Bullshit About Movies, Release Dates, and Box Office (PLEASE READ FIRST POST)

[Dave]

Limitless
What If A Pill Could Make You Rich And Powerful?​

So, right now I am on a movie kick that just will not leave me alone. You may have seen that I reviewed Scream 4 last night and I thought that I would continue in that vein with a full review of Bradley Cooper's latest offering in Limitless. Limitless was billed to be a movie that would do well at the Box Office, capitalising on the fame that Cooper has amassed since his breakthrough role in the Hangover.

The premise of this movie, as you may be well aware, is that Eddie Morra (Cooper) is offered a pill that will allow him to enhance his thinking abilities five-fold. Instead of accessing 20% of his brain, like a mere mortal human being, this pill allows him to access all of it. As you probably can tell, this allows Eddie an advantage over everyone else. His work-rate and critical thinking skills vastly improve and he becomes the man that he always wanted to be. Still, I am not going too sugar-coat the pill (badum-tish), so here is my thoughts on the movie.

Note: This review may contain some spoilers!

The first thing that should be said about this movie is that it had huge potential. Both for entertaining audiences with a good concept and premise and for letting people down. Personally, I don't know where I fall with this one. I suspected that by writing out a review, I would be closer to what I really thought but as I sit here and type out this paragraph, I am no further forward in putting it into a category. The problem with this movie is that it gets far too clustered in a small space of time. There is far too much going on and a lot of plot holes that really left me scratching my head. Given that it is not supposed to be your run-of-the-mill cheesy blockbuster, I was expecting a little more in the way of plot. I mean, I haven't seen this concept for a movie done before and I thought they could have did a better job with it.

That being said, I thought that both Bradley Cooper and Robert DeNiro did a fine job in this flick. In fact, all of the acting seemed to right on point. It was refreshing to see Cooper in a role that didn't centre around his comedic performances. Limitless showed me, at least, that Bradley Cooper is more than just a one-trick pony. His narration of the film and his performance therein, really brought a sense of familiarity to this movie that would have been missed if it were another actor. As for DeNiro, you get what you pay for. The man is a screen legend and really played an awesome part in this movie. I was a little disappointed not to see his darker side in this one but I can live with it given that he wasn't the focal character.

Spoiler

The story itself was drawn out a little for my taste and it brings me to my main gripe for this movie. The ending was actually terrible. I mean, one moment this guys is struggling to write one word on a page for his book and the next he is running for President? Seriously, come on! And I know what you are thinking, “Dave he is on the drug, you moron!”. Actually, by this point, he is off of the drug and he is still running for President. Not only that but what happened to the sickness that was killing you 5 minutes ago because you were taking the drug? I mean, come on! Some continuity is all I ask for.

Still, this was a decent movie that will do well at the Box Office, whether it deserves it or not.

2.5/5

 

[Dave]

The King's Speech
“This is actually quite good fun, Bertie”​

For those of you, like me, who had not seen this movie and had to listen tot he hype all the way through Oscar season, I really don't know what to tell you other than what has been said about this movie is undoubtedly true. That being said, I guess this makes as good a time as any to do a review on my latest film-watching endeavour.

I, like many people I know, do not care much for hype. In fact, hype often puts me off of something as I tend to believe that no matter how good something is, it will never live up to the expectations that I have amassed in my head. Perhaps the burden to remain unbiased in my opinion falls onto me but one cannot help but be jaded by popular opinion. This is especially true when you consider that awards season has come and gone and the awards for this movie are certainly plentiful. So, I must admit, that with this film, I was perhaps a little bit jaded heading in. I believed that there was no way that this movie could reach the dizzying heights that the Academy and my peers had set for it. How wrong I was.

Note: The following may contain spoilers

You see, the problem with public opinion, is that it is very rarely a consensus but with this movie, everyone and their mother's seemed to enjoy what was on offer. As was stated, this movie did fantastically well at the Oscars and other meaningful ceremonies and for that reason, I had to take a look at it. To say that I was a little perplexed as to why it received such a glowing reputation from multiple credible sources is an understatement but within the first 5 minutes, I could tell that this movie was special. Period movies are generally not my type of thing but when the right movie comes along, you cannot help but tip your hat to it. Within half an hour, I could already see why this movie had did so well at The Oscars. It is everything that the Academy wants from a movie and more. Allow me to elaborate.

First of all, the acting in this movie is utterly sublime. Starting from Colin Firth and working all the way down to Helena Bonham Carter, each depiction is wonderfully played out. Firth deserved his Oscar for portraying King George VI and I cannot fathom how difficult his job must have been for this movie. Playing a character with a speech impediment must be hard but to play it with such confidence and profound believability is a miracle. Firth was truly brilliant in this movie and his performance really added a great dimension to this offering. Helena Bonham Carter had her moments of sheer blinding brilliance too. Her back and forth with Geoffrey Rush's character (Lionel) is definitely something to behold and was one of the highlights of the entire film.

