Don Jon - Everyone deserves a happy ending...in more ways than one.

     Hello, everyone! I'm back, enjoying the fall weather, and seeing movies. This time, I went to one of the movies that I mentioned earlier as one of the fall's best and underrated movies.

     Don Jon is the writing and directorial debut of Joseph Gordon-Levitt (The Dark Knight Rises). Jon Martello (Gordon-Levitt) is a New Jersey guy who enjoys simple things in life: his apartment, family, church, and his closest friends. He also loves his porn, which develops unrealistic expectations for women. When he meets Barbara Sugarman (Scarlett Johansson), he thinks that he has found his perfect woman but when he develops a friendship with Esther (Julianne Moore), he learns larger lessons about life and love.

     This movie is very well acted. Joseph Gordon-Levitt did a great job in this role, despite dividing his time into three parts for the first time. Scarlett Johansson was stunning as every and convincing as the conceited and saucy Barbara who is addicted to romantic movies and the ideas that they generate for a woman of an ideal romantic relationship, a female version on our New Jersey Don. Their chemistry showed that they had a lot of fun in their scenes together. Julianna Moore portrayed the wise and seasoned Esther, who helped Jon see the wider picture of life beyond the porn he watches and the expectations he has. Her performance was just as strong as Joseph's, being a guiding light for his character. Tony Danza had a good supporting performance as Jon's father, portraying an older version of his son. 

     This is the rare romantic comedy that is targeted towards men more than women. On a center stage, Levitt directed a mirror into what our generation is now for the most part: men who think they have their life all together and go out night after night, looking for women to hook up with but never making time for a real relationship. It's not about what's right or wrong about it because that's the audience's opinion. This movie does have its flaws with the repetitive nature of Jon's life that can wear on the audience a little bit but that is only during the first half. If you can last until the turning point of the film, it is well worth it to the end of the movie.

     The smart, edgy, and touchy film helps establish Joseph Gordon-Levitt as one of Hollywood's most exciting new directors. It proves how multi-talented this actor can be and how far his career can go. While it feels like it takes too long to get to the heart of the film, getting there helped bring the film up and help it's true message shine through. 

Movie Preview - RoboCop

Even though 2014 is a few months away, it's never too early to prepare for the movies of the new year!

As a part of my new movie previews page, I bring to you...

The movie preview of 2014's...

ROBOCOP!

This is a different version from the 1987 classic (notice the suit being all black). From the preview, this remake is more centered on how our future could be with the advancements that we are making in technology and warfare. It seems to also follow the struggle of the control man has over machine and who is stronger. I feel like we'll see Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) as a deeper character than the original version. 

With names like Michael Keaton, Gary Oldman, and Samuel L. Jackson also supporting this remake, the potential for this movie is pretty high for me but we shall see!

Now Streaming: Rundowns, A wannabe Van Helsing, and a team of superheroes

I've been thinking of adding a new attachment to my blog and I think I have it. When I took my literature and film class, analyzing the work of directors Howard Hawks and Alfred Hitchcock, I began my free trial with Netflix. My plan was to use Netflix for the duration of the class and then stop my Netflix subscription.

As time went on and I delved deeper into the Netflix instant streaming library, I knew that I couldn't just quit. So, ever since seeing "Rio Bravo", Netflix and I have been inseparable. 

So, here we are. I introduce to everyone: 

Now Streaming On Netflix!

Everyone knows about the line-up of movies that Netflix presents its subscribers that has been recently added, popular, new releases, etc. I'm sure everyone has a Netflix account and knows these movies or shows are up but I'll give you the top five recommended movies on Netflix right now. 

The Rundown (2003) - One of Dwayne "The Rock"  Johnson's first movies, he plays a bounty hunter named Beck. While he is looking to retire, he is sent on one last assignment to Brazil to recover his employer's rebellious son (Seann William Scott). While in Brazil, Beck comes up against a greedy mining operator, Hatcher (Christopher Walken), and it makes a last easy assignment more difficult than it seems.A movie that help solidify Dwayne Johnson as a bankable movie star, this film is definitely worth a look when you have nothing else planned.  

Solomon Kane (2009) - This origin story film, based on the pulp magazine character, tells the redemption tale of Solomon Kane (James Purefoy), a former privateer who is traveling back to his home to try and save his soul. On his journey, he meets a Puritan family but are attacked by followers of an evil sorcerer. Solomon goes after the young daughter of the family to redeem himself. A film that had delayed theatrical release in the U.S., the film was uploaded to Netflix and has gained a positive following. Purefoy's performance along with the atmosphere of the film has helped its positive buzz and given it a strong following in the U.S. The only problem I had was that Kane looked a lot like Van Helsing but that's just me. 

