REVIEW: The Avengers

Hate it or love it, The Avengers is a huge box office success. Here is a film which juggles six super heroes in such a way that many people thought not possible. I really don't understand why people thought this wasn't possible, as X-Men movies have been managing just fine but I suppose it is because the heroes in The Avengers are each grand enough for their own films; which besides Black Widow and Hawkeye, they each have.The real reason the film works lies in Joss Whedon's fantastic script which balances each super hero so well that the film actually feels like an Avengers film, and not just a movie with one or two super heroes dominating the film. In the X-Men franchise, for the most part Wolverine took center stage.

REVIEW: Blue Valentine

Blue Valentine is a well directed and well acted film starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams(wife of the late Heath Ledger). It is said that the two actors improvised often on set. The thing that I found amazing was its been reported that director Derek Cianfrance hardly ever had more than one take on any given shot. Not only is it difficult as a filmmaker to be able to get perfect shots in one go, but it's incredibly difficult to make such a gripping film based on those shots. Sometimes the worst thing that can happen to a filmmaker is not getting enough coverage. Making such a film on limited coverage is almost as uncommon as non-yellow taxis.

REVIEW: Avatar Extended Edition

What makes Avatar so great is not it's story, or it's action, but it's technical achievements. James Cameron pushed the envelope in terms of what 3-D can truly do, as well as special-effects. In the three years since Avatars released nothing has come close to matching what Cameron was able to pull off. It's breathtaking how a majority of the film does not even exist in the real world and never will. It is pure zeros and ones. The special-effects the Cameron uses are not to entirely used to render items like in the Transformers trilogy. Here, his special effects are designed to immerse you into the film. If one did not know about Avatar and you asked what parts are real and which aren't, I guarantee they could not tell the difference. To be honest, I cannot even tell myself.

Por El Amor A Mi Padre

Synopsis: When Hector Villarreal, a wealthy business owner, passes away, he gives his entire fortune away to two individuals he never once met; His children. When Victoria Villarreal, the only daughter Hector raised, finds out she not only has other siblings, but that they are inheriting all of Hector's fortune, she becomes enraged and helps devise a plan to take back what she feels is rightfully hers.

REVIEW: Rampart

Is man inherently evil? That is one of the questions I had while watching Rampart. What could drive a man so far off the edge? Dave Brown (Woody Harrelson) is a Vietnam veteran. His "brother" Terry (Ben Foster), or as Dave calls him "the general", also served in Vietnam. However Dave clearly was not affected by the Vietnam experience. He clearly acts the way he does now without any influence from the Vietnam war. It would be interesting to see what he was like during high school.The General clear suffers from shell-shock as well as alcoholism.

REVIEW: The Raid: Redemption

Here is a film that is being described by Rotten Tomatoes as "No frills and all thrills, The Raid: Redemption is an inventive action film expertly paced and edited for maximum entertainment". It currently sits at 83% Certified Fresh. It only proves that sometimes the Tomatometer is inaccurate. The Raid is all action and no story, but somehow manages to keep your attention, but is that a good thing?

REVIEW: The Cabin in the Woods

In general originality is hard to come by in films. Originality is even harder to come by in films in the horror genre. Most horror films of late try to follow the path of Hostel. Extreme violence over actual horror and scares. Joss Whedon has said that this film is a love letter to the horror genre. In reality The Cabin in The Woods is actually a dissection of the horror genre. Joss and screenwriting partner Drew Goddard(director of Cloverfield)present the audience a traditional horror narrative. For those who have not seen the film but are reading this first, please be warned that major spoilers loom ahead.

Louie: Poker/Divorce Review

In film school one of the first assignments we are told to do is to shoot a poker scene. The purpose is to practice the 180 degree line. In order to deliver an intelligible edit. The opening to this episode is a poker scene. However it is not how the scene is shot that is important or even the poker game itself. What's important is the conversation that takes place. What starts off as a couple of guys making jokes towards their gay friend, turns into a rather important and touching social commentary. To me this is always when Louis CK is at his funniest. Like the great George Carlin, Louis is able to pinpoint reality and creatively analyze our everyday life. All while being funny. He has his beliefs and he expresses them.

Louie: Pilot Review

My 8th grade English teacher would describe Louis CK as someone who is rude crude and unattractive. The great thing about Louis is he knows he is all of these things and embellishes it. I've seen three of Louis comedy specials and I have to say the man is talented. Really good comedians always impress me. I cannot understand how it is they come up with new material at the rate that they do. His new show Louie feels like somewhat of an autobiography of his life. The show is acted written directed and edited by Louis which is very odd. Odd because you typically wouldn't see this on a network. But supposedly FX wanted him so badly that they offered him 200,000 to basically do what he wanted, which apparently was a much lower sum then other networks offered him albeit without the creative control he now has.