However, the main credit must go to Rush himself. I am not saying that someone else would not have did as fine a job but Geoffrey Rush was made to play his role in this movie, it is that simple. Without him, this movie would not have been half as entertaining or as engrossing. His relationship with Firth on-screen is amazingly infectious and I found myself laughing along with his guile and charm. I cannot say how much I enjoyed his performance enough and I feel as though he may have been overlooked when it came to Oscar season.

The plot itself is one of historical accuracy, of course. I do not know how far it deviates from history but I do not care to know either. All I will say is that the entire movie leads up to a climactic and wonderfully spine-tingling crescendo with the final speech being amazingly tense and exciting all the same. This movie is one that I tried to hard to hate but the adventure of it all just left me begging for more. Words cannot describe how much I enjoyed both the portrayal of characters and story enough.

5/5

 

[Dave]

Sucker Punch
“You have all the weapons you need. Now fight!”​

So, having watched this movie, there is one thing that is irrefutably true. Putting women in skimpy clothes and having them dance around is always going to be more successful that it should be. The aforementioned thought basically sums up this blockbuster in two sentences.

Today, I had nothing to do and having been on a movie kick as of late, I decided to sample one of the movies that people were really excited for. Sucker Punch first came to my attention in a thread on here and I had a feeling that the plot was ridiculously complicated for a movie that no one had basically heard of on this side of the pond. Still, as the opening date got closer, there was definitely a buzz around this movie that one would be excused for thinking it deserved. Having watched the movie in it's entirety, I can categorically say that the hype around this movie is not well-placed whatsoever. In fact, had it not been for the fact that I pushed myself to see it through to it's conclusion, I wouldn't have finished watching it.

Note: The following may contain spoilers.

The first thing I need to talk about is the plot. I am not one to sugar the pill in anything I do and I should continue in that vain when I say that it was ridiculous from start to finish. Some people may see that as a positive trait of a film but no I. Yes, being taken out of your seat and into an immersive experience that has no connection to reality may be fun sometimes but this was just overblown from the beginning. The entire reason that she is committed to the asylum is because her father killed her sister and tried to rape her. The police are called and somehow, against the proof and without any investigation, she is committed to an asylum. Not only did that annoy me, it frustrated me too. Still, it doesn't really get much better from there on.

The characters are good and the acting is pretty solid. A lot of the actresses in this one I had never heard of but they all played their parts rather well. The acting was not one of the drawbacks of this movie and it is a shame that Emily Browning will get little to no credit for her work on this one.

The main gripe about this movie is how nonsensical it was. Confusing is another word that would be well placed in this one too. It took me all my time to realise that the mental institution wasn't actually a front for a brothel... I know that I may not be the sharpest tool in the box but they actually make it that difficult to differ from what is going on in reality and what is going on in Babydoll's head. Apart from that, there are massive plot holes in this movie that are never answered. For example, who is the wise man who appears in her dreams within dreams? Why is he an omnipotent being? Why does Babydoll sacrifice herself when Sweet Pea could have done the same thing for her friend? I mean, I would have been willing to look past the utter shit that was every dancing sequence if the plot was being furthered and questions were being answered but that task proved to be fruitless.

The incessant slow-motion scenes added about 40 minutes onto this picture and it become an annoyance after a while. The main gripe I have with this picture is that the dreams within dreams literally did nothing for this movie. They were flashy and loud but nothing of note happens in them and the plot is not furthered at all. It is in the brothel that any plot developments happen. To me, they are just expensive features that are supposed to keep the casual fan happy. I was not impressed. It came across as boring more than anything and that is never a good thing. It was ridiculously repetitive too. All of the dream scenes were flashy but they all involved the same thing. At the end of the day, it was not what I was expecting and let me down more than anything.

1/5

 

[Dave]

Black Swan
“The only person standing in your way is you”

​

Yes, I am back with another review. At some point, I am sure that my will to type these out will disappear and you wont see me for another couple of weeks. Still, whilst the mood has struck me, I think it is best that I make the most of it. The review for right now is of Black Swan, a movie that some of you may have heard of...

Natalie Portman stars as Nina, a ballet dancer who is picked to star in a very prestigious presentation of Swan Lake. Now, naturally, this sort of movie is not really up my avenue. However, after the volley of Oscars and other achievements that came it's way over awards season, I felt as though I owed it to myself to get stuck into this psychological thriller and see what all the fuss is about. So, with a completely neutral state of mind, I jumped into this one with great expectations.

