OMGN: Movies Channel

Star Wars: The Complete Saga (Blu-ray) Review

ryangoodman@cox.net (Ryan Goodman) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

One of the most beloved movie sagas has finally made the jump to high-definition. All six Star Wars movies are now available on Blu-ray in two box sets for each trilogy (Episodes I-III and IV-VI), or as a special nine-disc set that contains all six movies and a plethora of bonuses. So is the complete saga box set worth it? If you’re a Star Wars geek, then these are the droids you’re looking for, but if you’re a casual fan, then see if the total package is worth the price of admission.

The best way to determine if this is worth it to you is to look at each individual movie. For this release of the Star Wars saga, creator George Lucas has made some not-so-significant changes -- as well as some rather hefty ones.

Episode I - The Phantom Menace

The first film in the prequel trilogy has its flaws, but this version contains improvements over the theatrical and DVD releases, aside from the HD upgrade. The biggest change that can be seen is in Yoda, who was a puppet in the original 1999 release. The Jedi master is now all digitized, like in Episodes II and III, and the improvement is obvious. Yoda looks more animated and more realistic than his puppet counterpart. Overall, while The Phantom Menace is considered by most to be the worst Star Wars movie of all-time, this version of the film is the best yet.

Episode II - Attack of the Clones

The second episode had only some minor tweaks here and there. George Lucas shot the film in digital when it was made for its 2002 release, so not much, if anything, changed effects-wise. The only noticeable differences are in some of the dialog, and you won’t even notice those unless you’ve seen this film enough times to memorize most of the lines. Attack of the Clones has its slow points, but the last 30 minutes or so, which contain the biggest battle in the entire anthology, looks as good on the small screen as it did on the silver screen.

Episode III - Revenge of the Sith

The most recent Star Wars film to be released also had little to no changes. This movie, as you could expect, looks incredible in HD. Every laser blast and landscape looks and sounds as real as it could get. If there was a gold standard to the SW anthology for HD, then Revenge of the Sith is it.

Episode IV - A New Hope

The film that started it all does have some noticeable changes, such as when Obi-Wan scares away the sand people (Tusken Raiders), and some noticeably different dialogue when Luke and Obi-Wan get to Mos Eisley. There are some other not-so-obvious changes, such as different camera angles for some minor scenes and other minor dialogue changes. Otherwise, it is basically the same as the 2004 DVD release, with an HD upgrade. However you shape it, A New Hope is still a classic.

Episode V - The Empire Strikes Back

The Empire Strikes Back surprisingly -- or unsurprisingly depending on how you look at it -- had little to no big changes from the 2004 DVD release. The film looks great in HD, and you can hardly tell that it’s a movie made in 1980. It’s still considered by many to be the best movie in the franchise and one of the greatest films ever made.

Episode VI - Return of the Jedi

Return of the Jedi probably has the most controversial changes in this set. Some of them are for the better, including the addition of Sebulba from Episode I in the Jabba palace scene and other minor effect upgrades. A change that might unsettle some: The eyes of the Ewoks on Endor now blink, and their eyes move around a bit. The one change that most Star Wars fans will hate is near the end of the film. In the movie’s climax, Darth Vader now yells “NOOO!” similar to the way he does in Episode III. Lucas obviously has his reasons for adding that in, but most fans were probably disappointed with this addition. Otherwise, the movie is basically the same as the DVD release, and like The Empire Strikes Back, it looks great in HD.

Bonus Features

The complete box set has three discs full of bonus features. The first two discs contain extras from the films, while the third disc has some other goodies. The first disc covers Episodes I-III, while the second covers IV-VI. The discs are laid out in a very unique way, in that each episode is broken down by the individual planetary locations that appear in them, such as Naboo in Phantom Menace and Hoth in Empire. Some of the bonus features seen on these two discs include interviews with Lucas and cast members, art galleries, and of course, deleted scenes and animatronics. One cool feature is to look at certain props in a 360-degree scale. There’s also an awesome tour of the Lucasfilm archive that houses all the various props used in the films.

The final disc has several documentaries, old and new, on the Star Wars universe as a whole and on the making of the films. The must-see on this disc, however, is a 90-minute montage that covers all the various Star Wars spoofs, from fake screen tests on Saturday Night Live, to the Family Guy trilogy that retells Episodes IV-VI. Hardcore and casual fans alike should go out of their way to see this montage.

To buy or not to buy?

Overall, this is the ideal box set of the Star Wars saga. Casual fans and those new to the franchise should take a look at it for certain. Many die-hard fans will be disappointed by some of the changes as well as the exclusion of the original theatrical releases, but if you can overlook those two things, then this is a must-own.

