whoa17

Story: It was pretty simple and it was straight-forward, sure there are some subplots that were thrown in but these were used to give the story a much deeper thought. However, even though the usage of subplots was critical to deepen the narrative of this movie, it did not make the movie of the story any better. I'm not saying that the story is bad, what I'm saying is that it could have been better.

Despite having a low-brow story, it does have it's advantage and that is it was easy to follow and it does not take itself too complicated or too convoluted, it just went on with it's goal and this movie accomplished that which was showing giant mechs vs. giant robots.

In addition, I like the tone that they went for in this movie, it was serious but it still managed to give out some few laughs especially the scenes with Charlie Day.

Acting: The performance of the cast was pretty great especially Idris Elba. Whenever this guys just pops on the screen, he delivers and he also managed to "out-act" his costars because he is the type of character who you should follow, a character who you should root for and a character who you do not want to touch. Too bad he wasn't the lead male character.

My statement from above is not a way to say that Charlie Hunnam (the film's male lead) didn't do a good job in the role. In my opinion, he did a great job with it the only problem with him is that he lacked the charisma to be a good leading actor, there was something missing in his performance that most of leading characters have.

As for the others, they did a good job on their roles, Rinko Kikuichi was a delight and to actually hear her speak English is a sigh of relief. Charlie Day was funny and also did a good job on his role the guy from The Dark Knight Rises (Burn Gorman) also did a good job and his chemistry with Day was almost pure comedic gold. But there was one actor who really ignite the movie when he appeared, and that is Ron Perlman as Hannibal Chau, a Kaiju organ dealer in the black market. He was incredible in this role despite a short screen time. To sum up his performance, he was a threatening wise-ass.

Action: This aspect just delivers on so many levels, it was epic and delivered a good dosage of nostalgia. The movement of both the mechs and Kaijus were incredible and when they started fighting it was just jaw-dropping and a truly magnificent thing to see on screen.

The action in this movie is the main reason we go to watch movies, and that is to have fun and be entertained with what the hell is happening on screen. This is how you make an action sequence for robot, slow yet powerful and bot quick and forgettable (yes I'm looking at you Transformers).

Music: I really didn't mind the score in this movie but I will say that it comes off as triumphant and it gives hope to vanquish the Kaiju that is present.

What really caught my attention though is the sound-mixing. My God, it was incredible, hats off to those involved with the mixing, it was really good and it really took you in to the experience.

Cinematography/VFX: If there is one thing that I love in the shows like 'Ultraman' and 'Power rangers', it is the grand battle between the giant robots and the giant version of the villains. Those scenes were able to show a big scope even with the use of miniatures. With this movie, I was able to experience that again, each action scene shown had great shots which showed how big the scope of the movie is. It made me relieve the old days again.

The VFX was also top-notch in this movie. You know that this are just CGI but at time and it came off as really believable. You can almost feel like it is happening in front of you. the design of the Jaegers and the Kaijus were also amazing, it makes you to want to buy an official art book of the movie.

Direction: Del Toro's last film was Hellboy II: The Golden Army and it was one of the best comic book films ever in my opinion. It showed how complex he can be working behind the camera, and in this movie he also did the same. My issues with his direction is the pacing that he used for the film, the first act was fast and makes you delve in the movie but by the second act it gets a little boring although these scenes were pivotal to the movie and in the last act it picks up the pace again and manages to be one great movie. My second issue was that he wasn't able to let his cast live up to their full extent (except for Elba and Day) there was something missing to the performance of his cast.

Overall: Even though the film suffers from story depth, charisma from the lead actor and that the film is clearly a style over substance type of movie, it still managed to entertain me and gives one hell of a ride to my inner child and that was one awesome experience that is truly unforgettable.

Favorite monologue/line: Stacker Pentecost: Today at the edge of our hope, at the end of our time. We have chosen to believe in each other. Today we face the monsters that are at our door, today we are cancelling the apocalypse!

Be sure to check out my blog for more reviews: http://ztrospective.blogspot.com/

Story: I like the story of this movie, it was suspenseful and you can really feel the tension that they are trying to give the audience. My only problem with the story of this movie is that it was like a "rinse and repeat" at each scene or at each country the lead character goes to. It plays out like this, they went to this country, it was a dead-end then a new clue arise then they go after that next country, same sh*t happened and it goes on over and over again, it's like listening to an 8 track album on repeat.