Note – This may contain some spoilers

The first thing that struck me was how believable Natalie Portman was in the role of Nina. Now, I haven't seen Natalie Portman in a decent movie in a long time but her performance in this one really struck a nerve with me. Maybe it was her character or the way she portrayed it, but I could not heap praise on her performance enough. Yes, it may have been tragic plight for a character than you come to love so much but Portman's depiction left me hanging on every single word. I generally think that the best movies are the ones that make you care. The ones that make you worry about what is going to happen next or the ones that makes you laugh. Either way, Natalie Portman was incredible in this and deserves all the adulation she gets. She made this movie what it was and that should not be underestimated.

Mila Kunis and Vincent Cassel played awesome roles in this movie too. Kunis was especially good and her lesbian scene with Natalie Portman may just have been the highlight of my evening. Maybe. Still, both of these actors did fantastic jobs in this movie to round off a fantastic showing from the cast.

But what;s a good cast without a great plot to follow, right? Good job that the plot in this movie was so exceptionally good that it must have made acting it so very easy. The plot kept me guessing throughout the entire duration of the movie and it is not often that I am actually surprised by the end of a movie these days. It just so happens that both Scream 4 and Black Swan have managed to do it. It really was an adventure and the plight of Nina had me hooked the whole way through. Her hallucinations were an added bonus in this movie that kept the sense of adventure at a maximum. The drama, intrigue and suspense in this movie was truly something to behold and I am glad that I watched this movie.

Really, when I think about, I don't think there is anythign more flattering that I can say about this one other than I am thankful for watching it. And I don't get that feeling often.

5/5

 

[Mitch Henessey]

The top ten grossing films from April 15-17:

1. Rio- Weekend Gross: $39,225,962/Total Gross: $39,225,962

2. Scream 4- Weekend Gross: $18,692,090/Total Gross: $18,692,090

3. Hop- Weekend Gross: $10,715,205/Total Gross: $82,157,605

4. Hanna- Weekend Gross: $7,282,546/Total Gross: $23,282,858

5. Soul Surfer- Weekend Gross: $7,268,502/Total Gross: $19,865,129

6. Arthur (2011)- Weekend Gross: $6,755,340/Total Gross: $22,163,757

7. Insidious- Weekend Gross: $6,744,623/Total Gross: $35,870,891

8. Source Code- Weekend Gross: $6,209,058/Total Gross: $36,898,580

9. Your Highness- Weekend Gross: $4,019,710/Total Gross: $16,077,475

10. Limitless- Weekend Gross: $3,660,104/Total Gross: $69,589,322​

Source: boxofficemojo.com

Rio managed to have the biggest opening weekend in 2011 this past weekend. Rio having a huge opening weekend doesn't surprise me too much, because these type of computer-animated films can be fun for everyone. Although, we're not halfway through 2011 yet, and the big money summer blockbusters haven't hit theaters yet, so don't expect Rio to hold on to the title of " best opening weekend" for too long. Scream 4 was fantastic, and it seems as if this popular slasher franchise still has a nice fan base, and I'm glad to see this film grab the number two spot.

None of the opening films for this Friday excite me too much. Water For Elephants could be okay, African Cats could make a small splash this weekend, and Tyler Perry's Madea's Big Happy Family should draw some decent numbers. Fast Five hits theaters next Friday, and you just know that film is going to make a good amount of cash.

 

[Dave]

The Loved Ones
“You don't have to die to go to Hell”​

So, during a MSN conversation with tdigle last night, a lot of movie names were tossed out at me and it is now my mission to watch them all. Those movies, including Lake Mungo and Wolf Creek, ought to be very exciting as I begin a voyage into learning more about both the horror genre and Ozploitation as a an outright way of making movies. Until now, I knew very little about this sub-genre and I am really excited about the possibilities it holds. Anyway, the first movie on this particular road is The Loved Ones. Released in 2010, this movie is actually very recent. Truth be told, I remember seeing the trailer for it somewhere. It may be that tdigs posted the trailer somewhere but I have definitely seen that trailer before.

Nevertheless, I went into this movie expecting big things. The thing about foreign movies is that they really need to be good for me to take note of them and I trusted tdigs judgement when he suggested this movie in the first place. As far as horror goes, tdigs is the man around these parts and this movie comes very highly recommended. So, with baited breath and an expectation level, I sat down to watch this movie.

Note, the following may contain spoilers.

I should first talk about the plot of this movie. In all honesty, I didn't expect it to be as grippingly complex as it was. Written and directed by Sean Byrne, this movie really seems to hit all the right spots. Not only was it fluently believable, it satisfied the criteria of being entertaining whilst managing to relate back to the viewer. In a thread I created a couple of days ago, I said that horror seemed to lose the place when trying to progress the story and keep a handle on the believability. It should be said that The Loved Ones had no such trouble. The plot, whilst being based around something that is not that complex manages to maintain it's allure throughout and becomes more intriguing as the film continues. This wasn't a flashy, glamorous plot that is intended to suck people in. No, this movie is just a thrilling watch that owes a lot of it's success to the fantastic plot and characters.

