Thor (2011)

Title: Thor

Year: 2011

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Rating (by MPAA): PG-13 for sequences of intense sci-fi action and violence

Official Synopsis: The epic adventure "Thor" spans the Marvel Universe from present day Earth to the realm of Asgard. At the center of the story is The Mighty Thor, a powerful but arrogant warrior whose reckless actions reignite an ancient war. Thor is cast down to Earth and forced to live among humans as punishment. Once here, Thor learns what it takes to be a true hero when the most dangerous villain of his world sends the darkest forces of Asgard to invade Earth. (marvel.com)

Official Page

Official Trailer




STEPH SAID

Rating: 

Review:

No substance. That is the reason behind the low rating. It was a watch like any other action movie: little plot, flat characters, fights and flashy colors. The movie didn't have many, long battles, or dramatic scenes, or comedy fillers, or much character development. I really can't tell on what were the two hours wasted. This movie was definitely made, only as a prequel to The Avengers. Thor is going to be in The Avengers, so the audience need to know who he is, and where he came from. And that's what the movie is. “This is Thor; this is Loki. You'll see them in The Avengers”. That's it. The movie didn't have any other purpose.

There wasn't much of a story to tell. Thor is banished to Earth and loses all his powers. Within two days’ time he recognized the wrong of his way and becomes a worthy man. Loki on the other hand became villainous within two days’ time, with no apparent goal or purpose. He may have said it was to prove his worthiness to Odin, but he has lied so many times before I doubt that was his real intention. Two hours, and two days, served to only “develop” the personality of a flat character, Thor (see below); and to ignite a fire within Loki. 

Most of the characters were flat, including the title character. Thor is a bratty prince who is banished from home to learn a lesson. There, I explained who Thor is in one sentence. Definitely a flat character; there is nothing else to him. Jane, Erik, and even Odin are also flat characters, able to be described in one sentence. What you see is what you get. (In fact, it was really weird to see Natalie Portman acting as a love-struck teenager hiding behind the face of a scientist.) The other characters are even more flat, if that is even possible. Thor's Asgardian friends, his mother, and Darcy are in the movie to fill space. 

Loki was the only character that had some substance, that was a round character, and thus, was interesting. You thought you knew what he was up to, and then he'd surprise you by doing the exact opposite. I still don't know what his intentions were and are. He is so good at deceiving people that I don't know what to expect from him. He could seem a conflicted bad boy with a sensitive heart – I bet most girls think (wish?) this – but I don't think he is that simple.

In the end, Thor exists to have another character in The Avengers, to span their horizons. And, as we will see, to have a villain good enough to round up a bunch of people with superpowers. There is no other reason to it. The movie in itself was a plot device. Looking at it in the light of the whole MCU, I can let slide a plot device. But, seeing as it is a stand-alone movie, it is just a waste of everyone’s time.

Marvel's Jessica Jones

Title: Marvel's Jessica Jones

Season: 1

Broadcasting Station: Netflix

Official Page and Netflix's Page

Official Synopsis: After a tragic ending to her short-lived super hero stint, Jessica Jones is rebuilding her personal life and career as a detective who gets pulled into cases involving people with extraordinary abilities in New York City.

STEPH SAID
Rating:

Review:

Stupid is too little a word to describe Jessica Jones, both the character and the TV series. I’ve used stupid so many times that it has lost all its meaning  I changed to rubbish in honor of David Tennant’s British English, but I still feel like a need a stronger word to describe this series.

Yes, the acting is really good, still Jessica Jones has many problems, and the biggest one is Jessica herself. I can’t believe that the most annoying character in the series was the one to express the simplest yet most powerful truth of the whole series. “Would this Kilgrave cat have hurt any of you if Jessica Jones hadn't pissed him off? […] Each of his atrocities can be traced back to her.”

Every problem in this season could have been prevented if Jessica were smart enough. For example, she knew that Kilgrave’s effect lasted 12 hours, so she should have left Hope in her house for 12 hours until the effects wore off. Just like she did with Luke later on. She was free from Kilgrave’s influence ever since she killed Reva and she hadn’t noticed. She needed a big reveal, ten episodes in, to know it. Jessica had Kilgrave unconscious after he had proven that Hope was to be released. She could’ve killed him, but instead decided to tie him up and make a call. She was also knocked unconscious by the weakest character in the series, which meant that Kilgrave got to Hope first, after her release from prison. Jessica had Kilgrave eating from the palm of her hand and decided to screw that and torture him into confessing, something that was obviously never going to happen. And so on and so on.

Jessica is just so idiotic and ignorant! Kilgrave’s parents said he was going to die so they injected him with an experimental virus that could prologue his life and all she thought to say was “So you infected him?” in an accusatory tone. She’s supposed to be resourceful yet she lets Kilgrave deceive her in every turn. And she is followed everywhere she goes. She’s resourceful but she can’t even get an address right or a doctor to stich her up when her ribs are broken. She’s resourceful but she can’t get herself locked up in maximum security even after delivering a human head to a police officer. She’s resourceful yet Kilgrave escapes due to a cut wire.

