WOULD RATHER DO THE KESSEL RUN? Franchise Disdain Colors "Star Trek Into Darkness"

"Star Trek Into Darkness" is akin to the central conceit of "The Wizard of Oz". The movie works if you allow yourself to be taken in by the spectacle but fail to look for the proverbial man behind the curtain. ...

Top Ten Horror Movies Of A Kindle Horror Book Writer

1. Frankenstein (1931) - The granddaddy of them all: Frankenstein's Monster, played by the great Boris Karloff. This was the film that got me hooked on horror movies when I first saw it as a kid. Nobody has been able to play Frankenstein's creation quite like Karloff did, as he brought a remarkable sense of pathos to the role. I love everything about this movie, from Colin Clive's ecstatically crazed tones of "It's alive! Alive!" to the fiery finale in the old windmill. The ultimate Universal horror movie, and a true classic. ...

A Review of "The Legend of Hercules"

"The Legend of Hercules" is an entertaining movie in the fantasy-action genre directed by Renny Harlin from a screenplay written by Harlin, Daniel Giat, Giulio Steve and Sean Hood, "The Legend of Hercules" is an entertaining movie in the fantasy-action genre. The film tells a complex tale of warring kingdoms with the city-states of Greece positioned as the protagonists in the battles. Infused alongside the bloody battle scenes is a simple love story between Hercules and the woman who becomes his wife, a beautiful maiden called Hebe. ...

"THE INVISIBLE WOMAN" - A New Film Report

The time is mid-eighteen hundreds, and Charles Dickens- renowned author, public speaker, celebrity on both sides of the Atlantic- a man given to good causes and seemingly adulated with every step- meets a young and lovely actress- Nelly Ternan. He is forty-five and she is only eighteen. The times being Victorian and he being very conscious of how their love could destroy his commercial acceptance, they both strove to make her the woman who's invisible. ...

Wolf of Wall Street

Scorsese's newest film fetishises criminal financier, Jordan Belfont. It's a three hour trash-fest, of sex, drugs, and money, sometimes funny, even hilarious, but ultimately a painful reminder of how Wall street crooks rip us off. ...

Seeing Red (2)

After the surprise hit that was 2010's "RED", then directed by Robert Schwentke, a sequel was inevitable. Based on the DC Entertainment comic of the same name, the film was a quirky, tongue-in-cheek, wink-wink actioner about a group of ex-spy operatives who carry the designation "RED" ("Retired Extremely Dangerous"). ...

"HER" - A New Film Report

Every once in a while, along comes a movie, that is wildly original by tying into the way events are moving in the Human Intelligence of voice technology. (Please say hello to HER!) Would you believe that a fellow could fall in love with an advance computer who speaks lovingly in his ear phone just about whenever he summons HER to him. And she's able to intuit so much of what he thinks, as well as comforting him when he vents himself to HER. What a companion for a guy who is getting a divorce and is lonely as he works his day-to-day job of writing letters to customers in need of love! ...

Diesel Rolls The Dice On "Riddick"

The backstory behind the Riddick franchise is quite interesting. The first film, Pitch Black (2000), did well enough at the box office to warrant a big budget, studio backed sequel (The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)) that practically tanked at the box office. Reportedly, this was mostly due to the fact that it eschewed the tone and events of the first film. ...

LACKING BITE: "Dark Shadows" Is More Murky Than Dark

It used to be that one could think of Johnny Depp and Tim Burton as human representations of a candy bar slogan: "Two great tastes that taste great together." Cinematically, their collaborative efforts have produced varying degrees of great taste: "Edward Scissorhands", "Sleepy Hollow", "Sweeney Todd", and the like. ...

5 Must See Movies for Artists and Art Lovers!

Sometimes artistic vision can be illusive. It's not that your creative well has run dry or that the world's stockpiles of inspiration have been depleted. It's just that sometimes you have to travel a bit further than your front door to find it. Fortunately, for those who don't have an endless supply of money and time, these five documentary films do a fantastic job of taking you on an artistically inspiring journey around the world and through time. ...

Is Kristin Chenoweth Joining The 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' Cast?

When we heard that the Tony and Primetime Emmy Award winning actress, Kristin Chenoweth was seen at the Vancouver airport, and was rumoured to be a part of the cast of "Fifty Shades of Grey", we just had to find out more. After all, with a movie adaptation like that of "Fifty Shades of Grey", where cast changes, entries and exits seem to be the order of the day, adding or subtracting a celebrity name here and there, is no problem. ...

Lone Survivor - The Movie

I don't know what I expected from this movie- I thought I knew but didn't. Sure we can expect violence and death; after all, it is called Lone Survivor. ...

ENTER "THE WOLVERINE" - "The Wolverine" Is Unique for Its Mixture of Genres

This has been a big action packed summer. "Man of Steel", "Iron Man 3", "Red 2", "Star Trek Into Darkness", etc. Each film filled with action heroes and explosions galore. One would expect the same from the latest entry from the Marvel "House of Ideas". However, "The Wolverine", directed by James Mangold, is not what you expect. This is a good thing. ...