REVIEW: American Reunion

During American Reunion's credits there is a montage of all the actors as they appeared 13 years ago during American Pie. It's a sentimental piece for a movie that has such crude humor. If there ever was a reason to bring the cast back for one more film it only makes sense that it be a reunion movie. The film is chalk full of 90's nostalgia, as well as retaining the same 90's humor that was first introduced into the series 13 years ago.

REVIEW: Titanic 3D

15 years ago Director James Cameron proclaimed he was the king of the world after winning both Best Director and Best Picture for his film Titanic. He received a lot of criticism for his arrogance, but hell if I just made Titanic I would feel the same way he did.

REVIEW: A Separation

The beauty of A Separation is how the elegantly the film is able to throw the audience into the world and culture of the characters on screen. Everything is fleshed out and detailed. I never once found myself lost or confused, despite a rather complex plot. Despite never visiting Iran or being apart of the culture, I felt like I understood everything. The story is so universal yet so personal to these people.

REVIEW: The Artist

The Artist is a throwback to films made during the Silent Era. I was going to write my review directly after watching the film a few months ago but I knew that the film had to resonate inside of me before I could be honest about what I watched. Or else the review would have easily been a negative one. To truly enjoy The Artist is a difficult task for those who do not have a passion for film. The film has been said to be a film for film lovers and to an extent it is true. However I do not need a silent film to tell me why I love movies. There is a reason why silent films are no longer made.

REVIEW: Act of Valor

The action in this film is great. The use of real Navy Seals is effective for the action sequences because you become involved with the film in a way you normally wouldn't in a typical action film. The Seals portrayed are for the most part real Navy Seals, however they also are accompanied by trained actors. The moments when the real Seals interact with trained actors is where film suffers most.

REVIEW: Project X

When I first saw the trailer for Project X I will admit I was very eager to watch the film. The trailer just screamed "watch me". I am not the party type, but something about a wild night of partying culminating with a man torching the neighborhood just was intriguing to me. The film that I saw was definitely not what I had hopes for. What I watched was easily one of the worst films I have seen in 2012, if not the worst.

REVIEW: The Hunger Games

The Hunger Games is a science fiction film that details a new society called Panem after what we know as North America collapsed. Panem was originally sectioned off into 13 Districts. After much oppression District 13 revolted against the Capitol, Panem's governing body. In the Process District 13 was completely destroyed. As a result of the revolution the Capitol instituted the Hunger Games, "as a remembrance for those who were lost." The games act as a control for the entire population, as well as a national televised event. Two individuals, a boy and a girl, are chosen from the remaining 12 Districts as "tributes" and are brought to fight one another until only one remains.

REVIEW: Casa de Mi Padre

The movie opens with a narrator telling the audience both that the film is in Spanish and to deal with it. Will Ferrell is Armando Alvarez. He is a failure in life and tries to live one with nature. His father loves his brother Raul Alvarez(Diego Luna) more than Armando, despite Raul's secret identity as a drug dealer. However the same cannot be said for Raul's fiancee, Sonia (Génesis Rodríguez). She is uncertain on whether or not Raul is right for her, especially after meeting Armando. If while reading you thought the plot sounded like a soap opera or a TV novella, then you are absolutely correct.

REVIEW: Inception

Christopher Nolan's Inception is hardcore science fiction done for mainstream audiences. If you understood the film upon first viewing I applaud you. The film is structured to be a massive undertaking that demands multiple viewings in order to truly grasp what is taking place. The premise is simple, however the film is anything but simple. Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a thief named Dominic Cobb. However Dominic is not your ordinary thief. He actually does not steal physical materials, instead he steals what is inside an individuals mind through their very own dreams.

REVIEW: The Vow

The most surprising element to Michael Sucsy’s The Vow is the ending isn’t happy. After watching Channing Tatum try and win back Paige(Rachel McAdams) for 104 minutes, I wanted him to get her back. Instead Michael attempts to place the film in reality, in order to separate it from films like Dear John or The Last Song. However this film is exactly like those above mentioned and was marketed that way, and as a result suffers horrendously for trying to be a film it cannot be.

REVIEW: The Woman in Black

It’s hard to watch this film without looking at Daniel Radcliffe and not think of Harry Potter. It’s nice to see him putting himself in a role that is completely unlike anything he did in the Potter franchise however. There are moments when this film works well as a haunted house horror film, however the simple truth is there are not enough of these moments to truly be scary.

