3rd World Movie Junkie

Getting high on film... Movie reviews old and new. Follow me on Twitter: @3wmj Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/3rdworldmoviejunkie *THE AUTHOR OF THIS PAGE DOES NOT CLAIM THE RIGHTS TO ANY PICTURES, POSTERS, AND LINKS TO TRAILER VIDEOS FOUND ON THE SITE . Browse the archive for my past posts.

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After Earth (2013)

After Earth (2013)

Directed by: M. Night Shyamalan

Starring: Will Smith and Jaden Smith

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZIt20emgLY

The real life father and son duo of Will Smith and Jaden Smith play the lead roles in director M. Night Shyamalan’s After Earth. This is only the second film in which the two star alongside each other (the first being The Pursuit of Happiness back in 2006). M. Night co-wrote the film together with English screenwriter and author Gary Whitta, but the main story line is based on a original story concept by the Fresh Prince (Will Smith) himself.

It pretty much makes sense for the Smith father and son duo to have been cast to play the two main roles of this film. Set in a post apocalyptic future, the story will eventually only revolve around Will and Jaden’s characters. Will as the military father and Jaden, who obviously plays his son. When the two find themselves in a life or death sitiation, you will witness Will's character kick parenting on high gear, and from then on it is father teaching son some tough life lessons on growing up and becoming a man. Think The Pursuit of Happiness set in the fucked up future or something along those lines. Will and Jaden's onscreen chemistry is honest. You will definitely get that genuine feel of father and son bonding that is probably required to make the characters at least seem believable. The film plays around with a lot of emotion and the whole concept of fear. More or less the emotions delivered by the characters are pretty convincing, but props really to Jaden who definitely puts in more acting effort than his father in this film. I'm suprised how minimal big Will's performance in this is.

The films weakness is in the writing. Like your typical M. Night tale, a brilliant concept is somewhat there, but just doesn't fully open itself up. Sadly, as the story goes along, it really seems like an endless drag. The story telling is as flat as Will Smith's character in this film. Nothing too exciting or too boring ever happens in the film and we find ourselves just gliding through the events from start to the closing credits.

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Oblivion (2013)

Oblivion (2013)

Directed by: Joseph Kosinski

Starring: Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Olga Kurylenko

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQ3Mt9yiz6k

Director Joseph Kosinski is slowly setting himself up as one of the upcoming and exciting new directors to look out for in science fiction film. Oblivion is only Kosinski's second full length feature film following the success of his special-effects 3D lightshow and debut film Tron: Legacy, which was released in 2010 under Walt Disney Pictures and is a sequel to the original 1982 film Tron. He is also credited as co-writer and producer of the film, a clear sign of his passion to bring to life his ideas and be hands on with every detail.

For only his second film, Kosinski has already had the pleasure of working with some big name talents. Jeff Bridges in Tron: Legacy and several others in this. Don't let the fairly small cast of the film fool you. Tom Cruise heads this as Commander Jack Harper with supporting performances from actors Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough, Melissa Leo, and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Game of Thrones). Plus, actor Tom Cruise alone is probably enough reason to go see this and is all the factor this film needs to be a potential box-office hit. Cruise actually does a decent job in selling both the story and his character. And just like like any other Tom Cruise starring film, it's almost a one man show for the actor.

The film has a Man vs Robot vs Man vs Himself sort of plot, if that makes any sense. The overall story is based on a graphic comic thought up by the director himself. In a nutshell, Commander Jack Harper, a drone repairman in an evacuated post-apocalyptic earth, starts to question his purpose and daily routine when a crashed pod carrying fellow humans is attacked by his drones and a lone surviving female from the crash triggers a lost memory. He is forced to go against his superiors when a group of surviving colonists further convince him that all is not what it seems. It's an interesting enough plot on paper, but it does get a little drowsy as the unraveling mystery goes on. Could be better.

The real brilliance of this film is in the solid special effects and non-stop action. This is nicely directed. Joseph Kosinki has a knack for filming genius mid-air chase scenes that make full use of the breathtaking scenery combined with top notch special effects. We've seen this sort of "signature" in motion in Tron: Legacy and it is quite similar to what we experience here in that intense scene where Tom Cruise maneuvers his craft through the canyons while battling and gunning down the chasing drones. The whole sequence is almost like something you would see in Star Wars.

All in all, the lack in story is made up for with brilliant special effects, excellent action sequences, and a always enjoyable Tom Cruise performance.

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Pacific Rim (2013)

Pacific Rim (2013)

Directed by: Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Rinko Kikuchi

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef6vQBGqLW8

Pacific Rim is a science fiction fantasy film directed by Mexican filmmaker Guillermo del Toro, who also co-wrote the film screenplay together with Travis Beacham. The director dedicated the film to Ray Harryhausen, who revolutionized stop-motion like movements in film, and Japanese film director Ishihiro Honda, director of the original Godzilla film and many other tokusatsu films throughout his career involving kaiju and giant monsters.

