Movie Review - Despicable Me

Between guys that fly with capes with their underwear outside to British secret agents that drink martini's shaken not stirred to Chuck Norris, being a super villain isn't as glam as it would seem. The problem is the media. We always think super villains live under active volcanoes, or have a secret base on the moon. All they do all day is pet their cat and say cliche lines like "No Mr Bond I expect you to die!" or "and I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for you pesky kids". Watching Despicable Me however has finally opened my eyes to what a true super villain is like.
The super villain in question lives in a normal suburban neighbourhood, he has financial problems and family issues. Despicable me takes an interesting look at the life of Gru. The 2nd best super villain in the world. As if being a super villain wasn't tough enough he now needs to compete with a rookie super villain called Vector who is better at being super villainish than he is.
The plot thickens when Gru adopts three orphans as pawns to help him in one of his sinister plots. As you can guess he starts to get attached to them and that's when all those warm cuddly feelings you get from watching movies like this start to creep in.
This movie has an A list voice cast as Steve Carell is Gru, Jason Segel is Vector, Russell Brand is Dr. Nefario and Julie Andrews is Gru's mother to name a few. Despicable Me is directed by Pierre Coffin and Chris Renaud and Co-Directed by Sergio Pablos.
Now Despicable Me was very funny at some parts however I think I might be a little too old and cynical to fully appreciate a film like this. If I thought Toy Story 3 was cute overload I basically OD'd on cuteness and started foaming at the mouth and spasming on the floor by the end of the movie. Maybe I am a heartless robot but this movie had too much cuteness.
The thing is I like cute. Being Asian I can't help it. I always choose the cute girl over the sexy one. It might be because I can't get the sexy one but I'd like to think it's just that I appreciate the cute one. However there are two kinds of cute girls. The ones that are cute naturally and the ones that are trying too hard to be cute. This movie is like the latter.
I would watch it with a child or someone childlike on a day you need some cuteness in your life. Watch out for convulsions though because it's hard to tell when the cute toxicity gets to dangerous levels.

Movie Review of "Snakes on a Plane"

This is a movie that got much hype basically because of its bad reputation, but after watching it for myself; I realized that the plot really wasn't so bad after all. I know it definitely made me hold on to my frequent flyer credit card for a while.
Here you have a movie about a guy who witnessed a murder and is being escorted by two FBI agents to LA to testify against this man. What they do not know is that men who work for this guy put snakes on their plane to kill off this witness before they reach LAX. The snakes are in a timed crate so that while they are in mid air they will be released. To ensure an attack, they passed out leis that have been sprayed with a snake pheromone.
Samuel L. Jackson being an FBI agent spends most of his time killing snakes off one by one while still trying to save everyone else. One thing that people like about Samuel L. Jackson is that he seems fearless in many roles that he plays. This role is no different. While the movie is hilarious because of the ridiculous quotes in the movie, one does have a bit of fear in them just thinking about the situation if they were ever caught on a plane with snakes everywhere.
As in any survival movie, we learn about what people would actually do if we were caught in an extreme disaster like this one. Strangers would hold on to each other in fear and hope, along with helping one another. It is funny how quickly attitudes change towards others when we fear for our very lives. We get to know some of the characters such as a couple who just got married and are coming back from their honey moon or a little boy who loses his mom. After getting to know our characters a little better we feel bad when they get hurt or killed.
Overall, I would say that this movie is pretty bad, but it does have some good points that make up for it. The plot was solid and there was a legitimate reason for snakes being on a plane. While I can see several different ways to kill a man, I guess we can still account for creative people in the world. Another good point was the quotes of the movie said by Samuel L Jackson. One of the most popular ones being "I'm tired of these mother f****** snakes on this mother f******* plane." Who wouldn't laugh to a ridiculous quote like that? Only Samuel Jackson could pull off this role. Even though the movie was bad, it is a movie that I highly advise for everyone to see for themselves. Sometimes a movie can be so bad, it's good.

