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PROMETHEUS (2012)


It's hard to say whether the hype for Prometheus benefited it in the long run, or had it falling short of the expectations of many fans of Ridley Scott. This film's had such an expectation that it's almost unbelievable. We'd seen such things with titles like The Avengers and currently in the upcoming (supposed) final installment to Nolan's Batman series.
This film, however, has a few things that have it falling just short of what it had been presented to be.

The plot behind Prometheus seems to echo a little bit with countless other sci-fi films - but of course - as a result of being under the masterful hand of Ridley Scott, it has tweaks made. In 2089, archaeologist couple Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway discover a star-map among several unconnected ancient cultures. They interpret these as an invitation from humanity's forerunners, the "Engineers". Upon doing so, they and a crew find themselves on a space vessel named "Prometheus" and venture to a planet light-years away where the discover an alien race and much more than they bargained for; potentially dooming Earth as a result of their findings.

The plot idea itself is intriguing and attention grabbing and for a decent portion of the film, it draws you in. It's the mystery and the suspense of finding what some of Earth's finest scientists wish to discover that keeps audiences on the edge of their seat. We all know something's going to happen; it's just the question of to who, at what point and why?
But while the story, the CGI and the beautifully shot sequences in this film dazzle audiences there is clear room for improvement.

I think the first flaw was the idea that had emerged as if Prometheus was not a stand-alone film. It was immediately titled 'THE PREQUEL' to Alien. When something like that happens, it's hard to go into a film and stand at an objective point and look at the film as what it is rather than what it's expected to explore. Sure, it has aspects of the Alien films which makes it even harder to distance oneself from Scott's previous works in the sci-fi genre, but it also has originality. The film has a complexity which is underlining the progression of events in this film, and sadly, not all of them are explored in enough depth.

Character's seem a little underdeveloped and motives are constantly up in the air. While that makes sense to some degree, and maybe Scott is trying to pin the message of the unpredictable nature of people in the world, a lot of characters just don't seem anywhere near developed enough to convey that message in a powerful way. As expected, the main character develops, but most others fall short of being intriguing, unique or multi-dimensional characters.

Ridley Scott brings his masterful touch to this film. The scenes are brilliant and the CGI is amazingly detailed that it's hard to believes that the vast majority of the things we see aren't in fact real. Alien life looks as real as the actors set to play alongside the CGI; a feat in itself. Scott's direction should be commended as well. While the film doesn't have some of the development that I'd hoped for, I believe that given a longer run-time - a lot more could have been looked at and discussed. However, things need to be cut for one reason or another. I just wish that Scott had explored some of the more intriguing ideas that he'd presented in more detail. While we see glimpses of aspects which formed ideas, we never truly get to see anything in its entirety. Without spoiling anything, I can't single anything out exactly, but suffice to say - it can be somewhat frustrating. With that being said, Scott can't be faulted on this magnificent effort to a point that is un-redeeming.

Noomi Rapace plays excellently as Elizabeth Shaw. Her performance was thoroughly enjoyable and believable and her display of complex emotions often scene stealers in their own right. She was the perfect choice for a lead and perhaps was able to explore her character the most in regards to development. Michael Fassbender as David was a wonder to watch. The robotic created being, representing a humanoid was undeniably a difficult character to find a balance in; especially as David needed to seem so human it was hard to distinguish him from others, but playing him just robotic enough to be inhuman. Logan Marshal-Green was exceptional to watch on screen. He really showed his acting ability in the role of Charlie Holloway. I wish his development in character would've been more detailed as he was captivating to watch as he progressed through the film; a screen presence I won't soon forget. Special mention to Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce and Idris Elba who all acted brilliantly, but once more, were let down by their lack of character development.

There's no doubting that Prometheus is an entertaining film which has all the fireworks and on-screen beauty that a sci-fi lover would want. However, it's missing some of the delicate features and the execution which really makes a movie not just great but memorable and iconic. It will get all the recognition it deserves and more, but with a slightly longer running time and more attention to characters rather than just the progression of the plot, this film could have been easily among some of the favorite lists of movie-goers around the world.