No big names attached here. Playing main roles in the film is a mostly all male cast which include Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Max Martini, and Robert Kazinsky. Probably the only female cast member to note is Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi. Also on board is comedian Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and the always entertaining Ron Pearlman (Hellboy).

When gossip of this films production first got out and the trailer and its first images were finally released, it seemed that this film had nothing going for it, except the fact that it was a Guillermo del Toro directed film that looked really over budgeted and had no big name actors on cast. The end product pretty much speaks for itself. The huge budget is put to good use, mostly opting to splurge on the computer generated sets, the giant man-operated Jaegers, monster Kaiju, and the countless action sequences that the film is most exciting for. This is best viewed in 3D format to get the full viewing experience.

Remember Ultraman, Shaider, Bioman, and even Godzilla vs Giant Beasts? Guillermo del Toro's latest film is a nice tribute, throwback, or even a modern day take of sorts to these different Japanese tokusatsu films you might have grown up with or seen as a child. The entire film looks gorgeous and is probably one of the more, if not the most high budgeted film titles in del Toro's resume. The idea is brilliant and couldn't at a better time, especially for the generation who never experienced this sort of cinema. No grown men sporting ridiculous costumes and parading about over tiny city sets, or is any stop motion animation used to make things move and take action here. Everything here is well detailed and patched up using CGI and special effects, something the earlier generations of tokusatsu films never had. It's Giant Robots vs Giant Monsters on an epic scale with del Toro adding his whimsical touch to it.

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We have expanded to Facebook as well

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Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

Indiana and the Last Crusade (1989)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Harrison Ford, Sean Connery, Denholm Elliot

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A7TaY8HWYd8

Adventurer and archaeologist Indiana Jones (Ford), acquires the diary of his father Dr. Henry Jones (Connery). The diary notes his father's life long obsession, research, and clues to finding the mysterious Holy Grail, which is said to bring everlasting life to whoever drinks from it. When Indy is then introduced to private collector Walter Donovan, he learns of the sudden disappearance of his father while on a mission to find the Holy Grail. Indy decides to venture to Europe together with museum curator Marcus Brody (Elliot), to learn more about the Holy Grail and hopefully track down his missing father.

Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a action adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg. The story is co-written by the films executive producer George Lucas, with a screenplay by Jeffrey Boam. It is the third film in the Indiana Jones film franchise following the successful 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark and the controversial 1984 film Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Spielberg and Lucas, who had worked hand in hand as director and producer of the first two films, decided to make up for the mixed criticisms that the second film Temple of Doom had received for being too dark, harsh, and controversial, by reconceptualizing and rewriting the third film in a much lighter and more family oriented tone. The film took home the Academy Award for Sound Editing.

Harrison Ford, who had played Indiana Jones in the first two installments in the series, will again reprise his role as the title character for a third time. Starring alongside him is Sean Connery, who will play Indy's father, Dr. Henry Jones. Connery received a Golden Globe nomination for his role in the film. Other supporting cast include Denholm Elliot, Alison Doody, Julian Glover, and River Phoenix, who opens the film as the young Indiana Jones.

Three films into the series, it is interesting enough that each Indiana Jones film in the franchise manages to stand out from the one that came before it and is probably the reason why the film series is so damn entertaining.

Director Steven Spielberg intended for this to be a less darker story and instead take a more family oriented approach without taking away that sense of adventure and swashbuckling action. So aside from the usual religious artifacts, magic, and religion themes that have become a staple in previous Indiana Jones films, the relationship between father and son is stressed and is a central theme in the film. Most of what is revealed in the film revolves around understanding the working relationship between Indiana and his father Dr. Henry Jones. The late River Phoenix opens the film brilliantly as the young Indy Jones, in a choreographed action sequence that plays out like a story you would read off a Hardy Boys pocket book. On the other hand, Dr. Henry Jones, Indy's father, is nicely played by Scottish actor Sean Connery, whose character is a nice addition to the series. Ford and Connery have good acting chemistry going here and it often translates as humorous, but gets serious when it has to be. We also missed the Nazi villains from Raiders of the Lost Ark, so now they are back more badass than ever.

Though much enjoyed for the non-stop action, witty humor, and original story, this third film proves to be my least favorite of the lot, and mainly because it just felt a lot more cautious and reserved as compared to the other two that came before it. The Last Crusade is not as successful as Raiders of the Lost Ark, and isn't as controversial as Temple of Doom, but it is as equally entertaining, well directed, big budgeted, and explosive.

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World War Z (2013)

World War Z (2013)

Directed by: Marc Forster

Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos, Fana Mokoena

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcwTxRuq-uk

United Nations employee Gerry Lane (Pitt) is tasked with understanding the origins and hopefully finding a cure to the Zombie pandemic that currently plagues the world. Gerry must traverse the globe together with a team of experienced marines to track the source of the outbreak before the aggressive Zombie hordes overrun the worlds military defenses and puts an end to the very existense of humanity.