Score: 9.0

The War of the Worlds (1953) Review

crector@gmail.com (Charles Rector) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

The War of the Worlds is the best alien invasion movie ever made. This film looks better and better in comparison to most of the over-produced, digital drivel released today. Unlike today’s filmmakers, the folks who made this movie realized it takes more than gore, ear-splitting soundtracks, and drooling aliens to truly scare and thrill an audience.

The War of the Worlds entertains because producer George Pal and his crew were able to make the most out of the technology they had available. Despite the fact that this movie was made in 1953, the special effects clearly out-class those in most movies made even in the following several decades.

One of the all-time best scenes in a science fiction movie was when the Martian crept up behind Ann Robinson and clamped its fingers on her shoulder. She paused, reacted to the touch, slowly turned her head, and stared at the alien limb. The entire moment of horror and violation took about four to six seconds. Her mind -- finally -- comprehended it. Then she let out one of the most memorable screams in film history.

As with Hollywood productions in general, there are certain differences between the movie and the book. The movie takes place in America instead of England, the ships flew instead of moving, and the aliens look different. Yet, through all that, this is a rare occurrence in Hollywood: the film is superior to its original work.

The movie eschewed Wells’ animated tripods. When this movie was in pre-production, the tripod concept was discarded as unworkable and visually unimpressive, even comical. The most famous “tripod” in film history is the pirate Long John Silver. Think about his gait and then transpose the image on the alien war machines. The movement and scanning swan necks of the Martian war machines in the movie are both impressive and menacing.

In H.G. Wells’ original work, the Martians are basically bodyless heads, which make and use mechanical substitutes as needed. In place of arms and hands, they have tentacles. Essentially, Wells’ Martians were giant brains without a supporting suite of organs. However, advanced research shows that notion to be nonsensical. The movie Martians are both alien and quite plausible with their functional bodies, three-fingered hands, and their triple-lensed eyes.

So many scenes in this film are quite memorable: the army fighting the Martian space ship while a man of God tries to make peace with the strangers, the old farmhouse, and the ending as the aliens attack Los Angeles. The minister shows a remarkable curiosity about the alien invaders -- an unexpected and refreshing take on the clergy considering the usual Hollywood stereotype. The movie also has a most memorable ending: The suggestion that divine intervention has spared Earth from the Martian hordes.

This movie clearly leaves the likes of Independence Day and Mars Attacks in the dust. The Martian warships are a lot more scary than the CGI fleet of Independence Day. The War of the Worlds works because it treats its subject matter deadly serious. There’s no cheesy cornball speeches by the president launching a counter attack and, best of all, no Will Smith jiving his way through all of this with a swift kick to a stinky alien hide.

If there is ever a science fiction movie that deserves to be in the collection of movie fans everywhere, then The War of the Worlds is the one.

Editor's Note: This review originally appeared on OMGN's former sister site FlickZone on Feb. 11, 2005.

Score: 9.4

The Rocketeer (1991) Review

crector@gmail.com (Charles Rector) — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 08:00:00 GMT

The Rocketeer is a greatly underrated science fiction action flick set during the late 1930s in the Great Depression while the world was inching toward World War II. This particular movie was made in 1991 and based on a graphic novel by Dave Stevens.

This movie is of the same flavor of the Republic serials of the 1930s and 1940s, and it captures the spirit of the pulp magazines of the time. This is fitting because the original Dave Stevens comics captured the spirit of 1930s aviation pulps, as well as Doc Savage and Republic Studios. Unfortunately, Doc Savage could not be included in this movie, but Howard Hughes made a great substitution. The film was full of action and humor, cliffhangers and character, just like Stevens’ creation.

The movie opens in 1938 when air races were as important to the American people as auto racing is today. Heroes were made out of aviators. Airplanes that later became famous as fighters in World War II, Curtis P-40s and the British Spitfires, were originally designed as racers.

Hollywood is at its zenith, and Cliff Secord (Bill Campbell) and his friend/mentor Peevy (Alan Arkin) are getting their newest stunt plane ready for a national flying competition. Meanwhile, Cliff’s girlfriend Jenny (Jennifer Connelly) is a struggling young actress trying to make it in Hollywood, one bit-part at a time. Cliff finds and dons an experimental rocket pack.

Unknown to Cliff, actor/Nazi agent Neville Sinclair (Timothy Dalton) wants the rocket pack very badly indeed, and when he overhears bit-player Jenny and her boyfriend Cliff talking about the rocket while on the set of his latest film, he immediately sets out to seduce the young actress in an attempt to get to Cliff and his coveted jet-pack.