Speaking of characters, this movie is rich in personality. Robin McLeavy being the foremost indulgent of those. Playing a character names Lola, her character is sickeningly twisted and ultra-entertaining. Most people will agree with me when I say that he performance in the role of Lola is one of the many credits to this movie. Her calm but frank portrayal of the central female lead is horrifyingly brutal but wonderfully exciting. Truth be told, I had never heard of her before this movie but I have a feeling it wont be the last time I do. This role just seemed right for her and it seemed as though she gave everything to it. Of course, her supporting cast were also pretty brilliant. Xavier Samuel and John Brumpton made this movie what it was. The connection between Brumpton and McLeavy didn't seem forced and the relationship between them really shone in the film. All three of the main characters were simply brilliant in this and the acting was spot on throughout.

I should also talk about the tone of this movie. It is a bit different from the movies I have been watching and for a horror film, it didn't set out to scare the viewer from the outset. Rather, it tried to thrill the audience with horror nuances and it paid off. There is no gratuitous gore or a killer that is always in control. No, the frightening thing about this movie is that it could happen to anyone. The “real” sense of tone and suspense in this film is created by great acting and great setting. It was slow-paced quiet at times but that just adds to the charm of the picture. It may not mean a lot to many but I really entertained that idea and thought the movie was better because of it.

My one and only gripe about this movie and it is not a big one, is that the secondary storyline really didn't need to be there. Yes, it made things tie together a little better but it really didn't seem to be well-placed. That being said, it added a little comedic effect during an altogether tense movie that was pretty required. I would have just loved to see it go a little further.

Still, this movie was brilliant from start to finish and I am hoping that it signals good things to come from the genre that I am going to throw myself into.

5/5

 

[Dave]

Lake Mungo
“Alice Kept Secrets”​

Yes, a second review today for another movie that marks another stop on the road to better understanding Ozploitation movies. This time, it is the turn of Lake Mungo to undergo my review process. Lake Mungo centres around the death of a 16 year old girl who mysteriously drowns whilst out swimming with her family at a unnamed body of water. The intrigue begins to kick up a gear when a series of unexplainable event begin to plague her family after her death.

After the resounding success of The Loved Ones, I had a lot of high hopes for this movie and I was sure that it was not going to let me down. In simple terms, it didn't. Lake Mungo has continued my great adventure on this road that I am currently on and leaves me wondering why I didn't know about this sub-genre of horror before. Still, without being too detailed, this movie was right up my street and is basically everything I am looking for in a movie. That being said, I have a little more to say about his movie than I did about about The Loved Ones. So, without further ado, let's get on with this thing...

Note – The following may contain spoilers.

Firstly, I think I should look at the plot. I have come to believe that this is where movies are made or broken and this one had a very strong premise to rely on. I read up on it before I watched and the synopsis really got me on board. The plot is one that I can really get on board with. Like The Loved Ones, it is not hanging on the premise that there is a chain of events that turns normal people into superhuman beings or indestructible killers. Rather this movie centres around the very real concern of people losing their lives in tragic accidents. From that point on, things become more and more suspicious but never outside the realms of possibility. I am not one who particularly subscribes to the haunting idea of ghosts being present on this Earth but that doesn't mean that I am not open to the possibility of it happening. For that reason, this movie didn't lose me when it went down that route. The good thing about this movie is that it makes a lot of sense. Although it centres around hauntings, it doesn’t get to the point where you cannot believe what you are seeing, with the exception of one time. Those who read my reviews ought to know that is a biggie when I watch a horror movie. Still, the plot was solid and the acting around it was incredible.

Again, I am not too familiar with any of the cast that was involved with this movie but that doesn't mean that they were bad or less deserving of any credit that is coming their way. In fact, it really is quite the opposite. All of the acting in this movie was sublime and didn't feel forced in the slightest. Given that these people are actually trying to pass off the events of the movie as non-fiction in a mockumentary style movie, I feel as though they are deserving of a lot of credit. I suspect it takes a lot more effort and skill to pass off emotion and loss as genuine in a movie but all of the cast handle it with ease in this movie and although I know that they were not a family, you genuinely believe that they could be. It really is that good. There is no stand-out actors in this one because their characters aren't really allow to flourish within the realms of this kind of movie. What I can say though, is that I didn't see any one let the team down and everyone acted brilliantly well.

The style of this movie is what really brought me into the fold though. If you need any help knowing what I am talking about, think about Paranormal Activity meeting Louis Theroux and you'll have your answer. Given that I love Paranormal Activity as a movie and Louis Theroux as a documenter, this movie was made for me in some regards. There wasn't a time when I thought that the movie was at a pointless stage or not progressing and the pace was really on point for the entirety of the film. Stylistically, this movie was exceptional and really manges to suck you into an intriguing story.