World War Z is a apocalyptic zombie action-horror film directed by German-Swiss filmmaker Marc Forster and written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, whose screenplay is based on the 2006 novel of the same name by author Max Brooks. The film stars Brad Pitt, who is also credited as producer after his film production company Plan B Entertainment secured the rights to the film. Also starring in the film is actress Mireille Enos and actors Matthew Fox, David Morse, and Fana Mokoena.

You would have to give credit to film director George A. Romero for popularizing zombies (in film) when he first idependently released his 1968 film Night of the Living Dead. In recent time, the concept of a zombie apocalypse is more popular than ever and has become a big part of pop culture today, not only in film and television, but also in books, videogames, toys, and what not. A lot of the accepted standards of zombies, in terms of how they should look like (a walking corpse), move (slow moving), act (bite at the site of humans), and die (shot to the head), was mostly brought to life by Romero, and though it has been reinvented in many genres of zombie films through the years, some successfully but mostly not, all can still be traced back to Romero's depiction of them in his 1968 survival horror, which is sort of the classic standard for a zombie film.

Anyway, what we are trying to get at here is that zombie horror films are cliche. As mentioned, the accepted concept for zombies in film have sort of been standardized and It's almost like if you've seen one, you've seen them all.

Director Marc Forster's World War Z is entertaining simply because it doesn't play out like your typical zombie film. No brutal death scenes and zombie kills of the week here. Brad Pitt, who is probably the only meaningful character in this film, quietly plays the role of his character Gerry Lane with ease, not overselling the character as the heroic saviour and the worlds last and only hope. The film is smartly directed. It strays away from the whole idea of a survival horror and focuses more on the hunting down of the outbreak origins and finding a cure for the zombie pandemic. Instead of being attached and concerned to the characters, we are more concerned on whether or not a solution will be found, or whether the world will be overrun by a horde of zombies. The whole film is suspenseful in that way without taking away that sense of horror. I can't recall previously screening any zombie film that felt this smart and looked this brilliant.

I'm actually glad i never read the book as well, i have a feeling it would have taken away some good suspense had i done so.

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Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Harrison Ford, Kate Capshaw, Jonathan Ke Quan

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HOwWfns4qqw

In Shanghai, China, a deal between archeologist adventurer Indiana Jones (Ford) and crime boss Lao Che is not going as planned. When a shootout suddenly erupts, Indy makes a daring escape, taking nightclub singer Willie Scott (Capshaw) and his sidekick Short Round (Quan) with him. Unknown to them, they board a plane belonging to the crime boss they had just outrun. On flight, the group wake to a now pilotless plane on a crash course over the Himalayas. The trio cheat death by using an inflatable raft that safely takes them down the slopes and into a raging river. The river current leads them to a desolate village in northern India, where the poor villagers believe Indy to be the savior they had prayed for, who will retrieve the sacred stone that had been stolen from their shrine and bring back life to their village.

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is a action adventure film by director Steven Spielberg and was produced by George Lucas, who also co-wrote the overall story line. The film is the second installment in the Indiana Jones film franchise and is a prequel to the successful first film Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981). The film was criticized for the brutal violance and horrific imagery it presents and was also the subject of controversy for the way it depicted Indian culture and Hinduism.

Harrison Ford returns to his role as Indiana Jones, with the support of actress Kate Capshaw and child actor Jonathan Ke Quan, who play the roles of club singer Willie Scott and Indy's 11-year-old Chinese sidekick Short Round respectively.

It's no secret that Spielberg probably sees this film as one of the "Not so proud of" projects in his filmmaking career. You can't blame him, the film did stir a bit of negative controversy during its time for being too violent and for portraying Indian culture in the wrong sense. I may be wrong, but i'm sure a kid or two may have lost sleep because of the horrific and nightmarish images they had seen in what they thought was a fun filled family movie titled Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. "Temple of Doom" should have been the clear sign to just leave the kids at home on movie night.

So what are we talking about here? In a nutshell, inside the Temple of Doom; People are fed chilled monkey brains, eyball soup, and beetles, the place is run by a demonic cult, people are sacrificed and offered to a whirlpool of molten lava, hearts are ripped straight out of your chest, children are slapped, whipped, and forced to mine as slaves... well it was that, plus a lot of India's population were probably like "That is not Indian culture, you portray our gods falsely, we do not do that in our country,"  that got people talking. I guess it was only right the director take initiative on censorship a little more seriously and suggest slapping a PG-13 mark on every other torturous film that came after this. Either that or we can blame a lot of people back then for overreacting to this film.