A Mediocre Family Gathering: Despite Showing Hints of Potential, "The Family" Ultimately Fails

Luc Besson has produced, written, and directed some of the most entertaining and pulse pounding films of the last two-plus decades, among them "Leon: The Professional"; "Taken" (and its sequel); "The Fifth Element"; and "The Transporter" series. However, even with a track record like that it's possible to misfire and unfortunately, "The Family" misses the target. ...

Review: "The Wolf of Wall Street"

"The Wolf of Wall Street," directed by Martin Scorsese, is a dark comedy based on the life and career of former Wall Street magnate Jordan Belfort. The screenplay, written by Terence Winter, is based on the memoir Belfort penned after spending several years in federal prison for white-collar crimes. The star-studded cast includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Matthew McConaughey, Risa Aziz, Jonah Hill and Rob Reiner. ...

7 Best Witch Movies of All Time

A look at the 7 best witch movies to watch when you're in the mood for something dark and creepy. Why not enjoy a little black magic on your next movie night? ...

The Wolf of Wall Street

Jordan Belfort's memoir comes to the screen starring Leonardo DiCaprio and directed by Martin Scorcese, both nominated for Academy Awards. It's a how-not-to get rich on Wall Street. ...

Review of Movie "The Best Offer"

Giuseppe Tornatore's "The Best Offer" features the downfall of an uptight major character, performed by Geoffrey Rush, directed through a symbolic fairy tale forest to his own wreck. There's even a princess locked up in a tower, and the bread crumbs through the plantation take the pattern of little mysterious rusty gears, which when put simultaneously conceive an 18th century automaton that intimidates to take on a life of its own. ...

PORN, A BETTER LOVE STORY THAN "TWILIGHT" - "Don Jon" Seduces With Poignancy

Who would have thought a film ostensibly about porn addiction would be enjoyable in a non-titillating fashion? But then, Don Jon, an artistic dramedy trifecta by Joseph Gordon-Levitt (who serves as writer, star, and director), is not about porn addiction. That's just the hook to get the viewers in the seats. ...

BREAKING THE AVERAGES: "The Hunger Games: Catching Fire" Is What a Sequel Should Be

To say that The Hunger Games: Catching Fire will be a box office hit is a no-brainer. After all, the Suzanne Collins-penned books are national best sellers and the 2012 film grossed over $400 million domestic alone. However, there remains the question as to whether its sequel deserves the same measure of success. ...

INDIA: Pro Mania Yet Entertaining Television Serials

The purpose of this article to all readers is only to entertain, show the true side of Indian society that exists in today's India, explaining the difference between fiction and reality and not to hurt the sentiments of anyone who is a part of television serials. In India, regional language channels on TV (television) are becoming very popular and youth are drawn towards it in great numbers. Television serials are also becoming popular and have been able to make its place among common masses positively. ...

NO GRUDGES HELD: "Grudge Match" Is Disappointingly Disjointed

I wanted to like it. I really did. It sounded good on paper: a faux sequel to Raging Bull and Rocky, starring Robert DeNiro and Sylvester Stallone, respectively (a duo who hadn't shared the screen since Stallone's legitimacy-questing film "Copland") playing rival light heavyweight champions Billy "The Kidd" McDonnen and Henry "Razor" Sharp, who had won one title match each against the other. ...

THE DESOLATION OF TOLKIEN: Peter Jackson Creates a Derivative Mixed-Bag in The Desolation of Smaug

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug opens with director Peter Jackson appearing in costume in the city of Bree. Staring directly into the camera, he takes a loud chomp off of a carrot (bookending a similar seen from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring), and marches off. While this seems on its surface to be a tongue-in-cheek homage to Alfred Hitchcock, his manner and presentation takes on a meta-textual feel as if declaring "This is MY house", an assertion the film cements. ...

The Grim Adventures Of Superman: "Man of Steel" Is An Exciting But Joyless Action Spectacle

In my review regarding "Iron Man 3", I opened with the following statement: "I have come to the conclusion that serious comic book aficionados should not watch live action adaptations of their beloved characters." "Man of Steel", directed by Zack Snyder ("300", "Watchmen", "Sucker Punch"), has only reinforced that assertion; and therein lies the rub. Is it a good, well made action film by today's standards? That is a resounding "yes". However, is it a good Superman film? ...

August: Osage County 2013 - Full Movie Review

Yes, August: Osage country is in actual fact two hours and ten minutes of family confrontation. And it's not the kind where an argument ends because one party allegation out of a room in wrath bangs a door and soon then is consoled and things are abruptly alright. No, when it comes to the Weston family, to be yelled at only means you should scream louder in response and, for the most part, I loved nearly every minute of it with only a twosome of narrative hang-ups that kept it from being one of the year's best. ...

