Boba_Fett1138's movie reviews

3 new TV spots for World War Z (2013)

2013-06-20T02:49:00.001-07:00

United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments, and threatening to destroy humanity itself. From: IMDb.com

TV spot #4: R.I.P.D. (2013)

2013-06-20T02:42:00.000-07:00

Uptight FBI special agent Sarah Ashburn is paired with testy Boston cop Shannon Mullins in order to take down a ruthless drug lord. The hitch: neither woman has ever had a partner -- or a friend for that matter. From: IMDb.com

Trailer: Free Birds (2013)

2013-06-20T02:31:00.001-07:00

Two turkeys from opposite sides of the tracks must put aside their differences and team up to travel back in time to change the course of history - and get turkey off the holiday menu for good. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Jimmy Hayward

Starring: Owen Wilson, Woody Harrelson, Amy Poehler and others

Current release date: November 1, 2013

International teaser trailer: The Lego Movie (2014)

2013-06-20T02:19:00.002-07:00

An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Phil Lord, Chris Miller & Chris McKay

Starring: Elizabeth Banks, Morgan Freeman, Will Arnett and others

Current release date: February 7, 2014

Movie clip #2: The Heat (2013)

2013-06-19T03:52:00.000-07:00

Trailer: Anchorman: The Legend Continues (2013)

2013-06-19T03:32:00.002-07:00

The continuing on-set adventures of San Diego's top rated newsman. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Adam McKay

Starring: Steve Carell, Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd and others

Current release date: December 20, 2013

Trailer: The Lego Movie (2014)

2013-06-18T17:04:00.003-07:00

An ordinary LEGO minifigure, mistakenly thought to be the extraordinary MasterBuilder, is recruited to join a quest to stop an evil LEGO tyrant from gluing the universe together. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Phil Lord, Chris Miller & Chris McKay

Starring: Morgan Freeman, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnett and others

Current release date: February 7, 2014

Stranded (2013) Directed by Roger Christian

2013-06-18T11:27:00.002-07:00

Oh my, Roger Christian has seen "Prometheus" as well. There is no stopping him now!

It's very easy to hate on this movie and make fun of it. After all, it's directed by the director who did "Battlefield Earth", which is generally considered to be one of the worst movie of all time (which it of course isn't) and it stars one of the uncrowned kings of straight to DVD movies, Christian Slater. But in all fairness, is this movie truly that bad? I don't think so! It's actually pretty good far what it is.

Of course this movie isn't anything too brilliant or original but common, did you really expect it to be? Positive thing I can say about it is that it actually has plenty of variety to it! Quite an accomplishment for a movie that's almost entirely set aboard a small confined space station. Its variety ensures that the movie never becomes a slow or boring one, so yes, I actually think that this movie does a pretty good job at brining entertainment.

It's basically a mishmash of different movies, all rolled up into one. It 'borrows' heavily from lots of other, better known, genre movies both story-wise and tonally. The movie especially reminded me of "Prometheus" and I just couldn't help thinking that Roger Christian had seen the movie as well and decided he wanted to do a movie just like it. But even so, as far as these type of, cheap, ripoff movies often go, this hardly is the worst one you could ever watch!

The movie is never a truly tense or engaging movie to watch but it's all still good enough to keep your interest. It also isn't as predictable as you would suspect. It still comes up with plenty of original things of its own and has a few surprises for you. It isn't always handling all of its horror elements too well but this never turns this into a horrible movie to watch as well.

Worst thing I can say about it is that it's miniature effects are pretty bad and cheap looking. Oh well, at least bad practical effects are still far better and less distracting to watch than poor CG effects.

Simply a good and entertaining enough little movie, for what it is.

6/10

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Movie clip #6: World War Z (2013)

2013-06-18T11:07:00.001-07:00

Riddle (2013) Directed by John O. Hartman & Nicholas Mross

2013-06-18T07:04:00.002-07:00

This is a pretty decent mystery/thriller, that gets a bit too random towards its end but remains a watchable enough little movie all throughout.

Of course it's nothing too great and the movie is also nothing too surprising either, though it's end surely seemed a bit too random to me. The movie basically starts of as a whodunit, set in a small town, in which everyone seems to have their own little secrets and personal agendas. But instead of having a 'detective' mystery kind of tone to its story, the movie turns into something completely different instead. Something I just wasn't too fond or impressed with, mostly because, like I said before, it feels too random and out of tone with the rest of the movie.