Fun ranting aside, I hardly remember the film being this brutal. I've always remembered the Indiana Jones series to be a happy go lucky fun adventure. For what it is though, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is one enjoyable and entertaining film, but definitely not as good as the first installment that came before it. The controversy that surrounds it is actually an interesting enough reason to go see this. Maybe its just me, but I find entertainment in how darkly comic, edgy, and adventurous this actually is all at the same time without losing the whole Indiana Jones theme and feel. Spielberg's directing is genius.

Just like the first film, it's the huge sets accompanied by the large number of extras in costume, all the convincingly simple special effects, the storytelling, likable characters, high adrenaline action, and just the simplicity of it all that make this an excellent film.

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Fast and Furious 6 (2013)

Fast and Furious 6 (2013)

Directed by: Justin Lin

Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker,

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson,  and Luke Evans

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C_puVuHoR6o

Agent Luke Hobbs (Johnson) seeks the help of fugitives Dominic Toretto (Diesel) and former FBI agent Brian O'Conner (Walker), and their crew of highly skilled professional criminals and race car drivers, in trying to catch a wanted man, Owen Shaw (Evans), who they have been chasing cross country to no avail. Shaw is wanted for pulling off sophisticated international heists together with his crew of skilled wheel men, a crime similar to that of Toretto's crew. If Dom and Brian can help Hobbs capture Shaw, it might mean they could come out of hiding and get to live life as family again.

Fast and Furious 6 is a action film directed by Justin Lin, who had previously directed the last three films in the series (Tokyo Drift (2006), Fast and Furious (2009), and Fast Five (2011)). The film kicks off where it had last left off, continuing the story line from Fast Five.

Reprising their roles for this sixth installment are actors Vin Diesel and Paul Walker, with support from Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Sung Kang, Jordana Brewster, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Making their first appearance for the franchise is MMA fighter and actress Gina Carano and actor Luke Evans, who plays the main villain in the film. Also on cast and making a surprising return is actress Michelle Rodriguez.

Okay now. So the whole F and F crew is back for somemore high speed chase sequences and more manly beatdowns and pistol shootouts. At this point, having had six installments to the series, its already obvious that the franchise has pulled away from the whole street racing theme and has established itself more in the lines of a heist film of sorts. Think Ocean's Eleven with cars, a skilled team, impossible heist, you get the picture. It pretty much just shows how much the series has grown. Yes, the whole heist has been a back drop of earlier installments in the series, but the last two installments of the series have clearly put more significance to the intricate planning of the heists rather than building up story lines concerning the street racing scene. One thing that is still evident though and will always be, are the gorgeous cars, beautiful women, muscled men, nicely choreographed high speed chase scenes, and the skilled driving involved, which is this films winning formula that always adds up to one very action packed and entertaining film.

It's surprising how this film manages to keep topping itself one film after the other. Must be the variety of beautiful rides with every installment of the series, or the different characters and villains who keep getting introduced. Dwayne Johnson has been a good addition to the last film and is still part of this film. Luke Evans and Gina Carano are a great addition to the cast as well, and Michelle Rodriguez back from the dead was an odd surprise as well.

The Fast and the Furious series has always successfully reinvented itself to come off as fresh, and that's why it's such an entertaining film series.

On that note, one thing you won't want to miss here is the surprise after credits ending.

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Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

Directed by: Steven Spielberg

Starring: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg-KoFP1guw

After maneuvering through a booby trapped Peruvian temple in order to retrieve an ancient artifact, archeologist Indiana Jones (Ford) is forced to surrender the golden statue he had just risk life and limb for and in the process make a daring escape from the indigenous tribe that surrounds him. Back in the United States, Indy is approached the US government, who want him to find and retrieve a biblical artifact of myth, the famed Ark of the Covenant, before the Nazi's get their hands on it.

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is a adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg and produced by George Lucas. It is the very first film in the Indiana Jones film franchise which stars actor Harrison Ford. The film was the highest grossing film the yearn of its release, and the film had received several Academy Award nominations, but mostly took home the top awards for its overall production. Steven Spielberg also won the Golden Globe for Best Director that year.

Okay, so it's Indiana Jones month for 3WMJ, after having just received a 4-disc box set of the film series. I'm pretty sure i have seen the first three films, but that was way back when i was a brainless child who didn't appreciate Indiana Jones for its brilliance, plus i have completely forgotten what each film is all about. I haven't seen the fourth film as well, so this should be an interesting series to prioritize and view this month. I am obviously kicking off the marathon with Raiders of the Lost Ark, the first film of the series which is arguably the most popular installment of the series.

With big names like Steven Spielberg at the helm, George Lucas backing the film production, and an awesome talent in a then young Harrison Ford playing the films lead role, it's unlikely this film would lack in awesomeness.