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MAVERICK (1994)

Now, there's just something about Maverick that I've always loved. I don't know if it's the cast, the plot or the down-the-line directing with satirical, smart and crude humor thrown into the mix that makes Maverick such an entertaining film to watch and indulge in on a night in. In fact, maybe it's a bit of all of those things.

Maverick's simple and easy-going. It's not a film that's asking you to take it all that seriously, but at the same time, it's driving home a message that incorporates the effects of greed and money in its lighthearted endeavor to be entertaining. Bret Maverick (Mel Gibson) is in need of money for a poker tournament. While he knows exactly where he can get the money to secure himself a place in the tournament, it seems as though all the people indebted to him are a little less then willing to hand over what they owe. Amidst the drama of securing his cash, Maverick finds himself in the company of a fellow gambler and artful thief (Jodie Foster) and a serious, firm and law-abiding lawman (James Garner).

Directed by Richard Donner, it's hard to say that much was at fault here. The film flows seamlessly from point to point and the Western backdrops are believable and yet at the same time cartoon-ish and comical. The sets are intriguing and at the times we're supposed to feel tense, we do. Put simply, Donner manages to execute a perfect hold on his audience ensuring that the feel everything he wanted them to.

Mel Gibson as Bret Maverick is exceptional. While the character himself is somewhat dimwitted, cowardice and plain misled, Gibson still manages to bring a suave and charm to the character that's exceptionally entertaining to watch. Jodie Foster captures Anabelle Bransford quite well also, conveying her motives with ease but, whilst doing this, still adding an element of uncertainty about the character herself so that audiences don't exactly know who Mrs. Bransford is, where she's from or how she found herself in Bret Maverick's path. James Garner played brilliantly as Marshal Zane Cooper and brought a seriousness to his role whilst still being quite humorous and witty in the way he delivered his dialogue. With a jab at the Lethal Weapon films with Danny Glover appearing in a cameo role as a bank robber, this cast is satisfying and fun to watch. At times, you even forget that you're watching to see what happens next because of how captivating the actors are in their characters and how interesting fictional people they're conveying can be. The way characters respond to situations; just marvelous!

Maverick's an entertaining film. It's smart, fun and has a message pulling through the story the whole way. The message doesn't seem forced or added just for good measure, but seems as if it fell into place as a result of the motives of countless characters in the film and their lust for fortune. While some may not enjoy it as much as others, it's an incredible joy to watch for the pleasant story and the wonderful chemistry between the cast.





Haven't seen this movie in ages nice review
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Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha



Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
Got to give you rep for Maverick. That's a film that I've always enjoyed immensely. And the Danny Glover cameo always produces a little smile from me



An Auto-Bot that reviews movies....


LAWLESS

(2012)

If a film starts with young lads and guns, you know you're in for a wild ride. Lawless is perhaps one of the most realistically gruesome films I've seen with a very welcome cleanser to some of the films that are finding their way to the big screen in the recent year(s).
Whilst being released in almost coincidence with a Paranormal Activity title, this film is hardly going to get the recognition it deserves - in replacement for a film with little heart, meaning or purpose other than to frighten and push audiences out of their seats, rather than doing what Lawless has endeavored so marvelously to do; keep you comfortably seated and eager for more.

To say that the plot of Lawless was the work of soley the writers would be a misleading statement. The film itself is based on the true story of three brothers (the Bondurant's) and their bootlegging moonshine gang in Depression-era Franklin County, when outsider authorities threaten to cut their profits. With a new deputy being warped, twisted, cruel and corrupt orchestrating events - things only turn for the worst in regards to the brother's bootlegging business and their livelihood.

As the film itself progresses, it compels you and endows you with a sense of curiosity and amazement. The consideration that the events that take place are, to some degree, in fact true only adds more of an intrigue factor. Not only does this film, it's plot and it's characters take hold of your attention - but - like any good film; your emotions and heart too.