The Road (2009) - This film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's stars Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of the Rings) and Kodi-Smit-McPhee as a father and son pair in a post apocalyptic wasteland. McCarthy's book is truly haunting and will keep you up if you have read it before. The visual look of the film along with the performances helped make the film strong but it's marketing worked against the movie. It definitely had the potential to be Oscar-worthy but you can watch this haunting film on Netflix anytime you want. 

Arbitrage (2012) - This independent movie has received a lot of praise, despite not being presented with the fanfare of a typical big-budget, box office film. Richard Gere plays Robert Miller, a sixty-year-old magnate who manages a fund with his daughter to sell for a huge profit. However, Miller is not what he seems and an accident involving himself and his mistress triggers Miller's drive for self-preservation as he teeters on the line between right and wrong in this tense thriller. Gere's performance has been hailed as one of his best so I would highly recommend this movie to anyone who is a fan of Richard Gere and loves a good thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat. 

The Avengers (2012) - The culmination of Phase 1 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe brought us the highest grossing movie of last year. When Nick Fury (Samuel. L. Jackson) and S.H.I.E.L.D. come up against Loki (Tom Hiddleston) and the unlimited energy of the Tesseract, he recruits Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), and Captain America (Chris Evans) to stop an alien invasion of Earth. Marvel fans waited years for this movie to come to fruition and went into a frenzy when it was released. As someone who saw the movie many times, if you are a fan of any of the Marvel films, you will be ecstatic at the first ensemble superhero film, led by the genius direction of Joss Whedon (Firefly).

I hope everyone looks into one, two, or all of the movies I listed. I'll be back again soon with another update! Enjoy the Netflix movies!

Growing up, self-discovery, and dismemberment in the world of Kick-Ass 2

     Hello, everyone! Well, now that I'm working again, my movie adventures are back in full swing. So I'm here to deliver another movie review for your curious eyes to see what might or might not be good to spend your money to see (paying for the movie is enough but if you have the money and want to buy popcorn and condiments, go nuts!).

     Anyway, here we go!

     We all remember Kick-Ass (2010), the hilarious film joined the superhero film roster with its bloody violence, joyous profanity, and an actual impressive performance by Nicholas Cage. This film also introduced audiences to Chloë Grace Moretz and set her on the fast track to stardom due to her portrayal of the controversial adolescent assassin, Hit-Girl. It was pretty impressive, scored high on Rotten Tomatoes, and had a solid following of fans who read the comics or were being introduced to these heroes for the first time. 

      Kick-Ass 2, on the other hand, seemed to be the complete opposite.

     In this sequel, Dave Lizewski/Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Mindy Macready/Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz) have retired from being superheroes while inspiring others to wear the mask. However, both of them have trouble moving on and becoming ordinary citizens. While Mindy fights to lead a normal life, Dave gets the itch to done the mask again, he joins Justice Forever, led by Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey). Chris D'Amico (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), desiring revenge against Kick-Ass, becomes a super-villain and makes the fight personal as Dave and Mindy try to discover who they are: ordinary people or heroes.

     As superhero films fully take over Hollywood, this film was a disappointment in comparison to its predecessor. It tried to emulate the same winning formula and it stayed with the bloody fights and humor but came out more as an uncertain jumble of self-discovery and violence. Even though the title of the movie is "Kick-Ass", the titular hero seemingly played second fiddle to Hit-Girl. I found her struggle to deal with ordinary life and forget all that her father taught her more interesting. Chloë Grace Moretz's ultra-cool portrayal of Hit-Girl definitely shined out through this film. It definitely shows that Chloë, along with her upcoming film, Carrie, proves that she is a shining star in young Hollywood and will definitely be a great actress as she gets older.

     Overall, if you are a fan of the first movie or the comics, you will enjoy this film. I loved the first film, and while this film delivered on the violence, it didn't have enough of an actual story to make it better. A definitely good popcorn flick if you are looking for a violent break from your life, seeing characters doing what you wish you could do (you know you want to!), but definitely check your brain at the door. 

     On a side note, I'll be updating my blog and adding different subjects into it to make a more fuller blog. Be on the look out for it! Catch you all later!

     

The Fall Season is Upon Us...