Although the film does have its credibility stretched pretty thin in places (why doesn’t Cliff ever run out of fuel or get his legs burned off?) the story is solid and enjoyable, and the visual effects still hold up quite nicely. The movie also features a neat explanation for how the “HOLLYWOODLAND” sign was shortened to “HOLLYWOOD."

The acting is consistently good. Campbell was perfect for the role of Cliff Secord. Arkin made a great Peevy, although he's a bit less cantankerous than in the original comic. He was more of a Connecticut Yankee than grouchy mechanic. Dalton made a great Errol Flynn type, and this was the first on-screen hint of Flynn’s involvement with the Nazi’s during World War II. Much has been written on the subject, but nobody, until this picture, dared to dramatize it.

This movie has everything: Hollywood in its golden age, German spies, G-men and gangsters, elaborate nightclubs, big band music, and best of all, a hero who flies around like a bat out of hell with a jet-pack strapped to his back. The fact that during his first few times with the rocket he kept crashing into everything made Cliff Secord more believable as the Rocketeer.

The Rocketeer is a “feel-good” movie. It has an all-American, baseball, and apple pie feel, to it, and for that quality, it's great. It’s a very good movie for kids and adults alike. That’s why this movie is wonderful.

Editor's Note: This review originally appeared on OMGN's former sister site, FlickZone, on Feb. 10, 2005.

Score: 9.4

Jackson County Jail (1976) Review

crector@gmail.com (Charles Rector) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:00:00 GMT

There are some movies that are so poorly made, it defies belief that they ever made it to the silver screen. Jackson County Jail, produced by the prolific Roger Corman, is one such movie. If it were possible to gauge the IQ of the script writer from this movie, it would be pretty close to zero.

Jackson County Jail is a slapdash effort. It begins in Los Angeles when liberated career woman Dinah Hunter (Yvette Mimieux) quits her job as a commercial producer after a client pans one of her latest creations. She then goes home, and upon observing that her husband has been teaching their teenage daughter how to swim, talks down to him about how he is unworthy of being married to a great woman like her and how their daughter ought to be placed in a daycare center when Mom is at work as if men are automatically unfit to have any role in the raising of children. This scene sets a pattern that holds for the rest of the movie: white rich lady treats everyone around her like dirt or worse and then acts surprised when the other folks resent her poor behavior.

Once done trashing her husband, she then leaves Los Angeles for a new job in New York, intending to drive herself there. She doesn't pack or do any of the other things one would normally expect someone to do when undertaking a long road trip. One aspect of long distance driving that she is quite clearly incapable of doing is navigation and map reading. Driving from L.A. to N.Y. clearly means going northward, but she actually drives into the Deep South. On her trip, she humiliates a waitress and picks up a pair of hitch hiking punks who clearly have trouble written all over them. Once she makes it clear to them that she intends on driving north, they hijack the car and rob her.

Now, you would think that now that she is in peril, the California gal would start treating folks like fellow human beings at least long enough to get herself out of trouble. If so, you obviously are not familiar with Corman's work. In his cinematic world, all women who do not observe traditional values are overbearing, nasty scum who get their comeuppance by getting raped and worse. Likewise, all non-heterosexual characters in Corman movies get themselves killed. Another constant theme of Corman movies is that Southerners are all a bunch of ignorant yahoos with Southern law enforcement officers being the worst of the lot. As we will see, Jackson County Jail is a perfect example of these themes.

After the hijack, Dinah enlists the aid of a restaurant owner who calls the local law enforcement office on her behalf. However, she misjudges the kindness of the restaurateur as being a prelude to a rape attempt or something, and she launches into a physical assault upon the poor man right in time for the Deputy Sheriff to walk into the scene and arrest her on the spot. Once at the jail, she is then raped by a different deputy who is apparently the resident official rapist. In an unbelievably fake scene, she kills the pervert and frees both herself and another inmate even though the other guy is a braggart of a criminal. They steal a car, and on the way to the criminal hideout, they get into a goofy chase with the now-drunken sheriff. This chase ends when the sheriff gets into a head-on crash with another car. Once at the hideout, where there is a pair of lesbians and other obviously undesirable elements, Dinah pulls her Mrs. Superior act until the cops show up, and a gunfight ensues. Both Dinah and the criminal escape, but not until after we get to see both lesbians die.

This is the point where the movie really gets bad -- as unbelievable as that may be. Dinah gets into a discussion of right and wrong with her hardened criminal buddy and all but calls him a piece of white trash. Apparently all those years in the California sun have made Dinah feel superior to everyone or something. Her accomplice responds only by saying that she must have lived a sheltered life. Eventually, Dinah is severely injured by gunshots and caught. Her buddy gets himself gunned down right in the middle of a bicentennial parade which continues on despite the fact that police are engaged in a running gunfight with a hardened criminal whose six-shooter never runs out of bullets and several paraders and onlookers get downed by stray bullets. Even by Corman standards, this is pretty unreal.