Lake Mungo is possibly better than The Loved Ones if you like the style of movie that I do. Mockumentary can lose a lot of people but it just happens to be something that I really enjoy. If you like movies like Paranormal Activity, this movie is right up your street, trust me. There is one frightening part in the movie that caught me off guard and I could not be more happy. I like when movies build up to a conclusion that leaves you speechless and this movie certainly did that.

Watch this movie.

5/5

 

[Dave]

Well, that is the very early estimates for this weekend's box office and it looks pretty revealing. Firstly, Rio sitting on top of the Box Office again is not surprising to me in the slightest. It is the family-friendly flick that usually does well over the Easter weekend and with it being an animated movie, an added bonus for most families, it was always going to do well this weekend. Raking in $81 million in the first two weekends is damn good going but nothing less than I would expect from this kind of movie.

Secondly, I am a bit disappointed with how little Scream is going to take in this weekend. My hope is that it does a little more than that. It is still one of the highest talked about on Twitter, so my thinking is that it possibly could do a little more than what is expected of it. When you consider that this is only domestic Box Office figures, maybe it is doing a little better than expected worldwide, in terms of gross. That being said, I don't know where to put it. It seems a little disappointing considering that most seem to have enjoyed it. Still, here's hoping that it can manage to pull in a little more this weekend and continue to be strong through the next few weekends in the hope of getting another one in the future.

Lastly, I am sure that Source Code should have done a little better over the last few weekends. $44 million may be a little under what they were expecting to make and it is a quality movie.

 

[M. Winters]

I never expected Scre4m to do that well at the box office. The original incarnations of the series did well in the box office but that was 14 years ago so things change. The fans that went back then might have "grown" out of the genre and the current teen population might not know what to make of it considering they were 5-6 years old when it was released(I was only like 8 but still remember seeing it on VHS).

I haven't even heard of Tyler Perry's latest release, to be expected though as I find all of his movies a chore to sit through. Still waiting to see Source Code, Insidious and Hanna, been pretty busy lately so might have to wait until the cheap seats.

 

[Dave]

I never expected Scre4m to do that well at the box office. The original incarnations of the series did well in the box office but that was 14 years ago so things change. The fans that went back then might have "grown" out of the genre and the current teen population might not know what to make of it considering they were 5-6 years old when it was released(I was only like 8 but still remember seeing it on VHS).

I haven't even heard of Tyler Perry's latest release, to be expected though as I find all of his movies a chore to sit through. Still waiting to see Source Code, Insidious and Hanna, been pretty busy lately so might have to wait until the cheap seats.

Yeah, I think you are right.

Scream 4 is a good movie, there is no doubting that. However, with this one they really nailed the tagline. “New Generation. New Rules”. Basically, that is what they are working with here. A new generation of fans needs to be created since the last generation have probably moved on and had kids of their own. That being said, I think the fans that made the series such a hit back in the 90's are still there but I figure that they are going to need some convincing to come out and play again.

However, if we were to see another one made, I am of the impression that the fan base would continue to grow. Let's face it, the horror genre needs some life breathed back into it in this era. The western horror market is pretty much dead and circles around Paranormal Activity and Saw these days. Scream broke the rules when it was released in the 90's and it can break the mould again this time around... It already has.

As for Insidious, a review is coming later, so you can see what I thought of it before you spend you cash.

 

[Blue Chipper]

With all of the talk about Insidious, let me give my take on it.

In my circles, Insidious was dubbed as this generation's the Exorcist. I mean, they hyped it up massively. They constantly talked about scenes that scared them, and I was intrigued. I bought a ticket for the first time in years.

The hype killed the creepiness. My friends hyped it up too much. I wasn't disappointed, though, because it was an enjoyable movie that deviated from the typical Hollywood horror film. It wasn't scary, but it had good technical merits; it was a very atmospheric movie with amazing cinematography.

Had it not received the hype it did, I might have been scared. It was good nevertheless.

 

[Mac Attack]

Insidious

I attempted to watch this movie at the theatre and well I had an interesting experience. Let it be known that I am easily scared in movies and this movie had me shitting my pants by the end of it. It isn't exactly all that scary it is just some of the concepts of the movie that freaked me out. This was definetly not one of those movies where I would bring a girl to it because I'd be the afraid one... However with that being said I thought all together it was a pretty well pieced together movie, with sub par acting. I think the overall storyline was good, because it did actually have me creeped out and scared. Would I personally watch it again. No.

 

[Dave]

Russell Brand's remake of the 1981 comedy Arthur had a disappointing opening weekend at the UK and Ireland box office, taking just £764,468.

The film entered the chart at number three despite opening at 434 cinemas, averaging £1,761 per screen.

Fast & Furious 5 topped the chart with £4.01m - the biggest three-day opening of the year so far - taking an average £12,202 at each of the 437 cinemas in which it was screened.

Animated film Rio held at number two.

Arthur's poor opening will be a disappointment to film bosses after a more successful US opening of $12.2m (£7.4m) in its first three days.