     I know that I was supposed to do a post on the movies that were previewed, at least talked about (Batman vs Superman!), during Comic-Con but I thought of something else. Everyone knows that we are reaching the end of the summer. Everyone is getting in their last rays of sunshine on a beautiful beach before occupying desks once again at school. Theme parks prepare to close their gates with their biggest season of the year ending. Leaves are changing and football season is returning in full swing.

     In the movie world, the ending of this season means the beginning of the Fall movie season and gearing up to release early Oscar favorites for the impending award season of the Winter. So, in preparation, I present to you all:

Movies of the Fall!

     I have to say that I'm looking forward to some of the movies that will be coming out starting in September. Usually, my birth month is left to movies that are either a sleeper hit or a complete bust. This year, it seems to be different. 

     

 September 6 - Riddick: Vin Diesel seems to be on a roll on reviving his career by going back to the characters that made him a household name in the action genre. This time, he's returning as the night vision assassin, Riddick. The anti-hero, once again hunted by bounty hunters and ruthless aliens on a desolate planet, Riddick (Vin Diesel) fights for survival. Co-starring Katee Sackoff and Karl Urban, this installment in The Chronicles of Riddick film series could prove to be on level with the first film, Pitch Black.






  September 27 - Don Jon: Joseph Gordon-Levitt takes a more active role in his films as he wrote, direct, and stars in this romantic comedy. Don Jon (Levitt) is a New Jersey guy who is dedicated to his family, friends, church, and himself. An encounter forces him to work and find happiness and intimacy with the woman who might be the love of his life (Scarlett Johansson). Co-starring Julianne Moore and Tony Danza, this insightful film has the potential to be a sleeper hit from one of Hollywood's rising stars.





  October 11 - Captain Phillips: Tom Hanks stars in a film based on a true story. The Academy Award-winning actor plays Captain Phillips, the captain of the US-flagged MV Maersk, which was hijacked by Somali pirates in 2009. This bio-pic film is directed by Paul Greengrass, the director of The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum. This film could possibly be a dark horse in the Oscars race but you can be assured that Hanks will not disappoint.






  October 18 - Carrie: This remake looks to stay very close to the original 1976 horror classic. Chloë Grace Moretz steps into the bloody gown of the titular character, a sheltered high school girl who develops telekinetic powers after reaching the breaking point because of the abuse of her overly religious mother (Julianne Moore) and her peers. Seeing as how Stephen King is one of the writers of this movie and this was originally his work, this remake might be closer to the actual written work of the king of horror novels.





  November 1 - Ender's Game: This film has been long overdue. The Orson Scott Card international bestseller is finally coming to the big screen. Many years after a devastating alien war, a strategically gifted child (Asa Butterfield) is sent to a military school in space in order to prepare for a future alien invasion. Asa Butterfield plays the hero, Ender; a considerably heavy role because of the legacy of this novel and this film could establish him as an actor. Co-starring Harrison Ford, Ben Kingsley, Abigail Breslin, and Viola Davis, this film could make fans of the novel very happy and bring new fans to Card's classic.




  November 8 - Thor: The Dark World: This next installment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe could be the movie of the Fall and begin the Winter season. This sequel to Thor, set one year after the events of The Avengers, finds the God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth) battling to save the Nine Realms from the ancient Dark Elves, led by Malekith (Christopher Eccleston). To defeat this enemy, he reunites with Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) and embarks on a journey that may force him to make the ultimate sacrifice. Co-starring Tom Hiddleston  as Loki and Anthony Hopkins as Odin, this film could help continue the establish the dominance of Marvel Studios and prepare audiences for Avengers: Age of Ultron.

  November 22 - The Hunger Games: Catching Fire: The next installment of the successful Hunger Games film series has the potential to be better than the first film. After winning the 74th Hunger Games, Katness Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) return to District 12 but soon have to embark on a "Victory Tour" of the districts. As rebellion swells, President Snow (Donald Sutherland) prepares for the 75th Annual Hunger Games, known as the Quarter Quell, an event that takes place once every 25 years. Co-starring Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman, this movie will definitely treat fans of the books and of the first movie very well.



  December 13 - The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: With news that an extended version of last year's box office hit, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, about to hit shelves this fall, it's coming at the right time to prepare everyone for the next entry in The Hobbit trilogy. The film continues the adventure the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, the wizard, Gandalf, and twelve courageous dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, as they seek to reclaim the lost dwarf kingdom for Smaug the Dragon. Another fan favorite, this film is highly anticipated from fans of The Lord of the Rings books and film series. A definite box office hit directed by Peter Jackson.



