Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Bad Teacher

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1284575/


Cameron Diaz stars as Miss Halsey, a slacker teacher who is recently dumped by her sugar daddy. It's a scary thought that a hot starlet looking for a new set of tits is shaping America's youth! Nonetheless, it's a good time at the movies. Halsey's decadent behavior as well as her rivalry with her fellow teacher Amy Squirrel make for some cheap laughs and will also make you route for the anti-hero underdog.
Grade B+.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

Green Lantern

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1133985/


Throughout the past decade, comic book superheroes have been finding their way into megaplexes and creating a lot of box office success. It was due time for the Green Lantern, one of D.C. Comics most popular heroes to be portrayed in film. Hal Jordan, an arrogant slacker is recently terminated from his fighter pilot job. He later discovers he has a much higher calling when  he is teleported to an alien that has crash landed on earth. Before the mysterious creature passes away, he gives Hal a ring, symbolizing that he has been chosen to join the Green Lantern Corps, an elite intergalactic team that possess powers to create objects with their minds. I have heard some negative reviews from critics and word of mouth. However, I must say that I was pleasantly surprised. Ryan Reynolds was a good choice for the lead role as his typical on screen arrogance made Hal Jordan more believable. I had a minor issue with the battle and the intergalactic scenes however as the planetary scenery and some of the alien characters looked noticeably animated. Nonetheless, this film is a very accurate portrayal of what is personally my favorite superhero comic book. Grade A-

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Super 8

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1650062/

It's 1979, (coincidentally the year I was born) and decades before kids are addicted to video game consoles and I-Pods, it appears they enjoyed sneaking out late at night to film their own zombie movies. On this night however, their special effects department gets a generous donation when they catch a train wreck during their shooting. The days following the event become very strange when the military arrive to investigate and the children find something sinister in their recovered footage. To start off, I give J.J. Abrams and Paramount Pictures an A on the marketing of this film. Keeping the audience in the dark over who or what was discovered on the train wreck footage defiantly brought forth a certain mystique that aroused my curiosity. Unfortunately, as is the case with many summer Hollywood features, the hype does not live up to the product. The story goes off with too many subplots involving the turmoil of the children and their families and does not focus enough on the "creatures" that should be centerpiece of any summer sci-fi feature. Grade C+

Sunday, June 12, 2011

X-Men: First Class

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1270798/


It's the 1960's, a time when Americans are eluding their fears of the Cold War with rock n roll rebellion and the sexual revolution. However, another revolution is slowly making itself known, the mutant revolution. This prequel explores the triumphs and turmoil of Charles Xavier and Erik Lehnsherr (who would later become Magneto) that inspires them to form the legendary Marvel Comics elite team, the X-Men. The mutant powers and intense battle scenes made for some great visual effects. This combined with great storytelling that explored the origins of the characters and their eventual opposing sides due to differing outlooks on handling human opposition to mutants easily make this entry the best film in the series. Grade A

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

The Hangover Part 2

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1411697/


The wolf pack is back! This time, they are in Thailand. Despite being halfway around the world, Phil, Stu and Allen find themselves in virtually the same predicament. They are completely wasted and have no memory of the previous night's activities. They must put all the pieces back together and find a way to make it back in time for Stu's wedding. The humor stays raunchy but goes much more over the top in shock value, just as most sequels try to outdo their predecessors. Despite virtually the same plot being played out again, I laughed my ass off. Isn't that what comedies are supposed to make us do? Hangover 2 is the perfect kickoff to your summer season, go check it out soon. Grade A.