Super 8

There are very few movies I'd call flawless. The short list would include The King's Speech, The Godfather, Batman Begins, E.T. and a few others. They have what all movies want: terrific acting, unbelievable writing, fun and emotional to watch. Another thing they have in common is the connection with the characters. When King George VI is trying to give his closing speech, you're pulling for him. When Elliot finds out E.T. isn't actually dead, you're rejoicing with him. There are a few movies that make a lasting impact on your life. Super 8 is one of them. I loved that Super 8 was able to keep its secrets in the trailers. Almost nothing was let out about the alien itself. There's so much to talk about in this movie. The cast is great. Elle Fanning stands out by a mile. Apparently those Fanning genes (her sister is Dakota) feature some pretty good acting skills. Super 8 is set in 1979 Ohio. Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) and his father have just lost Joe's mother in a factory accident. They're trying to find a way to deal with her death. Joe is in the process of making a movie with his buddies from school and the neighborhood. The director, who is hysterical, decides to ask the girl of Joe's dreams (Elle Fanning) to be in his movie. While Joe and his friends are shooting a scene at the local train station, a train gets hit by a car and derails. The derailment sequence is one of the most chilling I've ever seen. A genuine edge of your seat scene. The train was carrying Air Force materials (an alien?). The whole town is then terrorized; car engines are taken, people are missing, dogs are leaving. And you still haven't seen the alien head on. I won't give away what it looks like, but it's no E.T. One of the great things is that there are so many things that worked in Super 8. It had action, horror, romance, comedy, suspense - all of it top notch (or "mint"). The nostalgic look of the town was extremely authentic and the way the kids' characters were written was dead on. But the thing I loved most about Super 8 was J.J. Abrams and Steven Spielberg working together. There isn't a better director/producer pair working today. I loved Lost (might be the understatement of the year). Star Trek (2009) was terrific as well. And don't even get me started on Spielberg. There's a certain amount of magic Spielberg brings to a movie that can't be replicated. Super 8 is no exception. The movie of the summer and maybe of the year.

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Actors: Joel Courtney (Joe Lamb), Elle Fanning (Alice Dainard), Kyle Chandler (Jackson Lamb)

Recap: A+

Photo Courtesy of Paramount Pictures

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

The Pirates of the Caribbean movies are a perfect example of a great first film, followed by three more that try way too hard. The Curse of the Black Pearl was incredible. Johnny Depp as Jack Sparrow was perfect. The character was fresh, funny and incredibly witty. Together with great writing, and Geoffrey Rush as the perfect villain, it was one of my favorite movies of the year. For me, the second, Dead Man’s Chest, was by far the worst of the series. It bored me to tears. Literally to sleep - it’s one of the only movies I remember actually falling asleep in. Jack Sparrow was trying to get his drunken, funny, confused way of life back but it just came off as Johnny Depp trying to be as good as he was in the first one. At World’s End was mildly better, but that’s like saying getting your toenails peeled off one by one is better than having all your limbs cut off one by one. They’re both experiences I could live without. The newest one, On Stranger Tides, wasn’t as bad as two or three, but I’m just getting tired of these movies. Jack Sparrow is off to find the fountain of youth but he runs into an old flame, Angelica Malon (Penelope Cruz). Angelica happens to be the first mate of the notorious pirate Blackbeard (played by Ian McShane, by far the best thing in this movie). She also happens to be his daughter, or is she? She and her father are looking for the fountain of youth. There are many obstacles though. Mermaids, and not the Little Mermaid kind, are in their path. The Spanish and the English are also looking for the fountain of youth. Pirates of the Caribbean 4 is nothing special. The character Jack Sparrow is just getting old and predictable. And although there might be a slightly funny line here and there, he’s stale. I’m disappointed because I like Johnny Depp as an actor, but I know he can do better than this. He was spectacular in Chocolat or even in Alice in Wonderland, so when I see him do work like this it disheartens me. All in all, a very mediocre, very disappointing movie.