Latest Action Movies

Image via Wikipedia

When it comes to the perfect source of entertainment which possesses the capability to capture the majority of attention of an individual then of course the name of movies will come on the front list. A movie is nothing but depiction of a particular story or several stories within a particular time. These are categorised into different genre, including comedy, thriller, action, science fiction (sci-fi) and so on. Here we will discuss about different aspects of the action movies.
One will find the perfect combination of thrill and amusements in such categories of film. Such come with different kinds of action sequels, including marshal art, kung fu, karate, wrestling and so on. These are produced by using advanced technology to show the real thrill of movies. There are plenty of digital tricks and techniques involved into such, most of which are done through computer. Apart from that, there are also complex action techniques involved into such films. For such reasons, the budget of these films are usually stay much higher than other films. Some of the popular films under this category of all the times are Mission Impossible II, X-Man, Matrix and so on.
Along with superb cinematography and mind blowing editing, another remarkable feature which is usually found in most of the popular action movies is the refreshingly vibrant sound effect. It has been noticed that in most of the action movies, the sound effects used are truly awesome which enhance the enthusiasm of viewing the film.
Among all the factors of the action movies, the most noticeable factor is the special effects used in these. To give a real feeling of the action scenes, the directors of these films use technically highly advanced effects. Now, with the advancement of both computer hardware and software technology, these are now made through the computer.
Under the sun-genre of action films, there are three categories fall which include Die Hard Scenario, Heroic bloodshed and Girls with guns. Some of the popular directors of such films are Rideley Scott, The Wachowski Brothers, Hard Boiled and John Woo. Among the action heroes, some of the world-wide famous names include Bruce Willis, Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone. Actually the era of such films had started in the early 80's with the introduction of these starts. Within a very short time, they have successfully created a cage in the hearts of millions of people all over the world. Then the movie lovers had seen both romance and action acting of Tom Cruise. His large box office hit Misson Impossible series have won millions of hearts and made him an action hero. The discussion about such films will remain incomplete without talking about the female starts. Among all, the most notifying actress of this genre of film is Angellina Jolie, who has offered several action movies to the film lovers.
So, from the above discussion one thing is quite clear that the action movies are all about the films whose stories are told by action, rather than dialogue. If you are a such film lover and want to spend your weekend with your family then you can go for some of the latest action movies of this era include, John Rammbo, X-Men, Ghost Rider and so on.

The Best Gangster Movies Along The Period

Cover via Amazon

If you like gangster movies, you will be surely curious about the best gangster movies throughout history. In fact, 'The Godfather' is the most legendary gangster film. It is adapted from a novel by Mario Puzo.

'The Godfather' is a 1972 American gangster film that is directed by Francis Ford Coppola from a screenplay by Puzo, Coppola, and Robert Towne. The story of the film spans ten years from 1945 to 1955 and chronicles the fictional Italian American Corleone crime family. Two sequels that continue the film are 'The Godfather Part II' in 1974 and 'The Godfather Part III' in 1990.

This film, by the American Film Institute, is ranked as the second greatest film in American cinematic history. Even, you can say that it is the king of gangster movies. It gets award as the best movie and the best actor in Academy Awards. In addition, it is a complete film. In it, you can find action, drama, intrigue, conspiracy, and tension.

Then, in 1980, you could find 'Scarface' as the best-selling gangster film. Starred by Al Pacino, sadistic and full of blood are the right image of this film.

Meanwhile, in 90s era, Quentin Tarantini directs 'Pulp Fiction'. Starred by John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, and Uma Thurman, this film gives priority in violence and ironic humor.

Then, there are still many gangster movies that are categorized as the best. Some of them are 'Mean Streets', 'Goodfellas' by Martin Scorsese, 'Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrel', and 'The Untouchables'

Blu-Ray Review - Lord of the Rings

Finally, in April 2010, the Lord Of the Rings Trilogy comes to Blu-Ray. You would think that with over nine discs of furry footed glory this set would be a must purchase for anyone who owns a Blu-Ray drive. But unfortunately it isn't. What it is, however, is another attempt by a studio to derive profits out of a faithful and committed audience as they wait until the superior Extended Editions are released in High Resolution format.

