Archive for Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Jumper (Single-Disc Edition)

The science fiction thriller leaps to a new realm with Jumper, which begins the epic adventures of a man who discovers that he has the exhilirating ability to intstantly teleport anywhere in the world he can imagine. From New York to Tokyo, from the ruins of Rome to the heart of the Saharan Desert, anywhere is possible for David Rice (Hayden Christensen), until he begins to see his freedom is not total, and that he's not alone... but part of an ongoing, global war that threatens the very survival of his rare and extraordinary kind.

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Popularity: 4% [?]

ironmanI really like the Iron man super hero. He is like the ultimate creation by human technology. Even the newest military stealth fighters are no match for the hypersonic & virtually invincible flying suit of armor. Tony Stark has got all sorts of high tech weaponry in his Iron man suit like plasma rays & etc. Bound to survive by an advanced mechanical heart, Tony Stark becomes the Iron man to battle any form of terrorism which had caused him to lose his natural heart in the first place.

I thought I would shed some light on the origin of the Iron Man character played by Robert Downey Junior in the movie Iron man . Anthony "Tony" Stark was born on Long Island, New York which obviously made him a citizen of the United States. He is a genius inventor & the son of industrialist, Howard Stark. Tony Stark enrolled in college electrical engineering program at MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) at age 15. With his father & mother being deceased, his only known relative is Morgan, his cousin.

Tony Stark then inherited his father's business, Stark Industries at age 21 & made it into a multi million-dollar company after a few years whose chief contracts were weaponry & munitions for the U.S. government. Iron man s first appearance was in the comic Tales of Suspense #39. The movie by Paramount Pictures & Marvel Enterntainment released 2008 next year is different than the original comic book regarding the location where the first Iron man was built (Vietnam) in order to reflect contemporary world issues. I reckon it is a good idea because viewers are able to relate to the present reality & make the Iron man movie more realistic.

Iron man does a sonic boom! Robert Downey Junior suits up to be the first Iron man in the movies. Samuel L. Jackson as an African American version of Nick Fury may not be such a bad idea after all. I mean he is the Samuel L. Jackson who does federal characters extremely well. I mean Iron man is about Robert Downey Junior. He is good at comedies & drama but as an action hero, we will have to wait & see. Also in the foray are the sweet Gwyneth Paltrow & Jim Rhodes which makes the Iron man movie an anticipated star studded blockbuster film next year.

The Iron man armor worn by Robert Downey Junior looks more realistic than the comic book version. In the Iron man movie, the armor looks like a full body casing with advanced hinges at the joints, rivets & the works. The armor of Iron man in the comics looks as though it is a shiny layer of metallic cloth donned over human muscle. A state of the art, magnetic molecular metal binding technology that makes the armor looks like cloth seems to far fetched idea at present. It is good that the costume designers had a more realistic looking suit of armor specially made for the Iron man movie.

I write on movies, celebrities, & traveling. Visit http://voyage.aimvotal.com

Popularity: 6% [?]

Jackie Chan and Jet Li join forces to release a masterpiece with a few flaws, but nothing to discourage anyone from seeing this movie. These two friends that have been waiting to make a movie together have dual starring roles in this epic adventure of action and mythical chemistries. Jackie Chan plays an elderly Bostonian shopkeeper and a "drunken master" for who wine is an elixir of strength. But he demonstrates more than just the drunken fist. Li plays a monk well-versed in the martial arts and, even more magnificently, appears as the wiry, mischievous Monkey King, a mythical Chinese figure with the ability to transform himself into 72 different animals or objects. The Monkey King is part of the immortals in this movie. He is invincible after fighter all takers and never losing. It is only after another immortal tricks him that he is cast stone but before being cast into stone he casts his famous fighting pole away as the key to release himself from his stone prison. And their starts the story.

I was a little disappointed with all the wire work in the beginning of this story. I remember thinking not another fake martial arts story with people being able to walk walls and jump onto 10 story building with one leap, but after the first scene there wasn't much more of this. Most of the fight scenes looked very authentic and took a lot of skill to perform. Jackie and Jet Li skills are flawless with skills that are extraordinary to say the least. Even if the fight scenes were scripted it would still take a lot of skill to make every scene look like the individual has been doing the art for all their lives.

As for blood and gore, this movie did not have a lot of this. Not to say there wasn't any but it was minimum and well placed. Personally I loved this movie. Not because I am a martial arts fan, but mainly because it had a very good story line that made some sense. I would truly recommend this movie for rental or watching it while it is in the movie theaters. It is extraordinary on the big screen.

Popularity: 4% [?]