Kilgrave and Jessica’s relationship is also questionable. She hates him because he made her kill someone (even though, as he mentioned, all he said was take care of her, not kill her). I believe this made Jessica romanticize their relationship. And she turned all her guilt for Reva into hate for Kilgrave. He gave her the opportunity to escape, the opportunity she had, apparently, been waiting for since the first day. She had it and decided to contemplate the street and do nothing. Thus, I believe Kilgrave is not as evil as Jessica tries to make him. At least at first he isn’t. I’m not saying he’s good. I’m just saying he’s not evil either. He is in the gray area. It was Jessica who turned him into the monster he was at the end. 

The “plot” was so thin that the writers had to recur to lots and lots of fillers to make 13 50-minutes episodes. However, they didn’t even create full blown plots. They only managed to introduce characters that talked enough to consume time. Like the drug addict that turned out to be the spy, (I saw that one coming). Like the annoying twins that served no purpose. Ruben’s death could’ve been replace by an unnamed character and the effect would’ve been the same. And Robyn does nothing but complain about her brother through the whole series. Hope did nothing but kill her parents in the first episode. Hope was actually Jessica’s frustrations personified. She was an ideal. Therefore, she was not needed. Luke, was kind of cool, I admit. But again, did nothing for the plot of the series. Hogarth and her story was the only proper subplot, yet it was unrelated and unnecessary to the story. I know Simpsons will turn out to be important, but so far nothing. The only sub-story I enjoyed was Jessica and Trish’ origin story. That was a worthy subplot. That should’ve been the primary story: Jessica as a teenager, living with Trish and being kidnaped by Kilgrave. Yet, they reduced that plot to a couple of scenes.

People probably like Jessica Jones because is different, but different doesn’t mean good. She drinks hard and has powerful sex, but that’s all she really does. Well, that and whine about her crappy life. She’s considered good because she wants to help people but people without superpowers do more every day than she ever did in this TV series. Think of cops, firemen, caregivers. The only persons Jessica helps is Trish, because they are sisters, and Hope, because Jessica sees herself in Hope. And no Daredevil cameo? Come on! This series turn out to be so bad, that not even David Tennant’s performance could save it.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Title: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Year: 2015

Director: J. J. Abrams

Rating by the MPAA: PG-13 for sci-fi action violence

Official Page








Official Trailer




STEPH SAID

Rating: 

Review:

*This review contains spoilers.*

I heard this movie was great, and knowing that it was Disney and directed by J. J. Abrams I didn’t doubt it. I left the theater disappointed. The first half of the movie is wonderful. The new characters are brilliant, funny, brave and strong. They defy categorization; they break gender boundaries. And, I care for them deeply. However, once Leia arrived, the movie only went downhill.

When I realized that this was another destroy-the-death-star plot I was furious. This is the same plot of Star Wars 4 and 5. This is the third time this plot is used! The third time! After this I began drawing parallels between this story and a new hope. A droid is trusted with critical information from a rebellion sympathizer. The droid is then acquired by the main character, who lives in a dessert. The main character, with the help of a friend, sets out to deliver the droid to its destination.

Also, after Leia’s return I realized the travesty of her relationship with Han Solo. They lost a kid to the dark side! I understand that can drive a couple apart. But they weren’t even sad, it was like “We are so distraught and disappointed that we are living our separate lives. And when we see each other for the first time in years, let’s pretend nothing has happened. Let’s talk normal and make jokes, even when talking about our kid who drove us to be separated.” They were so low-key, all the time. I couldn’t help but think, “They are so old!” I believe Han Solo and Leia deserve so much more. They don’t deserve that story line, but if that is what they got, at least make it powerful, sentimental. Make us ache for their pain. Give us the feels.

Another similitude with previews Star Wars movies was the death over the great chasm. The minute Solo stepped on the bridge I knew he was going to die. It was no surprise at all. Every moment after that, until his death, I was asking “really?” “really?!”

On top of this, the main character’s story doesn’t even gets peeked at. Just some vague images of her being a little kid and that’s it. Her ending was just as vague. She was just standing there, literally. That ending had so much potential. A movement, a word could’ve changed the whole movie, but instead everyone just stood there. And then roll credits.

All of this without getting technical. For example, why couldn’t any computer identify the map BB-8 had? How did R2-D2 discover the rest of the map? Who is Snoke? How is he the Supreme Leader? Who are the knights of Ren? How exactly does the Death Star work? Does it move next to the stars it will use? Why would J. J. Abrams make the First Order resemble the Third Reich? Why wasn’t Leia’s base destroyed along with the resistance planets? How did a janitor became a stormtrooper? How exactly did Poe survive? How did Leia know what was happening inside the Death Star? And while we’re at it, how did Finn find Rey inside the Death Star? He went to where he saw her, but she should’ve been long gone. Who made the map to Skywalker? He certainly didn’t. And, why was Rey sent after him? So many things left unexplained!