The estimated $40m (£24.1m) budget movie, which also stars Dame Helen Mirren and Jennifer Garner, has earned $29.2m (£17.6m) to date.

The original 1981 film, which starred Dudley Moore and won two Oscars, took more than $95m (£57.3m) in worldwide box office receipts.

Boosted by a Thursday opening, the fifth instalment of the Fast & Furious franchise starring Vin Diesel took £5.3m over its first four days.

It helped bring the total box office haul for the top 15 films to £10.48m, the biggest in eight weeks.

I am not too surprised about this, to be honest. The problem with Russell Brand is that he is too polarising a character to do well at the Box Office. Let's face it, although the movie has taken close to $30 million, I am sure that the people involved would have liked to have seen a better opening in the UK. I do think that it has did well in the US considering that it stars and Englishman who seems to divide opinion. However, this movie just looks totally unappealing to me. I watched the trailer and knew that it was going to be poor. The original with Dudley Moore is astonishingly good and no remake was ever going to touch it. That being said, I might catch it when it comes out on DVD, just to see how correct I was.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

http://www.deadline.com/2011/04/arn...s-terminator-fast-fives-justin-lin-to-direct/

I know a lot of people weren't too crazy about Rise Of The Machines, but I didn't have too big of a problem with the third Terminator film. It wasn't great, but I thought it was decent enough. I have the same feelings about Terminator Salvation.

Schwarzenegger should bring a nice amount of buzz back to the Terminator franchise, and his presence should draw some nice numbers at the box office. Although, Arnold's age could be a problem here. Arnold is older, so could we really buy him as the bad ass cyborg again? Sure, Arnold made an appearance in Salvation, but we only saw a CGI version of Schawrzenegger. We'll be seeing the real deal in the fifth Terminator film, and I'm sure we won't see the same rock solid version of Arnold. Terminator 5 should be worth watching, and I loved watching the first two films as a kid, so I do want to see this film. We'll have to wait a while to see this film, but I won't miss Terminator 5 when it hits theaters.

 

[Ming]

I saw Thor today and heavily recommend it to you all, it's a great action movie that's gotten me even more excited for Captain America and The Avengers if possible.

Good peformances all round but Tom Hiddleston stood out to me and did a great job as the mischievious Loki.

Apart from a slightly predictable ending (which was made up for after the credits) this film fulfilled my expectations and I'm glad I saw it.

And has anyone seen [REC] 2? If so can you please give me your verdict on it, I loved the first and thought it was the best zombie movie I had seen in a long time.

One more thing to add:

http://youtu.be/UlmMlGvHWIQ

30 Minutes or less with Jesse Eisenberg,Aziz Ansari and Danny McBride looks pretty fun, I wonder if Eisenberg will be able to continue his form.

 

[Nate DaMac]

BoxOfficeMojo.com is reporting that "Fast Five," featuring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, took in $33.23 million in its opening night alone. The movie is projected to make nearly $80 million in its opening weekend which would be one of the biggest openings in Universal film history.

If this somehow surprises you, please put on your tin foil hat so we can know who you are.

Of course this is coming from the main page so they're going to act like it's all due to The Rock and while I won't deny that he had a big part in it, the Fast & Furious series already had a fairly large fan base so it was probably going to do monster business either way. I never even got around to watching the last F&F flick so I doubt I'll be getting around to this one anytime soon. Not that they're bad or anything, I'm just not much of a car person and this series has really run it's course for me.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

If this somehow surprises you, please put on your tin foil hat so we can know who you are.

Of course this is coming from the main page so they're going to act like it's all due to The Rock and while I won't deny that he had a big part in it, the Fast & Furious series already had a fairly large fan base so it was probably going to do monster business either way. I never even got around to watching the last F&F flick so I doubt I'll be getting around to this one anytime soon. Not that they're bad or anything, I'm just not much of a car person and this series has really run it's course for me.

I also haven't seen the previous Fast & The Furious film. I had plenty of chances to watch it, but I never felt like taking the time to do so. These films can be a real treat for car fanatics, but I am not a car fanatic. I thought the first couple of films were decent enough, and the drifting stuff was cool to watch in Tokyo Drift, but I've grown tired of this series over the years. Although, there's a ton of buzz about Fast Five, and I am kind of curious about this film, so I guess I'll watch it at some point. And as Nate said, the success of Fast Five shouldn't be a surprise to anyone, because this film does have a large fan base, and this series has become one of the more popular blockbusters over the years.