Jackson County Jail is garbage that is only effective as unintentional comedy. Even on those undemanding standards, it is pretty bad. If you want to get your intelligence insulted, then this is the movie for you.

Editor's Note: This review originally appeared on OMGN's former sister site, FlickZone, on Feb. 9, 2005.

Score: 3.2

Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol (2011) Review

kjhovanec@bsu.edu (Kyle James Hovanec) — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 08:00:00 GMT

As someone who has enjoyed all incarnations of the Mission Impossible film series (yes, even the second one, only much less so than the others), I can say without a doubt that Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is easily the best of the bunch. It takes all of the tension and dynamic teamwork from the TV series, the high caliber stunts and action set pieces from the movies, and combines them to make a highly entertaining and fast-paced action/spy movie. It's not just one of the best action movies in the last year, it's one of the best action movies in the last several years.

The story of Ghost Protocol is incredibly simple. Rogue intellect (Michael Nyqvist) feels the only way to set the world right is to set it on fire with nuclear weapons and steals the launch codes from Russia while, at the same time, bombing the Kremlin and framing the one group that was trying to stop him, the IMF or Impossible Mission Force. Now framed with an act of war toward Russia, the IMF only has a certain period of time to find the madman, stop the nuclear launch, and prevent nuclear fallout.

While the story isn't anything new, it functions merely as a skeleton to get from one scene to the next. But this isn't a strike against the film. It may have been done before, but what is here contains enough twists to the tired tropes of action cinema to make it interesting.

Most action flick heroes have a tendency to turn into a macho parody of one man versus the world as he guns down dozens of enemies without taking a hit, getting the beautiful girl at the end of the day, and leading the over-the-top bad guy to his certain, horrible death. Ghost Protocol has none of this. No one in this movie is invincible, no one gets the girl at the end, and the villain does not suffer death at the hands of the hero. In fact, for a majority of the movie, Ethan Hunt (played by Tom Cruise) and his fellow IMF agents do not successfully complete a single plan. There is always a complication, always a surprise element that makes each of already near-impossible missions fall apart on a surprisingly frequent basis.

Click the image to view movie stills

While this sounds like a flaw, it actually is a brilliant move. Director Brad Bird once said that invincible characters are not interesting characters. Even if a character is near-invincible, he or she has to occasionally hurt -- he or she has to fail in order for the audience to identify with him or her. That is where the appeal to the characters comes in. Most action films have characters only to exist as props and set pieces for action. Bird has made each character vulnerable, made them have real motives and needs, made them seem more human, and when presented with situations of peril, the danger and excitement are much higher. Hunt continues to take more dangerous missions due to a sense of loss and duty. His partners, Agents Carter (played by Paula Patton) and Dunn (played by Simon Pegg), are relatively new agents who have their own motivations for wanting to follow him on the mission. The last member of the team, Brandt (played by Jeremy Renner), also has his own motives for tagging along with Hunt: An incredible sense of guilt plagues him throughout the entire film that may or may not have to do with a secret involving Hunt.

Along with the great characters, the action sequences also deserve mention. The trailers have shown a decent mix of some of the larger action pieces, but what has been shown cannot possibly do justice to the actual thing. Each sequences starts out with an absurd premise and continues to escalate until the action has reached a fever pitch, and you're on the edge of your seat, eagerly awaiting the conclusion. The scaling scene in Dubai is filled with equal amounts of tension and fear-inducing vertigo. There are also two car chases which, due to magnificent camera angles and sound editing, were loud, fast, and always had a sense of urgency and danger. There was never a point through these sequences where I felt safe for any of the characters on screen.

The stellar action shots must be attributed to the IMAX camera used throughout the movie to frame the best possible angles for each sequence. Whether it was a sweeping view of Dubai or following Hunt as he dangled from the side of the world's largest skyscraper, the enhanced clarity and higher stock of film lent an incredible amount of detail to each scene. The scenes and stunts appeared larger-than-life, and when combined with Bird's excellent cinematography, made each action sequence pop. There were times I was squirming and dodging in my seat as debris flew toward our heroes or times when my hands were gripping the edge of my seat while he clung to the side of a building. This was probably the best translation of vertigo to the big screen that I have seen since, well, Vertigo. You may have seen the advertisements about viewing it in IMAX, and they are absolutely true. The action sequences are visceral and, unlike most modern action films, devoid of shaky cam and easy to follow. This needs to be seen on the largest screen possible. You will do yourself a disservice by waiting for DVD.