Before that point, the movie is a pretty decent watch. If you are into these type of movies, this one is definitely worth checking out. It doesn't stand out with anything but it's also doing little wrong. It does a pretty good job at building up its mystery and setting the right tone for the movie its story, making this a pleasant to watch little genre flick.

Don't expect much from Val Kilmer though. He's barely in the movie and plays a throwaway role as the town sheriff. It's good to see him in movies again but I wish he would start picking some better and more demanding roles as well again. Oh well, at least he's cast in Terrence Malick's new movie but then again, who isn't?

It's simply a pretty decent watch but I just can't help but to still deduct some points for the movie its too random final 20 minutes or so.

5/10

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Teaser trailer: Frozen (2013)

2013-06-18T02:56:00.000-07:00

Fearless optimist Anna teams up with Kristoff in an epic journey, encountering Everest-like conditions, and a hilarious snowman named Olaf in a race to find Anna's sister Elsa, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee

Starring: Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Idina Menzel and others

Current release date: November 27, 2013

Trailer #2: Kick-Ass 2 (2013)

2013-06-17T14:47:00.000-07:00

The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass knows. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Jeff Wadlow

Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Jim Carrey, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and others

Current release date: August 16, 2013

Man of Steel (2013) Directed by Zack Snyder

2013-06-17T14:28:00.001-07:00

You know something is wrong when I just can't say with absolute certainty that I liked this movie better than "Superman Returns".

"Superman Returns" arguably had a worse story but it did a better job at telling it. That's the main thing with this movie; I just never could get really into it, due to poor story handling. The pacing felt off and even though this is a 143 minutes long movie, it still felt rushed.

It just doesn't take the time for its story and characters to truly set itself up and develop into something interesting and engaging. It's as if every sequence is missing 1 or 2 scenes that would have helped the movie to develop its story, characters and emotions more effectively.

It felt like a very bland movie to me. I never felt any excitement, there was never any tension, it never moved me, it never surprised me with anything and it just failed to make an impact on me, in any shape or form. No, even entertainment-wise this movie falls kind of short, due to the way how it's constructed.

The movie starts off as a Star Wars type off science-fiction/action flick, it than starts to focus more on some its drama and after that it turns into a full blown, summer blockbuster, action-packed, popcorn flick. These different movie segments however don't blend together very well. The start on Krypton feels needlessly long (I mean, common! We all know Superman's origin story already) and overcomplicated, probably just to give Russell Crowe more screen time and stuff to do. The middle part doesn't work out that interestingly, due to it that it just doesn't seem able to do anything interesting with its characters and emotions and by the time the real big action starts to kick in, the movie has already worn you out, with its constantly fast pace, other 'minor' action and its (rushed) rapid story developments.

Guess they did try to give the Clark Kent character some more depth and personality and yes, I probably also like this Clark Kent better than any of the other Kent's from the past but once he turns into Superman, he's a far less interesting and fun character to watch, as weird as that may sound. The Clark in this movie feels more 'human' than any of his predecessors but the Superman character still remains a quite boring and bland one. The movie perhaps could have used some more humor at times but that simply wasn't the approach this movie was going for unfortunately. You could say it's taking itself a tad bit too serious, as is the current trend for modern superhero movies. This certainly goes at the expense of especially the movie its main character in this case.

Some people are at least going to like and appreciate this movie for its action. And yes, the second half of this movie offers plenty of that. Problem for me however was that it constantly seemed to be repeating itself and was relying too much on its special effects. I lost counts, the amount of times Superman or one of his fellow Kryptonians crashed into a building, during a fight scene. You should make a drinking game out of it! And there is just something terribly effective about watching a bunch of super human's, OK aliens in this case. having a go at each other. You know that every punch that gets thrown isn't going to sort any effect and all of the other stuff that is thrown and shot at them isn't neither.

Thing with movies that are heavy on its CGI also is that no matter how well they are made and awesome they look, back in your mind you always know you're watching something that isn't real and it feels like you're watching a very fancy video game, in which you yourself don't even get to do- or control anything or anyone. I'm not bashing this movie its special effects, since it's all fine looking but surely they could have held back a little during some of its sequences. The movie goes all out and just a tad bit over-the-top with its action and special effects toward the end, if you would ask me.