Having said my problem with the story, I however finds some positives on that negative and that is in each scene in each country, they are upping the ante and they upping the stakes. Each scene just gets better and better and each scene just gets more tense than the previous one whether it'll be in an open space or a remote closely tight space. It was engaging and fun to watch. I also love that they called the undead zombies and they are not referred to as 'walkers' or 'undead' or even 'biters'. Just plain 'ol zombies.

Acting: Solid performances from the cast especially Brad Pitt, unfortunately though, the film suffers from minimum character development as it just focused more on Pitt's character. Brad Pitt's character is family man in this movie and his performance can really convince you, his family is his drive and his inspiration towards the success of his mission although if the family had died earlier on in the movie, it will not affect the movie overall, they are just a way for the character to show that he still retains an attachment to this world and someone to call to if he's doing fine or not.

As I said, the cast turns in a solid performance despite short screen time and development but what really caught my eye in this movie is the performance of the zombies. It was very convincing and honestly very scary. The twitches when they are transforming and the way they make the bite sounds just makes it much more effective and clearly shows that they are hungry and targeting you. This is the performance for a zombie that I haven't seen in any other form of media.

Action/Violence: This film was action-packed on the second half which gives the film a nice shift in tone. As for the violence, it wasn't brutal per se because most of the zombie bitings or eatings happened off-screen or it was shown from a distance. If it was shown though, there was almost no blood present. This is my minor complaint for the violence in this movie, it was a zombie flick, we need some zombie violence, but we didn't get it. I just hope that we'd get an "Extende/Unrated Cut" I will definitely check that out.

Music: Marco Beltrami was the one responsible for the score in this movie and as I looked at his track record, it's mostly composed of action films and horror films. His score in this movie is no different except for the fact that it is a mixture of both of these and the outcome is really good. It worked really with the movie and the way it plays in the narrative of the movie was good too because it kept up on the tone of the movie.

Cinematography: I loved it. It was able to show the grand spectacle of this movie and was able to show how this epidemic had happened globally. But there are three shots that really stood out for me, the first is the transformation of the zombie, it was scary and only glimpses of those shots were shown but it was effective. Second is the pile of zombies just climbing the big wall it was incredible to look at. Lastly is the hallway scene, it was full of tension and one pulse pounding moment.

Direction: I'm not a fan of Marc Foster because I've only seen few of his films. I think his best work 'Stranger Than Fiction'. His direction of this movie really surprised me, I like the tone he went for the slow start and the fast-paced tone of the second half. The mixture of drama, action and horror was also good and it worked really well. I also liked how he directed the zombies because like I said before it wasn't like any other and he made them scary again.

Overall: I had a good time watching this movie, it completely surpassed my expectations. It was a fun thrill ride that will make you bite on your nails 'cause of all the tension happening on screen. However the film does suffer from repetitive content but each scene gets better and better. This is a great zombie film that i both refreshing and entertaining, I give this one a 4/5.

Favorite Line: Andrew Fassbach: Mother Nature is a serial killer. She wants to get caught, she leaves bread crumbs, she leaves clues... Mother nature knows how to disguise her weakness as strength. ----------------------------- Gerry Lane: If you can fight, fight. Be prepared for anything. Our war has just begun.

For more check out my blog: http://ztrospective.blogspot.com/

This is not my full review since my review is composed of more than 1000 characters, so here is my overall take on the film.

Overall: 'Man Of Steel' is definitely my movie of the summer. This CBM is full of insane and intense action scenes that it can makes others action sequences look a little underwhelming. That said, this movie may have been lacking a little in emotion. This film is well thought out, well acted and top that with incredible action, amazing CGI and great cinematography and score. I find this adaptation to be on par with the original Superman: The Movie and this is without a doubt Zack Snyder's best film to date, this is the Superman film I've been waiting for my whole life and I give this a perfect 5/5.

Here's the link of my review if anyone's interested: http://ztrospective.blogspot.com/2013/06/review-man-of-steel.html

Story: This movie is basically a tale of revenge and hunger for war, although the latter wasn't expressed well because it was only a desire of one character. However the former is what made this movie what it is, the villain is wreaking havoc to get back his crew or to what they did to him and his crew and one of the protagonist is after the villain because he *SPOILERS* caused the death of a character *SPOILERS*. I liked the story of this movie because it was simple, it wasn't making itself complicated. You can easily grasp the story and once you're in, it's hard not to look away.