Peter Jackson's much lauded adaptation of JRR Tolkien's seminal fantasy novels is one of the greatest achievements in cinema and there have been a number of releases over the last five years. While waiting a year between the release of each film in it's theatrical rounds, movie goers were able to take copies of the last film home on DVD in widescreen or full screen versions.

Then after the last movie was released, came the Extended Editions. Once these were out there was no going back. Jackson added more scenes and more meaning to his already epic movies and what was already a mind-blowingly popular series became a true classic.

The Extended Editions were released in a time when movie goers realised that, with access to greater storage capacity on DVD discs they were able to view films as the creators intended. Documentaries and audio commentaries were added and the films themselves became well- rounded and beautifully paced.

So for the overwhelming majority of fans the Extended Editions are the definitive versions, the only versions. Which begs the question: "Why are they being made to wait the Extended Edition on Blu Ray and instead being placated by something that most people will only buy grudgingly." Surely this is not good for anything but the profit end of the business.

Take a look at the feedback online if you have any hesitations about how fans feel about this move from New Line. It will be interesting to see how many copies are sold of this inferior release. Hopefully fans can rally together and make at least one studio realise that customer feedback is valuable as a business making tool.

Star Wars Books - The 7 Best Books to Read

Cover via Amazon

While all of the Star Wars books are good, there are a few stand outs.

1. Heir to the Empire Trilogy - Ok I know that this is not a book, however it is hard to separate them. Written by Timothy Zahn, the Empire trilogy re released Star Wars to the general public after an absence of 8 years absence. Set five years after Return of the Jedi, Heir to the Empire tells the story of Grand Admiral Thrawn and how he reinvigorates the empire. The Heir to the Empire also introduces us to Mara Jade, Talon Karde, and Jacen and Jaina Solo.

2. Han Solo at Star's End. This book, written by Brian Daley, was able to capture the feel of Star Wars and Han Solo. From the moment you pick it up you will be captivated. Star's End recounts to tale of Han Solo and Chewbacca and their adventures in the Corporate Sector. The two follow up book, Han Solo's Revenge and Han Solo and the Lost Legacy were just as good as the first and highly recommended.

3. Splinter of the Mind's Eye. This book must be on the list of every fan favourites and for good reason too. Splinter is set just after the first movie and tells of Luke, Leia, C3PO and R2D2's adventures on Mimban. Written by Alan Dean Foster, who ghost wrote the Star Wars novel, Splinter allows the reader to feel like they are watching a new movie.

4. The Correlian Trilogy. Again another trilogy, but it can be hard to separate them when they are all good. In this series, Han Solo and his family return to Correlia when Han's cousin Thraken Sal-Solo makes a bid for power. By Roger MacBride Allen these books head us towards the end of the Empires rein in the galaxy and towards the Yuuzhan Vong invasion.

5. Enemy Lines 1 and 2. This duo-ology set just after Coruscant's fall brings in all the major characters from the entire expanded universe and tells of the epic struggle against the Yuuzhan Vong on the world of Borleias. Written by Aaron Allston this books bring back the feel of Star Wars the rollicking adventure that had been missing is the previous New Jedi Order Books

6. Rogue Squadron. The first book in a series of 9 books about the adventures of Wedge Antilles and the famous X-wing pilots of Rogue Squadron. Set two years after The Return of the Jedi, Rogue Squadron must make an attack and capture the Imperial stronghold of Borleias if they wish to capture Coruscant. The first Star Wars Book not to feature any of the main characters in the lead roles. This book also introduces us to Corran Horn, Mirrax Terrik and Tycho Celchu.

7. The Hand of Thrawn duo-ology. Another set of books by Timothy Zahn. The Hand of Thrawn books, set 19 years after Star Wars, tell about the Empires last push to be a dominate power in the galaxy. This also see's the long awaited reunion of Luke and Mara and how they eventually end up together. This was a great series to bring about the end of the Empire era of Star Wars.

Now I know that these may not be everyone's favourites but they are great books, and I know that a lot of people have pushed to the see the Heir to the Empire novels made into movies. Let me know what you think.

