Gravity

Gravity (2013)

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PG-13 - 91 min - Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller - 4 October 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 8.7/10

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Director : Alfonso Cuarón
Writers : Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón
Stars : Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Orto Ignatiussen

Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone - tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness.

One of the year's top films

Gravity, Alfonso Cuaron's explosive, white-knuckle sci-fi instant classic is a wonder to behold, with devastatingly realistic effects as a backdrop to a terrifying, compelling story and terrific work by Sandra Bullock and George Clooney. It is both a concrete what-if story and a mesmerizing existential mindbender.

The U.S Space Shuttle Explorer is docked at the International Space Station. Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock), on her first space mission, is installing an external device on the station that will enable astronomers to peer even deeper into space. Meanwhile, the mission commander Kowalski (Clooney), on his final mission, merrily spacewalks in a jet pack; other crew members perform maintenance or communicate with Earth.

Then trouble strikes. Houston reports that the Russians have blown up one of their own satellites, hurling debris throughout Earth's orbit. Before the crew can return to the shuttle and head back to Earth, the craft and the ISS are pounded with lots and lots of pieces of metal traveling at extreme speeds. The damage is extensive, setting off an odyssey for Dr. Stone that is both literal and figurative, as she must find a way to keep going and return back home.

There is hardly a moment of inaction. Stone and Kowalski veer from problem to problem, everything accentuate by the simple fact that they are alone up there, not even able to contact NASA. It's a terrifying situation. Most of us might have a slight panic attack if we're stranded on the side of the road without a cell phone. Imagine being up in the heavens with no way to get down.

Emmanuel Lubezki's dizzying camera-work serves two purposes: it provides us with Stone's visual perspective, that of a novice, and it provides context for the disaster she and Kowalski find themselves in. If you think that the pictures from the Hubble telescope were beautiful, wait until you see these breathtaking visuals; they're as stirring and evocative as the acting and story itself.

Stone journey, as I mentioned, becomes more than just a path back to safety. She is grieving in her own way, becoming a quiet, almost listless passenger in life. Her decisions and her proactive attitude not only bring her closer to survival but also to a healing of her mind. This is definitely among Bullock's finest work, perhaps her greatest achievement to date.

I've noted before that 3D movies in darkened environments, such as outer space, are utterly needless, since 3D actually removes light from scenes. But somehow, the 3D effects in Gravity sidestep that downside. The technology is used so expertly here that whether we are approaching an object at high velocity or it is approaching us, we feel immersed in the scene, not distracted from it. Tough to do.

I simply cannot delve into the plot any more than I already have. The astute viewer will still have trouble guessing the outcome and the twists within the movie, particularly because the action is so hard- driven – while still utterly coherent and plausible.

There are plenty of heart-stopping moments in Gravity, even for the most jaded of viewers. It is fantastic storytelling supported by arresting cinematography. It may be too early for movies to get serious award- season consideration, but I'll come out and say this right now: Gravity is one of the very best movies of the year.

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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

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Action, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller - 18 July 2014

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Director : Matt Reeves
Writers : Mark Bomback, Pierre Boulle
Stars : Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, Andy Serkis, Kodi Smit-McPhee

A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will determine who will emerge as Earth's dominant species.

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Riddick

Riddick (2013)

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R - 119 min - Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller - 6 September 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.8/10

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Director : David Twohy
Writers : David Twohy, Jim Wheat
Stars : Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Katee Sackhoff, Jordi Mollà

Betrayed by his own kind and left for dead on a desolate planet, Riddick fights for survival against alien predators and becomes more powerful and dangerous than ever before. Soon bounty hunters from throughout the galaxy descend on Riddick only to find themselves pawns in his greater scheme for revenge. With his enemies right where he wants them, Riddick unleashes a vicious attack of vengeance before returning to his home planet of Furya to save it from destruction.

Riddick - just as bad-ass as the previous ones!

Just saw the movie and loved it. I greatly enjoyed the first and second films so I've been looking forward to this since it was announced. It's a great sci-fi bad-ass action movie. Plenty of cheesy one-liners and good action scenes set in a sci-fi world.

The story wasn't anything spectacular, no breaking new ground here but it does set the stage for the next (hope we get a next!!!!). Graphics were well-done, alien life wasn't anything unique but were suitably scary.

If you liked the 1st and/or 2nd film you'll enjoy this. It pays more homage to the 1st than the 2nd. Vin Diesel does another great job acting as Riddick and you'll be cheering for the anti-hero as usual.

