Of Zod and Zombies

MAN OF STEEL

ACTION/ADVENTURE/FANTASY

PLOT:  A reimaging of Superman.

If you don’t know Superman’s origin you shouldn’t be reading this.  It is the most action-packed version I have ever seen.  Director Zack Snyder who did Watchmen knows what the fans want and he does a great job.  Henry Cavill does a good job of being Superman but it is Michael Shannon who plays the evil General Zod and his equally evil assistant Antje Traue as Faora-Ul who steal the show.  If you like Superman you will see this regardless any reviews but it is good popcorn movie.

THE PURGE 

SCI-FI/THRILLER

PLOT:   For one night everything illegal even murder is legal.

                In the future employment is down, crime is down but the price is 12 hours every year you can commit a crime without jail time.  The premise is better than the movie.  It stars Ethan Hawke as James Sandin (Sinister) and Lena Headey (300 and Game of Thrones) as his wife Mary.  They have two annoying teens and the family goes on lockdown that night but a homeless black guy (Edwin Hodge) begs and one of the teens invites him in with deadly consequences. 

There are two good reasons to see this movie –one, we are all barbaric when extremely pushed and two Rhys Wakefield as Polite Stranger who scares you. MAJOR SPOILER the black man LIVES!!!  The film shocked Hollywood insiders for it was low budget-all the carnage happened in the house and made money.  Rumor there might be a sequel.

WORLD WAR Z

ACTION/HORROR

PLOT:  One man tries to stop virus that turns people into zombies.

                Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) works for the United Nation as a crime investigator to find out where the virus started and how to stop it before ALL humans into zombies.  The film is based on a book by Max Brooks.  Always read the book because movies condense and change the novel.  The zombies are not slow, attracted to sound and don’t sound human. Some action sequences are frightening and kinetic.  I don’t know why Mr. Pitt would make a movie like this but he is believable as Lane scared yet determined to find the cure.  Daniella Kertesz is interesting as Segen as a tough female soldier.

After Earth's Great Epic Gatsby

THE GREAT GATSBY

ROMANCE/DRAMA

PLOT:  A remake of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel.

                The novel has been around but they made a movie in 1974 starring Robert Redford and now this one with Leo DiCaprio.  Gatsby is a mysterious guy and he is in love with a married woman.  I never read the book but it’s more to it than that.  Director Baz Luhurmann has made the most visually beautiful film I have ever seen.  It is well acted and well made but it is slow.  Females made this movie a hit because of his love for the married woman.  I would recommend it for couples and romantics.

AFTER EARTH

SCI-FI/DRAMA/ACTION

PLOT:  A father and son crash land on future savage earth.

                This movie is better than most M Night Shyamalan films and the story is from Will Smith.  Many fans and critics think it was a vanity project but how many people in Hollywood would give a young black actor a starring role in a futuristic drama?  Another thing many folks are upset about is Will Smith as Cypher Raige, a no-nonsense general.  He is very, very serious in this role and many people are not used to that.  It also has every cliché in the book as young Jaden Smith must save him and his father.  Wait until video, it will do better.

EPIC

ANIMATION/FANTASY

PLOT:  Teenaged girl gets trapped in a secret world in the forest where she has to save it.

                Every 3D animation is the same-great special effects and top named stars that lend their voices such as Beyonce, Colin Farrell Josh Hutcherson  Christopher Waltz and Steven Tyler(yes that one from Areosmith) but it has to have heart and humor which it does thanks to Azia Ansari as a wise cracking slug!!  Young girl has to live with her father who believes there is a world of little creatures.  She finds it out and she has to protect and save it.   I didn’t want to see it but it is great for kids and for grown up who want to be kids again.