I’ve been interested in seeing Burlesque for a long time. It did take me longer than I originally intended to see the movie.
The plot for Burlesque, dealing with a young woman from a tiny town in the middle of nowhere going to Los Angeles with dreams of becoming famous, isn’t the most original. Despite that, the movie is still very entertaining and I think it is worth watching. Things are a little different since Ali, the woman with dreams of being famous, is happy performing in The Burlesque Lounge. She isn’t trying to break into movies or anything like that, though she is determined to get on stage though. Her determination ends up helping later in the movie as well.
Ali, played by Christina Aguilera, has a beautiful and powerful singing voice. It makes sense that she would become a popular performer at the club. Burlesque is a musical, with all the songs being numbers performed at the club. Characters don’t just break out into song like happens in a lot of other musicals. The songs are done well and help to make the move more entertaining. The women do wear some revealing outfits while performing, though they are never naked. I loved all the singing, but some people may not care for that aspect of the movie. People who don’t care for musicals may want to pick a different movie.
Most of what happens in Burlesque is tied to the club in some way. There is an attempt to add one or two complications. The movie isn’t exactly serious, but it really isn’t a comedy either even though there is humor in the movie. Romance turns up as well without being the main focus.
The characters in Burlesque are interesting, though many of them are rather flat. Ali receives the most attention. She is likable and Christina Aguilera does a very good job in the part. Tess is the woman who owns the club. She acts tough at times, but she has a nicer side as well. She is protective of the women who work at the club. Cher does really well with the part and she also performs a few new songs. Most of the other characters are the other performers. Nikki stands out the most because of her attitude, but Kristen Bell is kind of wasted in the part.
Overall I really enjoyed Burlesque and think it is worth watching. Cher and Christina Aguilera are wonderful in their parts and there are some great songs in it.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Burlesque
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Tangled
I still love animated movies and many of the Disney animated movies I saw when I was younger are still among my favorites. I have been interested in seeing Tangled since I first saw a trailer for the movie.
Tangled adds Rapunzel to the line of Disney princesses. I’ve thought that Disney should do a Rapunzel movie for years, so I was happy when I found out they were making out. The title was changed and I have read that it was in an attempt to attract more boys to watch the movie. I don’t know if that is why or not. The main male character, Flynn Rider, receives more attention than the male characters have in many of the other Disney princess movies. That does make it a little different. In other ways, it is more like the earlier Disney princess movies. The characters are interesting and the voices fit them all very well.
It has been years since I last heard or read the Rapunzel fairytale and I had forgotten most of it before seeing the movie. Really all I could remember was that she had really long hair and was stuck in a tower for some reason. After seeing the movie, I did look some things up and know what was changed for this version of the story. The main story is pretty much the same, though some of the details are different. I really like this version of the story and think it works very well to make an entertaining movie.
Tangled is in 3D in some theaters. I did end up seeing the 3D version, mostly because of the timing. The 3D effects are well done, though mostly subtle. The effect is done amazingly well in a later sequence involving floating items. The movie has a beautiful look for the settings. Rapunzel’s hair is very impressive. She utilizes it in some unique ways that help make the movie more entertaining.
The plot for Tangled is interesting and entertaining even though it is somewhat simple. I was surprised by a few things that happened. I may not have been surprised by those few things if I remembered more from the original story. I do think there is a good amount of humor in the movie, much of which is provided by Rapunzel’s pet chameleon Pascal and Maximus, a horse who acts like a dog. In addition to the humor, there are a few more serious moments in the movie as well. There are songs, and while they are done well, none of them are as strong as ones from earlier Disney movies. A bit of romance turns up without it being the driving force of the movie.
Tangled is another wonderful Disney animated movie. It is one of the better animated movies I’ve seen in a while. It is definitely worth seeing. I know I’ll be adding it to my movie collection.
I did get a review posted on Epinions.
