Every once in a while I decide to go to the movies by myself. Some may find that sad. For me its a time where I get to enjoy a movie by myself. That's all. I decided to do that today when I decided to go see Kung Fu Panda 2 at a matinee screening.
The story? Po is back from the first movie. He is the dragon warrior. He has fame, popularity, and the Furious Five by his side. His only question...where did he come from? After Po realizes the answer to his question his makes it his mission to discovering what happened to his family while at the same time defeating a new enemy bent on destroying kung fu. Will Po be able to accomplish all this?
When you hear the word "Dreamworks Pictures" you usually hear the praise that accompanies it. "Great animation (if you see a children's film), "good story," "excellent performance." All of these are words that go with Dreamworks. The first Kung Fu Panda was Dreamworks Animation's attempt since the success of Shrek, to usher in a new era of animation for the company. The first Kung Fu Panda was quite successful. I can happily report that it's sequel, Kung Fu Panda 2, while not as great as the first film, still lived up to it's quality that one would expect from a film-making company such as Dreamworks Animation.
Techincally speaking, the animation was about the same as the last film. Nothing new. The performances were a lot better and I was happy to see the members of the Furious Five play a bigger role in this movie. Two actors really stood out in this movie. Angelina Jolie (who plays Tigress) and of course the ever famous Jack Black (Po). The music was right for this film and placed in the right areas at the right time which gave the movie an even flow for 90 minutes. The story was a little slow at first and there were times I couldn't help but look at my watch in disbelief but overall the story was good.
There was nothing really objectionable about this film, morally speaking. There's a lot of talk about "inner peace" so if this offends you I wouldn't see this film. The violence was a little more present in this film than in it's predeccessor so parents be warned. From what I remember there wasn't much in terms of language either but maybe I missed it (write a comment if I miss anything please).
Dreamworks continues to impress audiences with it's fine detail in animation and quality picture making. Kung Fu Panda 2 reminds us of Dreamworks capabilities of making movies without the unnecessary language or potty humor. Thank you Dreamworks. You've done it again. Keep doing what you're doing and this is definetely a film worth renting in several months.
My Grade: B+
Stars: 4/5
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Thursday, July 7, 2011
The King's Speech...MOVIE REVIEW
After some hesitation I finally decided on borrowing The King's Speech from my family and my father and I decided to watch this movie. I was curious as to why this film had received such a positive review so I decided to see this movie for myself.
The scene is the Great Depression. A time of trial and a time of, well, depression. We are then introduced to our protagonist, the Duke of York Albert (Collin Firth). From a very young age he has had a stammering problem with his speech. His wife (Helena Bonham Carter) decides to take him to a new speech therapist (Geoffery Rush), after mainly failed attempts with others, and the story continues from there (sorry, don't want to ruin the story for you).
I'll be honest. When I first decided to see this film and I read the synopsis on the back of the DVD case I said, "Interesting premise but is this film going to entertain me?" Not only was this film entertaining but it was impressive in it's movie-making quality. Okay so yes, the movie was a little slow in some areas. For the most part however the movie had a nice continuous flow. I am also a fan of Collin Firth and he put in a most excellent performance as King George VI. His role in this film was not an easy role to film and the depth that he brings to his character is so realistic that I forgot that he was just an actor playing a role. Geoffery Rush, as well, puts in an excellent performance as his speech therapist.
Techincally? Music was perfect for this film. Absolutely perfect. The camera work was fine. The main thing that I found objectionable from this film was the language. There is one scene in this film where there is a lot of swearing so parents be careful when deciding to watch this film with your children. On the plus side, I have heard that this film has been edited so there is a version of this film where the language is not as present as in the R-rated film.
Overall, an excellent film and one certainly worth the rental price at Block Buster or from your local RedBox.
My Grade: A-
Stars: 4.5
The scene is the Great Depression. A time of trial and a time of, well, depression. We are then introduced to our protagonist, the Duke of York Albert (Collin Firth). From a very young age he has had a stammering problem with his speech. His wife (Helena Bonham Carter) decides to take him to a new speech therapist (Geoffery Rush), after mainly failed attempts with others, and the story continues from there (sorry, don't want to ruin the story for you).
