Summer of 2013 doesn’t seem to be doing as well on blockbuster movies than it has in previous years. While Iron Man started out strong as did Star Trek, big ticket movies have seemed to fall apart or not have legs or longevity. Recently two I saw were better than most:
When legions of monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity’s resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes—a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi)—who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind’s last hope against the mounting apocalypse.
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Producers: Guillermo del Toro, Jon Jashni, Mary Parent, Thomas Tull, Callum Greene
Scriptwriters: Travis Beacham, Patrick Melton, Marcus Dunstan, Neil Cross
Starring: Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day, Diego Klattenhoff.
Music: Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography: Guillermo Navarro
Perfect summer popcorn flick and it does keep you engaged. It is quite gory and has a great deal of violence- and definitely NOT for kids under the age of 10. (*arbitrary number there but based on what I know about kids). What I like about it is the idea of a “transformer-like” character is actually fighting the way a human would but it’s not just one human, it’s TWO humans who are in shared consciousness state which means you have the power and creativity of 2 humans to manipulate and kill off the creatures. Fun, interesting, engaging, nice mix of male/female in the teams but not enough depth to the character teams. However the main players you get lots of depth.. without a lot of sex. However there are still some scary scenes from the Asian girl who relives her memories of being stalked by one of the monsters.
The ending– I won’t give you a spoiler but it’s interesting and I like how Idris Elba has the really strong character in this movie. Torres is amazing– as always. I have seen everything he has done.
That said– some might find this a waste of money– however for those who like action flicks or sci-fi flicks, this would be better than Transformers.
Wolverine
Synopsis:
Key points (sans spoilers)
On 9 August 1945,
in a WWII prison camp near Nagasaki, Japan, from a guard tower, a young Japanese officer Yashida (Ken Yamamura) watches a pair of B-52 bombers appear over tranquil Nagasaki. Air Raid alarms sound and Yashida sounds an alarm and hurriedly descends from his watchtower at the POW camp. While other Japanese Officers prepare for death, Yashida quickly breaks open prison cells, freeing dozens of captured American soldiers and lastly comes to a peculiar-looking cell: what looks like a tank turret securely welded over a well, chained securely to the ground; a hyper-secure prison cell. Inside is Logan (Hugh Jackman), who while suspended by his bone claws) watches as all the inhabitants of the camp run for their lives. Yahisda cute the chains from Logan’s cell and tells him to run. Yashida watches the bombs fall from the bomber planes and Nagasaki is consumed by a massive fireball. Yashida tells Logan to escape, but Logan tells Yashida to climb down into the pit, as he’ll stand a better chance of surviving the nuclear blast below. He makes up his mind and jumps into the pit, followed by Logan. Logan grabs a metal door and covers Yashida with it. Seconds later the wall of fire is swept into the well, and Logan is consumed by it; burnt to a crisp. Yashida survives the bombing, with only a scar on his cheek, and watches, in horror, as a black-and-red Logan heals before his eyes.Present day.
Since the end of X-Men: Last Stand Logan has lived a nomadic, homeless, lifestyle. He lives in a small cave with only the basic of necessities: empty whiskey bottles and an old radio which is losing battery power. Logan dresses and exits the cave, walking through the wilderness to the nearest town. Along the way he crosses paths with a mammoth grizzly bear who is familiar/friendly with Logan. Logan comes to the general store, buys some batteries, and watches as a small group of drunk hunters prepares to go up into the mountains. Untrained hunters, one of the them nearly shoots his foot off as he goofs around with his hunting rifle.Logan returns to his cave and sleeps. Cries of agony ring out and he goes to investigate — he finds the hunters’ campsite, which looks destroyed, and evidence of a bear attack. He follows bear prints in the fresh mud and comes upon the same bear from before, with an arrow sticking out of its back. The bear is still alive– but in pain. The bear looks to Logan with tear-filled eyes and Logan is kills it rather than have the bear a painfully long death.
Logan plucks the arrow from its hide and discovers it’s coated in poison. He stalks into to the town and walks into the local bar (observed by a slight, young red-haired Japanese woman), where he finds the survivor from the group of hunters recounting the attack. Logan angrily asks who shot the bear with illegal poisoned arrows. The hunter denies using poison-tipped arrows, but Logan continues his accusations. Logan thrusts a knife through the leader’s hand, pinning it to a table, explaining that the arrow was the one he pulled from the bear. If it was not poisoned, the hunter had nothing to worry about. The hunter’s friends are about to attack Logan but the red-haired Japanese woman comes in (her name is Yukio) and explains about her ancient sword– and demonstrates her skill. Logan leaves with her and climbs into her car. Logan quizzes her and she explains that she has been sent by Yashida, who is dying of cancer. Yashida wishes to speak with Logan before he dies, and thank him for saving his life 70 years earlier. Logan is reluctant to go to Tokyo, but can’t ignore this personal obligation.