Raiders of the Lost Ark is memorable not only because of its whip-lashing lead, Indiana Jones, but because of it being one of the first truly innovative adventure films to be released (at least for me it is). The film is memorable for a lot of things. The opening sequence for one is truly an iconic piece of captured film and is probably the most timely image of the whole franchise. Yes, i am talking about the golden statue and  boulder chase scene. What i am also trying to point out here is that from the get go, Indiana Jones: Raiders of the Lost Ark captures your imagination, and just when you thought nothing could top that boulder dash opening, we get several more intriguing Indy adventures that follow throughout the years.

The overall film production is pretty eye catching, with large sets, lots of costumed extras, and huge high adrenaline explosions and special effects, which is also always accompanied by the well known catchy musical score. The film is also known for the interesting characters and villains. Indy is always known to have a different sidekick in each of the four films and in this film it is the beautiful Marion Ravenwood, Indy's former lover, played by actress Karen Allen. The dialogue is witty and often humorous, the action is simple yet death defying, and the fact that everything else just looks too easy and simple is amazingly too damn entertaining to fall asleep too.

This is the film that i would dub as the film that started the whole "Puzzling Adventure" theme in film. Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is a timeless classic and a must see.

So go see it!

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WHO SAID IT?

I did this simple game awhile back for for fun on FB and was wondering if it would get the same reception here on 3rdworldmoviejunkie.

Let's give it a try.

RULES OF THE GAME:

GUESS which film the FAMOUS MOVIE LINE is from.

This is a GROUP EFFORT game.

Each user can only ANSWER ONCE / COMMENT ONCE, as to keep the game running and not have some smart ass end the whole game in one comment.

The group scores IMAGINARY POINTS for every correct answer placed in the comment box.

Bonus points if you can NAME THE CHARACTER and ACTOR who played the role.

Example Answer:

           #1 - Elf, Buddy the Elf, Will Ferrell

NO using GOOGLE, IMDB, or ANY OTHER SEARCH ENGINE to find the answers (Let's be honest you cheaters).

The game ends when ALL NUMBERS have been CORRECTLY ANSWERED, and all correct answers will be posted after.

Like, Subscribe, and Share. Lets get this out there.

Read More to START.

FAMOUS LINES IN A COMEDY:

1. That's what I love about these high school girls, man. I get older, they stay the same age.

2. I know this, that if I win this roll, I will save the place I work from being sold, and the jobs of my friends that work there... Thus, striking a blow at all that is evil, and making this world a better place to live in.... and I'll buy you guys a drink...

3. Rob, thank you for that kind introduction. We're no longer called Sonic Death Monkey. We're on the verge of becoming Kathleen Turner Overdrive, but just for tonight, we are Barry Jive and his Uptown Five.

4. Well Jules, the funny thing about my back is that it's located on my cock.

5. This is like if that Blue Oyster shit met that Afghan Kush I had - and they had a baby. And then, meanwhile, that crazy Northern Light stuff I had and the Super Red Espresso Snowflake met and had a baby. And by some miracle, those two babies met and fucked - this would the shit that they birthed.

6. Well I guess it all started the first time I went through the second grade. I caught my reflection in a spoon while I was eating my cereal, and I remember thinking "wow, you're ridiculously good looking, maybe you could do that for a career."

7. I am the master of the C.L.I.T. Remember this fucking face. Whenever you see C.L.I.T., you'll see this fucking face. I make that shit work. It does whatever the fuck I tell it to. No one rules the C.L.I.T like me. Not this little fuck or none of you little fucks out there. I AM THE C.L.I.T. COMMANDER! Remember that, commander of all C.L.I.T.s! When it comes down to business, this is what I do. I pinch it like this. OOH you little fuck. Then I rub my nose with it.

8. You guys gotta get me out of here! There's this guy Nasty Nate who wants my cocktail fruit, and everyone here likes fresh fish! Then The Squirrel Master came out of left field and told me I'm his bitch!

9. When the world slips you a Jeffrey, stroke the furry wall.

10. We had two bags of grass, seventy-five pellets of mescaline, five sheets of high-powered blotter acid, a saltshaker half-full of cocaine, and a whole galaxy of multi-colored uppers, downers, screamers, laughers... Also, a quart of tequila, a quart of rum, a case of beer, a pint of raw ether, and two dozen amyls. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get locked into a serious drug collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can. The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge, and I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon.

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Iron Man 3 (2013)

Iron Man 3 (2013)

Directed by: Shane Black

Starring:

Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Guy Pierce,

Don Cheadle, and Ben Kingsley

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2CzoSeClcw0

After the catastrophic events that transpired in New York City while fighting alongside the Avengers, it's back to the drawing board for billionaire playboy Tony Stark (Downey), who is trying to perfect his latest and most effective Iron Man suit yet. While keeping himself preoccupied, the nation is under serious threat. A series of mysterious bombings by a terrorist known as the Mandarin (Kingsley), has intelligence authorities baffled and unable to retaliate. When Stark decides to get personal with the terrorist, he issues a televised threat and challenges the Mandarin, who responds by ordering a massive air strike on Tony Stark's home in an attempt to destroy everything, including the Iron Man.