Acting: If you've seen the first installment you can pretty much say that the acting is the same but in this movie the actors were given a little more to work with because they are much more emotionally driven here. They were able to give the characters more depth than the usual. Having said that I'm now going to delve in to Benedict Cumberbatch's performance. I consider this as one of his best performance to date, he was a threatening force that can bring an end to the enterprise. He was able to show a ruthless villain but you can also feel sorry for him despite his extreme methods, and to top that with his deep epic voice, we may have one of the most memorable villains on screen. I also liked Zachary Quinto here, he was able to play with his emotions, first he was this emotionless dickwad and the next is he is a caring ally. What I didn't like here though is Alice Eve as Carol Wallace, she gave almost no intensity to the role and the character had very little development.

Action: The previous one had more action scene in terms of gun fights (or should I say laser/plasma fights?) but this one had more fights in the hand-to- hand combat department. Cumberbatch was able to hold his own in action scenes and Pine and Quinto was also able to show more of their action side.

Music: I loved the score in this film, it remained true to it's predecessor and you can feel the awe in each scene through the wonderful score of Michael Giacchino.

Cinematography/ VFX: Like the score, I also loved the cinematography here. The looks of the film feels very authentic and it almost feels like it's a real thing. Next is the VFX, it was amazing, especially the part where the USS Vengeance crashes on San Francisco, wow to put things simple, amazing.

Direction: J.J. Abrams directed this film the way he directed the first one. I liked the pacing that he did in this film, it wasn't fast and it wasn't slow either which is a good thing because you are able to understand more of it's story and more of the character's motives.

Overall: 'Star Trek Into Darkness' is solid a sci-fi film with great performance from the cast especially Benedict Cumberbatch. Top that off with amazing visuals and an enchanting score from Giacchino, this is sure to be one of my favorite films of this year. Good job J.J. and cast and crew, I give this a 4.5/5

The previous installments of this franchise (specifically 1,2, Tokyo Drift and 4) was all about racing, sure there's a plot but it wasn't really shown well, then part 5 happened and the franchise took a different turn, it now became a heist film instead of the usual racing. I hated and I loved this turn of the franchise, I hated it because in part 5, the racing competition aspect of the film is gone, it became chases but I also loved this turn because it made the franchise take a different approach. My question is, will this formula still work with part 6? Find out below.

Story: The story in this movie picks up after the previous one where it was known that 'Letty' (Michelle Rodriguez) was still alive and I admit that they handled her "resurrection" quite well but that is only the sub-plot of this movie. The main plot is Hobbs (The Rock) is chasing after Owen Shaw (Luke Evans). He then gets the help of Toretto and Brian's crew by using Letty as bait (or that's how I see it). The story is pretty simple and they told it without adding anymore sub plot but some of the sub plots that were made felt very crowded to the story even though it was solved. It just felt a little heavy and a bit too much for the movie.

Acting: If you saw the previous installments from this franchise well then you ain't missing anything from their performance, it's pretty much the same but I have to say this though, Vin Diesel and The Rock displays pure bad-assery in this movie. That being said, I will give my two cents on the two characters from this movie which are Gina Carano who played Riley and Luke Evans who is Owen Shaw. Carano was able to hold her own despite having little dialogue and what makes her character seems badass is because of her action scene, this is actually one of the things I'm looking forward to upon seeing this movie because I loved her in 'Haywire' (awesome film, check it out) and I;m confident to say that I am not disappointed with her on this one. Next is Luke Evans, he IMO is one the versatile actors in the industry today, you can cast him in almost any role and he displays a good performance. In here is the main villain although he gave a good performance in this role I find it hard to find him as an effective villain, there is something missing with his performance here I'm just not sure what it is.

Action: The Fast franchise is definitely known for having one of the best car chases ever and this one doesn't disappoint and it does not only have car chases but also fist fights, head bangin' and other sh*t. Even though some of the action scene were very over the top it was still entertaining and was handled pretty well. The action was not violent or brutal as it showed little to no blood and being a fan of R-13 I can say that this rating does not fit well to the style of FF and I'm happy and contented with it's PG-13 rating. IMO this is the most action-packed FF film so far.

Cinematography: The cinematographer did a wonderful job here, the shots were just amazing and adds depth to the mood that is set within each scene. The shots were able to show scenery that really captures the beauty of the set and like I said the mood of the scene.

Direction: I wasn't much of a fan of Lin's direction here, it was pretty slow which made the film a little boring for me despite having heavy action. Even though the movie is a little slow paced, Lin was able to tell the story with it's whole heart. I liked how he did the pacing in FF 5 though.

Overall: 'Fast and Furious 6' was high-octane action movie injected with some humor. Using the same formula as the previous one made this film good and also bringing back the racing aspect of the original FF films. While I consider the FF 5 is still the best one in the franchise, I can still say that this is one solid addition to it. I give this movie a 3.5/5

P.S. Watch the post-credit scene, it made me get hyped for Fast and Furious 7.

