(** out of 5)
What can I say other than there aren't any films out right now that I haven't seen? This was a last minute decision, on my part, and on the part of the studio that decided to make this film. It looked like it was done in a rush, and well, it doesn't beat the original.
This is a Michael Bay film. You will see some of the exact direction styles, and even hear some of the exact same sounds heard in the Transformers movies. And Shredder was, pretty much, a transformer. He is even referred to as "robot ninja" in the film. I also wanted this movie to be more about the turtles and less about April O'Neal (played by the most talented actress in the history of cinema, Megan Fox). Please note that was sarcasm.
I think the director and producers had a hard time trying to make this a kid-friendly film, but a fan-friendly one, too. It wasn't serious enough for older audiences, but it was a little too violent for younger audiences, earning it's PG-13 rating. The film wasn't horrible, but it wasn't anything worth remembering.
The villains of the movie are a gang called The Foot that are raiding and stealing from the city. The turtles have never been outside the sewer, and while they are going against Master Splinter's rules, they decide to become a group of vigilantes to help New York. April O'Neal discovers the vigilantes and must help them on their mission. Pretty basic story. There's also some funny jokes and some not so funny ones.
TMNT really picked up about two thirds through the movie. A great action sequence takes place on a mountain, followed by rooftop battle in the city. Being a huge fan of the television show LOST, I laughed at the reference made at the end. There's also some superhero jokes, and a fart or two. I think the audience that appreciated the movie were fans of the originals. The story did not elaborate on their love for pizza or skateboarding, but both are in the film.
Not the worst movie, but not really worth the money. I'd recommend waiting for this one when it comes out to rent.
(**** out of 5)
Yes! Yes! Yes! This film was the surprise hit of this summer. I enjoyed it so much that I constantly browse movie times to see if I can squeeze it into my hectic schedule. The previews did not do this film justice. The night I saw it, I was extremely sleep-deprived from a long day, but I was dragged opening night by a friend. From the beginning of the movie, I was wide awake and hooked. If you haven't seen this film, you are missing out. Go see it.
Why is this movie so popular? If you are like me, you saw the preview and thought, well, that looks okay. And it also looked kind of stupid. I don't know much about comics, and I didn't know what I was about to watch. I just remember a talking raccoon and a giant tree-monster-thing. Not to mention, the lead actor, Chris Pratt, hasn't really been a lead in a big film before. What made this film different from all of the other comic book movies that Marvel has put out? I'll tell you: it was hilarious.
Guardians was not just an action-packed film, but I was laughing throughout the entire movie. There are jokes from the beginning to the end, making it entirely different from the serious Marvel movies that have one or two jokes strategically placed in the films. In other words, the other Marvel movies are serious. Guardians was not, making it refreshing. Something new. Something different. There's even jokes about genitalia; one of them particularly had the entire audience burst out laughing.
What's the plot? A group of misfits and renegades are forced into saving the universe by stealing an ancient artifact that could end life as we know it, if it falls into the wrong hands. There's a thief, an assassin, a bounty hunter and his sidekick, and a soldier seeking revenge. And don't expect them to like each other right off the bat, because they don't. They grow together and bond by the end of the film. The on-screen chemistry worked well.
I loved this film. I was worried how Chris Pratt would be as the lead in Jurassic World, but after seeing Guardians, my confidence has been lifted. Go see Guardians of the Galaxy. I hope you won't be disappointed.
(* out of 5)
Look at the poster for this film. It's an English speaking ape, riding a horse with an assault rifle. I hated it. I am clueless as to why the critics gave it such high ratings. I saw this film with a friend who really enjoyed it and was upset that I didn't appreciate it. I will write a few good things about it, but this movie was stupid.
First of all, the last film was entertaining (Rise of the Planet of the Apes, starring James Franco). I had anticipated that the sequel would at least be comparable to the first film. It turned out to be a political film, mostly centered around the apes. There is a clan of humans that is still alive, and they are discovered by an army of apes. Cesar, the ape from the first film, is the leader. Just like his previous owner had given him a chance, Cesar wants his army to give the humans a chance. Can they be trusted? Or will they try to put them in cages again? The main human characters are trying to generate electricity to their colony, but the water wheel is located in the forest of the apes. A treaty is formed, but is slowly torn apart by prejudices and misunderstanding.
The movie is a lot of talking and not that much action. There are also a lot of subtitles, so if you have vision problems, make sure to sit somewhere that won't hurt your eyes. It's a slow film, but if you like political discussion in movies, you will probably enjoy it. The movie is also more related to the traditional Apes films.
The film felt long with a two hour and ten minute running time. After all of the talking dies down and the action beings, there is a scene that ruined the entire thing for me. Look again at the poster. Imagine the ape on the horse jumping through flames, yelling and double-wielding guns. I burst out laughing. So did other people, including my friend. For a scene that seemed so epic, it was ruined in a second.
Not a fan. I will more than likely never see this one again. I do not recommend it.
(**1/2 out of 5)
When I first heard about Lucy, which was not long before it's release, I thought, Wow, this sounds like an interesting summer film. How come I haven't heard anything about it? Due to the amazing graphics in the film, I assume that's where the marketing money went. Overall, the movie was somewhat entertaining, but if you haven't seen it, you aren't missing out on my much.
I have never seen anything starring Scarlett Johansson that thoroughly disappointed me. While I do not believe that every film she has done is amazing, I've never left the theater wishing I hadn't seen the film. If there had not been a Hollywood star in this film, I wouldn't have seen it. Her acting was fine, as was Morgan Freeman's. The graphics were incredible. The sound mixing may get it nominated for an Academy. The story, while short-lived, was fun. Like the majority of this summer's films, it didn't do well.
Didn't they already make a movie just like this? That was the common question I heard anytime this film was brought up in conversation. The problem is that no one seemed to be able to pinpoint what movie this was. And why? Because it was a relatively low-budget film called Limitless, starring Bradley Cooper. He finds a drug that helps him unlock a higher percentage of his brain, just like Lucy does. While I don't deny that this is an interesting concept for a movie, Limitless seemed more realistic to me. In Lucy, her brain allows her to do things such as changing her physical appearance and killing someone just by looking at them.
The film started out with a wonderful plot for a thriller. Lucy is abducted and forced to be a drug mule. While in route to board an airplane, she is apprehended and beat. A kick to her stomach causes the drug to release inside of her, and that's when the movie really begins. Lucy has to understand what is happening to her before time runs out. Unfortunately, the film ran out too early. I had so many questions that I was hoping would get answered. The movie picks up it's pace, and then ends. Just ends. The running time for Lucy was just a little over an hour and a half. The movie needed to be longer, especially since it's a film that was supposed to require a lot of thinking. As a graduate in anthropology, I enjoyed some of the references such as the title, but felt things were made too obvious.
So, should you see this film? Maybe if the options at Redbox or the Dollar Theater are limited.