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures Actors: Johnny Depp (Jack Sparrow), Penelope Cruz (Angelica Malon), Geoffrey Rush (Barbosa), Ian McShane (Blackbeard) Release: Wide Recap: C

Source Code

First off, I like to know about the movie I'm going to. I do some recon, find all the trailers, then watch them to find out if it's worth seeing. Now, I don't do this often, but I went into Source Code only knowing that Jake Gyllenhaal was in it, and he had eight minutes to find a bomber on a train. I liked not knowing the full details about it. Source Code is a mix of Groundhog's Day and Matrix. It's about an ex-soldier who has eight minutes to find a bomb and the person who planted it on the train. The twist? If the bomb goes off and the train derails, he's thrown back into a room where he's sent back to the train, and the whole thing starts over. That's called Source Code. When a person dies, the electromagnetism in the brain stays active for a few seconds, and a persons short term memory usually lasts about eight minutes. Combine those two phenomenon and you have Source Code. Gyllenhaal's character is in the body of a passenger who died on the train, so he can use his eight minutes to defuse the bomb. Its an interesting premise well executed. I was blown away by the acting talent in this movie. Vera Farmiga, Jeffrey Wright and Jake Gyllenhaal were all at the top of their game. I can't tell much more about the plot because if I do I might give away key moments. There's a nice, well thought out twist near the end - not thrown together just to try and throw the audience, it was really nicely done. The ending was magnificent; filled to the brim with emotions perfectly conveyed. I loved it. The best movie of 2011. So far...

Studio: Summit Entertainment

Actors: Jake Gyllenhaal (Colter Stevens), Michelle Monaghan (Christina Warren)

Release: Wide

DVD Release: TBD

Recap: A-

Picture Courtesy of Summit Entertainment

The King's Speech

Collin Firth is going to win best actor. I know that's a big statement (especially because I haven't seen all the contenders) but I haven't seen a movie this year with a better front man. He plays Prince Albert (or King George VI) who has a stutter. This stutter is a huge obstacle for him because, when you're king, you're required to speak publicly. Collin Firth delivers such an emotional performance. You realize how much he's gone through because of that stutter. You feel for him. You're with him from the opening speech until the ending speech. Part of that is because of the way it's shot. The cinematography in The King's Speech is so dead on. The close-up shots are incredible. Geoffrey Rush plays Lionel Logue (King George's speech therapist). He has some questionable but extremely effective methods. Unlike King George's other physicians, him and Lionel become equals when the King goes for his sessions. This leads to some very tense scenes. Particularly the night before his coronation. Lionel sits in the king's coronation throne. He argues that he can sit there; I mean, it's just a chair, right? That's what Lionel thinks. He challenges Bertie. He argues and challenges the almost King of England. That scene leads to my favorite line in the movie. The King's Speech is one of the best films of 2010 hands down. And Collin Firth gives the best performance I've seen in a long time.

Studio: The Weinstien Company

Actors: Collin Firth (King George VI), Helena Bonham Carter (Queen Elizabeth), Geoffrey Rush (Lionel Logue)

Release: Wide

DVD Release: TBD

Recap: A

My Three Least Favorite Movies of 2010

Being a movie critic, I love to watch movies. I think it's the best job in the world. Getting to see movies and say what you think about them. But, like every other job, there is a downside. Having to sit through bad movies. So, here's my list of the three worst movies of 2010. I don't watch many movies I don't want to see and that's why there are only three on this list. I'll try to see more next year

3. The Last Song
Why: Miley Cyrus made her big screen acting debut in this movie. I don't think there should be a follow up. I didn't think she was good in the movie. The only thing in this movie that made it watchable was Greg Kinnear. His acting was so strikingly good against this jumble of Miley. This was her first on screen movie and I hope it's her last.
Who: Miley Cyrus (Ronnie Miller), Greg Kinnear (Steve Miller), Liam Hemsworth (Will Blakelee)