Tangled
Tangled adds Rapunzel to the line of Disney princesses. I’ve thought that Disney should do a Rapunzel movie for years, so I was happy when I found out they were making out. The title was changed and I have read that it was in an attempt to attract more boys to watch the movie. I don’t know if that is why or not. The main male character, Flynn Rider, receives more attention than the male characters have in many of the other Disney princess movies. That does make it a little different. In other ways, it is more like the earlier Disney princess movies. The characters are interesting and the voices fit them all very well.
It has been years since I last heard or read the Rapunzel fairytale and I had forgotten most of it before seeing the movie. Really all I could remember was that she had really long hair and was stuck in a tower for some reason. After seeing the movie, I did look some things up and know what was changed for this version of the story. The main story is pretty much the same, though some of the details are different. I really like this version of the story and think it works very well to make an entertaining movie.
Tangled is in 3D in some theaters. I did end up seeing the 3D version, mostly because of the timing. The 3D effects are well done, though mostly subtle. The effect is done amazingly well in a later sequence involving floating items. The movie has a beautiful look for the settings. Rapunzel’s hair is very impressive. She utilizes it in some unique ways that help make the movie more entertaining.
The plot for Tangled is interesting and entertaining even though it is somewhat simple. I was surprised by a few things that happened. I may not have been surprised by those few things if I remembered more from the original story. I do think there is a good amount of humor in the movie, much of which is provided by Rapunzel’s pet chameleon Pascal and Maximus, a horse who acts like a dog. In addition to the humor, there are a few more serious moments in the movie as well. There are songs, and while they are done well, none of them are as strong as ones from earlier Disney movies. A bit of romance turns up without it being the driving force of the movie.
Tangled is another wonderful Disney animated movie. It is one of the better animated movies I’ve seen in a while. It is definitely worth seeing. I know I’ll be adding it to my movie collection.
I did get a review posted on Epinions.
Tangled
Faster
Since I usually like Dwayne Johnson movies, I decided to see Faster. Based on the previews, I wasn’t expecting a lot from the movie, but I was entertained.
A man gets out of prison and starts killing the people involved with the murder of his brother. The police investigate the murders and someone hires a hitman to go after the killer. That is really it for the plot. The name of the main character and one of the cops is used during the movie, but they are only identified as Driver and Cop in the credits and the hitman is listed as Killer.
The plot for Faster is very, very simple and thin, even for a revenge type movie. The motivation is shared for why Driver is killing. He kills several people, but since he is only targeting certain people, I don’t really think of it as a killing spree. I was entertained by the movie, but it would have been nice if there had been a little more substance to the plot. A few attempts to add complications by sharing some information about Killer and a bit of backstory for Cop just don’t work that well. One development was probably intended to be a surprise, but I saw it coming way in advance.
There really isn’t any mystery or suspense to what is going on in Faster, but there is a lot of violence. It doesn’t take long for Driver to start killing. The deaths he is responsible for are violent and bloody. At one point, there is a flashback that shows the murder of his brother, another scene that is violent. Things aren’t that gory, but they are probably too graphic for some viewers.
Faster has minimal character development, one of the things that makes the story weaker overall. A little bit of background is shared about Driver, Cop, and Killer, and that is really it. Most of the characters are rather flat, and not as interesting as they could have been. The acting is fine, but nothing special. Dwayne Johnson doesn’t even have that many lines. He just goes from place to place killing with a ticked off look on his face.
Overall, Faster is a fairly simple movie that does manage to be entertaining. It isn’t a favorite, but I have seen worse.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Faster
A man gets out of prison and starts killing the people involved with the murder of his brother. The police investigate the murders and someone hires a hitman to go after the killer. That is really it for the plot. The name of the main character and one of the cops is used during the movie, but they are only identified as Driver and Cop in the credits and the hitman is listed as Killer.