The MistI don't know how Stephen King thinks of these types of movies but when he does he is right on point with them.  THE MIST is a throwback from one of Stephen King's older novels but the story line can never get old. 

To be truthful I did not know what to expect from this movie.  As the trailers don't really give you insight into what really was/is in the mist.  And going off of some of the other movies that I have seen from previous Steven King movies I did not even think that this movie would be as scary and emotional as it was.  If you have not seen this movie turn away now because I am going to tell some of the parts that really got me.  First of all this movie does a great job of keeping you in the dark until to scare and creep you out.  The mist is not like a foggy day that you can see maybe a quarter mile out and that is it.  No, this mist is so thick that you would not be able to see maybe a foot out.  That is what made it so creepy.  If people ventured out into it they could not see from what angle something would come and snatch them up.

Now I have to admit, I am not a fan of bugs..  I can stand a few here and their but story lines with human sized bug, that reaaaaaaalllllllyyyyy creeps me out.  And this story line had a lot of human sized and larger bugs that snatched and ate humans like it was nothing.  It just made me quiver to think about it.  And these were not normal bugs that you probably could just swat with a broom.  Some of these bugs had distinct faces and shot out acid webs that could cut through clothing and skin.  YUCK....
Man this movie really got under my skin.  I remember a movie that I say when I was a kid that involved ants that would eat their way into humans and live in their bodies and use them a nest.  That movie gives me nightmares even to this day.  I thought about that movie when I was watching this movie.  This movie gave me the same feeling that I had as a kid.

This movie is not for the kids, thus, the R rating.  I had to put my kids up stairs because they wanted to see what was in the mist also.  It has a lot of graphic scenes that would definitely freak out younger kids and some teenagers.  There is not nudity in this film which was a welcome change.  It seems that most movies now feature a lot of nudity to sell the film.  There is a lot of violence so take care and be warned.
Overall, I liked this movie.  It kept me interested to the end and I felt just as frustrated as all the characters.  It also had a surprise ending that I did not even expect.  I definitely recommend this movie for adults.  It is a keeper or a great Friday night rental.

Popularity: 5% [?]

I am LegendWill Smith has some how re-invented himself again.  I compare this movie to Cast Away with Tom Hanks were he spoke to a Wilson soccer ball for almost 2 hours.  Somehow, he kept everyone entertained.  The same goes for Will Smith, but instead of a soccer ball, he talks with his German Shepard that was left behind by his son.  He also has a few counter parts in manikins that he also converse with throughout the movie.

This movie starts out with a doctor that proclaims to have cured cancer by re-engineering a virus to think different.  The problem is that the virus does not act as it was supposed to.  The virus takes on another nature and begins to change people from law fight citizens to aggressive monsters that pray on anyone that is not like them.  Something like night of the living dead.  Except these people are not dead.  They are just infected with a virus that will not allow them to be calm.

Will Smith on the other hand can't get infected.  He has some kind of antivirus in his blood that fights off the infection.  He is also a biologist that is working to find the cure.  He tries to find the answer for months without contact with anyone.  At times it seems that he is losing his mind, but somehow he holds it together except when he loses his only friend, his dog to the virus.

This movie is not for the weak at heart.  Although it is rated PG-13, I would not let anyone under 13 to 15 see it.  It does not have nudity in it but some parts are a little scary.  But this is a very well made movie.  I should have expected that from anything that Will Smith makes, but I did not hear any reviews neither bad or good when this movie was in the theaters so I had no base line to rate it.  Definitely rent or buy this one, it is a keeper..

Popularity: 6% [?]

Superman II"Superman II", the sequel to "Superman", stars many of the same actors as the original film in their original roles. The film is as entertaining and adventurous as the original. The acting is quite good, particularly that of the three arch-villains from Krypton (Terence Stamp as General Zod, Sarah Douglas as Ursa, and Jack O'Halleran as Non).

"Superman II" begins shortly after the original film left off. Perry White, chief editor of the Daily Planet, sends Lois Lane to Paris to investigate a terrorist plot to set of a hydrogen bomb from the Eiffel Tower. When Superman (disguised as Clark Kent) learns of this, he quickly removes his disguise and flies off to save her and send the bomb off into space. The bomb explodes a safe distance from Earth, but the explosion causes the Phantom Zone, in which the three arch-villains General Zod, Ursa, and Non have been captured and flying through space, to break, releasing them near the moon.

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The three villains go to the moon, where they encounter a group of astronauts on a lunar mission. They quickly kill the astronauts and destroy the mission, learning of their new superpowers in the process. They then head to Earth to wreak more havoc.

