Don't get me wrong, the Lorax did have it's moments throughout, but that doesn't take away from the sheer boredom it has to offer alongside it.