After Earth - Fear is a choice

Controlling your fear is one of the greatest challenges any one person could overcome. Everyone fears something different, it's imprinted into our minds. Hell, I'm afraid of spiders. When I see one, I scream and run leaving a trail of urine behind me. But spiders are a universal fear...they're just creepy. I don't know what I'm afraid of. Sure, if a large predator is in front of me I'll be afraid. But that could be said about anyone. I fear failing I suppose, letting those I care about down. That's real fear for me. Facing your fear, and overcoming it is what After Earth is about. This film starred Will Smith and Jaden Smith. The director came as a shock to me, it was M. Night Shyamalan. I didn't know it was him until we were walking by the movie poster and someone pointed it out. This guy is one of the worst directors I have ever seen, but I keep giving him chances for redemption. This chance was an accident. This film was...underwhelming at best. It was something I expected so much more from. I didn't have it on a pedestal or anything, I just expected more. The acting was underwhelming. Will Smith is a seasoned actor, a great actor, and I expected more. Jaden, yeah you can cry on command...so what? You're not good enough to do shit without your daddy. Hey, Will, come wipe your son's ass and tell him to try again. Maybe Karate Kid 2 will be good. This movie felt short. I wanted to see more of the life on Earth and interactions with it. I didn't get enough of it. I was fascinated to see what could be. The story was underwhelming as well. This film could have done without the alien concept. Two things that did bother me that I had to bring up. One, you mastered space and time and the best weapon you had was a sword? Shenanigans! Two, Earth had been untouched for a thousand years, no pollution, just lush green forest covering the land. Why did they have trouble breathing? Maybe I wasn't paying attention when they were explaining both of these concepts. This film is just there. It doesn't impress, nor does it completely disappoint. I give After Earth a 2 out of 4. Fear is only the thought of the future, of what will happen if you allow yourself to be controlled by the fear. However, if you focus on the current moment, there will be nothing to fear.

Now You See Me - Faith can move mountains

Magic...yeah I believe in it. Why not? What is so wrong about believing in the fantastical? Letting your mind slip into a realm of making the impossible, possible. Have you ever felt something that you couldn't explain, that you couldn't see, but you knew was there? It's magic, and it exists in a multitude of forms. Some perceive it as miracles, faith, love, or even something as simple as coincidence. I believe in magic. Now You See Me, is a film about a bunch of street performing magicians who make it big overnight and rob banks. That's it in a nutshell; I could go deeper, but that would give away the plot. This film starred: Jesse Eisenberg,  Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Dave Franco and Morgan Freeman. The director was Louis Leterrier. He also directed The Incredible Hulk, Clash of the Titans and The Transporter movies. This explains some of the issues I had with this film. This movie was predictable. The magic tricks could be seen from miles away as well as the plot twists. The magic in this film felt like it was done by an amateur. The casting was correct, I loved the actors, with the exception of Mark Ruffalo. I just wasn't a fan of the work he did...stick with the Hulk. I loved the concept of this film, the idea was original, it was great. I wanted to know more about the end result of this film. Yes, the journey was fun, but the destination was more interesting to me. A sequel isn't in order, but I would have liked it if they dabbed just a bit more into what they were working for. That's just me though. A splash more comedy, and a little less of Ruffalo being a cry-ass and this film would have been something special. Oh, and a better director. There was such potential here, and I deeply looked forward to this film. I'd still recommend this film, maybe for a rent. I'll end up buying it just because I'm a movie whore. I give Now You See Me a 2 1/2 out of 4. Remember, the closer you get, the less you'll actually see.

Hangover 3 - We had a sick night, bitches

Why did I go see this movie? So many people asked me why? I will be honest, I loved the first one. I did, there, I said it! I'm not ashamed! But this franchise didn't spiral down hill slowly, like most do. It hit rock bottom on the sequel and the third one was a desperate climb to hit a happy medium again. Well I can at least assume that's what they were going for. Hangover 3 starred: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Ken Jeong and John Goodman. The director was Todd Phillips who directed the Hangover trilogy, Due Date and Old School. Would you believe that Ken Jeong is a licensed M.D.? Yeah, the guy is a doctor, who'd a thunk? Before this movie even came out, and they were calling this film the end of the series. I kinda figured it was because Bradley Cooper was getting too big for these kinds of films. The accolades he has received in other roles has set him above such projects. He is making his way up that acting ladder. Even in this role I enjoyed his work. Yeah, yeah, ladies he's easy on the eyes. But you must look past that, and you will see that with each film he does, his acting improves substantially. It's remarkable. Films like this are beneath him...for now. I could count on one hand, the times I laughed during this movie. Being a comedy, there shouldn't be an excuse for that. Galifianakis's antics that were supposed to be funny, were more annoying than anything. The humor and story got stale very quickly. It was missing something, this film desperately needed something to save it. That something did not appear until after the first few moments of credits. I laughed, I laughed hysterically, and that's the movie I wanted to see. I wanted to know what the hell happened THAT night. But, alas, we don't always get what we want. Along with the language and male nudity, this was a below average movie. Don't get excited, I've seen popcorn kernels bigger than what I saw. I give Hangover 3 a 1 out of 4. What have I become, my sweetest friend? Everyone I know, goes away, in the end. You could have it all...