I think they were trying to pay homage to previews Star Wars movies, and join the best of the first and second trilogy in one epic movie. And probably that’s why so many people love it. However, the lack of a developed and consistent plot, and the fact that they recycled so many things I have already seen, without making an effort to renovate them, left me feeling utterly bored and annoyed.

Cinderella (2015)

Title: Cinderella

Year: 2015

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Rating by the MPAA: PG for mild thematic elements

Official Synopsis: The story of Cinderella follows young Ella (Lily James) whose merchant father remarries following the death of her mother. Eager to support her loving father, she finds herself at the mercy of her jealous and cruel new family. (movies.disney.com)

Official Page

Official Trailer

STEPH SAID

Rating: 

Review:

This movie is a beautiful enhancement of a classical story. I can’t find any fault in it. Both the rather new talent and the veteran actors excelled. Although, Cate Blanchett is my favorite. Her beautiful looks, mixed with her cold and stern attitude make for an intimidating woman. 

The movie made some tweaks here and there to help the audiences understand the story better. Yet, the story is exactly as it was before. The small changes explain the reasons’ behind the stepmother’s actions. I love that those reasons don’t justify her or present her as misunderstood. What she’s doing is wrong, but now you know why she’s doing it. Also, the relationship between Cinderella and the prince is seen from a different perspective. Though, most important to me is the explanation of Ella’s decision to stay in her house, enduring the mistreatment. She was keeping some promises she made to her parents years earlier. She could have escape, but decided not to. Marrying the prince was not an escape route either, she didn’t see it as a chance to improve her life or her monetary situation; it was a decision based on mutual attraction. 

Disney has taken a lot of heat in recent years for creating unreasonable expectations for little girls, as well as for creating weak, female characters whose sole purpose is to marry a man. Yet, this movie is all about girl power and freedom of choice.

Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)

Title: The Nightmare Before Christmas

Director: Henry Selick

Year: 1993

Official Synopsis: Bored with the same old scare-and-scream routine, Pumpkin King Jack Skellington longs to spread the joy of Christmas. But his merry mission puts Santa in jeopardy and creates a nightmare for good little boys and girls everywhere.

Official Page

STEPH SAID

Rating:

Review:

This movie is perfect; I find nothing wrong with it. First of all, the world it takes place in is rather original, having every holiday be a land within a world. Halloween Town is everything you'd expect from Halloween. You have werewolves, vampires, witches, ghosts, skelletons, pumpkins etc. It is dark and mysterious and yet so full of life and happiness. Christmas Town is bright and chirpy and can do no wrong. In the end the lands are intertwined for good in beautiful acceptance.

Second, the plot is magnificent. It is complete and consistent and full of surprises. 

Also, I am in love with the soundtrack. Since this movie is a musical, the songs constitute a very important part of storytelling. And this musical nailes them. They are catchy, witty, and dramatic, with a nice pace, and most importantly, they literally tell the story.

But, what I love the most are the characters, especially the lead Jack Skellington. He is a perfectly round character and the force that drives the plot forwards. It is his story. He is funny, endearing, relatable, and a dreamer. I pitty his empty existence and understand his desire for something more. It is a very human struggle, the desire to be important, to leave a mark, to do more, to feel alive. The supporting characters, though not as developed as Jack, create a very entertaining compliment for the Jack.

This movie is a joy to watch. I wouldn't change a thing. It is perfect the way it is. There is a reason why it is still famous after all these years.

Marvel's Daredevil (2015) - Season 1

Marvel's Daredevil (2015) - Season 1

*This series is rated TV-MA*

Broadcasting Station: Netflix

Number of Episodes: 13

Official Synopsis: "Marvel's Daredevil" is a live action series that follows the journey of attorney Matt Murdock, who in a tragic accident was blinded as a boy but imbued with extraordinary senses. Murdock sets up practice in his old neighborhood of Hell's Kitchen, New York where he now fights against injustice as a respected lawyer by day and masked vigilante at night.

For more information you can visit the Official Marvel Page. To watch the whole first Season of Marvel's Daredevil head to Netflix.


Official Trailer




STEPH SAID

Rating:

Review:

Daredevil is definitely good. But, is it the best superhero series out there? Not really. 

First of all, the exposition of the first two episodes is terrible. If I hadn't been able to binge watch the series, I woudn't have watch it until the end. The first two episide have Matt and Foggy forcibly talking, and explaining their situation, to many different people in order set the scene. Also, we get to see scenes from Matt's past that help set the scene: his relationship with his father, how was his life without his mother, and how he adjusted to his knew blind life. However, in the first two episodes, and most of the third one, we don't have any clue about how Matt does what he does. If the audience doesn't know anything about Daredevil the character, they can think Matt can actually see and is just deceiving everybody. That makes it a little harder to relate to him as a person. Likewise, we don't know why he decided to become a vigilante, how he learned martial arts (his father is a boxer), what happened to Matt after his father died, or what happened to his mother. We don't even know who the villain is. So, in the beginning it is really hard to follow and enjoy the story due to all the unanswered questions.