It's refreshing to see an action film with likeable characters, impressive stunts, and well-shot action scenes in the modern day theater. Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol is the next great action film to see. Bird has done a fantastic job making his transition from animated action films (The Iron Giant, The Incredibles) to the live action realm. It's full of nods to the past MI movies and contains a lighthearted sense of humor that never takes itself too seriously. Ghost Protocol is the perfect popcorn flick to see this holiday. It entertains on a massive scale and proves that action movies haven't gone entirely stale yet.

* This movie was seen on a 70mm IMAX screen, the highest quality format available at the time of viewing.

Score: 9.4

The Dark Knight Rises Prologue Impressions

kjhovanec@bsu.edu (Kyle James Hovanec) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:00:00 GMT

Despite being months away from a theatrical release, a six-minute prologue to The Dark Knight Rises was released this weekend, showing before Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. While it may seem odd to release a small portion of the film for public viewing before the actual release, what was done here worked incredibly well and functioned better than most movie trailers, with their spoiler-rific details. It introduced a key character, retained the mystery of the upcoming movie, and now has me even more excited to see the final result.

I'm going to try and remain as spoiler-free as possible. Some key scenes to be on the lookout for:

One of the subjects of this prologue is a man named Doctor Pavel, who according to the early viral campaign, is a Russian nuclear physicist gone missing. The prologue explains how he goes missing but does not explain why.
Pavel is traveling with a team of CIA agents. The lead agent knows all about Bane and how dangerous he is.
Bane is in full and present form, and he is not what most people will be expecting. One thing that does remain the same is his very scary and sinister presence. This is not done through physical intimidation, as Bane (played by Tom Hardy) is a strong and efficient fighter but no where nearly as physically imposing as his comic and recent video game incarnations.
Bane is shown to rely on his intellect and his ability to pull elaborate plans together with perfect results. He almost reminds me of the Joker from the Dark Knight and his elaborate schemes.
Bane is very, very hard to understand. His voice is muffled due to his mask with a mixture of mechanical intonations and a strong British accent underlying it all. I'm not sure at this point whether this is intentional or due to a need of final ADR recording, but there were very few times I fully understood what Bane was saying. It came off more creepy and sinister than annoying, though, so hopefully they can retain the voice effects while making the dialog easier to understand.
The key action scenes in the prologue are spectacular, all the more so on the IMAX screen. Christopher Nolan has insisted that 70 millimeter IMAX screens are the best way to see the movie, and it's understandable why. Sweeping landscape shots and some daring and exciting shots in an airplane reminiscent of a certain scene from the recent FPS Modern Warfare 3 made for scenes that were filled with tension and excitement. The increased image quality and camera angles made me truly feel that everyone on the plane was in incredible danger and made Bane's presence incredibly menacing.
Bane does something toward the end of the prologue that was creepy and very odd. I already have my theories, and I'm sure you'll have your own, too, after seeing this.

The Dark Knight Rises prologue was an excellent way to get audiences excited for the final film, set to head to IMAX and regular theaters July 20, 2012. Please remember that this prologue is showing on 70mm IMAX screens and not digital ones. If you happen to have one of those nearby, check it out before Mission Impossible. Its a great way to show off IMAX technology and set in motion what is sure to be an interesting film.

Big Screen Version of Assassin's Creed in the Works

kjhovanec@bsu.edu (Kyle James Hovanec) — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 07:00:00 GMT

According to a report from Variety, a big screen version of the Assassin's Creed series is in discussion between Ubisoft and Sony Pictures.

The development of this film would involve a close relationship between Sony Pictures and the newly formed Ubisoft Motion Pictures to ensure the quality and content is consistent with the game and the movie is produced with the highest level of care.

The Assassin's Creed franchise is one of Ubisoft's most successful and acclaimed franchises. Creed has been heralded as a franchise able to “transcend mediums” and reach beyond the realm of video games. Hopefully this translates into quality pieces of film entertainment.

Sources:

Sony breeds 'Creed'

Hanna (2011) Review

kjhovanec@bsu.edu (Kyle James Hovanec) — Fri, 14 Oct 2011 07:00:00 GMT

Fairy tales and global espionage are something that usually don't go in hand in hand, much less sound like a good idea, but they can turn out pretty decent in the end if the script, pacing, and acting are well done. An idea that sounds stupidly laughable on paper suddenly becomes an entertaining flick.