I'll be honest. When I first decided to see this film and I read the synopsis on the back of the DVD case I said, "Interesting premise but is this film going to entertain me?" Not only was this film entertaining but it was impressive in it's movie-making quality. Okay so yes, the movie was a little slow in some areas. For the most part however the movie had a nice continuous flow. I am also a fan of Collin Firth and he put in a most excellent performance as King George VI. His role in this film was not an easy role to film and the depth that he brings to his character is so realistic that I forgot that he was just an actor playing a role. Geoffery Rush, as well, puts in an excellent performance as his speech therapist.
Techincally? Music was perfect for this film. Absolutely perfect. The camera work was fine. The main thing that I found objectionable from this film was the language. There is one scene in this film where there is a lot of swearing so parents be careful when deciding to watch this film with your children. On the plus side, I have heard that this film has been edited so there is a version of this film where the language is not as present as in the R-rated film.
Overall, an excellent film and one certainly worth the rental price at Block Buster or from your local RedBox.
My Grade: A-
Stars: 4.5
Friday, June 24, 2011
Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer-MOVIE REVIEW
Once again, I had the distinct pleasure of taking one of my family members to see Judy Moody and the NOT Bummer Summer.
The story goes like this (it's simple, really): Judy Moody is a young girl living in Frog Lake, Viriginia. Her mission? To make her summer the most awesome summer of her life. She only has one problem. Her friends are leaving for the summer. It's up to Judy, Aunt Opal, and her brother Stink (James Moody) to make this summer as awesome as possible.
I honestly don't know how to start this review or what to say about this movie. The plot was not strong enough to carry this film. Don't get me wrong. It was a decent film, but decent is the key word here. The perfomances were alright, the camera work was good, and the orchestration was right for this film...quiet and descrete. In all honesty though? I just didn't find myself enjoying this film. Perhaps if I were younger I would've easily sat through this film. However, with that said, the performances by the main characters were good.
Now on to details. The language was mild (the words crap and poo were used a lot in this film). There were a couple pictures of some questionable outfits worn by some women but nothing serious. The violence was also mild.
In short, I'm not sure if I can or cannot recommend this film. While there certainly were some laughable moments the premise of the film wasn't strong enough. Had the writers fixed that? This film would've been, as Judy says "NOT bummer." Keep trying hollywood.
My Grade: C+
Stars: 3 out of 5
The story goes like this (it's simple, really): Judy Moody is a young girl living in Frog Lake, Viriginia. Her mission? To make her summer the most awesome summer of her life. She only has one problem. Her friends are leaving for the summer. It's up to Judy, Aunt Opal, and her brother Stink (James Moody) to make this summer as awesome as possible.
I honestly don't know how to start this review or what to say about this movie. The plot was not strong enough to carry this film. Don't get me wrong. It was a decent film, but decent is the key word here. The perfomances were alright, the camera work was good, and the orchestration was right for this film...quiet and descrete. In all honesty though? I just didn't find myself enjoying this film. Perhaps if I were younger I would've easily sat through this film. However, with that said, the performances by the main characters were good.
Now on to details. The language was mild (the words crap and poo were used a lot in this film). There were a couple pictures of some questionable outfits worn by some women but nothing serious. The violence was also mild.
In short, I'm not sure if I can or cannot recommend this film. While there certainly were some laughable moments the premise of the film wasn't strong enough. Had the writers fixed that? This film would've been, as Judy says "NOT bummer." Keep trying hollywood.
My Grade: C+
Stars: 3 out of 5
Sunday, June 19, 2011
The Green Lantern-MOVIE REVIEW
So for my second review of the year, I will be discussing the highly anticipated, criticized movie of the summer...The Green Lantern.
The story goes like this. Hal is just your average joe, piloting for an aviation company while at the same time trying to cope over a loss at the same time. One night though, through a mysterious death of a Green Lantern member, he is summoned by the ring to fufill the previous Green Lantern member's place and help protect the galaxies from a creature only known as the Paralax. Will Hal be able to do it? You'll have to see the film to find out.
I've seen a lot of Warner Brother's Films during my time. Warner Brother's never fails to disappoint in terms of it's movie making ability and ability to capture it's audience and leave the audience feeling satisfied for their time and money spent. Whether you're into the magical films they have produced, such as the Harry Potter franchise, or even if you enjoy fantasy sci-fi/superhero/action films like the Green Lantern, you USUALLY won't be too disappointed.