I personally am hoping the series continues, can't get enough of this! hope you enjoy!

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Jupiter Ascending

Jupiter Ascending (2014)

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Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi - 25 July 2014

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Director : Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Writers : Andy Wachowski, Lana Wachowski
Stars : Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, Douglas Booth, Sean Bean

Jupiter Jones was born under a night sky, with signs predicting that she was destined for great things. Now grown, Jupiter dreams of the stars but wakes up to the cold reality of a job cleaning toilets and an endless run of bad breaks. Only when Caine, a genetically engineered ex-military hunter, arrives on Earth to track her down does Jupiter begin to glimpse the fate that has been waiting for her all along - her genetic signature marks her as next in line for an extraordinary inheritance that could alter the balance of the cosmos.

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Her

Her (2013)

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120 min - Comedy, Drama, Romance, Sci-Fi - 10 January 2014
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.1/10

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Director : Spike Jonze
Writers : Spike Jonze
Stars : Joaquin Phoenix, Amy Adams, Scarlett Johansson, Rooney Mara

A lonely writer develops an unlikely relationship with his newly purchased operating system that's designed to meet his every need.

Just about the best thing you can see in 2013...

Talk about closing with a bang. Spike Jonze's long-awaited original film about a writer that falls in love with his operating system is not only the best film to play at this year's New York Film Festival; it very well could be the very best film of the year. "Her" is the finest writing and directorial endeavor of Spike Jonze's career. And then there's the towering and crowning work of Academy Award nominee Joaquin Phoenix who proves once again, he's the finest actor working today, hands down. You can't find a more dynamic and compelling story about the human connection and where we're headed as a society.

When "Her" opens up, it snaps you immediately into the story. Phoenix plays Theodore, a writer for a website that makes letters for just about anyone. As he tries to find life during the midst of his divorce from his wife Catherine (played by a beautiful Rooney Mara), Theodore finds solace in a friendship with a new OS (operating system) named Samantha (voiced by Scarlett Johansson). The two develop a relationship in a world where OS's are becoming the norm with society.

Jonze's has never been the conventional director as we've seen in his other brilliant efforts "Being John Malkovich" and "Where the Wild Things Are." Jonze sets out to tell a story and deliver all the intricate details for us to understand each character. His focus on Theodore, giving him a real sense of loneliness without falling into cliché character ticks and beats that we've seen countless times in other romantic films, Jonze constructs a real man living in a world where technology has taken precedent over human connection.

Christopher Nolan should take notes from Jonze on the assembling of female counterparts in a story. Catherine and Theodore's friend Amy, played by the always dependable Amy Adams, both feel genuinely authentic. Mara, who's already delivered one other powerful performance in "Ain't Them Bodies Saints" earlier this year, is finely utilized. She shows once again that she's a true professional, with limited screen time (many in flashbacks); she can staple herself in your memory.

Amy Adams is always the sprinkle on top in all of her films. As "Amy," the awkward friend and neighbor who sympathizes more with Theodore more than she'd like to, Adams expertly executes. With four prior Oscar nominations to her credit, her stunning portrayal is just another fantastic pin to add to her credits. She could find traction during the awards season if the film hits in the right way. That's also part to the petty Oscar rules about rewarding voice performances because if that wasn't the case, Scarlett Johansson would be on stage holding an Oscar of her own next March. As "Samantha," Johansson has never tapped into the essence of her abilities as an actress the way she does in "Her." As an OS, full of wonder and curiosity, "Samantha" is essentially a child. Learning at a rapid rate and studying the behaviors of the human mind, she looks at the world through the eyes of Theodore. Johansson holds our hand in through the tale, even when her voice isn't on screen. This is the type of work that could convince the Board of Governors to rethink the eligibility of an acting performance. This is a masterful work that I'll remember for years to come.

And then there's Joaquin Phoenix...oh, Mr. Phoenix. Fresh off his historic performance in Paul Thomas Anderson's "The Master" just a year ago, I didn't think he could impress me so soon and yet here we are. His sensitive and perceptive take on the role is what films are all about. It's one of the best things that 2013 has offered and a performance that could land him his first Oscar. I think Phoenix himself was impressed with the work he and his colleagues have accomplished. At the press conference, he actually gave an answer to one of the questions from the audience. If anyone was in attendance at the conference for James Gray's "The Immigrant" - a prickly, disengaged Phoenix put on his sunglasses and put the microphone on the floor. This is a performance that you can identify with. He's not simply awkward for the sake of being, he has baggage and connection issues. There's sincerity in his words and mannerisms. A getaway in a cabin, alone but with "Samantha" encapsulates everything about Theodore. Phoenix achieves the impossible and is an instant Oscar contender.

