Summer-Fall 2012 DVD/Video Review

LOCKOUT

ACTION/SCI-FI

               

                When you mix Die Hard and Escape from New York you get this good movie that was in the theaters for a hot minute. Set in the future  is about Snow (Guy Pearce The King’s Speech) a wise -cracking government agent is framed and his only way to clear himself is to bust in a maximum security prison to save the President daughter Emilie (Maggie Grace, Taken). It is very funny, very violent thriller.  It will do much better on video.

PUNISHER: DIRTY LAUNDRY

CRIME DRAMA ACTION

(YouTube)

                I usually don’t review a ten minute movie but I looove the Punisher so much Thomas Jane made a short film that is on YouTube.  It was first shown at this year’s Comic Con.  It is about Punisher who now lives in a van and he decides to do laundry.  He sees hookers assaulted and a kid harass to sell drugs.  He tries not to get involved but when he does badass is the only way to describe it.  For fans of Punisher it is so good yet you just want more.  One thing I didn’t like was all the bad guys were black.

THE RAID: REDEMPTION

CRIME DRAMA ACTION

                This film was in theaters with not much fanfare but this flick is action packed!!!  Director Gareth Evans is AMAZING!!!  The story is about an Asian SWAT team trapped in a building to arrest a ruthless mobster protected by his killers and thugs.  Plot is not important but mayhem is and each floor it gets more and more dangerous.  The standout performance is not the hero Rama (Iko Uwais) but Mad Dog( Yayan Ruhian) is martial arts skills are outstanding!!!  He is Tony Jaa’s (Ong- Bar) equal!!  It is dubbed and the English subtitles are terrible but you not watching for that.  PLEASE RENT, BUY THIS VIDEO!!!

THE DARK KNIGHT RETURNS PART 1

ANIMATION

                Wow!!! This animation is amazing and VERY, VERY violent.  It is based on Frank Miller’s graphic comic.  Batman voiced by the original Robocop Peter Weller is 55 and retired until mutant criminals get him out of retirement.  It is not a long movie but it packs a lot in.  DVD is not for children but good for teens and adults.

MARVEL’S THE AVENGERS

FANTASY/ ACTION

                The film that broke box office records is finally on Blu Ray and DVD.  If you love the superheroes it is a must to have!!  On the DVD they have a short movie about the movie and on Blu-ray they have a gag-reel.  You will enjoy it!!

A Summer When the Bullets Flew

TOTAL RECALL

SCI-FI/ACTION 

                Actor Colin Farrell should be called   “The Remake Kid”,   last year he did Fright Night now this.  He is too talented  yet  he was good in this remake.  He plays a factory worker Douglas Quaid he has a beautiful wife Lori (Kate Beckinsale Underworld series) but he has bad dreams and when he goes to Total Recall his memory is jarred and finds out he is really an agent – not fantasy!!  People will debate which is better. 

This one has better special effects and it is very serious.  The best thing about the film is Beckinsale, she is one bad-ass chick!  Sharon Stone was the evil wife  in the 80’s  movie  but she is nothing compared to Beckinsale.!!!  She would go against her superior just to kill Quaid!!  She is Bond girl that NEVER was a Bond girl!!  If you are patient wait for video but if you didn’t like the 80’s flick –go!

THE EXPENDABLES 2

ACTION

                ACTION HOUNDS REJOICE!!!! This is the movie you have been waiting for!!!  The gang from the last film is back plus Norris and the evil Van Damme.  Plot and acting not important but bloodshed and funny one-liners are.  I liked the first film but this one is just AMAZING!! The review is quick so you can get out of your house and go!!!

BOURNE LEGACY

ACTION/THRILLER

                The Bourne series continues with Jeremy Renner as Aaron Cross who is in a special black ops unit Operation Outcome who uses enhancer drugs to complete missions..  Soon the government wants them ALL dead and you know who survives as the few people who know about Jason Bourne go to trial.  The film is quite good, acting very good and action sensational. There is a lot going on so if you can wait see it on video so you sort it all out.

The Dark Summer Cinema Rises

MAGIC MIKE

COMEDY/DRAMA

                When you think of strippers it is usually about women but not the case with this film.  If the movie was like the trailer it would have been great.  The story is about Mike (Channing Tatum, Dear John, GI Joe) an aging exotic male dancer who wants to do more than strip.  He takes an aimless young man under his wing Adam (Alex Pettyer I am Number Four, In Time) under his wing and his sister Brooke (Cody Horn) has a problem with her brother’s new life style. Mike likes her probably she sees him as a real human being, not a sex object. She wasn’t that good and neither was Olivia Munn as a woman who treated him as a booty call.

I usually want a lot of drama but because it is summer and the subject matter I wanted much man flesh, sleaziness a dash of romance and happy ending.  It happens but not the way I liked. Mostly white guys take off their clothes no black dancers and one Latino. Ex-wrestler Kevin Nash is one of the strippers but I don’t know why!! This is a chick flick because no straight man would see it.  It is a girl night out movie and will do even better on video so you can repeat!!

THE DARK KNIGHT RISES

ACTION/DRAMA

                First, don’t let the tragedy in Aurora Colorado stop you from going to see the best superhero film of the year!! Eight years Batman (Christian Bale) stopped being the Dark Knight until the terrorist Bane (Tom Hardy) and Selina (Anne Hathaway) come to Gotham.  The plot is more complex than that but the movie is amazing!!  The writing, acting and directing is wonderful.