There's a lot that can be said about a film like the Green Lantern. I gotta be honest, I had some expectations walking into this film. Parts of the film did drag on a bit and some parts weren't necessary and sometimes even detracted from the overall essence of the film. Yet, despite that, I couldn't help looking over at my father at the end of the film and say, "Well that was good." The acting was credible by both Ryan Reynolds (Hal Jordan) and his love interest Blake Lively (Carol Ferris). Their chemistry needed some work though but I still enjoyed their performances.
The thing that I enjoyed the most out of this film, which is one of the reasons this movie has received a lot of attention, is that of it's special effects. Let me tell you, I was BLOWN away.. I saw this film in 3D which made the effects even better, but even if you see the 2D version you will still enjoy this film.
Down to the nitty gritty. There was a scene at the beginning of the film where two characters are seen waking up together, there was some language to deal with, and some terrifying scenes. My advice is to leave the children home.
Overall a great film and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you're looking for a good science fiction action film, see the Green Lantern. DC comics, you've done it again. Good work.
My Grade: B+
Stars: 4 out of 5
The story goes like this. Hal is just your average joe, piloting for an aviation company while at the same time trying to cope over a loss at the same time. One night though, through a mysterious death of a Green Lantern member, he is summoned by the ring to fufill the previous Green Lantern member's place and help protect the galaxies from a creature only known as the Paralax. Will Hal be able to do it? You'll have to see the film to find out.
I've seen a lot of Warner Brother's Films during my time. Warner Brother's never fails to disappoint in terms of it's movie making ability and ability to capture it's audience and leave the audience feeling satisfied for their time and money spent. Whether you're into the magical films they have produced, such as the Harry Potter franchise, or even if you enjoy fantasy sci-fi/superhero/action films like the Green Lantern, you USUALLY won't be too disappointed.
There's a lot that can be said about a film like the Green Lantern. I gotta be honest, I had some expectations walking into this film. Parts of the film did drag on a bit and some parts weren't necessary and sometimes even detracted from the overall essence of the film. Yet, despite that, I couldn't help looking over at my father at the end of the film and say, "Well that was good." The acting was credible by both Ryan Reynolds (Hal Jordan) and his love interest Blake Lively (Carol Ferris). Their chemistry needed some work though but I still enjoyed their performances.
The thing that I enjoyed the most out of this film, which is one of the reasons this movie has received a lot of attention, is that of it's special effects. Let me tell you, I was BLOWN away.. I saw this film in 3D which made the effects even better, but even if you see the 2D version you will still enjoy this film.
Down to the nitty gritty. There was a scene at the beginning of the film where two characters are seen waking up together, there was some language to deal with, and some terrifying scenes. My advice is to leave the children home.
Overall a great film and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If you're looking for a good science fiction action film, see the Green Lantern. DC comics, you've done it again. Good work.
My Grade: B+
Stars: 4 out of 5
Friday, May 20, 2011
Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides Review
So for my first review is on the ever popular, newly released Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides. So here I go:
Basically the story is this. Jack Sparrow has returned. This time, however, he is in search of the legendary Fountain of Youth, as originally told of by Ponce de Leon. Along the way he runs into Angelica (Penelope Cruz), a former girlfriend from years past, as well as the infamous Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and Captain Barbosa (from the first film played by Geoffery Rush). Will Jack be able to battle his way through mermaids and the treacherous seas and make it to the Fountain of Youth. Well you'll have to see the movie to find out.
Alright, I wanted to love this movie. I am a huge fan of the Pirates of the Carribean film franchise (well, not a huge fan but a fan nonetheless). I kind of knew what to expect when I walked into the theater. I had seen many previews for this film and wondered if my money was going to be well spent. Suprisingly, I was somewhat impressed with this film, but not to the point where I would be the first in line to buy the DVD when it comes out. From a cinematic standpoint, this film did good. For the most part the acting in this film was alright. I even chuckled a little, which I RARELY ever do. Depp puts in another stellar perfomance as Jack Sparrow, although this time I was fascinated because in this fourth installment we were able to see another side of Jack that had not been seen in previous films. Penelope Cruz put it an excellent perfomnace. Let's say that Cruz was Depp's better half in this film and the flirtation scenes between them were cute yet innocent yet believable. Congradulations as well to Ian McShane as Blackbeard and Geoffery Rush in his cameo role as Captain Barbosa. The lighting was good. The camera angling for this film was just right. The orchestration was a bit loud in some parts in the movie, but not enough to ruin the overall effect of the film. And of course, last but not least, the plot was strong enough to carry the entire film, although I couldn't help but check my watch from time to time. Hmmmm.