I know, I probably sound more negative than I should be. After all, I didn't hated the movie, not at all! It's just that there is so much wrong with it and so much potential had gone to waste. The movie as it is is a still watchable enough one but far from my favorite Superman telling. Kind of funny that the goofy, over-the-top, colorful looking- and significantly cheaper Superman movie from the '70's is still the best telling of the story till date!

6/10

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Trailer #2: Riddick (2013)

2013-06-17T12:24:00.002-07:00

Directed by: David Twohy

Starring: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Katee Sackhoff and others

Current release date: September 6, 2013

Amazing Racer (2013) Directed by Frank E. Johnson

2013-06-17T08:44:00.002-07:00

Eric Roberts, Louis Gossett Jr., Michael Madsen, Steve Guttenberg, all in one movie? That should set off a few alarm bells!

The movie as it turned out is also quite a bad one. It has a TV like quality to it but what is worse is that it handles its story and drama extremely poorly.

Instead of a movie that's focusing on a young girl trying to cope with the loss of her father and who's trying to bond with the mother, that she never knew she had, the movie decides to focus on horse racing. Yep, forget about any of the drama and emotions, this movie seems to believe that horse racing is far more important- and interesting to watch instead. It's quite ludicrous how this movie slowly starts to shift and stops being one about real life emotions and issues. Not that the movie was great before that but I at least still was interested in seeing where it would be taking its story to and how its characters would continue to grow and develop.

What's all the more ridicules about the movie its concept is that we, as the viewers, are supposed to believe that this girl, who doesn't like horses at all, suddenly starts to have a very strong bond and connection with one particular horse and not only that, she turns out to be an amazing horse racer as well. This movie its second half more feels like a girly fantasy tale, instead of an effective, 'real life', drama, as this movie was originally clearly intended to be. It besides doesn't ever play out in an original and surprising enough way. The movie is an extremely predictable one, from start to finish, in which everything is very black & white. It even has a ridiculously evil James Bond-type of villain in it, played by Eric Roberts.

There is never a good buildup to anything. Not to the drama, not to the romance, not to any of the characters. This is probably also due to the fact that the movie is trying to do a bit too much at times. It has far too many needless distractions in its story and far too many characters as well. The amount of characters actually makes this movie a quite confusing one to watch at times, also since the movie doesn't give all of them enough back-story, so you never know what they are all about and why they are supposedly important for the story.

And in case you are wondering whatever happened to Dean Cundey, the man who was the director of photography on a lot of classic Spielberg, Zemeckis and Carpenter movies in the past, well, he's mostly doing movies such as this nowadays. Such a waste and weird to see how some amazing and promising careers just fizzle out. Not that I'm a big Cundey fan but he deserves to work on better movies than this! It's like letting da Vinci do a Bob Ross type of painting.

I just can't see how anyone could ever enjoy- and be taken by a movie such as this one.

3/10

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Trailer #3: The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013)

2013-06-17T07:45:00.001-07:00

When her mom is attacked and taken from their home in New York City by a demon, a seemingly ordinary teenage girl, Clary Fray, finds out truths about her past and bloodline on her quest to get her back, that changes her entire life. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Harald Zwart

Starring: Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower, Robert Sheehan and others

Current release date: August 21, 2013

International trailer: Riddick (2013)

2013-06-17T06:14:00.000-07:00

Directed by: David Twohy

Starring: Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Katee Sackhoff and others

Current release date: September 6, 2013

Blu-Ray releases June 18, 2013

2013-06-17T04:47:00.003-07:00

Here all of the blu-ray releases for June 18:

Movie clip: A Hijacking (2012)

2013-06-17T04:11:00.002-07:00

The crew of a Danish cargo ship is hijacked by Somali pirates who proceed to engage in escalating negotiations with authorities in Copenhagen. From: IMDb.com

Movie clip: Don Jon (2013)

2013-06-17T04:02:00.000-07:00

A New Jersey guy dedicated to his family, friends, and church, develops unrealistic expectations from watching porn and works to find happiness and intimacy with his potential true love. From: IMDb.com

Movie clip #5: World War Z (2013)

2013-06-17T03:43:00.002-07:00

Trailer: The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

2013-06-17T03:20:00.000-07:00

A New York stockbroker refuses to cooperate in a large securities fraud case involving corruption on Wall Street, corporate banking world and mob infiltration. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Martin Scorsese

Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jon Favreau, Spike Jonze and others

Current release date: November 15, 2013

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone (2013) Directed by Don Scardino

2013-06-15T07:22:00.000-07:00

You know, I still remember the days that big and expensive assemble comedies were actually still funny to watch. Those days have gone it seems.