Star Trek Into Darkness - I only know what I can do

Star Trek, space, the final frontier, and all that other crap. Who am I kidding? I'm a Star Wars guy, so I was a bit out of my element when I saw this movie. The crappy thing about it was I missed the opening night showing! Curse my theater and their shifty ways! Star Trek starred Chris Pine, Zachery Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Simon Pegg, Karl Urban, John Cho and Benedict Cumberbacht. I'm sure I forgot a few. The director was J.J. Abrams. You know what he did. So I'm going to tell you what he is doing in the next few years. We got Star Wars VII, Cloverfield two, Portal, Half-Life, Mission Impossible 5 and Star Trek 3. Sir, you gave me a nerdgasm! These movies were announced, the release dates very. Waiting is the worst part. Any who, on to the review. I loved the first Star Trek movie. It was an interesting retelling of the original story. I was happy to see all of the actors come back to do their roles again. It's rare now-a-days to see an actor not come back; but it's still disappointing when it does happen. The plot is pretty simple and linear so it's difficult to mess up. There is a rogue Star fleet officer, and he must be brought to justice. To me, this movie should have felt a lot more personal. It certainly had the potential to be. I just didn't feel anything. There were plenty of scenes that had tons of emotion involved. I don't think the directors heart was in it. I hear J.J. is a Star Wars guy. My thoughts on that are that if you simply don't care about the project, you shouldn't be involved in the first place. He did a wonderful job with the CG. The acting was done well. But I felt absolutely zero emotion. Along with that the story itself was pretty serious, and I felt it should have been longer. The threat and danger levels weren't as severe as they should have been. With a villain of this magnitude, I expected more. A lot was at stake with this film. I don't feel there was enough. Maybe I'm just greedy. Aside from my personal issues with it, every part of me says I should dislike this movie. But I don't. I still enjoyed myself. It kept my attention. Plus, I thought it was hilarious to see how uncomfortable Zachery Quinto was to kiss a woman. I really liked this movie. Was it enough to turn me into a Trekkie? No, only the Borg can assimilate me. I would recommend this film to anyone who would ask about it. I give Star Trek Into Darkness a 3 out of 4. The hatred we carry will only generate more hatred. May the force be with you.

The Great Gatsby - I'm within, and without

So I'm letting everyone know that I will be talking about this movie without holding much back. I may or may not spoil it for you. Either way I don't really care. If you haven't read this story by now that's your own fault. F. Scott Fitzgerald was the author of this book, and from what I have heard, this tale was actually about his own messed up love life. But that's just what I had heard. I had always admired this story, but it wasn't until I had seen this film that I had developed any real appreciation for it. I felt a connection with Gatsby, it was a connection that I was both inspired by and ashamed of. I will elaborate soon enough. The Great Gatsby starred Leonardo DiCaprio, Joel Edgerton, Tobey Maguire, and Carry Mulligan. The director was Baz Luhrmann who also did Moulin Rouge and Romeo and Juliet. I can certainly see the similarities in the films, from the directors style. The Great Gatsby was about a man redefining himself and having society adapt to this redefinition, and accept it. But it was more then that, it was also a sad story of love and tragedy. We could also throw in some adultery, illegal drinking during the prohibition, and murder, but those are just the small things. Gatsby, played by DiCaprio, was a man with a hope that was unrelenting. He had such great hope, knowing that he was destined for more than just a simple life. I can sympathize. He had been everywhere and done everything as a young man. He saw his dreams and sought them out without looking back. However, I suppose that dream was more of an opportunity. Tomato tomato. I once again can sympathize. I am closer then I let on to the people I know, to fulfilling my life's dream. I'm just an arm's length away from achieving it. Though it is just a story, it is inspiring to see an average man achieve something grand, something he set out to do. After achieving it, seeing the man Gatsby became was also inspiring. Minus the gangster stuff, he was a good man. Well known and loved by his peers and friends. I feared if things were set in motion, what kind of person I would turn out to be. Minus the gangster stuff, I would like to think I would be like him. DiCaprio did a wonderful job portraying a fictional man who I would not mind aspiring myself to be. What I didn't like was that Gatsby did all of this so a women he had loved in the past would find him good enough for her. He had made his millions and threw lavish parties, celebrating with the rich and famous. All to get the attention of a single woman. Unfortunately, to my shame, I did the same. I thought to myself, maybe if I go to college and get an education, get my book published, make tons of money, just maybe, someday, she would come back to me. Maybe I could earn her love again. This is where Gatsby and myself must part ways. Unlike him, I found out before it was too late, that this is no longer for her. It's for me, I accomplished everything that I had, for me. I apologize for interjecting my feelings and personal issues into this review. I'm sure none of you want to hear it. Bare with me. I haven't been the same since. But now, I assure those who know me, that the anger is fleeting. I want to be a good man, and aspire further to be a great man. I believe Gatsby is a good thing to aspire to be...to an extent. Had to get it off my chest. Aside from my fondness of the character, Gatsby, the acting was decent enough. It still felt like Maguire was trying to act in another crappy Spider-Man movie. The film, to me, felt like it had A.D.D. or something. The dialogue and the characters in each scene felt scattered, like they couldn't keep their attention on what they were doing in the scene. It just felt strange to me. But by no means was I bored. I was fairly entertained. I've never enjoyed rap music in 1920's mob movies. However, in this film, I didn't seem to mind it so much; it almost seemed appropriate in some scenes. Without Maguire though; something about him rubs me the wrong way. He's by no means, tough. What drove me absolutely crazy was the way DiCaprio said "Old Sport." My God! It was like nails on a chalkboard to me. I literally gritted my teeth and clenched my fists. It wasn't just the way he said it, but how many times he said it. I think I heard it three times in one sentence. It was maddening. The critics didn't particularly care for this film. They said it was okay at best. They weren't wrong. But I'm going to go out on a limb and say I liked it. I did like it, and I would recommend at least one watch to anyone who would ask. I give The Great Gatsby a 2 1/2 out of 4. I can't see me lovin' nobody but you, for all my life. When you're with me the skies'll be blue, for all my life. Me and you, and you and me. No matter how they toss the dice, it has to be. The only one for me is you, and you for me. So happy together.