But "Her" isn't just about the writing and performances; it's an all- around technical marvel. Most notably the Production Design of K.K. Barrett, who has worked on "Where the Wild Things Are." Our story takes place in a futuristic (though never said how far ahead) Los Angeles and with shooting overseas, Barrett captures the clout of the city and its inside counterparts. Cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema's use of colors and smooth palettes are things of a dream. Affectionately snuggling up to Phoenix as he whispers the sweetness of words to "Samantha" or the sweetness of a new letter at work, Hoytema has quickly become one of my favorite DP's, especially following "Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy" and "Let the Right One In." Arcade Fire and Karen O. are simply magic in their music that accompanies our story about love. A modern yet classical composition that in key scenes could move you to tears.

"Her" is one of the best love stories I've witnessed in some time. Charlie Kaufman will always have the honor of penning my favorite love story of all-time "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind" but Spike Jonze and "Her" are giving it a true run for the money at the moment. Warner Bros. must know what they have with a limited release in late November; this...

Read More @ http://www.awardscircuit.com

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Ender's Game

Ender's Game (2013)

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PG-13 - 114 min - Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi - 1 November 2013

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Director : Gavin Hood
Writers : Gavin Hood, Orson Scott Card
Stars : Harrison Ford, Asa Butterfield, Hailee Steinfeld, Abigail Breslin

The Earth was ravaged twice by the Buggers, an alien race seemingly determined to destroy humanity. Seventy years later, the people of Earth remain banded together to prevent their own annihilation from this technologically superior alien species. Ender Wiggin, a quiet but brilliant boy, may become the savior of the human race. He is separated from his beloved sister and his terrifying brother and brought to battle school in orbit around earth. He will be tested and honed into an empathetic killer who begins to despise himself as he learns to fight in hopes of saving Earth and his family.

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About Time

About Time (2013)

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R - 123 min - Comedy, Drama, Sci-Fi - 8 November 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.6/10

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Director : Richard Curtis
Writers : Richard Curtis
Stars : Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy, Lydia Wilson

At the age of 21, Tim Lake (Domhnall Gleeson) discovers he can travel in time... The night after another unsatisfactory New Year party, Tim's father (Bill Nighy) tells his son that the men in his family have always had the ability to travel through time. Tim can't change history, but he can change what happens and has happened in his own life-so he decides to make his world a better place...by getting a girlfriend. Sadly, that turns out not to be as easy as you might think. Moving from the Cornwall coast to London to train as a lawyer, Tim finally meets the beautiful but insecure Mary (Rachel McAdams). They fall in love, then an unfortunate time-travel incident means he's never met her at all. So they meet for the first time again-and again-but finally, after a lot of cunning time-traveling, he wins her heart. Tim then uses his power to create the perfect romantic proposal, to save his wedding from the worst best-man speeches, to save his best friend from professional disaster and to ...

Not the best of Curtis but a very likable addition to his collection of rom-coms

Over the years, British writer Richard Curtis has scripted some wonderful romantic comedies: "Four Weddings And A Funeral", "Notting Hill", and "Love Actually". So, by now, we know the features of Curtisworld: locations in London, upper middle-class English types, lots of friendship and love, plenty of wry and sometimes rude humour, a socially inhibited boy, an attractive North American girl, a doddery elderly male relative, a freaky young female relative, probably a wedding, probably a funeral, obviously some heavy rain, well-chosen songs, and finally a clever film title. "About Time, which Curtis has both written and directed, delivers all the familiar ingredients and is a charming addition to the canon but, while I really liked it, it was not love actually.

This time, we have two love stories and a time travel device that enables both to achieve special fulfilment. There is the father-son relationship between Bill Nighy and Domhnall Gleeson and the sexual relationship between Glesson and (Canadian) Rachel McAdmas (coincidentally "The Time Traveler's Wife"). Both the technique of time travel (clenching hands in a darkened space) and the rules (forget the 'Butterfly Effect') are rather ridiculous, but the device serves to pose some almost philosophical questions: If you could travel back in time to change things in your life, how often would you do it and what would you change? In the end, is it a power that you would use to change the facts of the past or your perception of the present?

