X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE Movie Review
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Danny Huston
Director: Gavin Hood
I’m a big fan of the first two X-Men films. The Last Stand, third installment in the original trilogy, had some good action and a majority of the cast back, but it lacked what the first two movies had. I’ve said it and I’ll say it again, movies just try to hard and incorporate too much action/special effects, but forget about the human aspect of movies.
Unfortunately, Wolverine is a similar type of movie. The film will answer all the questions about Logan aka Wolverine, but that to me is the downfall of the movie. By trying to answer every single question in a 107 minute film, you crunch too much into it. While trying to tell this story you still have to have a large amount of action. The final result ends in a movie that is thrown together with a rushed feeling.
Where the Singer X-Men movies seemed to soar, this movie seems to fail. The one positive about the movie is that Jackman does appear to be giving it his all and he does fit the role of Wolverine. Unfortunately, with all his talent he could not save this one from being an average comic book movie.
Popcorn Ninja
Rated PG-13
107 mins
New SHERLOCK HOLMES Trailer at Apple Trailers
The new Sherlock Holmes trailer at Apple trailers shows us some of the first footage starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie (Snatch).
The Sherlock Holmes trailer premeired before Terminator Salvation at many of the theaters across the US. Robert Downey Jr., who I think is one of the most talented actors around today, will star as Sherlock Holmes. While Jude Law will play the Watson role. The film also stars Rachel McAdams.
It will be opening up this Christmas. Hopefully it will be a great holiday film.
Follow this link to see the Sherlock Holmes Trailer.
Popcorn Ninja
Terminator Salvation Movie Review
Cast: Christian Bale, Sam Worthington, Anton Yelchin, Common, Moon Bloodgood
Director: McG
The next part of the Terminator saga and one of the most anticipated movies of this year has finally hit the big screen. Terminator Salvation follows the story of John Connor (Bale) in the future this time. Having little to do with time travel this time around, the plot is definitely a different feel for the sci-fi action series. The problem is the difference can be both good and bad.
Director McG definitely shows that he has more up his sleeve then ever before. The director has brought a good style to many of the action scenes, the most memorable one a scene including a helicopter. The problem with the style is that we gain almost all action but less drama. The previous releases in the series (especially the two done by Cameron) merged both an interesting plot, strong characters, and some of the best action scenes to hit the screen.
Christian Bale appears to be going through the steps on this one, unlike his stronger performances like Rescue Dawn and The Dark Knight. It should be noted that newcomer Sam Worthington appears to have star power and gives hope to his future in Hollywood.
Like many other blockbusters to hit the screen of late, there is enough action to keep you entertained for a couple hours but don’t expect there to be too much to think about after you leave the theater.
Popcorn Ninja
2009
Rated PG-13
Runtime 130 mins
STAR TREK Movie Review
Cast: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Karl Urban, Eric Bana
Director: J.J. Abrams
It seems like there are more and more Hollywood reboots lately. They continue to try the remaking and redoing of older movie franchises (Friday the 13th, Batman series). Some are actually good and most are a lost cause. This time around the brilliant J.J. Abrams, tries to restart a classic but at times flawed Sci-Fi series. And this time around it is a huge success.
The movie show the origins of the Star Trek Enterprise. Everyone from Kirk to Scotty have their share of screen time. This movie hits all the right notes with amazing direction and some of the best visual effects we have seen of late.
Put together a cast of young stars that fit into the roles perfectly. Both Pine (James T. Kirk) and Quinto (Spock) are so comfortable as the legendary characters. They create their own while staying true to the source of their characters.
It isn’t just a great summer movie, it’s one of the better Sci-Fi flicks to hit the screen in a long time. It’s exciting, dramatic, funny, and smart. Many of the previews say that it is the Star Trek everyone will love. They aren’t kidding.
Popcorn Ninja
PG-13
126 mins
2009
Choosing the right TV Stand
As televisions have made incredible advancements over the past 10 years, entertainment furniture has also evolved. The days of a rickety TV Stand holding up an 11 inch screen are long gone. Even simple TV stands and entertainment centers have changed in an effort to accommodate today’s larger, wider, and flatter TVs. Now-a-days most homes have at least one LCD or plasma TV. As these modern TV’s become more and more affordable, flat screens have become less of a luxury and more of a necessity. There are several options available for presenting your plasma or LCD TV depending on the style you are looking for.