2. Hereafter
Why: A two hour and six minute movie has never been so long. I felt like it was three or three and a half hours long. This movie just kept dragging on and on and on. Matt Damon is such a solid actor but, I thought he had nothing to work with in this. Three stories were tied together very sloppily and I thought the ending was just so-so. It was extremely boring.
Who: Matt Damon (George Lonegan), Ceceile De France (Mary LeLay), Frankie McLaren (Marcus/Jason), George McLaren (Marcus/Jason)

1. Clash of the Titans
Why: A mixture of a bad script and lame effects caused this 3-D conversion catastrophy. The writing was so bad it was funny. Laugh out loud funny. Liam Neeson was stuck in his scowl and Ralph Finnes was so scratchy in his voice, it sounded like he had been smoking in Hades (no pun intended). This movie wasn't acted well and it wasn't shot that well but the script was just horrible. And I hear it's going to get a sequel.
Who: Liam Neeson (Zeus), Ralph Finnes (Hades), Sam Worthington (Perseus)

Well here's to a year with more movies; good ones that is. Happy New Year.

Top Five Movies of the Year

Alrighty, another year over, another top five best and worst lists. I admit, I didn't post as much as I would've liked, but I hope this year will be better. I saw a lot of movies I didn't review and I regret that. My new year's resolution is I'll review as many movies as I can. This year I'm also incorporating something new in my website. I'm going to watch every movie that ever won an academy award for best picture; well, every one I'm allowed to see. Then I'll review them. Did they deserve it? I'll be the judge of that. Now, time for the list of top five movies of this year.

5.Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Why: I'm a little (a little? who am I kidding, a lot) biased to the Potter films but I thoroughly enjoyed this one, even though the ending left a lot to be desired (literally). One of the things David Yates is so good at is being true to the book just enough. Not too much like some movies (Harry Potter 1 and 2, I'm looking at you) and not too little (Tale of Despereaux hmmm hmmm).

Who: Daniel Radcliff (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ronald Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), David Yates (Director)

4. How to Train Your Dragon
Why: I thought HTTYD is one of the only movies I saw in 3-D and enjoyed. I really don't like 3-D but this is one instance where it actually added to the moviegoing experience. The flight scenes in the movie are incredible. Also, the animation is beautifully done, the dialogue was quick and witty, but the casting for the voices is just perfect. Each voice suits each character seamlessly. One of the best animated movies of the year.
Who: Jay Baruchel (Hiccup), Gerard Butler (Stoick), Craig Ferguson (Gobber), America Ferrera (Astrid)

3. Inception
Why: Christopher Nolan is my favorite director hands down. He has (in my opinion) never made a bad film. He has an all-star list of actors he uses a lot. He has Hans Zimmer, the best composer (sorry John Williams) for movies And, he has the ability to make you think about the movie. When he made The Prestige (my favorite film of his), he made the movie so that the moviegoer has to see the movie again. In fact, all of his movies (that I've seen) have that effect on the moviegoer. Inception was no exception. I saw it at midnight which, if you've read some of my previous posts, is not normal for me. I didn't like it the first time. I was struggling to stay awake and you can't afford to miss anything in that movie. I'll describe it like this; the first time gave me an outline of the movie. The second time colored in the lines. It all made sense, and when a movie makes sense, it's a lot better. Inception had one of the best (and most aggravating) endings of the year. The way Chris Nolan makes the special effects look so easy and real is just mindblowing. One specific fight scene in a hall where gravity keeps shifting is awesome. And it's all real. Or was it a dream...
Who: Leonardo DiCaprio (Cobb), Ken Watanabe (Saito), Ellen Page (Ariadne), Marion Cotillard (Mal)

2. True Grit
Why: True Grit is the best title of a movie I've seen in a long time. True Grit also has the best child actor I've ever seen. Hailee Steinfeld is younger than I am and gives one of the best performances this year. And she had her work cut out for her, working alongside two academy award winners and an academy award nominee. She gives one of the most believable performances of the year. I'm predicting it will pay off big time when the academy awards come around. Everyone in this movie blends perfectly together. The script is funny, each actor suits his (or her) character perfectly. A great movie, possibly my favorite western.
Who: Hailee Steinfeld (Maddie Ross), Jeff Bridges (Rooster Cogburn), Matt Damon (LaBeouf)