Elijah Wood is one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood, he can play a pussy (as seen on The Lord Of The Rings Trilogy) and he can also play a sadistic bastard (as seen on Sin City). Will his latest film show off how talented he really is? Find out below.

Synopsis: Just when the streets seemed safe, a serial killer with a fetish for scalps is back and on the hunt. Frank (Elijah Wood) is the withdrawn owner of a mannequin store, but his life changes when young artist Anna (Nora Arnezeder) appears asking for his help with her new exhibition. As their friendship develops and Frank's obsession escalates, it becomes clear that she has unleashed a long-repressed compulsion to stalk and kill. A 21st century Jack the Ripper set in present day LA, Franck Khalfoun's Maniac is a re-boot of the William Lustig cult film considered by many to be the most suspenseful slasher movie ever made - an intimate, visually daring, psychologically complex and profoundly horrific trip into the downward spiralling nightmare of a killer and his victims. -- (C) IFC

Story: As you can see on the synopsis above, the film follows Frank and the film really just told about which I really liked because it felt like we are having a glimpse at how this serial killer is having his day-to-day. We can see his struggles with himself and we can see how he kills his preys but what really made this story effective is the way it was shown. It was shown through a first-person view which in my opinion is one of the hardest things to accomplish (I will dig into this aspect later). Even though the story was very simple, it still felt a little flat and with little development to it.

Acting: If you though he was scary in 'Sin City' then you won't be prepared at how he is terrifying in this film. TO me, he just showcased one of the most memorable performances on screen and he did it with little presence of his face, he did it with simply his voice as his presence, it was just so amazing and powerful he truly made this film good for what it was. I also liked the performance of the leading lady, and she was played by Nora Arnezeder. She was gorgeous and what a beaut to look at and what made me love her performance here was that she wasn't irritating. The rest of the cast had very little development to them and very limited screen time as this movie focuses more on the two leads.

Violence: One of the most brutal films I've watched and quite possibly one of the most realist films I've ever seen. The violence is just so realistic you can find yourself cringing into it or probably closing your eyes, but the violence was a key aspect in this film because I just can't see any other way to see this other than R-18 or NC-17, if this was PG-13 of R- 13, I probably would never given this one a chance.

Music: This simply sets the mood and tone of the movie, it was haunting and can keep your pulse pounding even though you can probably predict what is about to happen next. It also helps Wood's character to have some more depth.

Cinematography: As I said before, the movie was shot mostly in a first-person view and this movie executed that perfectly, I felt that I was Frank in this movie and the shots surrounding the character was handled pretty well as you can feel that you are in there with him or you are him (like what I said). The perspective and the angles of the shots were amazing and truly captures the beauty of it's production. There are also some scenes who was shot in a third-person view and it was also nothing short of amazing.

Direction: This is the second film that I've watched from Franck Khalfoun and the first one being 'P2' and while I think that that was a creative horror, it just kinda sucked. Now I liked how he did the pacing in this movie because it didn't felt boring, in fact I thought it went by pretty fast, but my gripe here is the director lacks the depth of telling a wonderful story.

Overall: 'Maniac' is probably not the horror film you will expect it to be but it is a very effective thriller with a terrifying performance from the lead which showcases more from the actor. The story somehow felt flat and some of them wasn't told quite as good as some scenes but I liked this movie despite that problem. Now, even though I liked this movie the only grade that I can give this one is 6.5/10.

In 2008 we were greeted with one of the best comic book movies which is Iron Man, then in 2010 a sequel happened and it kinda felt of a mixed bag. So is the latest installment in the Iron Man franchise able to live up to the awesomeness of the original or will it be the worst film among the three? Read on below.

Story: The story is a continuation of 'Marvel's The Avengers' and I must say that the story for this movie is probably the smartest story that Marvel has ever told. The ideas and plot points were completely fleshed out and the story was told in a way that can get you entertained while thinking at the same time. This movie didn't have the need to add any more aspect to make the story better, the plot points was just perfect and was explained well, and also it also just stick in telling one story.

Acting: The performances of the actors here is very authentic, it felt like you are just watching something that is in front of you. It was nice to see some more action from RDJ's Tony Stark without wearing the suit and the same thing goes with Don Cheadle's James Rhodes. I also liked the performance of James Badge Dale, Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley, Dale played a very menacing 'right hand' and both Pearce and Kingsley played their role excellently. Despite my praise for the performances of the actors, I also have my gripe with the development of the characters, some of them felt like they was just there for the sake of being present in the movie and I also think that some characters even got over-hyped. This is where this latest installment failed in, the development of characters because some of the characters felt really rushed and sometimes inappropriate. It was also nice seeing Jon Favreau back as Happy Hogan, good thing their is no bad ties in there and I felt really glad that I didn't get irritated by the kid (Ty Simpkins) in here, though his performance was not great, it wasn't bad either.