Fast Five continues to rake in the cash: http://www.thewrap.com/movies/artic...pening-kick-starts-box-office-market-54-26951

Wow. That is very impressive for an opening weekend. Again, this shouldn't be surprising for anyone, because this is a popular film series, and this film was heavily promoted. It'll be interesting to see if Fast Five can have another strong weekend. Thor opens this Friday, so the box office battle should be somewhat close this upcoming weekend.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2011/05/03/i-am-legend-prequel-will-smith-francis-lawrence/?_r=true

I am kind of disappointed by this. I thought I Am Legend was solid, and I did want to see another film, but to tell you the truth, this does make a lot of sense. This article explains how the ending to Legend pretty much killed the chance of another film.....

Spoiler

Will Smith's character finally finds a cure for the disease that turns people into those creepy vampires, but Smith sacrifices himself at the very end, and he gives the cure to Anna(Alice Braga). Smith(who is the main character of course) is dead, and he actually does find a cure, so a second film that shows how life is after the infection would serve no purpose, because all of the major lose ends were tied up in the first film. If you have this film on DVD or Blu-Ray, then you probably have seen the alternate ending where Smith stays alive. He joins Anna and the young boy, and they find safe shelter together. Yeah, Smith stays alive in this ending, but he STILL finds the cure, so another film that takes place after this still would not have made sense, and it would not have made a big difference if the studio decided to go with this ending.

They could have done the prequel, but I think a prequel would've been too common. I've seen plenty of films where the human population transforms into an army of deadly mutated killers. There's plenty of anarchy, blood, and violence. I've seen tons of films like this, so the idea of a prequel doesn't excite me too much when I stop and think about. I did have the desire to see another I Am Legend film, but what else can they do with the story? Everything has been covered, so this decision does make sense.

http://collider.com/joseph-gordon-l...per-inception-gi-joe-2-karaoke/88551/?_r=true

I think this is good news. Gordon-Levitt doesn't need to return for another G.I. Joe film. The The Rise Of Cobra was terrible, but then again, Channing Tatum had the lead role, and he is a horrible actor. Anything he touches is usually shit, and overall, Rise Of Cobra just wasn't a good film. I'm sure Levitt could've done a good job with the Cobra character, but it's probably a good idea he decided to stay away from this particular role.

 

[The Doctor]

So, I just watched Ponyo On A Cliff By The Sea (usually shortened to just Ponyo), which is a film released in 2008, directed by Hayao Miyazaki and released here by Disney. It wasn't bad, but it was definitely aimed at a younger audience than Miyazaki's usual fare and I don't think it measured up to his other films. While a good part of the charm of Miyazaki's other films, such as in My Neighbor Totoro, is that the adults often have the same sense of wonder as the kids, my sense of disbelief was stretched at points in this film when pretty much nothing was questioned by the townspeople or the main character's mother. The main character Sosuke also seemed way too competent and smart for a supposed five-year-old, and that also strained my sense of disbelief. I'm not against kids going on adventures - in fact, in a Miyazaki film, I expect it - but knowing the name of various prehistoric fish? I don't buy it. Ponyo's enthusiasm also got to be a bit too much, too loud, and too annoying at times. The ending was also very abrupt and there were quite a few pacing problems, which I was surprised to see considering the quality of Miyazaki's other works.

That said, the artwork and music was absolutely stunning, and it's even more impressive once you realize the whole thing was hand-drawn. I can't praise either enough. It's worth watching the movie just for those, especially if you're really into visuals as I am. Mind-blowingly beautiful. The feel of the film is also very relaxing and cute, and I'm definitely feeling pretty content and happy now that I've seen it. There's also some really funny bits, and the characters are interesting and entertaining.

Another thing I can praise is the voice work. Disney assembled an all-star cast to do the dub, and with names like Liam Neeson and Tina Fey behind it, the voices are really, really well-done. Of course, there are a few exceptions like Ponyo just being way too loud most of the time, but all-in-all I enjoyed the dub, and my main problems with it were actually criticisms of the writing (which again is not up to par with Miyazaki's other works).

All in all, Ponyo isn't a bad film, but it's definitely aimed towards young kids. However, the overall relaxed atmosphere, gorgeous visuals, awesome music, and general cuteness makes it worth it if you're an adult who can just relax for an hour and half and appreciate the film's strengths while forgiving its weaknesses.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/will-smith-emerges-as-frontrunner-186250

Will Smith and Quentin Tarantino together? Well, if this does happen, then I will have seen it all. I'm a fan of Tarantino, but a collaboration with Will Smith just sounds VERY weird to me. And to top things off, this is going to be a western??? Will Smith is a huge box office draw, so if does decide to join this film, then you can expect this one to rake in a good amount of cash.

I've been reading about this project for quite some time, and I'm Still not so sure about Tarantino making a western. I enjoyed Inglorious Basterds, but I didn't feel like I was watching a WAR movie. I was watching a very bizarre and fictional tale of how Nazi Germany was taken down by a group of soldiers and a woman who owned a theater. This spaghetti western will be bizarre, because Tarantino is one sick fuck. This won't be like any spaghetti western you've ever seen, so don't expect to see anything that resembles a Sergio Leone classic.