Hanna isn't strictly a fairy tale movie that deals with espionage. There aren't any Grimm characters spying on terrorist encampments. Instead it's the style -- the classic hero's journey given that extra fairy tale kick. Young Hanna (played by Saoirse Ronan) and her ex-CIA agent father Eric (played by Eric Bana) live alone in the woods of Finland (complete with a “Once Upon a Time” beginning), going about their daily routine of hunting, tracking, and training. Hanna is no ordinary girl; she's been trained from childhood to be the ultimate assassin, able to kill enemies twice her age and size and survive alone for days without aid. This is all done for a reason, as Eric wants revenge on CIA handler Marissa Ziegler (played by Cate Blanchett) who, after learning about their existence, sends her squad of hitmen out to silence them both and prevent them from learning the truth about Hanna's origin and the role Eric and Marissa played along the way.

From here, Hanna is on her own, traveling through Europewith only a single location provided by her father. Along the way, she runs into a traveling family, and after spending a few days with them, she learns more about living with other humans, especially about living with a family she never had. Of course, this doesn't go as planned, and she also dispatches agents sent after her in her journey to the final location, Marissa, and the truth behind everything.

Click the image to view movie stills

Director Joe Wright (Atonement) does an excellent job shooting and directing the scenes and giving the entire movie a storybook feel. For what could have been a series of shots in gray-skied, stark white government bases and a story that could have easily been The Bourne Identity with a little girl, is really anything but. The locations all seem to have a hazy, tone to them, swirling with colors, flashing lights, and soft hues. It's a clever way to show the audience how Hanna sees the world, as a strange fairytale land that is both enticing and dangerous. Even the government agents seem more at home with their fairy tale tropes. Blanchett succeeds in playing the evil stepmother who wants nothing more than to impede the girl's journey in between shouting orders to CIA lackeys and talking about secret government projects.

Along with the excellent camera work, the music score by the Chemical Brothers is equally fantastic. Flip-flopping between whimsical xylophone tunes to throbbing techno beats, the score matches the scenes perfectly and helps to add to the dynamic and kinetic pacing.

While Bana and Blanchett do the by-the-numbers acting with Bana playing an older guardian figure and Blanchett chewing up the scenery as a wicked-witch CIA agent, it's Ronan who deserves the most credit. The amount of naïveté about the simplest things in the world is shown not only through her dialog but her actions. She shows a vulnerable side that contrasts against her swift and violent acts.

Hanna is an unusual but very fun flick. If you're in the mood for something a little different that the normal kiss-kiss, bang-bang seen in most spy flicks, this is one worth checking out.

Score: 8.3

Mortal Kombat (1995) Blu-Ray Review

ryangoodman@cox.net (Ryan Goodman) — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 07:00:00 GMT

One of the most popular video game movies has been given the HD treatment and re-released on blu-ray. The movie version of Mortal Kombat was highly regarded by gamers around the world when it was released in 1995. While the movie itself does not hold up as well as it did more than 15 years ago, the updated version of the film is still a decent buy.

Click the image to view movie stills

The story of Mortal Kombat is loosely based on the 1993 arcade classic in which the fate of the world is decided in a martial arts tournament. The film primarily focuses on three main characters: Sonya Blade, Johnny Cage, and specifically, Liu Kang, who is looking to avenge the death of his brother at the hands of Shang Tsung. Other popular characters, such as Sub-Zero and Scorpion, also make appearances, but they’re only seen briefly. While the story of the film holds up pretty well 16 years later, the movie itself does feel dated. Most of the special effects are cheesy when compared to the 3-D and CGI we see in theaters today. The acting is also weak, but it is much better than most video game-adapted movies, including this film’s horrendous sequel. The soundtrack will take you back to the mid '90s, with several techno tunes, including the famous “techno syndrome” that features the “MORTAL KOMBAT!” yell.

For an initial blu-ray release, Mortal Kombat is pretty bare-bones as far as special features goes. Along with the feature film and different audio and subtitle choices, the only extras on the disc are the theatrical trailer and a trailer for the recent MK game that was released last spring. Also included is a very cheesy cartoon from 1995 called Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, which basically sets up the story for the feature film with some of the worst CGI and voice acting you’ll ever see or hear. It is worth checking out at least once for a good laugh. The only other feature the disc has is BD Live, which means other nifty features may be added down the road, but whether that will happen remains to be seen.

Overall, this is a decent blu-ray to add to your collection, especially for video game fans. While it is nowhere near the top of any films list (sans video game adaptations), it’s still a whole lot of fun to watch. If your primary blu-ray player is your PlayStation 3, then it's a must-get as the original DVD release does not play properly on that console. The lack of special features is a negative, but as it's got a low price point (around $10 at most stores), you can’t really go wrong with at least taking a look.

Score: 8.0

OMGN's Best Summer Flicks of 2011

tmcato@bsu.edu (Tyrone M. Cato) — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 07:00:00 GMT

If there's one thing we like as much as video games, it's movies too. Since the name change to include movies in the title, the OMGN staff has narrowed down the best movies we've seen this summer — as well as the worst, the ones that surprised us the most, and everything in between.