Review On Oldboy 2013

Because the Internet moves with the pace and ferocity of a hornet swarm, there's a possibility that by the time you read this, Spike Lee's American remake of "Oldboy" will currently have been bitten to death. If so, too bad. This American version of reserve Chan-Wook's Korean thriller is Lee's most stimulating movie since "Inside Man"-not a masterpiece by any extend, but a alert financial genre image with a hypnotic, obsessive value, and an utter indifference to being liked, much less accepted of. ...

Film Review: The Legend of Hercules

It may be too very simple to discount this January release merely by the titles on the marquee, because Renny Harlin's filmography as a director is spotty at best and Kellan Lutz hasn't actually verified himself as an actor, let alone as an activity celebrity. Let's just state there arrives a lot of prejudgments on the idea of the two of them bringing the article of the Mythological champion to the computer display after so many other ones have tried, which brings fears that they'd do a poorer job than those previous attempts. Thankfully, the video doesn't completely stink and... ...

Movie Lovers Hate Commercials

Movie lovers hate commercials. That's what so great about online movie sites... No commercials! ...

The Evolution of Hello Kitty

Hello Kitty has come far since its inception. Check out how a fictional character can achieve worldwide recognition from very humble beginnings. ...

"THE WOLF OF WALL STREET" - A New Film Report

What a great film this was! It is a funny thing- (and I'm amazed by it myself) that a film about a guy who defrauds people, gets his workers all excited to follow him as if he were the Pied Piper, and has hook-ups and cocaine feasts whenever he needs to, can be enchanting and mesmerizing to this viewer. It all comes down to how well one actor and his co-actors can pull the scheme off. And "THE WOLF OF WALL STREET" pulls it off brilliantly. ...

Saving Mr Banks - Saving the Audience

Disney's Saving Mr. Banks portrays its main characters - Walt Disney and Pamela Travers - inaccurately at best. In this article, I examine whether the film's sugarcoating is wrong, and whether it hurts the film's story. ...

Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson's Chemistry Is Palpable

The important thing about a romance is the chemistry that the lead actors share. And when you consider a racy and erotic novel like the 'Fifty Shades of Grey', the chemistry between the lead actors Jamie Dornan and Anastasia Steele became all the more palpable when the pictures of the shoot started emerging. ...

Movie Review: Saving Mr Banks

Generations of moviegoers have watched Mary Poppins and her famous umbrella soar across the sky, but few viewers are aware of just how much effort it took to bring the literary character to the big screen. "Saving Mr. Banks" remedies that by telling the backstory of the famous movie about a nanny who has magical abilities and a soft spot for children. ...

"Inside Llewyn Davis" - A New Film Report

Most of us have grown up with the idea that a story starts, goes its full length, and then ends with clear-cut resolution. We come away from the story, surely knowing just what the tale was all about. We expect to get a sense that either good prevails, or bad cannot be stopped. The effect of common stories is to make us feel that the world has true meaning that stands us in pretty good stead. ...

The Valley of Amazement by Amy Tan - Review

Amy Tan once notified an interviewer that after the runaway success of her first innovative, The Joy Luck Club, she made an effort to get away from the topic of Chinese-American mother-daughter relationships. On the evidence of her new novel, the try didn't last. The publication has not just one awkward mother-daughter understanding, but three, each one marked by her other recurring topics: Chinese-American identity; the Chinese domination of women; abandonment and the seek for love. ...

Annoying Horror Movie Cliches

If you're an ardent horror movie fan, you've probably encountered them from time to time. I am talking about those annoying horror cliches, which always seem to destroy the credibility of a film by virtue of their ridiculous, unrealistic scenarios. ...

"47 Ronin" Tells Ancient Japanese Tale With Visual Aplomb

In ancient Japanese culture, the "ronin" were former samurai who no longer had a master to lead them. "47 Ronin" tells the tale of a group of these men forced to leave the vaunted samurais after their master Lord Asano (Min Tanaka) was killed through the trickery of warlord Kira (Tadanobu Asano). Lord Asano has a daughter, Mika (Ko Shibasaki), who Kira takes a liking to. ...

"AMERICAN HUSTLE" - A New Film Report

After two hours and nine minutes of this film, I'm reminded of a joke where some fellow goes to his rabbi, and says, "Rabbi! I think my wife is trying to poison me! What should I do?" After talking it over at length, this rabbi says that he'll call the man's wife and seek to find out just what's on her mind. ...

Strictly Come Dancing - A Perspective

As this year's series of Strictly Come Dancing comes to an end for another year - with Liverpool model Abby Clancy and her partner being crowned champions of 2013 - the show's popularity continues to show no signs whatsoever of waning. On the contrary, it continues to go from strength to strength, and invariably commands ratings which completely blow its nearest rival, The X Factor, completely out of the water. ...

"Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" - Once More Into the Mind of Ron Burgundy

After the success of 2004's "Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy," a sequel was a no-brainer. Unfortunately, it took some time for all the pieces to fall into place, and the concept for the return of Ron Burgundy went through a number of different transformations before the final project took shape. The wait is finally over, however, and fans will welcome this second adventure into the world where news teams are more like street gangs and dogs are the ambassadors of the animal kingdom. ...