Action/Violence: This is an action-packed film, plain and simple but even though it has straight action, I don't think it was all that violent. In my opinion this installment has more action scenes than its predecessors and also each action scene was executed well, it kept the film at brisk pace and more importantly it was an aspect in the film that made it a whole lot entertaining.

Visual FX: Hands down, the best effects I've ever seen in an Iron Man film. It looks very natural and authentic and you can clearly see that a lot of work and effort has been put in this movie to be visually stunning. What I liked with the effects in this film is the usage of both CGI and practical effects, I mean practical effects is still the best way to go but when someone is falling you probably might want to add some CGI in it (I know senseless rant).

Music: I didn't bother much with the music but all I can say is that it helped the scenes to be much more meaningful and it added some depth into it. I miss hearing AC/DC in this film though.

Cinematography: This movie also delivers on being the best shot Iron Man movie (well, for me though) and with a little help from a CGI it was good overall.

Direction: One of the best aspects in this film is having Shane Black working behind the camera. I am a huge fan of all his films and seeing him take on this character was very exciting. It is not hard to tell that this is indeed a Shane Black film because, one, despite the seriousness of it in every trailer, the humor is very present in this movie and is probably the funniest Marvel film to date. Two, the buddy-cop formula is also present, you can sense this chemistry within the partnership of Tony Stark and James Rhodes. And lastly, three, the dramatic depth, even though this was a humorous movie, there is some depth in the dramatic scenes as it felt very moving and you will cheer up for the leads.

Overall: I will say that 'Iron Man 3' is not better than the original Iron Man but it is definitely on par with that and definitely surpassing its predecessor. To top it with great performances from the leads and villains, the amazing visual effects, and the very entertaining action scenes and smart lines, this movie makes it the perfect conclusion of the Iron Man trilogy. I am positive that this is surely one of Marvel's best efforts and I give this a 4/5.

Today, I watched one of the greatest films I've ever seen in my life. This film is called 'The Dark Knight Rises'.

Here's the official synopsis of TDKR: "It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane."

Now, onto my review, some minor spoilers ahead though:

Story: The Dark Knight Rises started as a slightly slow paced film and quite frankly I got a little bored but as it progresses the pacing became much better. Even though boredom may occur at the first act of the film, you must not waste even a minute of watching this for as every second and minute is essential to the films continuity.

Acting: The acting in this film is just superb, everybody in the cast did a stellar and unforgettable performance, but the one who really shines in this awesome spectacle is Anne Hathaway and Michael Caine, every lines delivered, every action made, just wow! Christian Bale also did great and for me this is his best portrayal of the billionaire playboy and caped crusader. Tom Hardy was a menacing Bane but let's face it, The Joker is still the best villain. Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays a good ally of Batman and also puts on a great performance. Gary Oldman, same as before, perfect casting for Jim Gordon. Marion Cotillard also puts on a good performance but a forgettable one (for me). Morgan Freeman and Matthew Modine, even though only a short screen time also showed a good performance.

Soundtrack: I thought Hans Zimmer will not be able to top himself after 'The Dark Knight' but he did top himself in this one, the soundtracks was just mesmerizing, haunting and memorable. He is definitely one of the best working composers today.

Cinematography: One word. Awesome. Wally has never been this good, every shot is just perfect.

Direction: Chris Nolan did it again and delivered not only one of the most memorable Batman film but he also gave us one of the most memorable films ever that will be talked about for the years to come. Nolan gave it his all, and in my opinion this the best film that he ever made.

Final Verdict: The Dark Knight Rises is the perfect way to end a trilogy. A 2 hour and 45 minutes of sheer awesomeness and utter brilliance, all from the mind of a master filmmaker (well for me anyways) Christopher Nolan. For me this is the best film in the trilogy and epic is the perfect word to describe this film. This is much more action-packed than all the other Bat-films. I am sure to catch this one again on theaters. 10/10 A brilliant masterpiece by Christopher Nolan.

My top 5 comic book movies: 1. The Dark Knight Rises 2. Watchmen 3. The Dark Knight 4. The Avengers 5. Batman Begins

P.S. My condolences to the families of the people involved in the shooting at Colorado. May God bless their souls.