Best Action

Kyle: For me, X-Men: First Class is, hands down, the best action flick I've seen. From Hellfire Club's first attack on the young members of the first class, to the final assault between Xavier's students, the Hellfire Club, and American and Russian soldiers, the actions scenes were incredibly well edited and fun. I have to say director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake, Kick-Ass) has a knack for sweet-looking action scenes. Captain America was a very, very close second, but this wins in the end.

Charles: Green Lantern

Ryan: Even though there were better comic films this year, I'll go with Thor. I got a kick out of some of the fights, and I also enjoyed some of the comedy. Chris Hensworth did a fantastic job in getting me interested in a comic book character I wasn't into before heading to the theater.

Robert: X-Men: First Class. The characters were believable (as far as mutants with superpowers can be), and the action wasn't over-the-top. The story fit together well, and the action sequences were well paced. Very enjoyable.

Ed: Captain America — Yet another lead up to The Avengers, Captain America was so much better than I could have expected. Because Nazis weren't evil enough, we get to watch Chris Evans beat up Hyrda soldiers, the Nazis' Nazis. Hugo Weaving's performance as The Red Skull was equally impressive. It doesn't take much to make a decent action flick, and somehow, everything released before Captain America this summer just couldn't pull it off.

Best Comedy

Kyle: A quirky little flick called Submarine managed to come out of nowhere and make me laugh at not only the absurdity of the characters and situations but the touching look at those awkward teen romances we all go through.

Ryan: I didn't really see many comedies, so I'm going with The Hangover: Part II by default. While it wasn't as good as the original, there were several laugh-out-loud moments throughout, and this movie definitely pushed the envelope more than the first one did. Poor Stu...

Robert: Horrible Bosses. This one took me by surprise in much the same way The Hangover (not part II) did last summer. The movie didn't resort to gimmicks to get laughs.

Ed: Hobo With A Shotgun — Just watch it. Just watch it. It's ultra violent, ridiculous, and hysterical. Words can't describe. It was a limited release back in May and can now be viewed on Netflix. Rutger Hauer must have needed a paycheck. Just watch it.

Best Drama/Suspense

Kyle: Super 8 did it for me. A slick combination of '80s adventure flicks (The Goonies, Monster Squad) combined with some excellent effects and a great sense of mystery, danger, and bewilderment seen through the eyes of a child, when adventure and imagination are at its peak.

Charles: Green Lantern

Ryan: Even though it is technically not a drama movie, Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows Part II had me on the edge of my seat for its climactic conclusion. From beginning to end, you could feel the tension build all the way to the final battle between Harry and Lord Voldemort.

Robert: Super 8, if you can call it a suspense. Much like X-Men, it was very well-paced and built the suspense through the end.

Ed: The Tree of Life — Terrance Malick is a polarizing director. Most people don't know what to expect when walking into one of his movies and are confused by his non-linear style of editing and storytelling. If you can get past that, The Tree of Life was a beautiful and haunting look at a family's struggles to understand themselves and one another in the wake of tragedy.

Best Animated

Kyle: Seems like I'm the only one here who saw something animated! Laugh if you will, but Winnie the Pooh was a great movie to watch with younger children. Beautiful 2-D animation combined with a light-hearted story free from the vulgarity, obnoxious 3-D, and obsessive pop culture references that seem to pass for children's movies nowadays.

Ed: You can skip me on this. Cars 2 was crap, and I didn't watch Winnie the Pooh. That was pretty much it this summer.

Biggest Surprise

Kyle: Fright Night. As a fan of the original but never holding it in high regard, I had little hopes for this one, but in the end I walked away very impressed and surprised. Each of the actors gave great performances with David Tennant (Dr. Who) stealing the show. A great mix of tension, laughs, and all around likeable characters. It very much felt like a product of the '80s, but considering the great genre films that came at the time, that's not a bad thing.

Charles: That you could take a classic character like Captain America and make such a horrible movie.

Ryan: I have to go with X-Men: First Class. This movie came out of nowhere and was a breath of fresh air for comic book action movies. While it didn't push special effects any further than the previous X-Men films, it stood out with a great story and fresh faces filling the shoes of those classic superheroes/villains.

Robert: Super 8. I thought this movie was fantastic. It brought me back to '80s-style movies with its feel of discovery and adventure. And for once, we've got a movie in which kids can star and seem like adults, rather than stupid little kids.

Ed: Thor — All the previews made this look like it was going to be a stinker. All the buzz made it sound like it was going to suck. I was really expecting Thor to be a massive disappointment and actually walked in talking about how I was expecting to be let down. And I wasn't. I was really entertained, which says quite a bit, given that I'm a curmudgeon who dislikes everything and is prone to angry rants.