Iron Man 3 is a superhero film directed by Shane Black, who also co-wrote the films screenplay together with Drew Pearce. The film is the third film installment in the Iron Man film franchise and the seventh installment in connection with several other Marvel Universe films that will eventually build up to The Avengers series of film.

Actor Robert Downey Jr. returns to his role of Tony Stark, with actress Gwyneth Paltrow and actor Don Cheadle also reprising their roles as Pepper Potts and James Rhodes, respectively. Actors Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley make their debut in the series as villains Aldrich Killian and Mandarin.

The Iron Man film franchise is probably the most impressive of the Marvel Studios released films. The series has been consistent in it being darkly comical, action packed, and just non-stop high-adrenaline entertainment. Robert Downey Jr. again proves that he is spot for the role of Tony Stark and that the actor doesn't have to do much or be in the middle of all the action in order to make this film great. Whether dawning the Iron Man suit and locking horns with hostiles, or just being locked up in a dusty garage with an annoying kid, Downey's presence makes this film great and entertaining. The addition of an underrated talent in actor Guy Pearce, who plays the films main villain is brilliant, and Ben Kingsley, well Kingsley is just as always awesome on screen.

The story line is very well written and is probably the best one of the series. The few comedic twists were a bit of a throw off, but was not at all damaging to the film. If anything, it was actually that "slap in the face" humor that you know you had coming. With that in mind, it's funny how after waiting for the end credits to role out, that surprise clip gives you the same feeling.

There is plenty to love in Iron Man 3. This is definitely hands down the best installment in the series yet, and a great first release following The Avengers film as well. With several more Marvel films to the build up of the Avengers sequel, there is plenty more Marvel superhero madness to look forward to.

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G.I. Joe Retaliation (2013)

G.I. Joe Retaliation (2013)

Directed by: Jon M. Chu

Starring: 

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Arnold Vosloo, Adrianne Palicki,

DJ Cotrona, Bruce Willis

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZEAvgvjbDM

The G.I. Joe unit is framed for stealing nuclear warheads from Pakistan and are accused of committing crimes against the country they so proudly serve. As a result, a surprise massive airstrike on the G.I. Joe base camp is immediately put into motion by order of the United States President, with the intent to terminate the very existence of G.I. Joe and everyone involved. Those who survive the attack, Roadblock (Johnson), Flint, and Lady Jaye (Palicki), are all that remains of the G.I. Joe team. The surviving Joes go rogue in their search for answers, as they address the very threats within the government that wants them dead, and before the brewing forces of Cobra unleash their plans for world domination.

G.I. Joe: Retaliation is a science fiction action film directed by John M. Chu and is co-written by Zombieland writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, based on characters from Hasbro's popular G.I. Joe set of toys and action figures, comic books, and cartoons. The film is the second installment in the G.I. Joe series of film and is a sequel to 2009's G.I. Joe : The Rise of Cobra.

The film stars an ensemble cast led by actor/pro-wrestler Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, actor DJ Cotrona, and actress Adrienne Palicki, with an appearance from actor Bruce Willis, who plays a special role in the film.

Also reprising the roles they had portrayed in the first film are actors Channing Tatum, Arnold Vosloo, Jonathan Pryce, British martial artist Ray Park and South Korean actor Byung-hun Lee.

After a disastrous first film, G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra (2009), which in my opinion had underwritten characters, an unengaging story line, and overall just had a bad leading cast who did not give justice to any of the characters in the film, it was likely that this film franchise was doomed right from the start. Some four years later and here we are with the second installment, G.I. Joe: Retaliation, marketed as a sequel to the first, but feels more like a forced reboot of the film series.

A major change in a lot of the first films main cast and some of its lead roles may be a sign of the trouble in production this film was heading for. The character of Duke, who is played by actor Channing Tatum both in the first film and here, and who was the main character in The Rise of Cobra, SPOILER ALERT: is surprisingly killed off within the first 30 minutes of the film. Why they would kill off arguably one of the most popular G.I. Joe characters in the franchise is just insane. From then on, the lead is taken over by actor Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, who will most probably be replacing Tatum as the face of this franchise and hopefully save the film series.

Just like its predecessor, this second film is a flop in my books. A sad combination of uninspiring story telling and bad casting. Director John M. Chu, who is best known for directing Step Up 2, Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, and the web series Legion of Extraordinary Dancers, was an odd choice for directing this film. Im surprised we actually didn't see the cast suddenly break out in song and dance. Jokes aside, the action sequences were nicely choreographed and the overwhelming number of explosive events, heavy artillery, and special effects is good candy on the eyes, but overall it just doesn't surpress the fact that this is another bad adaptation of the series that not even the combined machismo of action star Bruce Willis and WWE Champion "The Rock" can control.