On top of that, Karen is unbearable throughout all the series. She has this savior/spy complex. She believes she can take down an ubber rich/drug dealing/ trigger happy/ police controlling unknown mafia overlord all by herself. He controls the media, the police, the justice system, but she still believes she can write a pice of news and his whole kingdom will come crumbling down. In the end, I was even happy when one of the characters died because of her contant pestering. I thought she will finally understand who she is up against.

The series took off after the third episode, and the story began to unravel. We met all the villains, and find out about their collective plan. We, too, learned enough about Matt to relate to him. That's when the series draws the audience in, when it becomes very interesting. I appreciated how the main villain seem to be one step ahead of Matt all the time, yet he is the one damaging himself. He is the one that narrows the circle of villains and the circle of people who trust him. Though, that means that Daredevil didn't do as much to take down Kingpin as Kingpin did to himself. I also enjoyed the character Kingpin, his background story, and how he belives he is doing the right thing. In fact, in the beginning of the series Kingpin and Daredevil both stood on the same ground, for the same goal: to make Hell's Ktchen better. It wasn't until more than halfway through the series that Kingpin actually become the villain. That made it a little harder to see Daredevil as the “hero” and Kingpin as the “villain”.

If that weren't enough, the ending was anticlimatic; I didn't like it at all. It wastes two-thirds of its time in a legal battle, trying to teach the message that in the end legal justice is the best course of action, which contradicts Daredevil's core beliefs. Then, the series does yet another 180 degrees flip when Matt decides that the enforcement of the law is not enough, just as he already believed up to episode nine. On top of that, some personal relationships get a rushed make-up, so we could have a small scene of everyone happily drinking on the same table. And that is not all, because, in addition, the scene is not set for the next season. I don't know what to expect for season two of Daredevil.

Nevertheless, I enjoyed the overall story quite a lot, mostly because of Charlie Cox's Matt Murdock and Toby Leonard Moore's Wesley. Both actors carry the weight of the series and move it forward, specially during the first half of the season. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have continued watching the series. Additionally, the fights! We definitelly need more three-minute-one-shot fights! The only thing that dampened my enjoyement of the series as a whole is Karen. Everything else on this review I can overlook. If I were to rationally and mathematically rate this season, the outcome would have been definitelly lower. But, I love Matt Murdock/Daredevil, and this darker take, along with Cox's performance (not the production of the series) makes him justice. Thus, the four stars.

Tomorrowland (2015)

Tomorrowland 2015

Director: Brad Bird

MPAA Rating: PG for sequences of sci-fi action violence and peril, thematic elements, and language

Official Page

Official Synopsis: Bound by a shared destiny, a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor jaded by disillusionment embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory as "Tomorrowland."

Official Trailer

ELL SAID

Rating:

Review:

When I first saw the trailer for this movie, I thought it'd be riding the whole touch-the-pin gimmick into the ground. In fact, when I walked into the theater, I wasn't even excited for it. I was skeptical, even though it's a Disney movie, and believe me when I tell you that, without a doubt, this movie raised the bar to never-before-seen heights. 

Each actor played their role impecably. Each scene and moment was impactful in it's own way, from the very funny ones to the shocking plot twists halfway through. I found myself laughing, which isn't that hard to believe. But I also found myself amazed, awestruck, even shocked, as if I were part of the movie, not just watching. I felt what Casey, the main character, was feeling. I understood Frank's negativity. I loved Athena. No movie made me link with the characters as much as this one did, and that's saying something. 

Beyond that, and without going into spoilers, the actual message is something that is meaningful to this day and age. It inspired me to never give up, which, in and of itself, is my favorite part of the movie. In the past several years, I've seen hundreds of movies, but none of them has inspired me, or made me feel like this message was meant for me. Specially because, in this movie's case, the message applies to every single one of us, from adults to little children. 

In the end, Disney has done it again, breaking the limits and creating another masterpiece to add to their, already incredible, galery. This movie is definitely worth watching with the family, as every member of it will find something great in this movie. It has become my all-time favorite movie, so go watch it. You definitely will not regret it.

Iron Man (2008)

Title: Iron Man

Year: 2008

Director: Jon Favreau

Rating by the MPAA: PG-13 for some intense sequences of sci-fi action and violence, and brief suggestive content

Official Synopsis (from marvel.com): 2008's Iron Man tells the story of Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Instead, using his intelligence and ingenuity, Tony builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. When he uncovers a nefarious plot with global implications, he dons his powerful armor and vows to protect the world as Iron Man.

Official Trailer

STEPH SAID

Rating:

Review:

Honestly, when I decided to watch Iron Man I didn’t know what to expect. I had never heard of him. I had never watch a story that featured him. And, knowing only that Robert Downey Jr. was to play the lead role of this movie, I decided that I didn’t want to do anything with it. I was pleasantly surprised. Then again, when you don’t expect much, anything will be alright.