The plot for Faster is very, very simple and thin, even for a revenge type movie. The motivation is shared for why Driver is killing. He kills several people, but since he is only targeting certain people, I don’t really think of it as a killing spree. I was entertained by the movie, but it would have been nice if there had been a little more substance to the plot. A few attempts to add complications by sharing some information about Killer and a bit of backstory for Cop just don’t work that well. One development was probably intended to be a surprise, but I saw it coming way in advance.
There really isn’t any mystery or suspense to what is going on in Faster, but there is a lot of violence. It doesn’t take long for Driver to start killing. The deaths he is responsible for are violent and bloody. At one point, there is a flashback that shows the murder of his brother, another scene that is violent. Things aren’t that gory, but they are probably too graphic for some viewers.
Faster has minimal character development, one of the things that makes the story weaker overall. A little bit of background is shared about Driver, Cop, and Killer, and that is really it. Most of the characters are rather flat, and not as interesting as they could have been. The acting is fine, but nothing special. Dwayne Johnson doesn’t even have that many lines. He just goes from place to place killing with a ticked off look on his face.
Overall, Faster is a fairly simple movie that does manage to be entertaining. It isn’t a favorite, but I have seen worse.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions.
Faster
Megamind
I was interested in seeing Megamind after I first saw the trailers for the movie. It is a fun entertaining animated movie. Some theaters did show the movie in 3D. I did see that version, mainly because that is the one that was showing when I was able to go see the movie.
Megamind lands on Earth when he is sent away from his home planet by his parents when he is eight days old. The planet is being destroyed. Another baby leaves a near by planet. The other baby has a good life and becomes Metro Man when he is older. Megamind grows up in a prison and it basically Metro Man’s enemy. After years of facing Metro Man and failing, Megamind comes out on top. He is happy for a while, but he ends up deciding that he needs someone to face off against and comes up with the idea to create a new hero to battle. While doing that, he also starts spending time with reporter Roxanne while disguised.
Megamind is a fun, entertaining animated movie that I do think is worth seeing. The plot is interesting enough, though it isn’t the most original. There are definite similarities to Superman. While it would have been nice if the story was more original, the movie is still very entertaining. Children may end up enjoying the movie more than adults, though there are a few things tossed in for adults to enjoy as well. The biggest is probably the music. There is a good amount of humor to what is going on. Much of the humor comes from how Megamind’s various plots go wrong.
Megamind is an interesting and entertaining character. It seems like he is intelligent, but he doesn’t manage to accomplish anything with his intelligence. Things keep going wrong for him. Even though he is a super villain, he does have a good side and isn’t all bad. Will Ferrell does fine with the voice of the character. Metro Man isn’t around as much, so Brad Pitt doesn’t get as much to do. Roxanne is also an interesting character and Tina Fey’s voice works well for her.
The animation is done well and looks good, though it isn’t as good as what Pixar does.
It would have been nice if Megamind had a more original plot, but the movie is still very fun and entertaining. I do think it is worth watching and I’ll more than likely add it to my movie collection.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions after I saw the movie.
Megamind
Megamind lands on Earth when he is sent away from his home planet by his parents when he is eight days old. The planet is being destroyed. Another baby leaves a near by planet. The other baby has a good life and becomes Metro Man when he is older. Megamind grows up in a prison and it basically Metro Man’s enemy. After years of facing Metro Man and failing, Megamind comes out on top. He is happy for a while, but he ends up deciding that he needs someone to face off against and comes up with the idea to create a new hero to battle. While doing that, he also starts spending time with reporter Roxanne while disguised.
Megamind is a fun, entertaining animated movie that I do think is worth seeing. The plot is interesting enough, though it isn’t the most original. There are definite similarities to Superman. While it would have been nice if the story was more original, the movie is still very entertaining. Children may end up enjoying the movie more than adults, though there are a few things tossed in for adults to enjoy as well. The biggest is probably the music. There is a good amount of humor to what is going on. Much of the humor comes from how Megamind’s various plots go wrong.
