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The Flight Movie Review

Denzel Washington delivers an Oscar worthy performance in the new Robert Zemekis (Forest Gump & Back to the Future) film, Flight. Washington is in almost every scene in the movie and he carries the weight of the film on his shoulders with much success. Flight is a character study of a hero with a dark side. Washington plays Whip Whitaker, a pilot who saves dozens of lives when the plane he’s flying has a mechanical malfunction; but his blood alcohol level was over three times the legal limit in any U.S. state while he was behind the controls.

The segment in the movie of the plane going down is a fine piece of film work. Zemeckis is in his element as the director of a special effects blockbuster. You get the feeling of terror that you’d would expect in the moments before you were about to plunge to your death. The hair on the back of my neck stood up for the entire 15 to 20 minutes of the plane crash scene. But it’s not just special effects that carry the movie. The story is fast paced and well told. You see Washington’s character spiraling out of control and you hang on to every scene while wondering how it will all turn out.

In the hospital, after the crash, Whip meets Nicole (Kelly Reilly), a beautiful red head who is recovering after a near fatal heroin overdose, and we are introduced to Harling Mayes (John Goodman), a good old boy “Dr. Feelgood” who supplies Whip with everything he needs for his addiction. Don Cheadle also delivers a fine performance as the attorney who the pilots union provides for Whip for his defense against the NTSB; which is trying to blame the crash on pilot error and negligence.

Whip’s story is told with both tragedy and comedy and it makes for a very compelling and entertaining movie.

Movie Review For Alex Cross

The latest James Patterson novel to be turned in to a movie is Alex Cross. The author’s previous movie adaptations were “Kiss the Girls” and “Along Came a Spider”. In both of those movies Morgan Freeman played the movie version of Alex Cross. This story is a prequel to the previous movies and Detective Cross is played by Tyler Perry. Obviously, there is no comparison between the two actors. Perry’s Alex Cross movie isn’t even in the same area code as the previous movies with Freeman. It’s hard to see Perry as a “heavy” in pursuit of a hard core, sadistic killer when we’ve previously only seen him doing light, sappy romantic comedies and usually dressed in drag. Perry just can’t carry this movie on his shoulders.

The supporting cast is stellar. Cicely Tyson plays Alex’s mother. Edward Burns plays his sidekick and Giancarlo Esposito and Jean Reno play bad guys in the movie, but Matthew Fox as the professional killer, Picasso, steals this movie with his psychotic portrayal of the hit man that enjoys his job a little too much.

Even the small children, who portray the Cross kids, act rings around Perry. This is very evident in a key scene where heavy orchestra music has to set the mood because Perry just can’t get sad enough as the distraught father trying to console his little girl after a funeral. (The last time heard this many strings I was attending a Yo Yo Ma concert.)

Tyler Perry fans will no doubt support this film because they are true fans and they will not be disappointed in his skills as a serious actor. Alex Cross was alright i think the story line could have been better, this movie is slow and could use more action. On a scale from one to five I give it a three.

Movie Review For Hotel Transylvania

Hotel Transylvania is a new Sony Pictures animated movie starring the voices of Adam Sandler, Kevin James, CeeLo Green, Selena Gomez, Molly Shannon, Steve Buscemi and David Spade. The all star cast breathes new life into the old school monsters they play on the big screen. In Hotel Transylvania Adam Sandler voices the character of Dracula, a single dad with a baby girl, who he’s hell bent on protecting his daughter from the village people who burned down his castle in the 1800’s and killed his wife. His plan is to build a five star “Monsters Only” hotel where monsters can vacation safely without the threat of humans trying to destroy them.

On his daughter’s 118th birthday he holds a huge monster bash with all of the classic monsters (The Werewolf, Frankenstein, The Mummy, and the invisible man), and their families, dropping by for the hotel for the big celebration. His plans start to fall apart when a teenage boy drops in at the hotel looking to join the party. Things are further complicated when his daughter, Mavis (voiced by Selena Gomez) gets the “Zing” for the boy and his over protective mode goes into high gear.

Hotel Transylvania is a sweet and funny movie that can be enjoyed by kids and adults. The characters are funny and the message of tolerance toward people (or monsters) that are different comes through loud and clear. It’s a great family movie with a lot of music and laughs. You will really like this movie.