Iron Man 3 - I am Iron Man

Among the Avengers, Tony Stark was definitely my favorite. Most identifiable I suppose. Love the quick wit, brilliance, hidden selflessness, and the ego. I could go on about the ego, but those of you who know me, know I have an enormous ego as well. Eh, I'm okay with it. Iron Man has become one of my favorite Marvel characters since the first movie came out. I was always an X-Men guy; never paid too much attention to the Avengers. Still don't. But I have taken more of an interest in Iron Man. Casting Robert Downey Jr. brought Tony Stark to life, he seems like a real, living, breathing, person. I don't want to sound like one of the many fanboy/girls, but Downey Jr.'s sheer presence elevated each scene. He, in my eyes has become one of my favorite actors, he does an incredible job. But enough of me kissing this guys ass, lets get down to the movie. Iron Man 3 starred a man that needs no introduction, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pierce, Ben Kingsley and Paul Bettany as Jarvis. The director was Shane Black, who really isn't known for being a director with the exception of Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, and is currently working on Deathnote, should be interesting. He did write the Lethal Weapon series, The Last Boy Scout and a slew of other action movies. So he knows a thing or two about action films. Given the experience of the cast, you could see very little of the inexperience of the director. The plot, felt more of the same, with a twist or two. Tony Stark is suffering from anxiety issues from the Avengers. Now, I love the fact that they are carrying the effects of his new found team and problems over to his solo films. It's just like any true soldier who has seen battle, they will have anxiety, nightmares and all that good stuff that follows. Iron Man's first war has taken it's toll on Tony Stark. But as seen on the previews, not to spoil anything for anyone, he is attacked at home where he is most vulnerable. The aftermath left him stranded in the cold in the middle of nowhere. Both this film and the first film feel the same. He's left alone to test his mettle and find some kind of self discovery through his tinkering with his suits. It was entertaining the first time, but giving the character the same problem and solution leaves me a little less fulfilled. It could just be me, but I was craving a little something more creative. The threat and danger level didn't seem too concerning to me until the end, but now-a-days it never does. The CG consumed a good ninety percent of this film, which is fine. Some scenes could have used a bit more fine-tuning, but that's just me nitpicking, and who am I to do that? I don't need to say anything on the acting, everyone did a good job. It's probably what saved this movie from being another piece of mediocrity. This movie was fun, entertaining, action packed, with a little romance. I could overlook the repetitiveness in the deeper character plot/growth, because it simply kept me entertained and laughing. The Tony Stark and Robert Downey Jr. combination is incredible. Aside from Jack Sparrow and Johnny Depp, you won't find a better pair. I'm excited to hear that Robert Downey Jr. said that he would play Iron Man as long as he was physically able. Looking at the whole picture, I give Iron Man 3 a 3 1/2 out of 4. My summer of movie blockbusters crept up on me without me knowing it. I got at least one movie each week from here until September. Next week is The Great Gatsby! Pretty excited for it. Now the only thing that can't seem to escape my mind. Where is my sandwich?