The direction of Lawless can scarcely be faulted. John Hillcoat manages to balance an exceptional story of three brothers with a beautiful (and yet at times, haunting) backdrop. The locations and the camera work incorporated into this film are in some respects what make it such a magical experience to be apart of. The locations are consistently believable and the camera angles make sure to show everything we want to see - if not more. It's rare nowadays for fight sequences in films to be quick, calculated and the camera work deliberate; however, Lawless cuts that concept away and re-introduces us to a world where audiences actually 'see' what's going on. You see the full brunt of the action.
In some ways, it appears as though Hillcoat's approach to capturing the story of the Bondurant brothers was even taken back to the golden-era of film; no extravagant camera angles, just simple work - but - a complex use of simple ideas. Something I personally preferred to crane shots, speedy camera angles or handheld motion shots. A true refresher.

Additionally, whilst Hillcoat's direction was exceptional, the performances delivered by the leading cast as well as the ensemble that was behind them is truly what endows interest in the characters and the story. Whilst entertaining and captivating at almost every running moment, Lawless is the type of film that - without the right cast - you could observe as being boring, drawn out and at the mercy of bad pacing. However, with Shia LaBeouf (Jack Bondurant) as the youngest of the brothers and the lead character blossoming like never before, he distils a sense of emotion in the film. If anyone needs a reason to see why LaBeouf is more than a one-trick pony in his 21st Century teen roles; Lawless is it. Tom Hardy is exceptional in this film. Playing Forrest Bondurant, he's the voice of reason of the brothers, and yet, at the same time, perhaps one of the more violent and effective. Hardy brings a seriousness to the role, whilst at the same time, his character delivers perhaps most of the laughs for the audience - truly showing his versatility as an actor and the actor-audience relationship he can evoke through his regularly faultless performances. Jason Clarke plays Howard Bondurant and had me convinced from the get-go that he'd captured his character. The way he displayed an alcoholic, violent and tormented brother was a sight to see and can't be truly explained until you see the realism of his interpretation.
Guy Pearce plays the new deputy in town and a truly irritating, hate-worthy bad guy. Everything about the way Pearce conveys his character, in appearance, personality and bodily gesture had me cringing and loathing his character all the more. Whilst you hate the character himself, you have to commend Pearce for his portrayal; undoubtedly.
Special mention to Gary Oldman and Daniel DeHaan for their somewhat more sparse roles, however, when on screen - they both captured your attention.

Lawless is a powerful film. It has immense purpose and looks at mortality in an intriguing light. More than that, it's constantly looking at family and how far people as a whole would go for their loved ones. It's a bold film and takes a step away from most that have hit the big screen as of late. It's star power is phenomenal and the performances in the film are dumbfounding.
With Hillcoat at the helm and the ensemble he had to work with, Lawless is perhaps one of the best film to hit theaters this year and deserves a great deal more attention that it'll probably obtain.
A near masterpiece.




Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
Bumblebee!!! Where the hell have you been fella?



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Bumblebee!!! Where the hell have you been fella?
Jay! Hello, hello!
Just been a busy time of year with a lot of study going on.
Very much glad to be back and seeing some friendly, familiar faces.



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THE GUARD
(2011)

If ever there were a politically incorrect movie that deserved viewing by all those far and wide, it's this one. The Guard is a uniquely new, witty and well crafted film directed and written by John Michael McDonagh.
So when you come across Brendan Gleeson as Sergeant Gerry Boyle opening the film with one of the most horrendous situations, but, with perhaps the funniest line to go with it - given the circumstances presented - you'll be certain you're in for a chuckle and an intriguingly crafted, directed and filmed picture.