I enjoyed Iron Man's origin story: how he was created and what he stands for. The war, terrorism, and violence, and the harsh reality it presented struck a chord in me. It is such a delicate and sensitive subject, that I was impressed it was lightly used in this type of movie.

I don’t like Downey because he seems arrogant, and he lets it show in every movie I have seen him in. They haven’t been many, granted. But, turns out, Tony Stark is arrogant! I couldn’t tell if it was Downey’s arrogance, or his acting skills, shining through. At least, that’s what I thought at first. By the end of the movie, Stark underwent a change of heart. He changed enough for me to like him, and that is saying something. Ironically, Downey’s portrayal of Tony Stark became the part I liked the most about this movie.

On the downside, I didn't enjoy the overall ending. First of all, Ms. Peppers comes out of Stark Industries and takes as much time to call Stark as it takes Stane get to Stark's home. If Pepper had called Tony and tell him about what she find out, maybe the ending of the movie would have been different. Also, Obadiah creating another suit was too much, too fast. It took the genius Tony weeks to create the fully functioning Iron Man suit. The geniuses at Stark couldn’t crack the arc reactor. Yet, Obadiah created bigger suits in days. To make everything seem even more unrealistic, Iron Man seemed to beat Stane too easily, even though he was using the old arc reactor, and he didn't have any power left.

Irrelevant to the bad ending, I am, most of all, grateful for this movie’s success. It is the beginning of something huge. If this movie had not been a success, maybe we wouldn’t have The Avengers, let alone Guardians of the Galaxy, right now. 

Maleficent

Title: Maleficent

Year: 2014

Director: Robert Stromberg

Rating (by MPAA): PG for sequences of fantasy action and violence, including frightening images

Synopsis: A vengeful fairy is driven to curse an infant princess, only to discover that the child may be the one person who can restore peace to their troubled land.

Official Page and IMDb Page

Official Trailer



STEPH SAID

Rating:


Review:

*This review contains spoilers*

Since this movie is a retelling of the Sleeping Beauty story, from Maleficent's point of view, I expected a few changes from the original Disney story. However, this movie doesn't have just a few changes; it is a completely different story. I didn't enjoy that. I mean, if they wanted to do a different story, then why sell it through a classic's name. The only similarities are the character's names and the curse; which seems like everything, but, when put into context, is not much.

Maleficent started as a young, good fairy who fell in love with a human boy, and grew to be the protector of the Moors, the magical realm where she lives. After being betrayed by the man she loved, she grows to be the bitter, vengeful creature we all know and love. So far so good, right? Well, not quite. The first thing I noticed about the Moors is that there are no other fairies. Maleficent's parents are dead, and even though she talks as if there are other fairies in the Moors, we never see them. She is, supposedly, the most powerful fairy. But, how can we know that, when we can't compare her to anyone? As I imagined, we don't see much of her magic in the movie. Just the curse she casts on Aurora and some transfiguration charms.

Also, I didn't like the fact that once Maleficent turns evil, she bounds the Moors, and everyone in it, in her darkness. I understand why she turned bitter and vengeful, and I would have understood if she shut everyone off. However, I can't understand how she betrayed her whole country; everyone in the Moors loved her and trusted that she would protect them. Instead, she ensnared them, literally and figuratively, when she started a dark, oppressive reign over the Moors, and surrounded it with gigantic thorns.

These are just small details, yet, as the actual story started to develop I encountered bigger problems with this movie. The firsts of which have to do with the curse. Stefan made Maleficent miserable, so she wants to return the favor, and curses Stefan's daughter, Aurora. The curse scene tries to be grandiose, key word being “tries”. The scene looks forced. Especially when Maleficent doesn't even know with what to curse Aurora and starts looking around the room. She notices a spinning wheel that happened to be in the christening ceremony and thinks “Ehh... What the heck... This can work as well as anything else.” Stefan, with all the power he has as king, decides to gather every spinning wheel of the kingdom and hide them in the castle, instead of burning them to ashes. 

Maleficent suddenly is not as evil and starts looking after Aurora, who was sent to live with three pixies. Maybe, Maleficent wants her to grow up safely so she can die at the right moment. No matter why, she looks after Aurora. When Aurora is a teenager Maleficent reveals herself to Aurora, and Aurora immediately names Maleficent as her fairy godmother, even though Maleficent doesn't even have wings. They start to bond and care for each other. But, the day before her sixteenth birthday Aurora finds out about her curse and the fairy who cursed her. She went to talk with her fairy godmother and immediately says that her fairy godmother is the evil fairy who cursed her. Five minutes before she thought that Maleficent was the greatest of the fairies, the one that had protect her her entire life. Now, out of the blue, she knows that said fairy is the evilest of fairies, the one that cursed her as a baby.

The following scenes are about the curse being fulfilled, and Aurora being awaken by a kiss. Some expected changes are made from the original story. I don't mind those. The ensuing battle, on the other hand, lefts much to be desired. That was the perfect moment to showcase Maleficent's true magical powers. Instead, she transform someone else into a dragon and that's about it.