Anne Hathaway is surprisingly good as Selina, a cat burglar.  She has come a long way from Princess Diaries. The picture is played very seriously and so realistic it’s depressing!!  The film is two hours and forty-five minutes along with trailers so empty your bladder before going.  My only complaint is Bane didn’t sound like Sean Connery and Darth Vader and look like Tom Brady.  Bane is LATINO!!!  A Latino actor could have become an overnight sensation in this blockbuster!!

SAVAGES

CRIME DRAMA

                I don’t know why they placed this movie in the summer.  It is a very adult, very violent story about the best pot producers Chon (Taylor Kitsch John Carter, Battleship) and Aaron Johnson and they share Ophelia (Blake Lively).  Their world crumbles as a Mexican cartel led by Elena (Salma Hayek) kidnaps Ophelia for them to comply.  The film should have been called Anti-Heroes for no one really is the good guy or gal. 

The most complex character is Elena.  She deserves a prequel to find out about how she became the head of a cartel –not by choice.  Lado (Benicio Del Toro) Elena’s enforcer is crazed, corrupt and frightening fascinating.  All the actors did the movie to work with Oliver Stone, the guy who directed Scarface with Al Pacino.  It will do better on video.

Spider Magic, Musicals, Mayhem and Madea

ROCK OF AGES

MUSICAL

             This movie is from the play of the same name.  It is a spirited but senseless mess!!  It has every cliché of Hollywood you ever seen.  Small time girl Sherrie (Julianne Hough) comes to LA meets hard-worker guy who want to be a rock star (Diego Boneta) and don’t forget Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise) who is a rock legend –a mix of Axel Rose, Bret Michaels, Gene Simmons and Michael Jackson. 

Cruise is all attitude and no voice.  The only singer is Mary J. Blige and she is very good.  Lots of face palms moments.  If you love the 80’s but want the real singers buy the albums!!  It’s kind of a good movie just don’t PAY to see in the theater-wait for cable!!

ABRAHAM LINCOLN:  VAMPIRE HUNTER

FANTASY/ACTION

                Suspension of belief is really tested with this film!!!  If you can believe the title you can see the movie.  It is based on the novel by Seth Grahame-Smith and he wrote the screenplay.  Young Abe’s mom is killed by vampires so he swore he will kill them all!!  They mix fact with fiction. The director Timur Bekmambetov who did Wanted should do a superhero film for the actors are larger than life!!  The action is insanely good but you GOTTA believe A LOT in this movie.

THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN

ACTION/FANTASY

This movie is well AMAZING!!!  It is not a remake of Spiderman 2002 but a reboot of the comic!!  You know the story Peter Parker played by Andrew Garfield ( Social Network) who gets bitten by a spider but it tells a little bit more about what happened to his parents.  He has a new girlfriend Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone, The Help) is smart and can defend herself when necessary and a new villain Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) who mutates into  The Lizard. 

The director of this flick Marc Webb (500 Days of summer) made this spider man very vulnerable but very heroic as well. There will be debates of who is the better Spiderman but they were all great for their time.  See it for the little kid in you.

TYLER PERRY’S MADEA’S WITNESS PROTECTION

COMEDY

                The story you have heard before innocent CFO (Eugene Levy) in a mob Ponzi scheme and his young wife, Denise Richards,spoiled teenage daughter, neglected son.  What is different the safe house is where sassy take -no -mess Madea.  The movie is really good when she is in it.  Perry’s Madea is stereotypical but sooo funny.  Tyler Perry is trying to branch out and do other things please give him a chance or soon we will have Madea In Outta Space!!!

Mid-Summer 2012 Action Bloats In

SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN

ACTION/FANTASY

When you mix 200 year old fairy tale with Lord of the Rings and a feminist slant you have this movie.  You know the story Snow White (Kristen Stewart, Twilight) is the fairest of them all and Ravenna, the evil witch (Charlize Theron) doesn’t like that at all!!  Wicked as she is she does have a back story so she is not just evil to be evil. The Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth, Thor) also has a back story why he is lost soul.  Theron’s gowns are amazing as well as the sets. 

It is beautiful to look at.  The movie Mirror Mirror where Julia Roberts was the wicked witch was comical, Theron’s witch is terrifying!!  Anytime she can be horrible she is!! She deserves a MTV or Scream Award for her performance. Stewart becomes a damsel-in-distress to Snow White, warrior princess.  She is tougher than in the Twilight movies unless you like those movies. This is the better Snow White.

PROMETHEUS

SCI-FI/ACTION

First, you want to know why Ridley Scott called this movie Prometheus.  It is from mythology, a Greek god who made man and in another meaning seeking knowledge. In the film Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace, The original Girl With The Dragon Tattoo) with her partner want to know where Man came from.  They are funded and go to an isolated planet and get in scary situations which results in saving earth. 

The film is like a rose beautiful but dangerous.  It asks more questions than answers, and there is always a gross scene around the corner, and there is always a android---this time 'David,' played by Michael Fassbender (who looks like Peter O Toole from Lawrence of Arabia) knows more than he is telling.  He is very good as well. You will either applaud or scratch your head.  It is that kind of movie experience.  

CHERNOBYL DIARIES

HORROR

The film is not that interesting.  You know the story six people visit the contaminated Chernobyl with “something” chasing them and one by one they are attacked.  Cast of newcomers does have some jumps but you can wait for video for that. The movie probably made because of the guy Oren Peli who was a success at Paranormal Activity let him rip off this tragedy.  How the hell it got a summer release is just amazing.