REVIEW: John Carter

It's a shame that John Carter did not end up being Disney's Avatar. All of the controversy surrounding the films monumental loss is truly something that is causing people to stay away from the film. It's a horrible stigma that I wish would go away. I felt that the film was going to be good based on the publicity going into the theater. However this is not how I felt leaving.

SHHH! It Happens

A short film detailing an unfortunate true-to-life mishap of an El Camino Compton Center student.

REVIEW: Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace

I was only seven years old when I first watched The Phantom Menace in the theaters. I remember loving the action, enjoying Jar Jar Binks, and being deathly afraid of Darth Maul. As I grew up I started to disassociate myself with the prequel films, as it seems most people did. As I re-watched the films over the years I found Jar Jar Binks to be a worthless character and I felt The Phantom Menace was weak compared to the films before it. It has been 13 years since I last saw the film in the movie theater. 13 years later the film resonated something inside of me. I felt my childhood flash before my eyes.

Prometheus: Big Things Have Small Beginnings

Today was an amazing day for people looking forward to Ridley Scott's Prometheus. First we were treated with a 1 minute IMAX teaser trailer. Then we got another piece of information from the Viral Campaign. The biggest piece today however was the reveal of full length trailer. I will discuss all of this after the jump.

REVIEW: Cloverfield

Cloverfield works both as a found footage film, and even more as a monster film. It's a fresh take on the monster film genre and it is completely welcome. The first time I watched the film I remember hating it. It was the first time I had ever seen a found footage film. I didn't appreciate what this approach was doing to the filmmaking process. It was not until I watched Diary of the Dead and then the original Paranormal Activity did I truly understand what the genre was. I later revisited the film after seeing Paranormal Activity and was completely astonished by how great Cloverfield actually is.

REVIEW: Abduction

Abduction works as a late night popcorn flick. The film is a reminiscent of the Bourne trilogy, however this is true for many action films that have been made since then. Taylor Lautner should not be an action movie star...yet. He still needs to grow, both in age and maturity. He is a distracting element to the film. Despite this, there are no other actors that come to mind that could have played this character within the scripts bounds. Whether or not that is a compliment is up to you.

Mad Men: "Smoke Gets in Your Eyes" Review

One thing is made abundantly clear in the first episode of Mad Men. Everyone smoked during the 60's. People loved smoking. Men, women, hell even Doctor's smoked while with their patients.  We follow Don Draper who works with Sterling Cooper in New York City. He is an advertising man.

Prometheus: The Beginning Draws Near

And so the Viral Campaign for Prometheus begins. Those of whom love the Alien franchise will find the video below interesting. Now initially I would have considered this to be a spoiler, however it is apart of the viral campaign so I rule it out as being one. For more those who do not know what Prometheus read more after the video for a brief explanation as well as other interesting Alien related information

REVIEW: Chronicle

Chronicle is the best found footage film ever made. It's that simple. Up until this point, I felt that Paranormal Activity was due to its originality. It was also the only film that I felt fully legitimized the use of the cameras in a non cinematic way. Cloverfield came close with it's use of taped cameras. However there were moments in Cloverfield where in reality the individuals involved would have turned the camera off or at least had the camera away from the action(i.e. the Subway sequence). It felt too convenient and forced. I understand that filmmaking is supposed to suspend the belief of reality, but it is hard to dissociate yourself with what is taking place and having a camera man documenting everything even as you are being chased. However Chronicle completely resolves this issue in the most creative way yet. It is ingenious, however I only see this method working in this film, which adds to the brilliance.

CONCERT REVIEW: Better With U Tour

I attended the December 18th show of the Better With U Tour. Sadly One Direction was not present for the west coast performance, as they were originally planned. Daniel bought me and my sister tickets for the show in because when the dates were first announced February 18th was on there. Although we were sad about One Direction's absence and are not hardcore Big Time Rush fans, we still managed to enjoy ourselves. It was actually a very good concert.

REVIEW: Safe House

Safe House had the potential to be a solid film, but because of horrid editing the film loses it's edge and becomes a mediocre bargain bin thriller. I imagine this film  must have had a nice script. The film is action packed to say the least in moments you would least expect it. However due to a chaotic approach to editing, I found it very hard to follow the action at hand. I was always aware of what was taking place, but when the heavier action sequences were taking place, I found myself to be often disoriented. It seemed as though the editor did not have any wide footage to work with. You almost are always in a tight medium or close up during the action sequences. It's like MTV style editing on speed.