The resolution of the story is the worst. If the ending of this movie had aligned with Disney's Sleeping Beauty's storyline, I would have given it a higher rating. Except it did the complete opposite. Maleficent ends up as a good guy and she unites the Moors and the kingdom of men through Aurora. Which seems nice considering Aurora's good nature, but isn't. The inhabitants of the Moors were free and now aren't. Also, we don't know who will reign after Aurora. What if they don't share her kind nature? What will happen to the magical creatures of the Moors?

One of the things I disliked the most about this ending is that it is implied that Aurora ends up with a prince that she only saw once. I know Disney is trying to distant itself from their love-at-first-sight-with-a-prince-charming past. Yet, of all the things they could change from their initial story, they left that part intact.

If this movie gets a two-star/ok rating, instead of a one-star/bad rating, is due to the amazing magical creatures of the Moors. Among them: the Ent-like guardians, the pixies that took care of Aurora, and, most importantly, Diaval, the raven.

Wreck-It Ralph

Title: Wreck-It Ralph

Year: 2012

Director: Rich Moore

Rating by MPAA: PG for some rude humor and mild action/violence

Synopsis: A video game villain wants to be a hero and sets out to fulfill his dream, but his quest brings havoc to the whole arcade where he lives.

Official Movie Site and IMDb Page

Official Trailer

STEPH SAID

Rating: 

Review:

This movie was amazing; way more than I was expecting. I loved its storyline, characters, concept, plot twists and its allusions. This story has everything: drama, action, comedy, romance and a bit of politics and ethics.

At first, mostly thanks to the movie’s trailer, I thought the movie was just about a bad guy who wants to become a hero. However, right at the beginning of the movie you find out that Ralph is not a bad guy. He is just an outsider who lives in a dump and wrecks thing because that’s his job. All he wants is company, a house and, mostly, that his work be appreciated. He decides the only way things could change, the only way for his hard work to be recognized, is by earning a gold medal and thus, become a hero. This is done early in the movie; Ralph manages to acquire the medal quickly. Afterwards, he enters, by accident, the game “Sugar Rush” and that’s where the real story and adventure starts to unfold.

I love the concept of the characters from video games being alive. That is why I decided to watch the movie. It felt like a really cool mash up between Toy Story and Tron. What is more amazing is that the characters aren’t just alive; they actually have a life inside and outside the world of the game. Of course, the player will never see that, because the player only sees either one specific point of the world, or places a camera focuses on. This is super cool for two reasons. First, there are parts of the movie which can be seen from the games’ perspective; sometimes you would find yourself inside the game looking out to the player. Second, you can see what happens "behind the scenes". For example, Wreck-It Ralph, the game, takes place in the building Ralph wrecks and Felix fixes. But when the arcade is closed we can see a town nearby, a train station and a dumpster. Also, we get to see what the characters do when they’re not working.

“Sugar Rush” was amazing. It was the right amount of sweet. In it, Ralph meets Vanellope, (love her name by the way) a girl that is also an outsider and is bullied for being different. At first, I thought she was just a funny character, but she kept growing on me as the story progressed.

I do have one complain. I have to point out one small scene that I didn’t like. In it Calhoun and Felix get stuck in quicksand; the only way out is to grab some candy that is hanging over their heads. But, the candy was too far away. However, they discovered the candy got closer to them if they were funny. Their joke of choosing: violence. Calhoun would hit Felix, leaving him all swollen, and the candy would laugh and get closer to Calhoun and Felix. Then, Felix would fix himself with his hammer and Calhoun would hit him again. I didn’t like how violence was portrayed as a joke, like nothing bad was really happening because Felix could fix himself up. That looked like the cycle of violence and I know that if the roles were reversed, Felix hitting Calhoun, the movie would have raised many objections. People would have been scandalized that Disney is teaching kids that hitting a woman is fun. But, really, the fact that is a woman hitting a man is no different in my eyes.

Leaving aside this short scene, the movie was great, thought-provoking, funny and amazing. It has a great message. I definitely recommend it for the whole family.

TCON: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Title: The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

Year: 2010

Director: Michael Apted

Rating by MPAA: PG for some frightening images and sequences of fantasy action

Synopsis: Lucy and Edmund Pevensie return to Narnia with their cousin Eustace where they meet up with Prince Caspian for a trip across the sea aboard the royal ship The Dawn Treader. Along the way they encounter dragons, dwarves, merfolk, and a band of lost warriors before reaching the edge of the world.

For more information you can go to its IMDb Page.

Official Trailer



ELL SAID

Rating:  


Review:

Wow. Just... Wow. I didn't think this Narnia was going to impress me again, but, once again, Disney proved their talent making epic movies. It started out sweet, with a strange Edmund moment (As usual) and then we head into Narnia. But, this time, Peter and Susan aren't even around, but a third and new friend is discovered (Kidnapped, according to him): Eustice Scrubb, the Pevensie's cousin. He was hilarious and, definitely was the star of the movie. Starting as a jerk (Similarily to Edmund on The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but a bit more pathetic), he evolves into one of my favorite characters in the whole trilogy. Magic galore, to the point of amazing: Dragons, magicians, creatures with one, gigantic foot and more! This one movie outshone the previous two. Aslan didn't play a particularly important role which, I consider, was good, because we can't always have him saving everyone. Edmund, once again, was epic, but at the start he acted kinda whinny. The plot seemed strange, but everything was amazing.

