Archive for the 'Movie Reviews' Category
November 9th, 2012 by Brian White
Please except my sincerest apologies for the delay in getting this online review out to you today. You see, I had a completely different review that I’d already written in advance and it was going to serve as a lead in here, but I immediately discarded it after my press screening this past Wednesday evening. It kind of sounds like I’m getting ready to go into full bashing mode, doesn’t it? Well that maybe so, but don’t worry. I will always explain the way I feel like I do and feel free to take advantage of the section below that many of our founding fathers died fighting for…the freedom of speech (aka the comments section). Hold on tight. This is going to be one bumpy ride. And remember…I’m the minority here. Continue reading ‘007 Turns 50 in ‘Skyfall’ (Movie Review)’
November 8th, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
James Bond returns in this 23rd entry in a series that is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. The enduring character has gone through a lot, from secret volcano lairs, to undersea hideouts, to up into outer space. Since Daniel Craig has taken on the role of Bond, the character has since become grounded in a somewhat more plausible reality than some of the more outlandish entries (very similar to Dalton’s days, actually). Unfortunately, following the superb Casino Royale, my hopes were incredibly dashed by Quantum of Solace, which I considered the biggest disappointment of 2008 and one of the lesser entries in the Bond series as a whole. Moving up to present day, it was my great pleasure to not only have my anticipation for Skyfall reignited by the fact that it looked to be great, but to now have seen the film and acknowledge it as a wonderfully entertaining, strongly acted, and beautiful-looking entry in the series. The best part is that this presentation of Bond feels like a Bond movie. Continue reading ‘‘Skyfall’ Is A Great Celebration Of Bond’s 50th Anniversary’
November 6th, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
There is a solid 30 minutes of Flight that makes for one really compelling drama. It involves a sequence that will terrify anyone that was already a nervous flier and sets up possible stakes for the rest of the film. Unfortunately, that was merely the film that was being advertised, not the one that we see in Flight, the return to live-action filmmaking for director Robert Zemeckis. The rest of this film is generally well-acted all around, but also very heavy-handed, as we watch Denzel Washington’s character deal with the effects of alcoholism from an internal level, as the film does not give him much of a life to see self-destruct elsewhere. As a result, this is a film that is admirable for existing as an adult character study, but is also overlong and uneven, hwile cruising at a safe altitude. Continue reading ‘‘Flight’ Coasts With Good Acting, In The Midst Of A Stormy, Heavy-Handed Drama’
November 2nd, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
The Man with the Iron Fists is the movie that The RZA (pronounced Rih-Zah) has always wanted to make and a film that people would likely expect from him. It is a martial arts epic infused with hip-hop that pays loving tribute to the Shaw Brothers era of Kung Fu movies, with a mix of modern day sensibilities. I have been guilty in the past of not appreciating similar and recent films like Ninja Assassin and The Warrior’s Way, but The Man with the Iron Fists just hit me the write way I guess. The film is incredibly silly from its plot to its casting, but it has the kind of energy that I was able to get into and fits into this grindhouse mold that Quentin Tarantino (presenter of the film) and Eli Roth (co-writer and producer) have been trying to popularize as of late. It also has an expected, awesome soundtrack and score. Continue reading ‘‘The Man With The Iron Fists’ Is A Fitting Tribute From RZA’
October 31st, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
So here is another 2012 movie that seems to be tailored for me to really enjoy it. As ParaNorman delivered a fun zombie movie in a stop-motion world (with dramatic arcs and solid messages as a bonus) and Seven Psychopaths delivered on my love for darkly humorous hit man comedies (with dramatic arcs and a humorously meta touch as a bonus), Wreck-It Ralph is an ode to video gaming (with dramatic arcs and tons of geeky references as a bonus). The film does not necessarily break away from the classic Disney formula and the humor may not necessarily be so much timeless as it is very deliberately skewed towards people that grew up with various types of video games, but it is incredibly entertaining on multiple levels and another great-looking feature from Disney’s animation studio. Continue reading ‘‘Wreck-It Ralph’ Earns Multiple 1-Ups’
October 27th, 2012 by David Freedman
Guest Reviewer JimmyO, Liz and Sean review this movie based on the true-life story Jay Maroarty about conquering the biggest waves on earth.Starring James Oster, Liz Manashil and Sean Wright. Directed by Cooper Griggs.