Dealing With My One Direction Infection Part II

After meeting them life went back to normal until December. Things got crazy again because of the Bring1DtoUS competition. This was a competition between States in the U.S. to get One Direction to visit them and host a special event. I was so determined to see them again. I wanted to get my last two pictures with Zayn and Louis. I literally was Up All Night until the challenges were over. Everyone I know was so annoyed with me because of all the dedication I had with this competition. Although it was honestly stressful and time consuming, it was great because I found so many other Directioners. Yes, the competition got very intense as States started hating each other and accusing one another of cheating. I was apart of the #Bring1DtoLA but unfortunately we didn't win. Dallas won, and although I am jealous, I congratulate them because they obviously earned it. We did get second place however so LA Directioners are still anxiously waiting for further information about their future arrival.

Dealing With My One Direction Infection Part I

Hey it's Ana. It has been awhile but let me start off by saying that 2011 was fantastic! Last time I blogged I informed you guys about my obsession with One Direction, well guess what? I met them! Yes, you read that correctly. It was June 25th 2011. It was very late..or very early (which ever you prefer), around 1:45 am. It was great since I was not able to see them when they came the first time in January. I was tired, had no make up on and was badly sunburned. They, of course looked beautiful. Seriously, pictures do not do them justice.

2012 Brit Awards

If you do not have Fuse you can tune in now to watch the Brit Awards. Look out for One Direction who are nominated for the British Single Award.

Click Here

Updated 12:41 P.M. : Congratulations to One Direction for winning the British Single Award!

REVIEW: 30 Minutes or Less

Director Ruben Fleischer's Zombieland was a fresh take on the zombie genre. It was a nice addition. His follow up film 30 Minutes or Less is not as strong as Zombieland but still manages to accomplish what it set out to do. The film is well cast and is funny when it needs to be. 

REVIEW: A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

3D is all the craze now. Hopefully it dies out soon. It's not that 3D is bad, well actually, yes it is. For every good 3D film like Avatar or Martin Scorsese's Hugo, you also get a bag full of films that become unbearable to watch because of horrendous and distracting 3D. Luckily for me I did not watch this film in 3D or I most likely would not have enjoyed it at all. A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas easily falls into the category of horrible 3D films. 3D is an excuse to milk the film for all its worth. This film is the weakest of the three, however that does not mean there are no laughs to be had.

REVIEW: Melancholia

In honor of Valentine's Day here is my review to a film that doesn't really have a love story, but would be an interesting flick to watch with your significant other. Lars von Trier's Melancholia is a wonderful film that explores someone with a deep state of depression coupled with a cataclysmic event. This film is definitely not for everyone, but it was one of the more profound movie experiences I have had in a long time.

Louder Than Words

I cannot call myself a filmmaker without making films myself. Here is one I recently completed for my USC Cinematic Arts application entitled Louder Than Words.

REVIEW: The Devil Inside

I am tired of found footage films. Once in awhile found footage films work, like Cloverfield  and the original Paranormal Activity.What makes them work is the simple fact that they are creative and they bring new and fresh takes to the genre. This film neither has any creativity nor does it bring anything to the found footage genre. 

REVIEW: Drive

Drive is an excellent display of what films could be if you removed all the extra Hollywood non-sense. The set up is simple. A stuntman/getaway driver falls for his next door neighbor, Irene. After a few weeks it is revealed that Irene(Carey Mulligan)actually has a man that will be soon released from prison. Throw in members of a crime organization and you have Drive.

The French Connection

I just want to start off by saying I have not been following the Republicans election campaigns as much as I probably should be. However one does not need to follow a campaign to realize when one of the candidate's is running a smear campaign, which they all do. This ad has to be one of the best displays of stupidity I have seen in awhile. I am of course speaking about the fact that Newt Gingrich is criticizing Mitt Romney because he speaks French.

                                                                      

New Year. New Beginning.

I hardly posted anything on here last year(actually nothing at all) but now that will all change. I decided to give the blogging world another chance. In the coming weeks I will post reviews about movies I have recently watched, some new and some old. First on my list is Nicolas Winding Refn's critically acclaimed film Drive.

REVIEW: Captain America: The First Avenger

Easily the best comic book film of 2011 so far, Captain America: The First Avenger excellently displays how comic book movies can in fact be full of heart and soul. Movies like  Thor and The Green Lantern try to tell grounded and heartfelt stories, they both failed to reach their respective goals. Thor's dark and incomprehensible action sequences took me out of it's more human moments. The Green Lantern's Hal Jordan, played by Ryan Reynolds who was surprisingly  the biggest strength of the film, lacked any real reason to care for anything that happened to Hal or for anyone else for that matter. Joe Johnston's Captain America not only strives to be a more grounded human story, it surpasses what came before it and is ultimately a success, all without The Green Lantern's reportedly 300 million dollar budget(For that much money, you would expect the villain not to look like the Smog Monster from Godzilla.) By giving us something to care for and by having small but important action sequences, the film succeeds not only as a super-hero movie, but as a story that happens to have a super hero in it.