STEPH SAID

If you want, you can read the book review first.

Review:

As a stand-alone movie (not comparing it to the book):

Rating:  

To those that haven’t read the books, this will probably be the best out of The Chronicles of Narnia movies. It was an amazing journey that immerses the viewer in the magical and wondrous world of Narnia. The viewers were, for the first time, given full access to the breath-taking, enchanting places and creatures that exist beyond the borders of the country of Narnia. The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and Prince Caspian took place in the country of Narnia --that is not to be mistaken with the world of Narnia. In the country of Narnia magical creatures and talking animals exist but that’s it; in the world of Narnia there is more than that. We were able to see islands that make people’s dreams come true, waters that turn everything it touches into gold, a sea of lilies, the end of the world itself and even got a glimpse of Aslan’s country; we met invisible people, magicians, sea serpents, dragons and stars.

Eustace’s character was powerful. He starts as an obnoxious character that nobody likes; by the end, he has turned into a beloved character that makes you cry with his inspiring change. This, of course, is thanks to Will Poulter’s impressive performance. He used little details, like his facial expressions or tone of voice, to help him portraying Eustace’s different sides. As a result, the boy that enters Narnia, is nothing like the one that leaves it.

Reepicheep’s goodbye was emotional. He has become one of my favorite characters from The Chronicles of Narnia (the second favorite, after Edmund), so seeing him leaving was the saddest part of the movie.

Comparing the movie to the book

Rating: 

The movie kept the basic story straight, as is usually done, but changed many, many things. Some of these changes were for the better; those parts of the story are better in the movie than in the book. Some of the changes were for the worst; I prefer the way it was done in the book, rather than the movie.

For the better:

• The way Edmund, Lucy and Eustace entered Narnia. In the books, the kids enter the moving painting; some water came out of it, but not the whole sea. In the movie, Narnia comes out through the painting, sinking the room.

• Eustace personality. Most of this point is explained above, but not all of it. In the book, Eustace started to change after becoming a boy again. Key word being “started”, but sometimes his change was unsuccessful. Eustace, from time to time, acted cruelly and ungratefully towards everybody around him. In the movie he did have a change of heart, visible to everybody and constant. 

• The friendly swordplay. Caspian and Edmund’s practice was entertaining, and it was good to see neither of them had lost their touch. Reep and Eustace’s was an added bonus. In the book, Eustace doesn’t give Reep the satisfaction; in the movie, however, he does. But, Reep took it a step further and used that opportunity to teach Eustace the proper way to duel. The funny thing was that Eustace took Reep’s advices, even though he dislikes Reep.

• Caspian’s end. The only thing I disliked about the book was Caspian’s ending. I didn’t like how he had an out-of-character moment and contended with everybody that opposed his decision to go to Aslan’s country. In the movie, Caspian was given an accurate and realistic ending. Yes, Caspian wanted to see Aslan’s country, but he was wise enough to know he shouldn’t abandon Narnia.

• Aslan’s message on individuality. This is a present matter involving kids and teens. Now, kids want to become their favorite artists. They dye their hair, buy specific clothes and start talking like their favorite artists. Aslan, taught Lucy that she shouldn’t wish to be somebody else; she should be happy to be Lucy Pevensie, because there is not another Lucy Pevensie in the world. (And he wasn’t talking about the name). Aslan showed Lucy, what would have happened is she wasn’t born: the kids wouldn’t have found Narnia. This is a nice change from the book, in which Aslan just reprimands Lucy for the enchantments she tried.

For the worse:

• Edmund’s portrayal. At the beginning of the story he was acting just like Peter: whining about how nobody treated him like the king he was, but acting like a child, sticking his tongue out to his uncle. If he wants to be treated like a king, he has to behave like one. But what’s worse is that he is nothing like that in the books. He is the wisest and best behaved of the Pevensie children. He is the one that should have been named High King of Narnia. Not happy with that, the movie presents Edmund as the creator of the Sea Serpent (he isn’t), making him look weak, as he was the only one that had a bad thought at that moment.

• Short end of the world. In the book, the End of the World lasts for many chapters. Days and days of traveling through crystal seas and undersea cities were shortened to a few minutes of traveling through the sea of lilies. 

TCON: Prince Caspian

Title: The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Year: 2008

Director: Andrew Adamson

Rating by MPAA: PG for epic battle action and violence

Synopsis: The Pevensie siblings return to Narnia, where they are enlisted to once again help ward off an evil king and restore the rightful heir to the land's throne, Prince Caspian.

For extra info go the its IMDb Page.