Bane And The Dark Knight Rises

Your punishment must be more severe.” It’s here. The legend is coming to an end this summer, on July 20th, 2012. Are you ready? Warner Bros has officially released the third and final trailer for Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Rises following the reveal through the viral online all day. This is their all out, final reveal to get everyone in theaters, without showing too much, and it works. This looks phenomenal. Christian Bale returns as Batman with Tom Hardy as Bane, Anne Hathaway as Catwoman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Juno Temple, Gary Oldman and Michael Caine. The Fire Rises!

Eight years after The Dark Knight, the terrorist leader Bane arrives in Gotham City, pushing it and its police force to the limits, forcing its former hero Batman to resurface after taking the fall for Harvey Dent.The Dark Knight Rises is once again directed by Oscar nominated British filmmaker Christopher Nolan, of Following, Memento, Insomnia, Batman Begins, The Prestige, The Dark Knight and Inception previously. The script was co-written by Christopher & Jonathan Nolan (The Prestige, The Dark Knight), from a story by Chris Nolan & David S. Goyer (of Batman Begins, The Dark Knight). Warner Bros is bringing The Dark Knight Rises to regular and IMAX theaters everywhere friday July 20th, 2012.

Pixar Finding Nemo Sequel,Toy Story, And Monsters Inc Release

Coming to theaters this September is Pixar’s Finding Nemo re-rendered in Disney Digital 3D, and it looks like it will be a wonderful experience. With that on the horizon, we have other big news from Disney/Pixar this morning. Word from Deadline is that a long-awaited sequel to Finding Nemo is now being developed at Pixar, and that Andrew Stanton, who directed the original Finding Nemo as well as Wall-E, is returning to direct it before he goes on to another live-action project. Not many details are known beyond that, but they assure us “the studio is working on it.” It looks like we’re going to see a Finding Nemo sequel after all.

For many years, Pixar was known as the studio who wouldn’t make sequels, sticking with original ideas (give or take Toy Story 2). But under Disney, they’ve been cooking up quite a few of them recently, between Toy Story 3 (2010), Cars 2 (2011) and Monsters University (a prequel) coming up next (2013). Deadline’s report only states: “I’ve been hearing for months that he would come aboard to direct the sequel to Disney-based Pixar’s Finding Nemo, with the idea that Disney would give him another shot behind the camera on a live action film.” He makes them a hit sequel, they’ll let him make his next live-action film. But as for specific details, we don’t know anything else, besides that it’s apparently in the works, but not even official yet. “I’m hearing that nothing is firm but that the studio is working on it.” We’ll keep a close eye on things from here.

Out of all of Pixar’s movies, Finding Nemo is one of the only other ones I honestly wouldn’t mind seeing a sequel for. The others I would give a pass to are Monsters Inc. (already getting its follow-up) and of course The Incredibles. But on that side, it seems like Brad Bird is doing a bit better than Andrew Stanton, considering he was just signed for Damon Lindelof’s 1952 project and we all know what happened with John Carter. We’ll watch for updates, but I wouldn’t expect to see this sequel until 2015 anyway

Ice Age Continental Drift Movie Review

As a big fan of John Leguizamo’s work in the past, it’s a little disappointing that the only thing keeping his career from falling into oblivion is the continuance of the Ice Age franchise. However, I have to say that his toothy character Sid the Sloth is certainly one of the better parts of the newest trailer for Ice Age: Continental Drift, the fourth film in the animated film series. Plus, it’s a big help that we also get to see what kind of villains we’re dealing with and that they’re a rag tag team of animal pirates led by a prehistoric orangutan voiced by none other than “Game of Thrones” favorite Peter Dinklage.

Here’s a synopsis for Ice Age: Continental Drift, co-directed by Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier at Blue Sky Studios: One of filmdom’s most beloved trios – Ice Age’s Manny, Diego, and Sid – embark upon their greatest adventure after cataclysm sets an entire continent adrift. Separated from the rest of the herd, they use an iceberg as a makeshift ship, which launches them on an epic seafaring quest. Manny and the gang are challenged like never before to become heroes and do the impossible, as they encounter exotic sea creatures, explore a brave new world, and battle ruthless pirates. And Scrat’s reunion with his cursed nut catapults him to places no prehistoric squirrel has gone before. Starts in theaters on July 13th, 2012.

Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection

Tyler Perry has his Madea character on a leash in the latest movie in that franchise, “Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection,” a comedy that is based on the Bernie Madoff investment Ponzi-scheme. For years, George Needleman (Levy), the gentle CFO of a Wall Street investment bank, has been living with his head in the clouds. But George is finally forced to wake up when he learns that his firm, Lockwise Industries, has been operating a mob-backed Ponzi scheme – and that he’s been set up as the fall guy. Facing criminal charges and death threats from the mob, George and his entire family are put under witness protection in the safest place that Brian (Perry), a federal prosecutor from Atlanta, can think of… His Aunt Madea’s house down South. Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection” is rated PG-13 and the first of his movies to open in the summer.

Sleepless in Seattle Director Passed Away at Age 71

There was a lot confusion online today when reports of the passing of filmmaker Nora Ephron surfaced and were quickly recanted as the director of films like Sleepless in Seattle and writer of When Harry Met Sally was said to be very ill, but not yet dead. Well, Variety now has word that Ms. Ephron ended up passing away today at age 71-years old after a battle with leukemia. Though Ephron only directed eight feature films in her career, she certainly left her mark as one of the most influential female directors and writers in Hollywood and has crafted some of the best romantic comedies in the history of film. More below.

In addition to the aforementioned modern classics, Ephron also directed Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan again in You’ve Got Mail, not to mention John Travolta in both Lucky Numbers and Michael, Will Ferrell and Nicole Kidman in Bewitched, Steve Martin in Mixed Nuts, Carrie Fisher, Julie Kavner and Dan Aykroyd in her first film This is My Life, and finally Meryl Streep and Amy Adams in her final film Julie & Julia. She also wrote most of her own films, not to mention Hanging Up with Diane Keaton and My Blue Heaven with Steve Martin. Her films have touched many, including myself, as I regard When Harry Met Sally to be one of the best romantic comedies ever, and definitely in my favorite films of all-time. This is truly a tragic loss. Our thoughts go out to her friends and family in this difficult time. My you Rest in peace and thanks for all the great movies through the years.

Pixar’s Fairytale Adventure Brave

If you had the chance to change your fate, would you?” Disney/Pixar has just unveiled the third official full-length trailer (via Apple) for Brave, Pixar’s first fairytale, a Scottish adventure about a red-haired princess named Merida and her family, and three brothers. Kelly Macdonald voices Merida, Emma Thompson voices the Queen, and Billy Connolly the King. We’ve seen many trailers and footage for this already, and while I’m always going to go see every Pixar movie, it seems they’ve been hiding a lot of where the actual story goes in Brave, including something involving those bears. Looks like Pixar magic yet again!

Since ancient times, stories of epic battles and mystical legends have been passed through the generations across the rugged and mysterious Highlands of Scotland. In Pixar’s Brave, a new tale joins the lore when the courageous Merida (voice of Kelly Macdonald) confronts tradition, destiny and the fiercest of beasts.

Brave was originally being directed by Pixar’s first female director, Brenda Chapman (of Prince of Egypt), but she was then joined by Mark Andrews (of the short One Man Band) who took over to help finish the movie.

Abraham Lincoln’s Vampire Hunter Movie Review

President Lincoln’s mother is killed by a supernatural creature, fueling his passion to crush vampires and their slave-owning helpers. A cross between D.W. Griffith’s Abraham Lincoln & F. W. Murnau’s Nosferatu.Trailers Open With Abe saying “however history remembers me before I was president, I shall always think of myself as a hunter.” Well, as someone who hasn’t been as impressed by the trailers as some viewers, I have to say that Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter has my full attention. A new red band trailer has just cropped up online and it’s great bloody fun with some ridiculous action. I think the tone is still a little too serious for such over-the-top action, so I’m not sure how that’s going to work on the big screen, but I’m at least somewhat excited about this adaptation from Timur Bekmambetov now.

Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter is directed by Russian filmmaker Timur Bekmambetov, director of the Night/Day Watch series, Irony of Fate 2, and Wanted previously. An adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s mash-up novel of the same name, it was adapted by writers Seth Grahame-Smith & Simon Kinberg.This will be a great summer blockbuster for all you vampire movie lovers so go and check it out you wont be disappointed.