 

[INDYjon22]

Man, I have heard rumblings about this Tarantino western for awhile now and have been very excited about it. Tarantino always pays a nice homage to film genres of the past that aren't as relevant now and a spaghetti western should be epic. Just add in Will Smith and this project looks very nice on paper. I love Will Smith, though the idea of him in a Tarantino film is a little strange. Smith watches his public image very closely and Tarantino's style really isn't Smith's style. So that will be something to follow. I also love that Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz are in negotiations for this film as well. If all three guys sign on this movie will be fantastic.

Besides that though, I saw Thor yesterday. While I enjoyed it I wasn't in awe of it either. It was just very bland and did not deliver on the action I was hoping for. However, I thought Hemsworth, Kat Dennings and the Hawkeye cameo were all fantastic. Also, Loki should make for an interesting role in the impending Avengers film based on his role in Thor. At the very least Thor succeeded in getting me all that much more excited for The Avengers film.

 

[Cookie]

Any other Almodóvar fans? I'm so fucking excited for this:

[YOUTUBE]gw9Kng4tYII[/YOUTUBE]

Ever since his wife was burned in a car crash, Dr. Robert Ledgard, an eminent plastic surgeon, has been interested in creating a new skin with which he could have saved her. After twelve years, he manages to cultivate a skin that is a real shield against every assault.

In addition to years of study and experimentation, Robert needed a further three things: no scruples, an accomplice and a human guinea pig. Scruples were never a problem. Marilia, the woman who looked after him from the day he was born, is his most faithful accomplice. And as for the human guinea pig...

It's going to be in competition at Cannes so I'm interested in hearing what people are saying about it. I think a thriller with Almodóvar's aesthetic has the potential to be seriously amazing or a serious flop. Either way, I can't wait to see it for myself.

 

[jmt225]

I love Will Smith, though the idea of him in a Tarantino film is a little strange. Smith watches his public image very closely and Tarantino's style really isn't Smith's style. So that will be something to follow.

People can say a lot of things positive and negative about Quentin Tarantino; however, even his BIGGEST detractors will tell you that the man is absolutely flawless when it comes to casting his films. If he feels Will Smith will be right for this part, then Will Smith will be right for this part, no doubt about it.

Anyways, while I'm a tad bit disappointed to hear that his next project isn't Kill Bill Vol. 3 like it's been long time rumored, I do dig the premise to this film a lot and think it has a ton of potential to kick all kinds of ass. Definitely looking forward to it...

 

[Dave]

Man, I have heard rumblings about this Tarantino western for awhile now and have been very excited about it. Tarantino always pays a nice homage to film genres of the past that aren't as relevant now and a spaghetti western should be epic. Just add in Will Smith and this project looks very nice on paper. I love Will Smith, though the idea of him in a Tarantino film is a little strange. Smith watches his public image very closely and Tarantino's style really isn't Smith's style. So that will be something to follow. I also love that Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz are in negotiations for this film as well. If all three guys sign on this movie will be fantastic.

That sounds like a really good movie at this stage. With the success of True Grit, I don't see why he shouldn't capitalize on a genre that seems to be dying out of cinema.

As for Will Smith, I am just glad that he is going to be back in a good movie. The last movie I saw of his was 7 Pounds and although I enjoyed it, it was critically panned across the board. I have to believe that if he is teaming up with Samuel L Jackson and Christoph Waltz, then it is going to be something that everyone will enjoy. Waltz was amazing in Inglorious Basterds and Samuel L Jackson seems to be a great fit for Tarantino movies.

I have high hopes for this movie, if everything pans out the way it should with negotiations and such.

Besides that though, I saw Thor yesterday. While I enjoyed it I wasn't in awe of it either. It was just very bland and did not deliver on the action I was hoping for. However, I thought Hemsworth, Kat Dennings and the Hawkeye cameo were all fantastic. Also, Loki should make for an interesting role in the impending Avengers film based on his role in Thor. At the very least Thor succeeded in getting me all that much more excited for The Avengers film.

Oh really?

I have heard from multiple people that it was a great action movie. In fact, one of my friends said that it was probably one of the best action movies of this year and that I should make a point of seeing it in 3D. Then again, perhaps they weren't looking at it with such a critical eye as you were? Still, I think I will be going to see it regardless. It seems to be one of the biggest movies of the summer and I am sure I will have a lot to say about it.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/24475

I wasn't a fan of See No Evil. It was WAY too predictable, there weren't any real spook moments, and the acting was kind of shitty. WWE doesn't have a good track record when it comes to movies. Their films can either be sub-par or very bad, so it's hard for me to get my hopes up for this one. Like most recent WWE films, No One Lives will probably be released on DVD and Blu-Ray pretty quickly, and this one won't have a long run in in theaters. No One Lives probably won't be something to remember, and I really can't understand why WWE would want to make a horror film.