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Red Dawn (2012)

Red Dawn (2012)

Directed by: Dan Bradley

Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0edgYX2Ca0

The morning after a mysterious nationwide power outage, the city of Spokane, Washington finds itself caught in the middle of a serious threat, after the military forces of North Korea stage a surprise attack on the United States. As the city is swiftly taken under military control, a group of teenagers lead by off duty U.S. Marine Jed Eckert (Hemsworth), find refuge in the woods, where they tactically train themselves to go to war in order to defend and liberate their town from its captors.

Red Dawn is a action war film directed by Dan Bradley, who is best known for being a stunt coordinator and second unit film director for several notable films. His previous works include contributions to the Spider-Man, James Bond, Mission Impossible, and Jason Bourne series of film. The film is written by Carl Ellsworth, who had written the screenplay for the films Red Eye (2005), Disturbia (2007), and Last House on the Left (2009).

The film stars a cast of young talent with include actors Chris Hemsworth, Josh Peck, Josh Hutcherson, and Connor Cruise, and with actresses Adrianne Palicki and Isabel Lucas.

After doing my research for this film, i had just found out that this is actually a remake of a 1984 film of the same name by director John Milius, which i am yet to see, so you probably wont find comparisons between the two here (originals are almost always better though, at least for me).

Anyway, i thought this remake by director Dan Bradley was okay but not quite. The film as a whole is probably geared towards a younger audience. The young cast keeps it fresh and current, but it's also the young cast of characters here who kill a lot of the "believability" of the films plot. I mean come on, is anyone really gonna buy into a plot that has a group of inexperienced kids outsmarting an invading countries military force? It would have probably made more sense if this were branded as a comedy, so no normal thinking person would actually take this impossible plot seriously. It is a serious war film though, and it is what it is.

On a higher note though, the film is easy going and there is some entertainment to salvage here and you might just find yourself sitting through this from start to finish. It sort of reminds me of the film Toy Soldiers (1991), which was equally as entertaining because it also had that same kids-vs-hostiles theme. The whole experience is like watching a surprisingly okay B-movie HBO feature on a Sunday afternoon (if that makes any sense). Director Dan Bradley's experience in stunt coordination is present in some of the nicely choreographed action sequences and shootouts, which are nowhere fancy and top notch, but just gives the film that little bit of entertainment value.

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LUV (2012)

LUV (2012)

Directed by: Sheldon Candis

Starring: Common, Michael Rainey Jr, Danny Glover

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DqdhpvLrmMI

Woody (Rainey), an 11-year-old young boy abandoned and left to live with his grandmother, gets a crash course on life and what it takes to be a man, after spending a day with his uncle Vincent (Common), an ex-convict looking to change his ways and leave his criminal past behind.

LUV is a drama film co-written and directed by Sheldon Candis. The film stars an impressive cast that include Hip-Hop rapper Common, young actor Michael Rainey Jr, and with supporting performances from actors Danny Glover and Dennis Haysbert. The film was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

The characters are brilliantly acted by the films cast and that is probably the saving grace of this film. Hip-Hop artist Common has starred in several films before, but this may just be his best performance to date. Both Common and co-star Michael Rainey Jr put in excellent performances in this piece.

It's a nice little film here from director Sheldon Candis. Its plot is nothing new nor original and overall is nothing great to get all excited about. Its a coming of age drama of sorts set within the African-American community, where a child learns the ropes from his ex-con uncle on what it takes to hustle and live a "thugs life." This is no family friendly movie though, as most of what was presented here involved drugs, guns, beatings, killings, and a lot of negative images and values. Somewhere along the way though, one would realize that this just may be the reality of someone out there, and it is smart and thought provoking.

As interesting enough as it presents itself to be, the plot just doesn't hold itself together with a few unbelievable "What the Fuck" twists along the way and a disappointing open ended ending.

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The Master (2012)

The Master (2012)

Directed by: Paul Thomas Anderson

Starring: Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fJ1O1vb9AUU

Freddie Quell (Phoenix), has just returned from his service aboard a Navy vessel during World War II. While trying to adjust to society, Freddie stumbles through several day jobs where he experiences recurring Posttraumatic Stress Disorder which lead to violent breakdowns. He then finds himself stowaway aboard a ship where he meets Lancaster Dodd (Hoffman), a charismatic speaker and leader of a religious movement known as "The Cause." Dodd takes Freddie under his wing as they travel together and spread their teachings.

The Master is a drama film written, directed, and produced by American film director Paul Thomas Anderson. The films plot is inspired by Scientology and its founder L. Ron Hubbard. Starring in the film are actors Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman, and actress Amy Adams. The trio main cast all received Academy Award nominations: Phoenix for Best Actor, Hoffman for Best Supporting Actor, and Adams for Best Supporting Actress.