Megamind is an interesting and entertaining character. It seems like he is intelligent, but he doesn’t manage to accomplish anything with his intelligence. Things keep going wrong for him. Even though he is a super villain, he does have a good side and isn’t all bad. Will Ferrell does fine with the voice of the character. Metro Man isn’t around as much, so Brad Pitt doesn’t get as much to do. Roxanne is also an interesting character and Tina Fey’s voice works well for her.
The animation is done well and looks good, though it isn’t as good as what Pixar does.
It would have been nice if Megamind had a more original plot, but the movie is still very fun and entertaining. I do think it is worth watching and I’ll more than likely add it to my movie collection.
I did get a longer review posted on Epinions after I saw the movie.
Megamind
Harry Potter Film Wizardry
I love the Harry Potter books and movies. I also enjoy books that are about the making of movies. I have been watching for one about the Harry Potter movies for years. When I found Harry Potter Film Wizardry by Brian Sibley, I quickly got it.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry is a little different form other books. It is the only book I’ve ever bought that was come wrapped in shrink wrap. Something else that makes the book different is the fact that it includes replicas of different props from the Harry Potter movies. It does have a higher list price, but I was able to get it for about half off by ordering it online, so I do suggest comparing prices.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry shares information about the making of the Harry Potter movies up through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 as well as sharing a little general information about the plots of the movies. The last few pages have pictures of a few things from the last movie without any details being shared. There aren’t technically plot summaries in the book, though certain things are mentioned that will be spoilers for people who haven’t seen the movies or read the books. The information is shared mostly in order, though a few things are briefly mentioned out of order. The organization could have been slightly better, but the book is still very entertaining and worth picking up for fans of the series.
There are several replicas of various props in Harry Potter Film Wizardry. I have several books tied to the making of movies, but this is the only one that has props. I love the prop replicas. They are included in the book where the object is being discussed. The replicas look like the different things from the movie. Most of them are in a sort of clear envelope that protects them. Some of the items include the letter that Harry receives about going to Hogwarts in the first movie, some of the educational decrees, a flyer from the Quidditch World Cup, and a sales flyer from the store that Fred and George open. Some of the items were only briefly seen in the various movies, but they are incredibly detailed. I love the prop replicas.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry has all sorts of information about the movies. The book is really aimed at people who are fans of the movies. There are sections for each of the movies, which helps the organization. A few items aren’t brought up until later for some reason. There are illustrations throughout the book tied to different things as well as pictures taken during filming and pictures that look like they were pulled from the movies.
Overall Harry Potter Film Wizardry is a wonderful book for fans of Harry Potter. It is definitely worth getting for fans Potter fans.
I did get a review posted at Epinions.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry
Harry Potter Film Wizardry is a little different form other books. It is the only book I’ve ever bought that was come wrapped in shrink wrap. Something else that makes the book different is the fact that it includes replicas of different props from the Harry Potter movies. It does have a higher list price, but I was able to get it for about half off by ordering it online, so I do suggest comparing prices.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry shares information about the making of the Harry Potter movies up through Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 as well as sharing a little general information about the plots of the movies. The last few pages have pictures of a few things from the last movie without any details being shared. There aren’t technically plot summaries in the book, though certain things are mentioned that will be spoilers for people who haven’t seen the movies or read the books. The information is shared mostly in order, though a few things are briefly mentioned out of order. The organization could have been slightly better, but the book is still very entertaining and worth picking up for fans of the series.
There are several replicas of various props in Harry Potter Film Wizardry. I have several books tied to the making of movies, but this is the only one that has props. I love the prop replicas. They are included in the book where the object is being discussed. The replicas look like the different things from the movie. Most of them are in a sort of clear envelope that protects them. Some of the items include the letter that Harry receives about going to Hogwarts in the first movie, some of the educational decrees, a flyer from the Quidditch World Cup, and a sales flyer from the store that Fred and George open. Some of the items were only briefly seen in the various movies, but they are incredibly detailed. I love the prop replicas.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry has all sorts of information about the movies. The book is really aimed at people who are fans of the movies. There are sections for each of the movies, which helps the organization. A few items aren’t brought up until later for some reason. There are illustrations throughout the book tied to different things as well as pictures taken during filming and pictures that look like they were pulled from the movies.