Synopsis: Mavericks has some of the biggest waves on earth. When Jay discovers the mythic surf spot, he decides he must conquer it. So he enlists local legend Frosty to help him survive it.
WATCH US ON PBS SOCAL Saturdays at 6PM or pbssocal.org/justseenit
Continue reading ‘Chasing Mavericks Movie Review – Just Seen It’
October 26th, 2012 by David Freedman
In anticipation of the new Bond thriller SKYFALL and a look back at 50 years of James Bond in the movies, Sean, Leah and David talk about SKYFALL and their favorite Bond Movies and the men who played the secret agent. Starring Leah Aldridge, Sean Wright and David Freedman Directed by Amy Taylor.
Synopsis: James Bond is presumed dead after a mission goes terribly wrong. But when M is in peril, James resurfaces to rescue her and redeem himself. We celebrate 50 years of 007 with a Bond Retrospective and SKYFALL preview review.
WATCH US ON PBS SOCAL Saturdays at 6PM or pbssocal.org/justseenit Continue reading ‘Skyfall ‘Preview Review’ and James Bond Retrospective – Just Seen It’
October 26th, 2012 by David Freedman
Leah, Sean and David tip their hats to the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, and give you their favorites – no easy task! Starring Leah Adlridge, Sean Wright and David Freedman. Directed by Amy Taylor.
WATCH US ON PBS SOCAL Saturdays at 6PM or pbssocal.org/justseenit
Continue reading ‘Hitchcock Favorites – North By Northwest, Rear Window and Frenzy – Just Seen It’
October 25th, 2012 by David Freedman
Brenna, Leah and David review the new animated Disney coemdy that pays homage to thirty years of video games. Starring Brenna Smith, Leah Aldridge and David Freedman. Directed by Amy Taylor.
Synopsis: Tired of being the bad guy, Ralph sneaks into another video game to win a medal. But when his plans go haywire, he accidentally endangers his game and others. So he bands together with friends to save the day.
WATCH US ON PBS SOCAL Saturdays at 6PM or pbssocal.org/justseenit
Continue reading ‘Wreck-It Ralph Movie Review – Just Seen It’
October 25th, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
Chasing Mavericks is the kind of film that clearly has its heart in the right place. I would not say that the story crashes like a wave onto the beach, because of its devotion to making its lead character a saint that can do no wrong, but it does suffer because it is so willing to not so much have real characters as it has easily defined types and several, by-the-numbers, dramatic subplots. On the plus side, Chasing Mavericks does make the case for their needing to be a true IMAX documentary about surfing, because this film does feature some pretty wonderful cinematography, when dealing with the mythical waves that our hero hopes to surf one day. It is a familiar sort of film, but being too familiar does not ruin it completely. Continue reading ‘Gerard Butler Rides Giants and Chases ‘Mavericks’’
October 25th, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
For all the sequels and blockbuster we have gotten this year, an ambitious, high-budgeted, semi-independent film has certainly tried to push itself to the top as well. Cloud Atlas is one of the more unique films I have seen this year, as it not only swaps between six different storylines, but six different time periods, which range from the 1840s to way into the future. Add to that a handful of actors, all playing a variety of different roles and you can see why it is a very intriguing project, developed and directed by three talented filmmakers. Some flaws aside, I found Cloud Atlas to be incredibly well structured, given the complex nature of the story being told, and a wonderful work of art, after discounting the awkwardness of putting familiar actors in odd makeup. It will surely be divisive, but I was really into what co-directors Andy & Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer challenged themselves to make. Continue reading ‘‘Cloud Atlas’ Presents A Sextet Like No Other’
October 23rd, 2012 by David Freedman
Liz, Sean and Leah discuss the new Bob Zemeckis addiction drama starring Denzel Washington. Starring Liz Manashil, Sean Wright and Leah Aldridge. Directed by Sean Wright.
Synopsis: After his plane loses control, Whip saves his flight from crashing. Hailed as a hero, he is forced to confront his addictions. Going from hero to villain, Whip seeks to clear his name.