Commendation for Technical Achievement

Kyle: Rise of the Planet of the Apes had excellent CGI, Winnie the Pooh had great 2-D animation, but overall The Tree of Life wins cinematography hands down. If you've ever seen any of Terrance Malick's previous work (Badlands, The Thin Red Line) you'll know what to expect. Sweeping visions of a small Texas town, the galaxy, and the dawn of time make for an unforgettable experience. Love it or hate it, you'll have an unforgettable experience.

Charles: Nothing stood out except for the overuse of CGI in all of the superhero movies.

Ryan: This is a tough one, but since I can't think of anything offhand that really stood out, I'll go with Captain America, which I thought was one of the best movies of the year. I was really intrigued by how they made Chris Evans look as small as he did, before he became the Captain. They made it work, and it looked good. Thumbs up soldier!

Robert: Super 8. Again, the movie felt a lot like E.T. — magical and full of wonder. The presentation of this movie, in total, was excellent.

Ed: Transformers: Dark of the Moon — Despite how terrible and stupid the previous Transformers titles were, this one ... Well, it was also terrible and stupid. The fact is, Michael Bay is a crappy director who is responsible for a slew of weak action films that entertain idiots. Also, The Rock. That was pretty OK. Despite his track record, however, he managed to make a really watchable film in Transformers 3. By watchable, of course, I mean really impressive-looking to the point of distracting us from Shia Labeouf's inability to act. Michael Bay took the time to make the 3-D that Hollywood is forcing down the throats of moviegoers look like it was worth it, instead of just slugging it in there to make a quick buck (see Clash of the Titans).

Best Overall

Kyle: X-Men: First Class. Hands down the most fun experience I had at the theater this year. Upon a second at-home viewing, it was just as enjoyable.

Charles: Green Lantern — Best of a bad lot.

Ryan: X-Men: First Class. I had low expectations for this movie after I saw the first trailer, but when I finally went to the theater, I was blown away. The relatively unknown cast did a fantastic job in their respective roles, especially James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender, who filled the shoes of two film legends perfectly as the younger versions of Charles Xavier and Magneto. This is easily one of the best comic book movies ever made, and my choice for the best movie in what was one of the best film summers in a long time.

Robert: Super 8. This movie really blew me away as I have a soft spot for '80s movies. Very well done. Generally movies that completely surprise me and blow me away tend to be my favorites.

Ed: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 — Really, everything about this movie stood out. It was well-directed, well-acted and kept me on the edge of my seat. Even having read the novels, knowing what was going to happen, I still was gripping my seat with anticipation. Everything about it was done well, and its opening week take at the box office (as well as numerous opening weekend box office records shattered) reflected this.

Biggest Disappointment

Kyle: Transformers: Dark of the Moon. I should have expected that, with a Michael Bay movie, I was going to get three hours (yes, it is nearly three hours long) of nonstop explosions. Granted, this isn't always a bad thing, and in this case, it proved to be too little too late. Two hours of uninteresting and generally unlikeable human characters participate in what appears to be a bad teen comedy about finding a job (while having a Victoria's Secret model girlfriend). Throw in a final hour that is so overblown and bombastic it's nearly impossible to process all at once and instead leaves you shell-shocked at a loss for words. It's better than the second one, but then again so was well ... almost everything. (On a positive note, though, the 3-D was really well done and made for a great IMAX experience.)

Charles: Tie: Thor and Captain America

Ryan: My biggest disappointment has to be Cowboys & Aliens. I was hyped to see this a year ago when the first trailer was released, but when I left the theater, I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong — it wasn't the worst movie I've seen all year (that would be be Sucker Punch), but it wasn't what I was expecting. Parts of it felt very cheesy.

Robert: Thor. The second-to-last "prep" movie before The Avengers just underwhelmed nearly everywhere. It felt like a slog. The romance wasn't explained at all; it just happened with virtually no dialogue. Action sequences weren't impressive either.

Tyrone: I've only seen three-and-a-half films this summer, yet I can suggest that Green Lantern was the biggest disappointment.

Ed: Cowboys and Aliens — When I saw the preview for this, I thought it was going to be the best movie ever made. I told people this. Not in a serious manner, of course, but its ridiculous factor was off the charts, and frankly, I couldn't see how a movie with Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig (with a director like Jon Favreau) could miss. It missed. It was an awesome western — until the aliens showed up. It wasn't terrible, but it was such a prime example of wasted potential.

So there you go, OMGN's best (and worst) of the summer. Agree? Disagree? Let us know!