Overall Harry Potter Film Wizardry is a wonderful book for fans of Harry Potter. It is definitely worth getting for fans Potter fans.
I did get a review posted at Epinions.
Harry Potter Film Wizardry
Friday, December 3, 2010
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
I love Harry Potter and have been hooked on the series since I read the first book in November of 2001. I was a little late starting the books, but I was quickly hooked on them and read them all several times since. I have all of the movies on DVD and I even picked up the Ultimate Editions of the first four movies on Blu-ray. While I have felt the movies have had issues, I still go see them. I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 on opening day.
This is not the movie to start with. This movies - like the books - really build on what has been established earlier in the series. The movies should be watched in order. I also think that people should read the books since they are much better.
I’ve had issues with some of the previous Harry Potter movies because of things that have been left out. I really had problems with the last two movies because of explanations being left out that really are needed for things to be set up properly. There are still a few things left out of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, but I do think the adaptation is pretty good. This movie does seem to be aimed more at fans of the books. Things that were left out of previous movies are mentioned or even shown. I could see people who haven’t read the books being confused about a few things.
The plot has Harry, Ron, and Hermione going off to try to track down the horcruxes while Voldemort and his followers take over the magical world. This is one of the longer movies, but that was necessary to deal with everything properly. A lot happens in the book, and it would have been a huge mess if it had been cut down into one movie. I do think the pace moves along fairly quick, though it slows down every so often when certain things happen. There is a decent amount of action, mostly provided by magical fights. It does seem like some of the little magical things that have been done in the previous movies are missing, and that is disappointing for me. I like those things.
The characters of Harry, Ron, and Hermione have really grown and developed over the course of the series. They face very different things in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. They are older now and facing more danger. Their friendship is strained in ways it never has been before. I really like these characters and am very happy with how things have been handled for them. I love that the cast has stayed the same for all the movies. They just wouldn’t have worked as well if the parts had been recast. Rupert Grint gets a bit more to do in this one which is nice.
I am wondering how a few things will be handled in the last movie, but overall, I really enjoyed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Fans of the movies and books should give it a chance.
I did get a review posted on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
This is not the movie to start with. This movies - like the books - really build on what has been established earlier in the series. The movies should be watched in order. I also think that people should read the books since they are much better.
I’ve had issues with some of the previous Harry Potter movies because of things that have been left out. I really had problems with the last two movies because of explanations being left out that really are needed for things to be set up properly. There are still a few things left out of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1, but I do think the adaptation is pretty good. This movie does seem to be aimed more at fans of the books. Things that were left out of previous movies are mentioned or even shown. I could see people who haven’t read the books being confused about a few things.
The plot has Harry, Ron, and Hermione going off to try to track down the horcruxes while Voldemort and his followers take over the magical world. This is one of the longer movies, but that was necessary to deal with everything properly. A lot happens in the book, and it would have been a huge mess if it had been cut down into one movie. I do think the pace moves along fairly quick, though it slows down every so often when certain things happen. There is a decent amount of action, mostly provided by magical fights. It does seem like some of the little magical things that have been done in the previous movies are missing, and that is disappointing for me. I like those things.
The characters of Harry, Ron, and Hermione have really grown and developed over the course of the series. They face very different things in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. They are older now and facing more danger. Their friendship is strained in ways it never has been before. I really like these characters and am very happy with how things have been handled for them. I love that the cast has stayed the same for all the movies. They just wouldn’t have worked as well if the parts had been recast. Rupert Grint gets a bit more to do in this one which is nice.
I am wondering how a few things will be handled in the last movie, but overall, I really enjoyed Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. Fans of the movies and books should give it a chance.