Be forwarned. This is not, and I repeat, NOT a film for children. There are tons and tons of violent scenes, killings, explosions, attacks. The scenery is dark in the beginning but lightens up as the film progresses. The sexuality was minimal and I was proud that Disney didn't push that envelope too far, with only some semi-topless mermaids and female outfits. The language was barely noticeable with one instance of b*****d.
Overall Disney has done a good job with the franchise. Will there be a Pirates 5 and 6? Maybe. Who knows what the future holds? I can tell you this though. If you're looking for a film with a lot of action and a good story behind you WONT be disappointed with this installment. If you do plan on seeing this parents, hire a babysitter. Not reccommended for anyone under the age of 13 as the MPAA rating suggests.
My grade: B-
Stars: 3 out of 5
Basically the story is this. Jack Sparrow has returned. This time, however, he is in search of the legendary Fountain of Youth, as originally told of by Ponce de Leon. Along the way he runs into Angelica (Penelope Cruz), a former girlfriend from years past, as well as the infamous Blackbeard (Ian McShane) and Captain Barbosa (from the first film played by Geoffery Rush). Will Jack be able to battle his way through mermaids and the treacherous seas and make it to the Fountain of Youth. Well you'll have to see the movie to find out.
Alright, I wanted to love this movie. I am a huge fan of the Pirates of the Carribean film franchise (well, not a huge fan but a fan nonetheless). I kind of knew what to expect when I walked into the theater. I had seen many previews for this film and wondered if my money was going to be well spent. Suprisingly, I was somewhat impressed with this film, but not to the point where I would be the first in line to buy the DVD when it comes out. From a cinematic standpoint, this film did good. For the most part the acting in this film was alright. I even chuckled a little, which I RARELY ever do. Depp puts in another stellar perfomance as Jack Sparrow, although this time I was fascinated because in this fourth installment we were able to see another side of Jack that had not been seen in previous films. Penelope Cruz put it an excellent perfomnace. Let's say that Cruz was Depp's better half in this film and the flirtation scenes between them were cute yet innocent yet believable. Congradulations as well to Ian McShane as Blackbeard and Geoffery Rush in his cameo role as Captain Barbosa. The lighting was good. The camera angling for this film was just right. The orchestration was a bit loud in some parts in the movie, but not enough to ruin the overall effect of the film. And of course, last but not least, the plot was strong enough to carry the entire film, although I couldn't help but check my watch from time to time. Hmmmm.
Be forwarned. This is not, and I repeat, NOT a film for children. There are tons and tons of violent scenes, killings, explosions, attacks. The scenery is dark in the beginning but lightens up as the film progresses. The sexuality was minimal and I was proud that Disney didn't push that envelope too far, with only some semi-topless mermaids and female outfits. The language was barely noticeable with one instance of b*****d.
Overall Disney has done a good job with the franchise. Will there be a Pirates 5 and 6? Maybe. Who knows what the future holds? I can tell you this though. If you're looking for a film with a lot of action and a good story behind you WONT be disappointed with this installment. If you do plan on seeing this parents, hire a babysitter. Not reccommended for anyone under the age of 13 as the MPAA rating suggests.
My grade: B-
Stars: 3 out of 5
Welcome
Greetings. I am pianoman21. I have decided to start my own blog on popular movies, providing my own opinions and allowing fellow bloggers to comment and share their own views on certain movies. My blog will work like this: I will provide a brief overview of what the movie entails, my critique/review of the film, and things to look out for (profanity, sexuality, and the like). Finally my reviews will always end with a grade: A, A-, B+, etc) and a star rating. My job here is not to tell people whether or not they should see a film. Rather I am here to serve as a middleman in helping you make your decisions on a film. Please note, these are just my overall thoughts on a movie and that the final decision on whether to see a film or not is entirely up to you. Enjoy and feel free to blog!
-PIANOMAN 21
-PIANOMAN 21
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)