Lois and Clark are sent to Niagra Falls posed as newlyweds to investigate a hotel scam. Superman saves a boy who accidentally falls off a rail above the falls. Lois suspects that Clark Kent is Superman, since as usual, he disappears as soon as Superman appears. In order to try to prove that he's Superman, she throws herself into the river, hoping Clark will remove his disguise and save her. Instead, he uses his heat vision to burn off a large branch from a tree, telling her to grab onto it. He then jumps in and rescues her without the need to use his powers.

Back in the hotel room, Clark stumbles and his hand accidentally ends up in the fire in the fireplace. However, when he removes his hand with no evidence of it having burned, Lois learns that he really is Superman. She professes her love for him and he falls in love with her as well. Superman flies off with her to his fortress on the North Pole, where they enjoy a nice, romantic dinner. Superman then receives a message from his long-deceased mother, telling him that in order to be with Lois, he must give up his powers, which he agrees to do.

Meanwhile, the arch-villains cause more trouble. After destroying a small town in Idaho, they fly off to Washington DC, break through the roof, and demand that the president step down and let General Zod take over the world. Reluctantly the president agrees, but tells him that Superman will not let him remain in power.

General Zod and his associates want to find Superman so they can challenge him. Lex Luthor shows up, having escaped from prison and learned of the villains' whereabouts. In exchange for Australia, he tells them to kidnap Lois Lane in order to lure Superman.

On their way back home from the North Pole, Lois and Clark wander into a diner. A big brute makes a pass at Lois. Clark tries to stop him but turns out to be no match for him. Lois manages to get away from him, however. Afterward, they watch TV and learn of the arch-villains' world takeover. Clark then insists on going back to the North Pole to try to get his powers back.

Shortly after Lois returns to the Daily Planet, the villains come along with Lex and kidnap her. Having regained his powers, Superman arrives to save her. The villains go after him, resulting in a big superbattle throughout Metropolis. In the end, however, Superman loses the battle and flies off to his fortress.

Only Lex knows of the location of the fortress, so he tells the villains how to get there. They take him and Lois there. Superman then battles it out with them again, but they grab Lois and threaten to kill her unless he backs off. Superman then secretly teams up with Lex and tells him to try to get the villains into a chamber, which will make them lose their powers. Lex betrays Superman, however, and tells the villains to make Superman go in their instead, which he does. Thinking he's lost his powers, General Zod then makes Superman kneel before him, grabbing his hand. However, in reality, Superman had retained his powers in the chamber and the villains had lost theirs. Thus, Superman crushes the general's hand and throws him off a tall cliff. Non tries to fly to stop Superman, but falls himself. Finally, Lois delivers a good punch to Ursa, which makes her fall to her death as well. Since Lex had betrayed Superman, which is in fact what he'd been counting on, Superman leaves him stranded in the fortress and flies back to Metropolis with Lois.

Back home, in order to keep his powers, Superman must end his romantic relationship with Lois, which he does with a kiss, which makes her forget about it and that Clark is Superman. Disguised as Clark, he goes back to the diner and teaches the thug who'd beaten him up earlier a lesson. Finally, Superman flies back to the White House, puts the roof back on, and apologizes to the president for having let him down.

Rated: PG

Runtime: 127 min

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Superman II - Dave's Top Movies

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Riding with 'Eragon'
By: Rianne Hill Soriano

Starring: Edward Speleers, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Guillory, Robert Carlyle, John Malkovich
Directed by: Stefen Fangmeier

'Eragon' is a technically accomplished tale about a new dragon rider destined to save his people from the rule of an evil king. Many of the film's thematic elements are quite derivative. Amidst the mostly believable special effects surface a texture of familiar epics - a rehash of familiar fantasy elements, this time, with a dragon in the limelight.

For those who love the fantasy genre and themes involving swords, magic, and mythical elements and creatures (I count myself in) may enjoy the very manifestations of these things in this movie, but it seems to be ending on that 'feast the eyes with merely seeing them on the big screen, and nothing much is left after that.' The actual thought may be a pleasant enough fantastical adventure, but it inevitably invites comparisons to other movies and stories, primarily because of its very similar presentation. The mythic journey of the dragon rider to discover the truth behind his heritage and battle evil to save his people draws so closely to the storylines of a number of famous fantasy epics. Generally, 'Eragon' revolves around a fantastical milieu with the more-than-passing resemblance to 'Star Wars' in terms of story and 'Lord of the Rings' in terms of look and music.