1. Toy Story 3
Why: A great ending to a superb trilogy. Hopefully though, it wasn't the ending. Pixar in my opinion can do no wrong. I loved Toy Story 1&2, but 3 was just incredible. The emotions they convey through toys is outstanding. The script is well written and unexpectedly funny. The voices were terrific and I thought their best move was adding Ken (of Ken and Barbie fame) to the mix. I seriously hope they decide to make another one. Because if it's half as good as the third installment, I'll be happy. And waiting for the fifth.
Who: Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusak (Jesse), Ned Beatty (Lotso), Michael Keeton (Ken), Jodi Benson (Barbie)

Well, here's to a new year of new movies. Hope we can get some more good movies and less bad ones. But, I'm sorry to say, Transformers 3 is coming out. So much for that.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Okay. Right off the bat I have to say I'm one of the biggest Harry Potter fans in the world. I don't care what you say, I'm a bigger fan than you are. I've read all the books over ten times. Yeah, I just said that. So, you can imagine my giddiness when I heard the last movie was going to be split into two episodes. I was psyched. Then I saw the movie. I regretted my happiness for the split. I wished they would've made it one movie. I'll say, despite my craving for more, I enjoyed Harry Potter 7. This Potter might be the most different than any other movie in the series. The way this movie was shot was quite grim, to say the least. It doesn't move with the speed of the other movies, but I enjoyed that. The film starts with Harry, or actually seven Harrys, being transported to seven safe houses. It then goes into Harry, Hermione, and Ron's journey to destroy pieces of Voldemort's soul (otherwise known as horcruxes). They encounter some very dangerous obstacle's along the way, one of which is themselves. They then learn from Luna Lovegood's (a classmate of theirs from Hogwarts) eccentric father that one of the ways to defeat Voldemort is with the Deathly Hallows. The Deathly Hallows are three items that possess great power, each of them having to do with death. The elder wand is an unbeatable wand. The resurrection stone has the power to (you guessed it) resurrect people from the dead. Almost. And finally, the invisibility cloak. This is the only hallow Harry already has in his possession. Not only does it make him invisible to other people, but to death as well. Harry, Ron and Hermione learn about the Hallows from a children's story called the Tale of the Three Brothers. The scene where Hermione tells the story is beautifully done. It's shot very Tim Burton-esque. The movie is primarily a two and a half hour trailer for the next one, but nonetheless it's one of the best trailers I've seen in a while.

Studio: Warner Brothers

Actors: Daniel Radcliff (Harry Potter), Rupert Grint (Ron Weasley), Emma Watson (Hermione Granger), Ralph Finnes (Voldemort

Release: Wide

DVD Release: TBD

Recap: A-

Red

Retired Extremely Dangerous. Bruce Willis leads this ex-CIA squad of golden oldies. Willis plays Frank Moses, a (you guessed it) retired CIA agent. The CIA is trying to kill him because of what he knows about a mission that the government put him up to. Karl Urban is the CIA agent trying to kill him. Red is a mindlessly fun movie that kinda gets the job done. It's alright, not as good as some movies that I've seen, but enjoyable enough. I think John Malkovich's acting is genius and hysterical as Marvin Boggs, an extremely paranoid genius who is incredible at noticing details. I thought the plot line in Red was a bit hard to follow. But, being a fourteen-year-old movie critic, the awesome action sequences made up for that. There's one awesome action sequence by a dock that's wicked cool. I really enjoyed all the actors in this. I liked the movie itself, I just thought it could be better. I wish I could have enjoyed this movie more, but for what it was, it was ok. Which is why I'm giving it a B.