Star Wars Episodes 4 Through 6 - Plot Line Study

Image via Wikipedia

Despite being made into movies over 20 years earlier than the prequel trilogy, the events of the original trilogy begin 19 years after the concluding events of the prequel trilogy. The three movies in the original trilogy are Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope, Star Wars Episode 5: The Empire Strikes Back, and Star Wars Episode 6: The Return of the Jedi.

The first movie in the trilogy begins with Darth Vader having almost completed his massive space station, known as the Death Star. The Death Star has been built in order to allow Vader and Emperor Palpatine (Darth Sidious) to crush the growing rebellion against their evil empire.

Vader catches one of the rebellion's leaders, Princess Leia, who has stolen plans to the Death Star. Luckily, these plans are stored in the droid R2-D2 who, with his partner C-3PO, is able to escape to the planet Tatooine. Here, the droids are found by Luke Skywalker. As Luke is trying to clean up R2-D2 he triggers a message that Leia has left for Obi Wan Kenobi, who happens to live on Tatooine.

Luke and the droids seek out Obi Wan Kenobi. Obi Wan tells Luke of his father's greatness (initially telling Luke that his father died in a battle with Darth Vader) and begins to teach him about the force. Obi Wan and Luke hire Han Solo and his partner Chewbacca the wookie to take them to join the rebels in their fight against Vader.

On the Death Star, Obi Wan gets into a fight with Vader where he allows himself to be killed and absorbed into the force, where he is able to lead Luke in later moments. Luke and Hans rescue Leia and they are able to escape with plans that allow them to destroy the first Death Star.

In the second movie, Vader is still trying to hunt down the rebels. Luke travels to visit Yoda to train to become a Jedi. He leaves half way through his training after having a vision that Vader has captured and is going to hurt his friends. In a confrontation on Cloud City with Vader, Vader reveals to Luke that he is his father. Luke escapes and goes back to Yoda.

Luke comes to learn that he must face his father to complete his Jedi training. He also learns that Princess Leia is his twin sister. In the final confrontation of the movie, Luke again confronts Vader with the Emperor in the room. The Emperor tries to convince Luke to join the Dark Side; however, Luke convinces his father that he still has some good in him. Vader kills the Emperor and the battle is over. The second Death Star is destroyed bringing freedom to the Galaxy.

For at least a little while...

Neo Versus the Architect in "The Matrix - Reloaded"

Every scene in The Matrix trilogy is breathtaking, but this particular one at the end of the second movie says a lot about us as human beings and the range of emotions we're capable of. Recall that Neo has a rendezvous with The Architect of the Matrix; a seemingly futile interlude, where the hope of the world is about to be destroyed, if we believe the Architect.
Read on as the scene plays itself out in the studio of The Architect:
The Architect: You are here because Zion is about to be destroyed. Its every living inhabitant terminated, its entire existence eradicated.
Neo: Bulls..t. (The monitors [portraying all Neo's possible responses] respond the same.)
The Architect: Denial is the most predictable of all human responses. But, rest assured, this will be the sixth time we have destroyed it, and we have become exceedingly efficient at it. [1]
The thing I found most interesting about this scene (at another juncture) is all the hundred or so monitors showing the momentary flurry of confused emotion in Neo. It recognises that we're all like this at any given moment, and especially when we're under pressure. Who can tell how we'll respond to given situations?
And over our lifetimes we'll have responded in a vast range of ways to an infinitely too-hard-to-grasp amount of circumstances.
How can we begin to attempt to fathom the depth of the human psyche; mentally, emotionally, and spiritually? But, the point is we have to. We have a huge fascination for these things of philosophy, psychology, theology and spirituality in the context of one single human being. Yet, it's a mystery that will never be solved.
And The Architect, in his own clinical anti-human way, hits the nail on the head, finally. One of the commonest responses to the stimuli we face is rampant, unchallenged denial. It's the root cause of many psychological and spiritual ailments.
How many of the myriad of responses we're capable of, I wonder, are hampered by and defaulted to the response of denial? How much would we hence miss out on in the sphere of life, emotion and reason?

Copyright © 2009, S. J. Wickham. All Rights Reserved.

[1] Source: http://www.imdb.com/character/ch0000770/quotes