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Showing posts with label Special effects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Special effects. Show all posts

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Super 8


Q: What’s the movie about?

A: A bunch of pre-teens, who are making a super 8 film (because it's 1979, and digital doesn't exist yet), witness a mysterious train crash, and as they put together the pieces, start to realize that there is an alien force involved.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Joel Courtney, Elle Fanning, Riley Giffiths, Kyle Chandler, Ron Eldard, Ryan Lee, Gabriel Basso, Zach Mills, Noah Emmerich, Richard T. Jones, Jessica Tuck, Joel McKinnon Miller, AJ Michalka, Brett Rice, Michael Hitchcock, David Gallagher

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketGo! The story is hoaky as all hell, but the kids are adorable in a way that reminds you of Goonies and Stand by Me.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: If you stay for the Super 8 movie, which plays in its entirety about 45 seconds into the closing credits.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: If you're going to, it'll be at both Elle Fanning's amazing acting, and the boys' reaction to it.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Most Steven Spielberg-like movie since the 80s.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: The lead in this movie, Joel Courtney, has not a single credit to his name. He must've been very intimidated playing up against an old pro like Elle Fanning. Joel's co-star, Riley Griffiths, also breaks out as the amazingly talented fat-kid, so I'm assuming he'll grow up to look like Jerry O'Connell, and marry a gorgeous super-model.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: It's impossible not to think that the filmmaking aspect of the story is a little autobiographical to J.J. Abrams. Furthermore, if you don't think that, somewhere in the back of your mind, these 11-year-olds' level of expertise quickly starts to seem completely improbable for their ages... Of course, I'm talking 1979 11-year-olds, not the ones we see today. (But in all fairness to Generation X, digital is way easier to master.)

Q: How is the story/script?

A: I've heard mashups of music, I've seen mashup shorts on the web, but this is the first time I've seen a feature film mashup. Along with being part Goonies, and part Stand by Me, it's also part War of the Worlds, part Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and there's even some elements that are strangely similar to Kung Fu Panda 2.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: You're probably wondering why they decided to place this film in 1979. So was I. But I concluded that it was in order to use super 8 film. Then I wondered why it was so important to them to use super 8, when this film could have easily been in modern times... And I have yet to come to a conclusion. Let me know if you have any theories!

Q: Where can I see the trailer?

A: Super 8 Trailer

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Thursday, June 19, 2008

The Incredible Hulk

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) is a fugitive on the run from the U.S. Government, because an experiment whose purpose is to create weapons out of men, by mutating their cells and making them "Superhumans" actually works.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Ty Burrell, Tim Blake Nelson

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. I left the theater with more questions than answers. Like, "Why did this nice, seemingly peaceful guy experiment on himself, to create a "Superhuman"?" and, "What exactly did he think was going to happen if he exposed himself to radiation?" and, "Was that really how they're going to end this movie?"

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: It ain't no Iron Man.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Even with Edward Norton in the lead, the heart in this movie feels like it's running on a pacemaker.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Outside chance for CGI, but personally I thought the monsters looked cheesy and gross.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: As good as Edward Norton is, they just don't give him that much to do.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Louis Leterrier does a good job of distinguishing between the parts where Bruce Banner is a regular guy, and the parts where he's a Hulk, by creating a realistic and raw look when he's normal, versus a more cartoonish look when he's green.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: After seeing the preview, my biggest question going in was, "How is the Hulk going to defeat another Hulk-like monster that's twice his size and seemingly has at least as much power as him?" After seeing the movie, that is still my biggest question... It's okay for the good guy to win every time, but you still have to justify and earn it.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: In the last scene, they announce the sequel, and a surprise guest causes this to be the best part of the film. But it's still a little audacious to announce the sequel when they had no way of knowing if this movie was going to be a hit or not.

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Thursday, May 22, 2008

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Q: What’s the movie about?

A: Indiana Jones returns after 20 years to prove that at age 65, he's still the James Bond of archeology.

Q: Who’s in the movie?

A: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia LeBeouf, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent

Q: Is this movie worth the price of admission?

A: PhotobucketProceed with Caution. Go! Stop! Does it really matter what I say, since you're gonna go see it anyway? Still, here's a hint: the franchise has jumped the shark.

Q: Will this movie make me laugh?

A: Only if you've ever brought a knife to a gun fight.

Q: Will this movie make me cry?

A: Sometimes when I try to understand why anyone would like this silly, inconsequential and ridiculously contrived movie, I feel so out of touch that I cry into my soup.

Q: Will this movie be up for any awards?

A: Can they give someone an Academy Award for a score that's already been nominated and lost? Because the Indiana Jones theme song is still good.

Q: How is the Acting?

A: Same as it ever was. Only now with a cane and bifocals.

Q: How is the Directing?

A: Signature Spielberg... in other words, kind of old fashioned.

Q: How is the story/script?

A: Do you speak Mayan? Neither do I. Unfortunately, without an expert knowledge of the ancient (dead) language, it's nearly impossible to judge whether any of it makes sense. The writers obviously realized this, and used it as an excuse not to make sense.

Q: Is there anything else worth mentioning about the movie?

A: If they redo the ride at Disneyland to match this film, it might finally be worth standing in line for.

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