It's not a terrible or offensively bad movie but it's humor certainly falls incredibly flat. It's so disappointing, especially considering its concept and seeing what actors all starred in it. Surely this movie showed plenty of potential but the movie shows that you could cast as many great comedy actors as you could possibly get but that still doesn't make your movie a good or funny one to watch, as long as the material they have to work with isn't up to par.

You would think that a movie involving magic and magicians provides plenty of creative and fun material to work around with but the things this movie comes up with do rarely work out. Hard to say what's the real cause of all of this. Perhaps it's not fair to blame everything entirely on the movie its writing. Something about the execution of it all also feels terribly lacking. It's as if the timing is just a tad bit off and the movie is lacking the right required type of absurd comedy atmosphere, to make things work out effectively.

Having some absurd comedy moments and characters in it doesn't necessarily make your comedy a good absurd one as well, as this movie demonstrates. I still can't really put my finger on to it as to why it doesn't really work out but I think it actually might be due to its casting and characters. Nothing against Steve Carell but he didn't seem like the right type of comedy actor for this movie and his role. This is the sort of movie that in fact needed to have Will Ferrell- or a Will Ferrell type of comedy actor in it. Besides, problem with the Steve Carell character in this movie also is that he just isn't a very good or likable enough main protagonist. He does some real despicable things to people, even to his closest friends. It's hard to really care for- or ever root for a character like that.

It's made all the more hard to really get into this movie by the fact that isn't really following an engaging or solid enough main plot line. I mean, what's the big conflict in this? Burt Wonderstone lost his job, so now he's trying to make it to the top again? OK, that's fine but please focus some more on its actual main plot line next time. It now never really feels like a movie with a solid and clear beginning, middle and end in it. The story progresses in a far too random fashion and has a few too many needless distractions in it. This probably also is due to the fact that the movie has a few too many characters in it. Really, I love Alan Arkin but did this movie truly needed him? And what was the point of the Olivia Wilde character, other than being a bland and generic love interest for the movie its main character. Most of the time their romance isn't really going anywhere, until the movie its final 20 minutes or so, when we are suddenly supposed to believe that these persons are drawn to each other and right for each other as well.

I still got about 2 or 3 good laughs out of this movie, which means though that 95% of the other comedy fell incredibly flat to me. Like I said, it never gets terrible or cringely bad in any way but it still is a movie that just isn't worth any of your time.

5/10

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The week's hot new trailers - Week #24

2013-06-15T03:19:00.003-07:00

Keep yourself up to date on all of this week's hot new trailers!

June 10, 2013

Trailer #3:
White House Down

Trailer:
Stranded

International trailer:
Carrie

June 11, 2013

Trailer #3:
Red 2

Teaser trailer:
The Hobbit:
The Desolation of Smaug

June 12, 2013

Teaser trailer:
Diana

International trailer #2:
The Wolverine

International trailer:
Man of Tai Chi

International trailer:
Snowpiercer

Trailer:
Under the Bed

Trailer:
300: Rise of an Empire

Trailer:
Magic Magic

Trailer:
The To Do List

June 13, 2013

Trailer:
Terms and Conditions
May Apply

Red band trailer:
Kevin Hart: Let Me
Explain

International trailer:
R.I.P.D.

Trailer:
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa

Trailer:
Pawn Shop Chronicles

Trailer #2:
Elysium

June 14, 2013

Trailer:
Killing Season

Trailer:
Touchy Feely

Trailer:
Blood

Trailer:
Compulsion

Trailer #2:
Only God Forgive s

June 15, 2013

Trailer #2:
The Butler

Trailer #2: The Butler (2013)

2013-06-15T02:56:00.000-07:00

A look at the life of Cecil Gaines who served eight presidents as the White House's head butler from 1952 to 1986, and had a unique front-row seat as political and racial history was made. From: IMDb.com

Directed by: Lee Daniels

Starring: John Cusack, Forest Whitaker, Lenny Kravitz and others

Current release date: August 16, 2013