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The Wolverine

The Wolverine (2013)

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PG-13 - 126 min - Action, Adventure, Fantasy, Sci-Fi - 26 July 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.1/10

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Director : James Mangold
Writers : Mark Bomback, Scott Frank
Stars : Hugh Jackman, Will Yun Lee, Tao Okamoto, Rila Fukushima

In modern day Japan, Wolverine is out of his depth in an unknown world as he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than we have ever seen him before.

Logan finally gets a stand-alone film to do him justice

Logan's latest adventure is undeniably a step-up from X-Men Origins: Wolverine but it falls short of the standard set by X-Men: First Class.

It was great to see Logan out of his usual environment, and it was a fresh location for superhero films in general from their usual US base but for the most part, especially the action scenes, they could have been anywhere. The Japanese location felt underutilised in setting this film apart from others in its genre. The action scenes are good, even if they do raise a few continuity questions, and the last third of the film is certainly filled with action, twists and turns. James Mangold managed to succeed where Origins did not, he managed to introduce a whole cast of characters but they generally all felt developed and not just crammed in for the sake of it.

The film's biggest disappointment though was that it felt like it slipped back into the comfort of it's western formula, taking it from achieving the potential the story had, especially when Darren Aronofsky was attached to direct. The source material presented an opportunity for Logan's darkest and edgiest movie yet, but what we gets feels familiar but in a new location. Where it does set itself apart from previous entries with its dream sequences, which vary from good to distracting, but at least they tried something new.

Make sure you don't leave the cinema when the credits hit though, if you've not learnt the Marvel formula yet then you might want to consider doing so.

Overall, The Wolverine is a fun film but one that falls short of its potential. Hugh Jackman is still a perfect fit for Logan, and it was a nice change to see the character in a new environment and in his own story (Origins was not really a solo outing).

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Iron Man 2

Iron Man 2 (2010)

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PG-13 - 124 min - Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi - 7 May 2010
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.0/10

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Director : Jon Favreau
Writers : Justin Theroux, Stan Lee
Stars : Robert Downey Jr., Mickey Rourke, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle

With the world now aware of his dual life as the armored superhero Iron Man, billionaire inventor Tony Stark faces pressure from the government, the press, and the public to share his technology with the military. Unwilling to let go of his invention, Stark, along with Pepper Potts, and James "Rhodey" Rhodes at his side, must forge new alliances - and confront powerful enemies.

Solid action-packed funny sequel

I liked it a lot better than the mixed reviews I was reading would have led me to believe. It's not as fresh as the original, but the charisma and humor were there, and so were some great surprises. RDJ was amazing as always - it's hilarious that Iron Man is a funnier superhero than Spiderman, but the improv makes it work. Thumbs up! I think that anyone who enjoyed the first movie will like this as well, and enjoy a great thrill ride! And don't forget to stay after the credits for yet another Marvel movie tie-in that leads towards the inevitable Avengers movie in 2012! Don Cheadle did a good job - ScarJo was good, but not what I imagined the Black Widow to be like, but she *was* hot... And Gwyneth did her usual impeccable job. Mickey Rourke added weight to what could have been a cardboard cutout stereotype, and Sam Rockwell's character, though annoying, was well played.

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The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire (2013)

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PG-13 - 146 min - Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller - 22 November 2013

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Director : Francis Lawrence
Writers : Simon Beaufoy, Michael Arndt
Stars : Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Philip Seymour Hoffman

Katniss Everdeen has returned home safe after winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games along with fellow tribute Peeta Mellark. Winning means that they must turn around and leave their family and close friends, embarking on a "Victor's Tour" of the districts. Along the way Katniss senses that a rebellion is simmering, but the Capitol is still very much in control as President Snow prepares the 75th Annual Hunger Games (The Quarter Quell) - a competition that could change Panem forever.

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Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2 (2013)

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PG - 95 min - Animation, Comedy, Family, Fantasy, Sci-Fi - 27 September 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.5/10

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Director : Cody Cameron, Kris Pearn
Writers : Judi Barrett, Ron Barrett
Stars : Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Will Forte, Neil Patrick Harris

After the disastrous food storm in the first film, Flint and his friends are forced to leave the town. Flint accepts the invitation from his idol Chester V to join The Live Corp Company, which has been tasked to clean the island, and where the best inventors in the world create technologies for the betterment of mankind. When Flint discovers that his machine still operates and now creates mutant food beasts like living pickles, hungry tacodiles, shrimpanzees and apple pie-thons, he and his friends must return to save the world.

Imaginative Animals Crossed with Food!