Not my favorite of P.T. Anderson's films, but one i did appreciate for the brilliant direction and the acting from the cast involved. P.T. Anderson's directing here is poetic. The director at his best. His latest film is again brilliant and enigmatic, coupled with yet another mesmerizing musical score and visual frames. A solid cast who turn in excellent performances top off this strange yet entertaining arrangement of a film.

A somewhat return to sanity and a good comeback film for actor Joaquin Phoenix. Arguably the best performance of his career yet i'm still quite baffled still on how the actor lost out on the Oscar for Best Actor. I appreciate the acting chemistry between Phoenix and Hoffman in this. The film is more a character study than it is enjoyable for having a engaging storyline, thus, some good acting chops are needed to pull off the characters of the film. Amy Adams, though mostly in the shadows, manages to still nicely translate that strong presence required by her character. Watch out for the brilliant interrogation scene, as well as the jail argument between Hoffman and Phoenix, which were probably the films main highlights for me.

The story line is intricate and a bit of a confusion. Probably a sleeper if you don't put much effort into breaking it down. Halfway through the film was when i realized that i had to dig deeper into understanding the relationships between the three main characters in order to get a sense of what was really unraveling before me.

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Killing Them Softly (2012)

Killing Them Softly (2012)

Directed by: Andrew Dominik

Starring: Brad Pitt, Ray Liotta, Scoot McNairy

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCCBo0yh6YM

Jackie Cogan (Pitt), a professional hitman and enforcer, is hired to restore order in the criminal underworld by hunting down the amateur thieves who had recently robbed a Mob protected gaming room, which resulted in the collapse of the local criminal economy.

Killing Them Softly is a crime-caper film directed by Australian film director Andrew Dominik. The film, which is based on the novel Cogan's Trade by author George V. Higgins, marks Dominik's third full length feature release. It was nominated for the Palm d'Or prize at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival.

Starring in the film is actor Brad Pitt. A second collaboration between the actor and film director after Pitt previously played the starring role in Dominik's 2007 film The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Playing supporting roles here are actors Ray Liotta, James Gandolfini, Richard Jenkins, Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn.

A lot of slow unraveling and verbal chatter is what you will get here. More dialogue driven than action packed, and for its genre is probably a step back from your typical mafia film. One bit that does stay present is the brutality synonymous with Mob beatings and hits. The films title comes nowhere close to the blood splattering deaths depicted in the film. But not to mislead anyone into thinking that this is a bad film, as it is a nicely directed film that is also well casted and very well acted. Pitt is convincing as the stone faced hitman and much more kudos to the excellent performances from the supporting cast.

The script in itself is well written with a lot of brainy dialogue and smart conversation. Also, it is brilliant how amidst all that is happening in this film, we do get the constant radio and television commentary from what i assume is/was the presidential campaign and the candidates spieling their false monologues on the "American Dream". I guess the main theme/point here that the film tries to get across is "capitalism" and how business in the criminal underworld is one and the same as one would go about the business of running a country. It's all about the money. And when someone fucks up, someone has to tie up the loose ends.

A bit slow paced and demands much more of ones attention than i had thought, but all in all was a pleasing view.

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Flight (2012)

Flight (2012)

Directed by: Robert Zemeckis

Starring: Denzel Washington, John Goodman, Don Cheadle

Link to trailer on youtube.com:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MlFMZ5D8FNc

Capt. Whip Whitaker (Washington), an experienced pilot, maneuvers his plane from crashing during a return flight, sparring the lives of the majority of his passengers on board. Now dubbed a hero, he must face his personal demons as further investigation into the plane malfunctions reveals the troubling truth.

Flight is a drama film co-produced and directed by Robert Zemeckis, and written by Amercian screenwriter John Gatins (nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay). The film is director Robert Zemeckis return to directing a live-action film since his last release of What Lies Beneath and Castaway back in 2000.

The film stars Academy Award winner Denzel Washington, who received an Academy Award and Golden Globe nomination for his role of Capt. Whip Whittaker in this film. Also starring in the film are Don Cheadle, Kelly Reilly, and John Goodman.

Robert Zemeckis is back to working with live-action and his latest film Flight is a pretty fun, intense, and satisfying drama. The films alcohol induced, cocaine-fiend lead is brilliantly played by the always entertaining Denzel Washington. In one of the more exciting plane crash scenes in film or in just any other disastrous situation, leave it to Denzel's character to always be the one and only character who is cool and calm under intense pressure. Only Denzel can.

Anyway, The script is very nicely written with a lot of simple plot twists and turns that will keep one entertained. It's more a serious addiction drama than anything else, as we watch another one of society's respected figures fall from grace. The intense adrenaline packed opening is dropped down to slower pace and from then on is a deeper look into our characters demons and addiction. Whip Whitacker is both a likable and annoying character to connect to, and as we witness his journey here, we want nothing more but to either see him fail or succeed.

This is well worth it. A great collaboration between director and actor.

A good comeback for Robert Zemeckis to what he is loved for.

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