   December 25 - American Hustle: This film is definitely a sleeper in the Oscar race but it will be in the running for Best Picture along with other singular actor awards. David O. Russell directs this film with an all-star cast with actors and actresses that he has worked with before. Based on the FBI Abscam operation, the film stars Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence, Robert De Niro, and Jeremy Renner. Everyone should definitely keep an eye on this movie when it releases because it could kick off the Oscar season and give David O. Russell his third nomination for Best Picture come the Oscars show.

     Well, everyone, I hope you all are looking forward to starting the Fall season and ready to spend your hard earned money on a movie or two to get away from the normalcy of everyday life. Take a break from work and take your significant other or family out and relax, watching a movie. I'll be back!



 

     

The Wolverine - Hugh Jackman still has it as the eternal X-man.

     Well, I'm back and ready to deliver another movie review from Hollywood's summer stable of films. Now, looking back at this summer as it starts to wind down, Hollywood has not had that big of a blockbuster summer with most of their big-budget films being big bombs financially and with audiences. Films like The Lone Ranger, R.I.P.D., and White House Down have fared worse than expected. I don't think that The Wolverine falls into that category. 

 

     When a sequel was announced for X-men Origins: Wolverine (2009), I will say that I was sad because origins was not that good, despite Hugh Jackman's great performance of Wolverine. Then they lost the director and the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami happened so the film was set back. But behind every dark cloud, there is a silver lining ready to break through. That came through with a new director, a reworked script, and, therefore, a wonderful superhero movie is created. 

     In The Wolverine, set after the events of X-men: The Last Stand, Logan (Hugh Jackman) lives in seclusion and being haunted by his memories of Nagasaki in 1945 along with hallucinations of Jean Grey (Famke Janssen). Being summoned to Japan to visit a man from his past, he must battle assassins, the poisonous Viper (Svetlana Khodchenkova), and the Silver Samurai along with his personal demons once he's stripped of his immortality. 

     I applaud that Hugh Jackman and the director, James Mangold, were determined to make this entry into the X-Men film series a stand alone film. It proved the staying power of the Wolverine character and Hugh Jackman's performance of this hardcore hero. The writers could not have picked a better story than the Japanese story arc, arguably the favorite story arc of this character. While I didn't read this comic (trust me, I plan to), it is an awesome story that resonates with the depth of the X-man and it was definitely shown on the silver screen. 

     Seeing Famke Janssen was a small surprise to me but I understand her importance to Logan so she was needed  in Wolverine's pursuit for an end in the movie. The characters, Yukio (Rila Fukushima) and Kenuichio Harada (Will Yun Lee), were both particularly both cool and lethal to watch. Mariko (Tao Okamoto) is not the typical damsel in distress and helps in Logan's personal journey as he protects her. Also, with next year's X-Men: Days of Future Past on deck for the superhero film series, it would be best to stick to your seats after the post credits to see a scene that will open up the door and prepare us for that incredible ensemble movie. 

     I hope you all go see The Wolverine this week and enjoy it as much as I do. I'll be back with another post possibly today or later this week with some Comic-Con news, in case no one keeps up with it. 

     Enjoy the movies everyone!

Top 10 - Movies that should not be rebooted or remade

     Hello, everyone! While I'm looking for my next movie to see (shortage of money being the main reason), I began thinking on the course that Hollywood is on right now. A lot of films or franchises are being rebooted these days to either give new life to a decades old franchise such as James Bond or bringing a classic to a new generation such as Footloose.

     Now, there are a list of movies that other sites have brought up for movies that should not be rebooted or remade and most of them, I agree with. I mean, seriously, what can you do with a good movie or a classic if the original was done so well? While there are exceptions to this way of thinking, such as James Bond being rebooted with Daniel Craig portraying a younger and colder 007, or, Christian Bale setting the superhero standard as a more emotional, realistic Dark Knight; sometimes, remakes and reboots should not be done and the originals should be left alone.

     So, with that being said, here is my top ten list of movies or series that should not be rebooted (these are in no particular order, by the way) :

1) Star Wars


     Now, when I say Star Wars, I'm referring to the original trilogy. Not the prequel trilogy, even though they were alright in their own ways, but they don't hold a candle to the originals. No matter who they recast in the main roles or who directs, there is NO way that the original trilogy should be touched. Leave it as it is. Also, Good luck, J.J. Abrams. Don't let the Star Wars fans down.