I am not going to give you any spoilers but this movie is an extension of the last X-Men movie but it gives you a lot more about who Logan really is, where is his humanity and how he is dealing with his past.
There’s a lot good in this movie. However I think the girl playing his “bodyguard” is great. The woman they cast opposite him doesn’t play this role with depth — she’s too young to be helming a company and they give no background to her skill sets that you see in the movie.
Still—– it’s worth seeing but not in 3D.
On DVD
Safe Haven
If you want a chick flick with two beautiful people in it, this is it. It’s fairly interesting and very predictable.
If you want something to really grab your attention, this isn’t it.
Gangster Squad
Premium Rush
This is the movie about the NYC messenger service on serious bicycles. Joseph Gordon Levitt overplays it.
The bad guy is a cop (REALLY??????? They couldn’t get more creative than that?)
In retrospect, not worth paying to see in a theater. Only watch this on DVD if you have something else to do when it gets boring.
Jack Reacher
Tom Cruise in what appeared to be a movie where he phoned it in. SURPRISE SURPRISE– this was a GREAT movie!!
Lots of twists and turns + the usual suspects. However his supporting cast was terrific. He actually looked and acted ticked off the complete movie. There was a serious plot line and he actually saved the girl without getting the girl.
WORTH SEEING!!
Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters
If you can get Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton into one movie– which has a bit of a costume element (ok LOTS of costume/fantasy elements) along with a mis-cast Famke Janssen, then it should be more than just predictable movie.
After getting a taste for blood as children, Hansel (Jeremy Renner) and Gretel (Gemma Arterton) have become the ultimate vigilantes, hell bent on retribution. Now, unbeknownst to them, Hansel and Gretel have become the hunted, and must face an evil far greater than witches…their past.
This is a weird and strange movie: funny at times and bloody all the way through it. It’s definitely NOT for small children and not for anyone looking for great acting — which the three key actors are all very capable of delivering that, but not in this film.
Only if you want a good hoot and it works better with a crowd of people and some drinks!!
Upcoming Movies worth considering based on your personal demographic (which is probably different from mine)
Click each movie title for the trailer to pop up.
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters– perfect for the tween-age meets Greek Mythology!
2 Guns: Mix 1 part Denzel Washington and 1 part Mark Wahlberg into a competitive buddy cop flick trying to infiltrate a drug cartel is WAY TOO MUCH stuff in one movie. It’s a kitchen sink movie and only good if you have zero to do and need to get into AC. (In other words, don’t waste your money!)
Drift is for those who seek a movie that’s got a bit more depth. In the 70s two brothers battle killer waves, conservative society and ruthless bikers to kick-start the modern surf industry.
Elysium comes out of the chute with a stellar cast and one bad-ass Matt Damon doing one of the most difficult parts I have seen — based on what I have seen in the trailers. (Considering the world could really be like this in 2159!!). It comes from the people behind District 9..
In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard line government official will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. The people of Earth won’t stop trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.
Blood— This is NOT for the faint of heart, squeamish or those who can’t handle dark movies. Paul Bettany stars in this one and he’s one amazing actor.
The story of a father and his two sons who are all by-the-book cops, but after a young girl is brutally murdered and the main suspect is released due to lack of evidence, brothers Joe and Chrissie Fairburn (Paul Bettany and Stephen Graham) take matters into their own hands in an attempt to coerce a confession. Joe and Chrissie’s father Lenny (Brian Cox), the former chief of police, is a quiet spectator to the fatal tragedy that begins to tear his sons apart.
Guess what– there’s a lot more to see for the rest of the summer. This only takes you to 8/9 and JOBS opens up on 8/16..
Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com
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you know I haven’t been to the cinema for ages. Somehow just doesn’t seem to make my wishlist – though I DO enjoy it when I get round to it!
Wolverine is on my list
Fiona, I go typically at least once a month.. It’s my staycation.. and it’s cheaper than airfare.. but there have been a couple of months where there was NOTHING to see but dvd.
there is that movie about a capella singing competition with Anna Kendrick.. DEFINITELY worth seeing that on dvd
I haven’t been to the movies this summer, but it’s only because the weather’s been so great lately that I have to take advantage when it’s here. One movie I am looking forward to seeing is Hansel and Gretel.