Standard flat panel TV stands are a popular option for most living rooms. These stands are similar in design to traditional TV stands, but are wider to accommodate the wider screen format or modern plasma and LCD TV’s. They are available in many different colors and materials including wood, metal, and even glass. Some stands even offer media storage cabinets or shelving to help keep all of your movies and video games in the same unit. If your TV is in a high traffic area and you are concerned about your TV getting knocked off the stand, there are also stands that come equipped with TV mounts, so that your TV is safely secured to the unit itself.
If you’re looking for a modern space saving way to showcase your TV, then a TV wall mount is probably more up your alley. TV mounts are surprisingly inexpensive and can easily be installed in your home without the need for expensive home theater professionals. All you need is a screwdriver and the help of a friend or family member. TV wall mounts come with a variety of different options including tilt functions and extending arms. Though mounts that extend from the wall tend to cost more money, a standard flat wall mount can be purchased for less than 100 dollars. A wall mount is the ultimate way to show off your TV while also adding a modern flare to your home.
My X-MEN TRILOGY Blu-Ray Review
With the upcoming release of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, 20th Century Fox has mastered the original X-Men trilogy on Blu-Ray. The trilogy was released back on April 21, 2009. This collection comes in a box with three individual cases (for each movie). Each case includes a total of 3 discs - feature film, special features, and a digital copy disc.
The first installment of the trilogy gives a great start to the story of these super heroes. The movie does a great job of introducing the main characters and gives most of them enough screen time for some development. Bryan Singer (Usual Suspects) is very talented and it shows with his translation here. With some strong performances from Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen as the heads of both sides of the mutants.
The second movie, X2: X-Men United, expands on the characters and gives us better action and pacing then the original film. Singer has made one of the best super hero movies that we have seen yet. Much of the movie focuses on Wolverine’s past and how he became what he is today. It also leads us into the Jean Grey/Phoenix Saga.
X-Men: The Last Stand loses some of the steam and continuity due to new direction from Brett Ratner (Rush Hour). This is not to say that Last Stand is a bad movie, but it definitely feels different. My main complaint is that much of the movie feels rushed. Clocking in at only 104 minutes, it feels very compacted. Many subplots seem to come and go, without the detail that Singer originally brought to the table. There is still a fair amount of well-done action sequences and some closure to some of the main plot lines.
The video and audio quality are top notch on this disc. There is a very noticeable improvement over the original DVD releases of this title. The audio features an DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix, which provided great sound throughout, whether it was action or dialogue.
Other than a weaker third installment of a trilogy, this boxset of Blu-Rays gets my highest recommendation for overall quality of films, as well as an amazing spectacle of audio and video.
Popcorn Ninja
New G.I. Joe Resolute Review
I’m not sure if anyone else out there was a big fan of G.I. Joe growing up, but I know I was. I loved watching the original cartoon series and we can’t forget the numerous action figures that came out.
Well there was a treat this past Saturday when Cartoon Network aired the new G.I. Joe Resolute movie at 12 PM EST. I didn’t know what to expect with it but it was a total treat. The animation was definitely sharper and more up-to-date than the 80’s cartoon that I remember, but still had an old school feel to it. Many of the major characters had roles in the new movie, including Duke, Flint, Snake Eyes, Storm Shadow, Destro, and Cobra Commander (and more).
Although it felt old school, it was much more mature. Take note that this is aimed at adult viewers - not children. The opening scene showed a crime scene with a corpse and blood everywhere. It is definitely for a more mature audience. This time around things were exploding and people were actually getting killed.
After the World and G.I. Joe become under attack by Cobra, they must split up to fight against time to save many of the World’s major cities. Much of the movie focused on the past of Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow, which was cool to see.
The movie ran a little over an hour and was a definitely a treat for fans of G.I. Joe. There has not been any news (that I’ve heard) about kick starting a new cartoon series but for the fans of Resolute, let us hope it does come.
Popcorn Ninja
Johnny Depp in PUBLIC ENEMIES Trailer Online
Johnny Depp and Christian Bale are the stars of the upcoming movie PUBLIC ENEMIES. The trailer is now online at Apple Trailers - HERE.
It is directed by one of my favorite directors, Michael Mann. I’ve loved all but one of his films (Miami Vice) that he has done in the past. He is one of the best directors when it comes to Action/Crime/Drama types of films. Whether it’s action focusing on a bank robbery in Los Angeles (Heat) or the dialog between a taxi driver and a hitman (Collateral), Mann is top notch.
The film will open on July 1, 2009 and is Rated R for gangster violence and some language.
Popcorn Ninja