Studio: Summit Entertainment

Actors: Bruce Willis (Frank Moses), John Malkovich (Marvin Boggs), Mary-Louise Parker (Sarah Ross), Morgan Freeman (Joe Matheson), Helen Mirren (Victoria)

Release: Wide

DVD Release: TBD

Recap: B

Secretariat

First off, I apologize for my long absence. I got caught up in summer and I'm just upset with myself that I didn't write more. Second, Secretariat was great. Not awesome, but an enjoyable movie. I haven't seen a movie in awhile thanks to the absence of movies (and rides to them). But watching Secretariat reminds me why I've chosen to be a movie critic. The thrill of watching a good movie always excites me. You get into the movie, feel for the characters, and cheer for them down the final stretch. You're sad for them when they're going through troubles. That's the mark of a good movie. How you feel about the characters changes everything about how you feel about the movie. If you feel good by the end, the cast and crew have done their job. And good is what I felt by the end of Secretariat. Diane Lane's acting was a bit forced, but all in all, I liked it. John Malkovich is an acting genius. I loved him in this movie. Seabiscuit was amazing, but it was a different story. I liked Secretariat. It was great.

Studio: Walt Disney Pictures

Actors: Diane Lane (Penny Chenery), John Malkovich (Lucien Laurin)

Release: Wide

DVD Release: TBD

Recap: B+

Toy Story 3

"Wow" was the first thought that came to mind when Disney/Pixar announced they were making a third Toy Story. My second thought was how are they going to make it as good as the first two? Toy Story 1 & 2 were two of my favorite movies ever. Now there's a third to add to the list. "Wow" was the first thought after the third movie as well. Toy Story 3 has more heart and emotion than most live action movies. The animation Pixar creates is beautiful. I've never seen such emotion come from an animated cowboy toy or a spaceman action figure. TS3 has something for everyone. Action, comedy, romance, and much more. I can't get over the authenticity of some of the characters. The film is one of (if not) my favorite Disney/Pixar movies ever. TS3 starts with Andy packing up for college and deciding which toys to throw away, put in the attic, or take with him (that last one is reserved for only the best toy). Andy decides to put most of the gang in a trash bag... to go in the attic. Woody though is put in the college box. The toys in the trash bag think they're being thrown away (I mean, wouldn't you if you were put in a trash bag). Apparently, so does Andy's mother, who accidentally leaves them for the garbage truck. Luckily, Woody saves them. Well sort of. They get out, and decide to go in the day-care box. Big mistake. They go to the day-care center, and at first, think it's heaven. It's run by a big plush bear named Lotso who is seemingly very nice. He has two right hand men, a big baby (who is actually a girl, and really creepy) and Ken, Barbie's soon-t0-be boyfriend - the minute they set eyes on each other they know it was meant to be. Lotso tells the whole gang they'll all be played with every day by lots of kids, and won't have any owners. No owners means no heartbreak. I can't spoil the ending but, it is hilarious when Buzz is accidentally reset to Spanish mode. I don't think I've ever laughed so hard at an animated movie. It was great. Everything about this movie worked. I loved every minute of it. My first A movie. I reserve A's and A+ for only the best movies. This is the best movie I've seen all year.

Studio: Disney/Pixar

Actors: Tom Hanks (Woody), Tim Allen (Buzz Lightyear), Joan Cusak (Jesse), Ned Beatty (Lotso), Michael Keeton (Ken), Jodi Benson (Barbie)

Release: Wide

DVD Release: TBD

Recap: A

Photo courtesy of Disney/Pixar

The A-Team

I really enjoyed the A-Team. I've never seen the original TV series, but this was awesome. There was comedy, action, a funny and fresh script, and great actors. Sharlto Copley -amazing as Wickus in District 9 - here plays a totally opposite type of character. Funny, cool and a bit insane. Kind of like me. The movie starts out in Mexico where Face (played brilliantly by Bradley Cooper) is about to be hanged. At the last minute, he's saved by Hannibal Smith (Liam Neeson) and Baracus or B.A. (played by Rampage Jackson). They all have to escape, and to do that they need a pilot. So they go to a psychiatric hospital and find Murdock (Copley), who happens to be the pilot they need. They're then framed for a crime they didn't commit, and sent to different prisons. But since they're, you know, the A-Team, they escape and proceed to go after the person who set them up. Copley - brilliant and funny - is definitely the stand-out performance. At one point, out of nowhere, he does a hilarious Braveheart impersonation. Busy and overblown, I still really liked this movie.