The Guard takes off introducing it's protagonist, Boyle (Gleeson) and moves from there when eventually, the vastly unorthodox Irish policeman with a confrontational personality is teamed up with an FBI agent to investigate an international drug-smuggling ring; something very, very new to Boyle personally.
While the story itself appears like your run-of-the-mil drug-bust flick, The Guard is anything but. It's crude, well paced and incredulously well scripted which makes the simple plot blossom. If there was comedic writing to be commended at any point, it'd be here. With that being said, The Guard had a way of being hysterical and heart-wrenching all at the same time; saddening and maddeningly humorous. And yet, somehow, it works!

Director McDonagh shows his talents with The Guard. In directing a film with such star power as it has, it was undeniably no easy task to bring out the best in each of these actors' abilities - however - somehow, every role that every performer has in the film works phenomenally to their strengths; almost as if the characters were written 'for' them. Additionally, The Guard is shot in a dark-eerie manner but it works to bring out an undertone of beauty which is Ireland. The countless green-painted walls in the film posing as backdrops for a great deal of scenes only strengthens the Irish theme of the film and not for a moment does it feel like you're outside of where the film is so completely based. While stereotypes are addressed and made fun of, McDonagh does so with a certain poise which doesn't leave you feeling uneasy. Racial slurs and countless other potentially offensive material in the film are worked in so well with the script and executed so well by the chosen cast that it's not offense that is taken - but humor extracted in its most pure and dark of forms. In Bruges is a prime example of a potential inspiration drawn on by McDonagh - and if it wasn't one - well, all the same - they share a mutual crude humor level.

The performances given in The Guard are magical. Every member that makes up the ensemble, with special mention to those such as Brendan Gleeson (Harry Potter), Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones), Don Cheadle (Iron Man 2) and Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes) who really make this film blossom with their complete encompassment of their characters, their perplexing delivery of dialogue and all-out approach to their acting. For a film with such serious potential but with the complete purpose to bring laughter to its audiences, it's a wonder to watch the cast work with the script and convey it in the manner they see fit to do such a challenging and entertaining task.

The Guard is one of those films that you can watch again and again. With great directing, exceptional performances and an intriguing tale of perhaps one of the most unorthodox and politically incorrect police officers to appear on screens - The Guard is a film that certainly deserves a watch. Not only will it entertain you but it'll astound you with is hysterical performances and outstanding star power.





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The Hunger Games:
Catching Fire

(2013)




Starting simply, the first installment of the Hunger Games film series didn't ultimately mesh well with what I had expected from the film - however - not for one moment would Catching Fire be allowed to be judged on such prior experiences. Cinema has proven time and time again that whilst a series may be linked in terms of its events, characters and story-drive - those behind the films themselves learn from former mistakes and thereafter, craft films of emotional connection, insightfulness and cut clean away from the realm of predictability.
The second installment of the Hunger Games series is proof of this.

As an audience member not having read the books, the films themselves are the ultimate drive for telling a story in which is both captivating, enticing and rich with character development and emotion. The pages are not to be relied upon; the film itself, the only true vessel for those of us whom have not delved into the literary world of this tale for one reason or another. In such, the film begins sometime after the events of the 74th Hunger Games. Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, the victors find themselves alive - but truly - broken as individuals; plagued by the traumas they sustained within the violent, volatile arena in which they had been forced to take as their home. However, all becomes far more complicated when the both of them become targets of the Capitol after their victory in the 74th Hunger Games sparks a rebellion in the Districts of Panem. This vague plot allows for so much to grow from it. Characters are essentially their own, not reminisce of any others that have donned a place in the series before hand and each new addition serves a specific and prominent purpose.

In Catching Fire, the audience is throttled through emotional endeavors which are reminiscent of the first part in the series. The character centric plot ensures that for not a single moment will the audience be allowed to detach and sit idly by without "feeling" during slower scenes, or, action sequences made completely to entertain and feed our lust for violence, much like the Hunger Games in turn are for the Capitol. And while the film connects to the audience and its action sequences are far better shot than the original film, it is the depth and interweaving of exceptionally complex and underestimated/unappreciated characters on the audiences part that truly bring Catching Fire to the forefront of viewers minds. As an audience member, it is a commonness for us to take characters off of face value and judge them accordingly, basically from the first moment we see/hear them on screen. Catching Fire take that idea and reminds us - watch, analyze and understand. Never simply jump to conclusions; almost as if it's trying to teach the audience a lesson of not judging people in the real world on face value alone.