Official Trailer

ELL SAID

Rating: 

Review:

Okay. I love epic movies but, unfortunately, I found this particular one lacking. See, it starts off alright, but at one particular point in it, it goes down a hill made of ice that's quickly melting. See, for once, Edmund (the second youngest) acted like the king he is, but his brother, Peter, did not. He (Peter) was a complete jerk, to the point of being moronic at a time. His constant struggle to outshine Caspian proved to be horrible leadership and, unfortunately, make the most pointless and stupid thing ever. Considering the wholeness of the movie, the final battle was incredibly epic, which made the previous assault on the Telmarian castle extra-stupid and pointless, which only made the Narnians lose a bunch of excellent warriors. Now, even with that awesome final battle, I have a problem- Several. First! A character that had proven to be a good guy throughout the movie suddenly turned traitor to his king and everything he had done previously. Second! The Narnian army seemed to grow larger and larger, like some kind of multiplying effect- I mean, at one point, there was only a handful good guys left alive and suddenly, they have the strength to match, and even push back, their enemies. Third! Aslan, even though an extremely sexy lion, saved the day, which will, in a future, only make him the go-to solution to all the Narnian problems. Moving on, Susan and Lucy didn't do anything (At all) during the movie. A half-baked attempt at romance between two characters was there, but it was contradictory. Overall, it was an average movie, but, with it's potential, it could have been much more.

STEPH SAID

Review:

As a stand-alone movie (not comparing it to the book):

Rating:

Not thinking about the book, I have to say this is a really good movie. It has drama, action, suspense and a bit of romance.

I didn’t like how they divided the explanation behind Caspian’s escape in pieces. Also Peter’s pride was exasperating. From the beginning of the movie, even before the Pevensie children were in Narnia, Peter was being a huge jerk. He believed he is still king of Narnia and everybody must bow down to him. He kept getting worse, even having a power play with Caspian, the actual king of Narnia. I know that once you’re a King or Queen of Narnia you will always be one. But as a king he would have to be just and wise not proud enough to almost start a civil war. Ok, I know I’m exaggerating here, but his pride was definitely troublesome. If you want to be treated as the king, you have to act like one, not act like a bratty toddler because you’re not being treated like an adult. By the end, and I mean literally the end, Peter sucked it up, a bit, and said: “We’re not really needed here anymore” and gave his sword to Caspian. He was trying to sound like he gave his blessing as well, to Caspian. But trying is the key word here; he never said, he just hinted it.

Beside this, the movie was really good, and enjoyable.

That said, I want to compare the movie to the book.

Rating: 

This movie is loosely based on the book Prince Caspian. Many things were different; some for the better, some for the worse.

For the better: (Besides the obvious being able to see the story)

The Pevensie children arriving earlier to Narnia. This sped things up because both parts of the story, Caspian’s and the Pevensies’, were happening at the same time. In the book we have to listen to the Caspian’s part of the story and then to the Pevensies’ part. As I read the Pevensies’ part I was getting exasperated because Caspian had been at war for a couple of days. Afterwards, the horn was blown and the Pevensie arrived at Narnia. In the book it took the Pevensie about three days to reach Caspian. During those three days the war was raging, people were dying, and the Pevensie children were just enjoying the scenery.

The romance. Many may disagree on this one, but to me it was a plus. Susan is a pretty teenage girl and Caspian is a pretty young prince, it is only obvious that they will like each other. I think C.S. Lewis didn’t write any love story because his audience was going to be kids from the sixties. Maybe if he knew teenagers and adults were going to love his story, he would’ve written a bit of romance. Also, times have changed, at that time kids just wanted to play. Now I hear seven and eight years old talking about their girlfriends.

Aslan’s portrayal. While reading the book I didn’t felt Aslan as the caring god Lewis wanted him to be. I didn’t like how he reprimanded Lucy for not going to him and following her siblings. I was like: “Dude, you need her! Why do you make her feel so bad about herself?”. Aslan himself said that the rulers of Narnia needed to be sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. So, Aslan needed the kids, why treat them badly? He could’ve said “You did wrong, but this is what we’re going to do to make it better.” And in the movie he did!

The White Witch’s appearance. In the book Caspian is tempted to bring back the White Witch. The movie takes it a step further, having the White Witch doing the tempting. Caspian and Peter were enthralled by her beauty and magic, almost giving in to her wishes. Edmund had to become the grown up and save them all. Of course, he had been under the witches spell before and came out of it, which made him stronger. Peter’s ego received a blow by being saved by his little brother and because he, even with his years of experience (the ones he was boasting about) fell for the witch’s spell just like Caspian.

For the worse (the ones presented in the movie as a stand-alone apply here but I’m not going to write them twice):

The attack on Miraz’s castle. This only prolonged the story. Nothing good came out of these scenes. Many died and it helped in Peter and Caspian’s annoyance for each other.

Caspian and Peter’s power play. They were supposed to work together for Narnia’s good. Blaming the other didn’t help anyone.

Bottom line: the transition from book to movie was not great, the attack on Miraz’s castle being the major reason behind it, but it was still an enjoyable and entertaining movie.