WATCH US ON PBS SOCAL Saturdays at 6PM or pbssocal.org/justseenit
Continue reading ‘Flight Movie Review – Just Seen It’
October 22nd, 2012 by Aaron Neuwirth
Opening night of Screamfest 2012, I was able to see the new horror film, The Collection. Horror fans may not have too much trouble remembering The Collector, which came out back in 2009, but others may struggle when realizing that The Collection is actually a sequel to that film. Now The Collection is not really a film that solely depends on knowledge from the previous entry and similarly it is a different sort of beast from the first film. The Collector was very much a cat and mouse thriller, set inside a house, which happened to incorporate a lot of deadly traps, labeling the film as a part of the ‘torture porn’ horror sub-genre. The Collection may have a similar setup, but this time the majority of the action is placed inside the hideout of the collector, which turns the film into more of a funhouse of horror traps and grizzly images, flipping the series on its head. It may or may not be worth your time, but it’s a mean, lean, horror flick that is a fun enough ride. Continue reading ‘Screamfest 2012: The Collection (Movie Review)’
October 21st, 2012 by David Freedman
Sean, Salim and Liz review the epic drama from the Wachowski siblings about the transient nature of humans. Starring Liz Manashi, Sean Wright and Rachel Appelbaum. Directed by Sean Wright.
Synopsis: In this six story anthology, all the character’s lives are connected. Spanning centuries, they confront the challenges of being human. Freedom, corruption and creativity are all linked across the history of humankind.
WATCH US ON PBS SOCAL Saturdays at 6PM or pbssocal.org/justseenit Continue reading ‘Cloud Atlas Movie Review – Just Seen It’
October 21st, 2012 by David Freedman
Liz, Sean and Rachel review this award winning Israeli documentary from Arnon Goldfinger about what happens when his grandparent’s secrets are revealed. Starring Liz Manashi, Sean Wright and Rachel Appelbaum. Directed by Sean Wright.
Synopsis: In this documentary from Arnon Goldfinger, he and his family clean out their grandmother’s apartment after she passes. But they discover letters from his grandparents that reveal a shocking past. Arnon tries to unravel the mystery of his family’s history.
WATCH US ON PBS SOCAL Saturdays at 6PM or pbssocal.org/justseenit
Continue reading ‘The Flat Movie Review – Just Seen It’
October 21st, 2012 by David Freedman
Aaron, Brenna and David review this visually stunning remake of the Tolstoy novel of passion and adultery. Starring Aaron Fink, Brenna Smith and David Freedman. Directed by Cullen Metcalf-Kelly.
Synopsis: Based on the Tolstoy novel, Anna Karenina is the story of a woman uninspired by her marriage and her life. But when a dashing officer seduces her, Anna finds she cannot resist his passion. Happy to be in love again, Anna is torn between her family, her lover and a disapproving society.
WATCH US ON PBS SOCAL Saturdays at 6PM or pbssocal.org/justseenit
Continue reading ‘Anna Karenina Movie Review – Just Seen It’
October 21st, 2012 by David Freedman
Sean, Leah and Liz review this historical drama based on true events prior to World War Two.Starring Sean Wright, Leah Aldridge and Liz Manashil. Directed by Cullen Metcalf-Kelly.
Facing imminent war with Germany, the King and Queen of England pay a visit to FDR. The weekend grows more complex as the President considers American involvement in the war. FDR finds personal matters as challenging as world affairs.
WATCH US ON PBS SOCAL Saturdays at 6PM or pbssocal.org/justseenit Continue reading ‘Hyde Park on Hudson Movie Review – Just Seen It’
October 20th, 2012 by David Freedman
Sean, Rachel and Liz review this thriller based on a true story from director Ben Affleck. Starring Sean Wright, Rachel Appelbaum and Liz Manashil. Directed by Amy Taylor.
Synopsis: Six Americans escape when militants take over the US embassy in Teheran. Taking refuge with the Canadian ambassador, if discovered, they will be executed. So CIA specialist Tony Mendez plans to rescue them by posing as a movie producer.
WATCH US ON PBS SOCAL Saturdays at 6PM or pbssocal.org/justseenit
Continue reading ‘Argo Movie Review – Just Seen It’