Although possessed by some captivating storybook moments and a good enough CG dragon, this big budget fantasy flick lacks some complexity in its emotional load. There is no requisite soul to make this epic soar beyond its CG-rendered fire-breather. Moreover, there is no enough warmth and empathy for its characters. Any hint of narrative complexity or character development is wiped out by the film's slavishly straightforward storyline. Its special effects may seem state-of-the-art (with its director being a veteran special effects wizard, it is rather expected to be scaled on a really good level), however, it never shows anything the viewers haven't seen before. The lack of screen magic pulls the film down, losing much of the supposed visual dazzle because of lack of narrative momentum and its loose moments not being able to compensate much at all. It becomes too raw for a film epic -- nearly looking like an episode meant for the Disney or Hallmark Channel as a fantasy offer for mere television consumption.

This adaptation of Christopher Paolini's best-seller presents nothing new to the hero's story archetype. At the core of its derivative mythology, the characters are full-on clichés. They perform with wooden and monotonous lines from a script with lame dialogues and they are given no time to develop as the plot races from one conflict to another. The weakness of this large-scale fantasy comes from its key elements being too renamed rather then re-imagined. Main character Eragon portrayed by Edward Speleers may initially have a general potential. However, his end performance for this movie turns out to be quite bland to the point that he gets overshadowed by his dragon and human co-stars, especially with Jeremy Irons playing the role of Brom. Irons attempts to still act for the film's betterment despite some very lame lines from the script. Robert Carlyle's efforts as Durza tries to do with what he can work with though the script has lots of recycled and non-powerful lines that further let down most of the performances. No doubt, John Malkovich is a well-respected actor. However, in 'Eragon,' his role as King Galbatorix mainly keeps a straight face just like Djimon Hounsou acting out the character of Ajihad -- amidst such celebrated acting talents, they don't contribute much to the establishing of a cinematic epic with a heart. Even Sienna Guillory playing the role of Arya has wooden dialogues and she just tries to compensate on some non-verbal means and carrying her costumes for her to surface on screen. Rachel Weisz gives the dragon Saphira enough charm, charisma, and strong will. But some people who have great interest and much resources known about a dragon may find Saphira too child-friendly in looks, words, and overall attitude (well, it may be the filmmakers' intention though). The generic hero-questing doesn't lead to much heart that even the most action-packed and most dramatic scenes won't even give a small twitch on the viewer's skin. No suspense, sense of urgency, excitement, nor heart-pumping actions can actually be felt by the audience for the entire stretch of the 104-minute film. Actually, the script repeats too much ideas and drags down the actors and actresses, mainly by throwing periods into the middle of a sentence: 'Take care of Saphira. Without her. You'll find that life is hardly worth living.'

With most of the work going into the techie stuff, the actors seem left pretty much on their own. And even the juxtaposition of shots lack good establishments and significant pacing -- making the film lose much on the actual filmic storytelling and digging of emotions. Worse, the performances, whether from first time lead Speelers to the renowned actor Malkovich, have ended up as if they are trying to look involved while attempting to act through -- but it never works through. Even death or hugging or any other significant form of touching or looking at each other won't make the viewers touched. And so, personally, while I was walking out of the moviehouse, I find myself saying, 'It's like a work of a first time director, focusing more on the technical stuff and losing much grip on the emotions and the actual storytelling.' It turns out, he is a first time director nevertheless. Stefen Fangmeier is a longtime Industrial Light and Magic veteran, so it's no surprise that the effects are considerably good and well-detailed. However, in this directorial debut of Fangmeier, he often seems to neglect the non-technical details like plotting, blocking, and establishing the shots to push forward the story and touch the hearts of the viewers (whether small-scale or large-scale, accordingly to the needs and visions for the particular scenes and plotpoints). And such are mainly the weak points that first-time directors suffer with.

'Eragon' may serve as a form of an escapist entertainment as long as no one expects too much. It mainly reflects a pioneer episode of 'Star Wars' and 'Harry Potter' dropped into a 'Lord of the Rings' context. Heroes, villains, magic, love, honor, and destiny abound, but there is little complexity and subtext in the aesthetic, cinematic, social, cultural or political aspects, all of which could have possibly leveled up the film's quality. Personally, as a fan of mythology, epics, dragons, swords, and battle scenes, I have been really disappointed. For all the promise of breathing fire and clashing swords, 'Eragon' doesn't generate much heat. It becomes a dull fare. Now, I believe this film has a sequel. And let me say, 'May it redeem itself... just like with the story of a boy trying to save his people from evil, may its sequel/s save the trilogy from the dullness and weakness of this first offer.'

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Check out my site: Rianne's Film Blog
Having been bitten by the film bug, I have realized that pain is temporary; film is forever. I'm a free-spirited artist who is in constant search for the ultimate experience in every place-seeking inspirations for every work...

Popularity: 3% [?]