Studio: 20th Century Fox

Actors: Liam Neeson (Hannibal Smith), Bradley Cooper (Faceman Peck), Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (B.A. or Baracus), Sharlto Copley (Murdock), Jessica Biel (Charisa Sosa)

Release: Wide

DVD Release: TBD

Recap: B+

Photo Courtesy of 20th Century Fox

Iron Man 2

One of the most fun things about being a teenager is that you can go to a midnight and go to school the next day (or at least, I did, my friend stayed home the rest of the day, wimp). I went to the midnight show of this movie, and I loved it. Not only the experience, but also the movie. I was a huge fan of the first iron man but this one was amazing. I always like Robert Downey Jr. I think he was great in this. The movie starts out just where the last one ended. With him saying he is Iron Man. But there is a problem, his iron man core has been hurting him. As Jarvis says, "The machine that is keeping him alive is also killing him." He then has a flash of genius, he makes Pepper Pots the CEO of Stark Industries. This does not go over well with the press. Meanwhile, there is a man named Ivan Vanko. He is the son of Howard Stark's coworker. He has hated Tony Stark forever because his father was exported because of Howard Stark. He creates an Iron man suit that has whips. Then there is chaos. Everything works in this movie. Robert Downey Jr. is great and so is Sam Rockwell. The writing in this movie is so snappy, so fresh. Just like it was in the first movie. I really enjoyed this movie. The only thing I would change is that it would be just a little bit shorter. Other than that, a fantastic movie.

Studio: Paramount Pictures

Director: Jon Favreau

Actors: Robert Downey Jr. (Tony Stark), Gwyneth Paltrow (Pepper Pots), Don Cheadle (James Rhodes/War Machine)

Release: Wide

DVD Release: TBD

Recap: A-

Picture Courtesy of 20th Century Fox.

The Last Song

I know what you're thinking. Why did a thirteen-year-old movie critic go see a movie with Miley Cyrus as the lead. Well, I wasn't thinking, "Wow I'm in the mood for a Miley Cyrus movie!" I was dragged to it with my little sister. And let me tell you, it's the last time I'll ever be dragged to a Miley Cyrus movie. The film is about a young girl named Ronnie whose divorced mom ships her and her brother off to Ronnie's dad. Once there, she meets a boy named Will and - bet you didn't see this coming - falls in love with him. She's also not so hot on the idea of going to her dad's for the summer. Her father loves her but, Ronnie wants to spend her summer otherwise (or maybe otherwhere). Her father is trying to finish a piece of music he's writing, and we also find out that Ronnie was a child prodigy at the piano. Julliard accepted her without an application, but ever since her parents split up, she stopped playing. This movie is like every other bad love story movie. The only difference is that Greg Kinnear was in this one and he saves it. If he wasn't in this jumble of Miley, there's no doubt I'd have given this movie an F. I didn't think Miley Cyrus was any good in this movie. I thought it could have (and should have) been anyone besides her. I really hope she gets better at acting. The guy who was in this wasn't terrible, but he had nothing to do but kiss Miley Cyrus. A pretty easy acting job. And now he's her boyfriend in real life - funny how things work out. I wish everyone in the movie was as good as Greg Kinnear. If they were, I would give this an A. But no one was even close. Which is why I have to give it a D.

Studio: Touchstone Pictures
Director: Julie Anne Robinson
Actors: Miley Cyrus (Ronnie Miller), Greg Kinnear (Steve Miller), Liam Hemsworth (Will Blakelee)
Release: Wide
DVD Release: TBD
Recap: D

Photo Courtesy of Touchstone Pictures