I did get a review posted on Epinions after seeing the movie in the theater.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
Unstoppable
I became interested in seeing Unstoppable after seeing the trailers for the movie. The movie looked interesting and I do usually like Denzil Washington.
Unstoppable is actually inspired by true events that happened in Ohio in 2001. I did read some about the real incident after seeing the movie and it seems like several things have been changed for the movie. I’m sure that was done to make things more exciting. The setting was also changed to Pennsylvania.
At a rail yard, a worker is moving a train. He jumps off to change a switch and then is unable to reboard the train. It is assumed at that point that the train is just coasting. It turns out that some lever slipped, allowing the train to build up speed. Connie Hooper is in charge at the rail yard and she starts trying to find a way to deal with the train. Conductor Will Colson and engineer Frank Barnes are working together for the first time that day. Will hasn’t been out of training that long and he does make a few mistakes. They barely miss a collision with the runaway train. When other ideas to stop the train fail, Frank and Will put their own plan into motion.
I really enjoyed Unstoppable and found it to be a very entertaining movie. The pace moves pretty fast after a slower start, though that is expected since the movie only covers a matter of hours. The runaway train provides a decent amount of action for the movie and there are some suspenseful scenes as well. The way that things work out is somewhat predictable, but that doesn’t keep the movie from being entertaining. During some scenes, usually ones involving some kind of action, jerky camera work turns up. I hate that and don’t think it adds anything to a movie other than making it harder to tell what is going on.
There are several characters in Unstoppable and the movie does jump back and forth between them throughout the movie. There really isn’t much character development, but that doesn’t bother me since the movie is entertaining. Will and Frank probably are developed a bit more than the others. They have a few issues at first, but they end up working well together. Denzil Washington and Chris Pine do well with their parts. Connie is trying everything she can think of to deal with the situation. Rosario Dawson is fine in the part. Other workers for the railroad turn up every so often, though none of them are really that developed.
Overall, Unstoppable is a well done, entertaining movie. It has a decent amount of action and I think it deserves to be seen. Fans of Denzil Washington should definitely check it out.
I did get a review posted on Epinions.
Unstoppable
Unstoppable is actually inspired by true events that happened in Ohio in 2001. I did read some about the real incident after seeing the movie and it seems like several things have been changed for the movie. I’m sure that was done to make things more exciting. The setting was also changed to Pennsylvania.
At a rail yard, a worker is moving a train. He jumps off to change a switch and then is unable to reboard the train. It is assumed at that point that the train is just coasting. It turns out that some lever slipped, allowing the train to build up speed. Connie Hooper is in charge at the rail yard and she starts trying to find a way to deal with the train. Conductor Will Colson and engineer Frank Barnes are working together for the first time that day. Will hasn’t been out of training that long and he does make a few mistakes. They barely miss a collision with the runaway train. When other ideas to stop the train fail, Frank and Will put their own plan into motion.
I really enjoyed Unstoppable and found it to be a very entertaining movie. The pace moves pretty fast after a slower start, though that is expected since the movie only covers a matter of hours. The runaway train provides a decent amount of action for the movie and there are some suspenseful scenes as well. The way that things work out is somewhat predictable, but that doesn’t keep the movie from being entertaining. During some scenes, usually ones involving some kind of action, jerky camera work turns up. I hate that and don’t think it adds anything to a movie other than making it harder to tell what is going on.
There are several characters in Unstoppable and the movie does jump back and forth between them throughout the movie. There really isn’t much character development, but that doesn’t bother me since the movie is entertaining. Will and Frank probably are developed a bit more than the others. They have a few issues at first, but they end up working well together. Denzil Washington and Chris Pine do well with their parts. Connie is trying everything she can think of to deal with the situation. Rosario Dawson is fine in the part. Other workers for the railroad turn up every so often, though none of them are really that developed.
Overall, Unstoppable is a well done, entertaining movie. It has a decent amount of action and I think it deserves to be seen. Fans of Denzil Washington should definitely check it out.
I did get a review posted on Epinions.
Unstoppable
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