2) Indiana Jones


     Now, let's be serious. It's Harrison Ford. Indiana Jones IS Harrison Ford. There is no debate there. I mean, when Shia LaBeouf tried to put on the Fedora at the end of Crystal Skull, I was thinking, "No. Absolutely not." No one can redo and top the series, especially the first three, because of the magic that is generated by the trio of Harrison Ford, George Lucas, and Steven Spielberg. Even Crystal Skull was decent enough, even after the disappointing ending. If you haven't seen it, I think you should because I don't want to spoil the ending.

3) Casablanca


     It's Humphrey Bogart. Bogie. An American movie legend. Possibly his greatest movie and most iconic role. When you hear Bogart's name, the first movie that you think about is Casablanca. Some of this movie's quotes have appeared in AFI's list, ranked at number one for having the most lines on AFI's "100 years...100 movie quotes" list. This movie should not even be thought about as far as being rebooted, even having a sequel. If you haven't seen this movie, you are doing yourself a disservice.

4) The Godfather Series


     I don't need to say anything here about this trilogy. You know that fans might send threatening e-mails to Hollywood if they announce The Godfather trilogy.

5) Back to the Future


     Great Scott! Out of all of the movies and series on this list, this one is the most likely to be remade. But, honestly, what new additions could you make to it? Would the DeLorean make a reappearance? Honestly, the charm of Micheal J. Fox and wacky humor of Christopher Lloyd can't be replicated. There are some young actors that could fill the Nikes of Marty McFly but some more time should pass before ideas start floating around to reboot Back to the Future. 


6) The Shawshank Redemption


     Stephen King is a great author and the adaptations of his works have been adapted successfully to the silver screen (Carrie, The Shining, Misery, The Green Mile). But, the staying power of this movie about freedom, life, friendship, integrity, and hope in a hopeless situation stands above them all in my opinion. No one can recreate the close friendship chemistry that Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman generated in this movie. The realism of prison and what it can do to a man, even with the strongest fortitude. The uplifting theme in a terrible situation can't be duplicated. Plus, who else are you going to get to narrate the movie besides Morgan Freeman? Good luck with that.

7) The Breakfast Club...or any other John Hughes films.


     John Hughes movies still have recognition and themes that can be applied to today's generation of teenagers. So, why tamper with a good thing? The Breakfast Club is, arguably, Hughes' most iconic film and put five actors on the fast track to stardom as "The Brat Pack." This movie shows that, despite how different someone might be, no matter their upbringings, you can still connect on some kind of level. A main theme that resonates even today, 28 years later. Do. Not. Touch. This. Film, Hollywood.

8) Jurassic Park


     I thought long and hard about this and despite the fact that it has spawned two, soon to be three sequels, nothing can beat the original. CGI wasn't huge back in 1993 so Spielberg became very inventive and creative with his dinosaurs, making them more real. Now, CGI is used to create animals like dinosaurs and that's not a big problem. What would be the major challenge is to replicate Spielberg's fantastic directing. You could make the movie closer to the book and try to do the film better but the way Spielberg directed, that is something that can't be replaced.

9) Pulp Fiction


     I'm a fan of Quentin Tarantino. I love his work because of how insane it is but he makes it all come together to create something wonderful. If you haven't seen Django Unchained, go to Redbox and watch it. Pulp Fiction was unconventional for its time as far as story-telling, originality, and closeness to neo-noir films makes it an original classic. With this movie, John Travolta reinvented his career after being in a slump but also launched the careers of Uma Thurman and Samuel L. Jackson, especially Jackson, whose role as Jules made him a highly-sought after actor after completing work on this movie. This movie has proved to be an inspiration for various other films based on its style and opened the door for independent cinema to be taken more seriously and considered for contention for awards.

10) The Terminator


     I was going to go with the whole series but it's best to start at the beginning. This movie has been deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically important" by the United States National Film Registry and I would agree. The fast pacing action, compelling story, and strong performances helped solidify Schwarzenegger as a solid, bankable action star and launched James Cameron's film career. This film really helped put science fiction action films into the mainstream and made cyborgs cool. The tension throughout the movie kept everyone on the edge of their seats and is still watched now. Hollywood has made many sequels to this movie, Terminator 2: Judgment Day surpasses the original in my opinion but this film or series does not need a reboot or a remake at all.

     And there you have it, everyone. My top 10 list. I know there can be debates made that some of these movies can be remade but I think that these are the movies that should be left alone. Hollywood should look into new ideas from fresh minds before digging into the golden well of their classics. If anyone has any opinions or their own lists, I would like to hear from you.

     I hope everyone is having a great summer and getting out there, despite the humidity, and enjoying the movies! I'll be back soon with another review! Until then, to quote Arnold: "I'll be back."