Francis Lawrence does an excellent job in directing this film. He brings the actors to the forefront of the screen with every moment a character has a moment of dialogue, balancing out interactions with skill. Undoubtedly, with the copious amount of characters - some staying - others going within the blink of an eye, it can hardly be considered a simple task to grant each character the spotlight time they deserve and require in order to develop. Yet, Lawrence manages and not for a moment does the film feel like a cluttered mess as a result of it. Additionally, the story pulls along nicely, not feeling slow in parts like the first suffered from in my opinion. Scenes are shot with a particular beauty, and yet, a particular nature of uncanny scariness when you remember the world that these people reside in. A script that's not solely dependent on the words uttered, but the actions taken by them, credit should not be ignored here either. In truth, it felt as though the film ran just long enough to tell all it needed to tell in order to set up for another installment. While the first quarter/half of the movie is mostly a set up for the future of the series and this film itself, it seems necessary - and quite unlike some other films - doesn't leave audiences glancing down at their watch; for the direction, script and scenery shot pose to be beautifully manipulated in a way that we, as viewers, are not left staring at voice boxes explaining and allowing us to understand the before's of the film and the potential afters.

Performances in this film are to be praised. Jennifer Lawrence (Katniss) brings such power and emotion to her performance that it's agonizing to observe the hurt in which her character is going through. Notable mentions to Woody Harrelson (Haymitch), whom plays the drunken mentor and quite simply, breaks away the tensions and heartache that the film ultimately centers around with his sarcastic remarks and his humorous interjections when needed. Other members of the cast carry their load as well and make this movie a collectively enjoyable film to watch, and for that reason, other than remarking on the mentioned two for specific reasons (and crucial components) they added to the film, I won't remark specifically on any others. This is mostly for the reason that this is quite simple an ensemble effort and not a film that can solely be judged on individual actors. Each performer brings their own piece to this tale, and each character creating its own feel in the world. Needless to say, for that reason, all those in the film deserve praise.

Catching Fire is a blockbuster movie which is an enjoyable watch. It holds painfully sad scenes, some moments of pure hilarity and more again, gives us action, romance and countless other components that make a film a pleasure to watch. Certainly not the best film to hit theaters in the most recent of times, but hardly the worst. Most certainly worth a watch.... Just to find a reason to Catch Fire on the way to the viewing.



4/5



Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
Wow welcome back BumbleBee. Long time no see. Where you been?



I can count on one hand the number of episodes of the TV show I actually watched and your review did not motivate me to want to see the movie. There was one phrase in your review that did confuse me though...what did you mean by "and of course, Jessica Biel"? Why "of course"?



An Auto-Bot that reviews movies....
Glad to hear you enjoyed the Hunger Games Mr. afficionado.

Wow welcome back BumbleBee. Long time no see. Where you been?
It's good to be back and see you guys around still! It just seems as though works been swamping me and I haven't really had the chance to jump back onto the site as a result. But I'm back now with the holiday break upon me.

Nice review nice to see you
Thank you kindly, nebbit.
The Bee.gifs will never stop humoring me. haha.

I can count on one hand the number of episodes of the TV show I actually watched and your review did not motivate me to want to see the movie. There was one phrase in your review that did confuse me though...what did you mean by "and of course, Jessica Biel"? Why "of course"?
Truthfully, Gideon, I didn't think too much of The A-Team and that review wasn't so much to convince people to see the film itself as it was to deter anyone thinking it was going to be something special. As for the "of course", it was merely the wording. Seeming the review was quite some time ago, I can't recall the reasoning for it. :P