Hollywood's offering a lighter choice to films opening on Valentine's Day with "This Means War." This one revolves around two CIA operatives who begin to let their friendship dwindle after they start accidentally dating the same woman. It's kind of a fun premise that appeals to both sexes.
Not as shameful as you think
With the recent announcement of Academy Award nominees, I was reminded of what seemed to be the perfect award season flick, "Shame." Released in a limited run in December, "Shame puffed its chest with the mighty NC-17 rating for nudity and its subject of sex addiction.
Liam Neesan vs. the wolves
In my eyes, Liam Neeson is a pretty huge star. Anything the Irishman does is sure to be entertaining, even if it's surrounded by terrible nonsense. For example, "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," need I say more? The guy is a bona fide bad--- and can scare the living hell out of anyone and anything.
Typically January isn't a good month for movies. At the end of the year studios are trying to rush out their A-list films for Academy Awards consideration. Anything you run into through this first month of the year usually isn't going to be the best the world of film has to offer.
A tale of brilliance
Matt King's (George Clooney) life seems to be falling apart. Things don't seem to be looking up as his wife is in a coma from a boating accident and she may have been having an affair. Without her help Matt isn't quite sure how to raise his two girls.
Gone are the days of the so-so George Clooney, namely Batman and Robin, and the one he claims to his strongest dislike star vehicle that paired him with Michelle Pfeiffer "One Fine Day" (a personal guilty pleasure). Besides winning an Oscar a couple of years back (for Syriana), he has done a fine job behind the camera, directing the "Let's Make a Deal" host Chuck Barris (Sam Rockwell) tale of Confessions of a Dangerous Mind as well as the Edward R.
Tower Heist
"Tower Heist" is the newest comedy from Ben Stiller and Eddie Murphy, both formerly known for being funny. Obviously I thought these guys had lost their edge. Stiller plays the building manager of a high-rise apartment tower that seems to be unknowingly housing a high-stakes criminal.
The Rum Diary
"The Rum Diary" follows journalist Paul Kemp (Johnny Depp) who takes a freelance job in Puerto Rico. The newspaper seems to be going under even before he arrives. None of its writers seem to care much as they've become so tangled up in the lifestyle of 1950's Puerto Rico.
Paranormal Activity 3
Two years ago the true birth of "Paranormal Activity" began when Paramount unleashed the little movie that could. The movie looked like it was made for a pack of cashews and a roll of quarters, but the general population ate it up like crazy. "Paranormal Activity" became the overnight sensation that none of us expected and the new Halloween tradition for movie goers around the globe.
"The Big Year," based on the book of the same title, opens up with Jack Black narrating his love for birds and explaining a "big year," a year-long competition to see as many species of birds as possible. The meaning of the plot begins to unfold along with the trials and tribulations following our main characters, but the comedy keeps to itself in the corner.
Real Steel" is the story of one underdog robot and another robot. They don't like each other too much so they decide to fight, but not just anywhere. They do it in the ring. They even hire humans to manage them to victory. Who better to manage a fighter than "Wolverine" himself, Hugh Jackman? Jackman's character is a retired underdog boxer himself so he knows what it takes to get to the top.
Finally, a movie that isn't a remake or update of a previously told tale. Sure, others of the genre are similar, namely "Free Willy" and "Flipper," but Charles Martin Smith's "Dolphin Tale" glides right into the emotion of helping those less fortunate.
Does it beat the odds?
The past few weeks have been great for films and "50/50" doesn't break the trend. Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes the lead as a young man in his upper 20s who's diagnosed with cancer. Ironically, he takes pretty good care of himself. He eats healthy, exercises regularly and doesn't live hard.
For me, the whole purpose of 3-D is to add to the story. This is especially true when it comes to films of quality, namely James Cameron's "Avatar." Beyond that title, nothing else comes to mind, except the recent update of Fright Night, wherein one can almost touch the burnt embers on the screen.
"If I drive for you, you give me a time and a place, I give you a five-minute window. Anything happens in that five minutes and I'm yours, no matter what. Anything a minute either side of that you're on your own. I don't sit in while you're running it down, I don't carry a gun, I drive.
"God doesn't love you, unless you fear him" "Red State" is the unlikely film from the mind of funny-man Kevin Smith, the director of "Clerks"and the creator of Jay and Silent Bob. Maybe now you're confused seeing the image of a serious-looking woman holding this automatic weapon on the poster.
"Apollo 18" is the latest entry in this new "found footage" film fad we're all coming to loath. Some are fooled into thinking they may be real, but that usually won't stop one from enjoying a movie in this genre. Much like "Paranormal Activity" or "Cloverfield," "Apollo 18" attempts to take you on a similar "thrill ride" with their amateur shaky cam footage.
Students weigh-in with their opinion on the movie "Friends With Benefits"
"Friends with Benefits" hit movie screens the weekend of July 22 with a weekend gross of over $18,622,150. Although it's still going strong over three weeks later, reviews on campus are mixed. "Although I personally liked the movie, it was a lot like ‘No Strings Attached' which just came out not too long ago," business major Keitha Munday said.
"It's not a great movie, but it is a thriller ride, fairly realistic depiction of Marines, and very rough-even the camera movement is unsettling and not a carefully crafted Hollywood story... it's ANTI-AVATAR to the bone." This is an email I received from a friend recently after he saw "Battle: Los Angeles.
An exercise in frustration
If you're thinking about seeing Liam Neeson's latest movie, "Unknown," you should be warned that you'll probably feel total frustration by the end of it. You'll also be glad that your own life is so simple – compared to his character in this fast-moving suspense thriller.
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