In the first "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs," young scientist Flint Lockwood invents a wondrous machine he called the Flint Lockwood Diatonic Super Mutating Dynamic Food Replicator, or FLDSMDFR, that turned water into gigantic pieces of food which later rained on and destroyed their island town of Swallow Falls.

In this sequel, Flint gets conscripted by his idol Chester V, the CEO of Live Corp Company, for a mission to locate the FLDSMDFR and insert a "BS-USB" to deactivate it before newly-evolved vicious creatures on the island learn to swim out and destroy the rest of the world.

When Flint and his friends get there, they discover that the FLDSMDFR now creates "Foodnimals", food turned animals with eyes, arms and legs. They range from the cute and lovable Strawberries, Marshmallows and Pickles, to large and formidable Cheespiders (cheeseburgers with french fries as legs and spin cheesy webs) and Tacodiles (tacos turned crocodiles that spew lettuce at the mouth).

As conflicts arise between Chester V and Flint's girlfriend Sam Sparks, can Flint figure out the right thing to do before he does something which would destroy not only his friendships, but also a whole new fascinating world of new creatures?

The writers were able to come up with one hilarious one-liner food puns in practically every other line. I recall "There's a leek in my boat!" and "I will cut the cheese!" to mention a couple. They must have exhausted every food pun in the book, and then some. There were some lame jokes too though, like about the non-wedgie underwear.

The animators of CWACOM 2 really ran wild with their imaginations creating these delightful "Foodnimals" from the simple to the complex. They turned shrimp into chimps, bananas to ostriches, potatoes to hippos, onions to brontosauruses! This is a very visually-stimulating film. The images, the colors and the 3D was fantastic!

There are some take-home messages about family, friendship and caring for wildlife and were well-appreciated. There was some word too about bullying. However, these moral lessons were presented in a funny, most entertaining fashion. This is truly a light and breezy film to be enjoyed by the whole family.

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Riddick

Riddick (2013)

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R - 119 min - Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller - 6 September 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.8/10

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Director : David Twohy
Writers : David Twohy, Jim Wheat
Stars : Vin Diesel, Karl Urban, Katee Sackhoff, Jordi Mollà

Betrayed by his own kind and left for dead on a desolate planet, Riddick fights for survival against alien predators and becomes more powerful and dangerous than ever before. Soon bounty hunters from throughout the galaxy descend on Riddick only to find themselves pawns in his greater scheme for revenge. With his enemies right where he wants them, Riddick unleashes a vicious attack of vengeance before returning to his home planet of Furya to save it from destruction.

Very entertaining popcorn flick!!! Not for young ones!!!

I saw Riddick last night and enjoyed it very much. No, it wasn't a perfect film, but I knew going in that I wasn't going to see an Oscar contender!!! The action and special effects were great, the story is nothing we haven't already seen before though it was well done, and the acting was as expected for this genre. What it does lack in originality, it makes up for in intensity. It is a violent film, but it is action violence and nowhere near "torture porn". Yes, you will have to suspend a good deal of belief, but no more than in any other action film. If you are looking for a heartwarming tale of humanity at it's best -- skip this one. If you are expecting a modern retelling of 2001, than forget this one. If you are looking for mindless entertainment with a lot of action and a plausible storyline, this is for you.

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Mulberry Street

Mulberry Street (2006)

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R - 84 min - Horror, Sci-Fi, Thriller - 27 April 2007
Big Blue Sky Rating : 5.6/10

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Director : Jim Mickle
Writers : Nick Damici, Jim Mickle
Stars : Nick Damici, Kim Blair, Ron Brice, Bo Corre. A deadly infection breaks out in Manhattan, causing humans to devolve into blood-thirsty rat creatures. Six recently evicted tenants must survive the night and protect their downtown apartment building as the city quickly spirals out of control." />

A deadly infection breaks out in Manhattan, causing humans to devolve into blood-thirsty rat creatures. Six recently evicted tenants must survive the night and protect their downtown apartment building as the city quickly spirals out of control.

They Say New Yorkers Are Rude?

Who ever said that New Yorkers were rude or not funny, I sure as hell didn't. I want to say a few things about this movie I loved it. I absolutely loved this movie, it was one of the best apocalyptic movies since 28 Week Later, and furthermore, it was more of an isolated incident than a major epidemic. I was beautifully done, the acting was beyond superb, very tense and horrorfic and funny. This movie had the look and feel of something much more mesmerizing and sedated than just your typical outbreak story, it had family values, emotional battles, REAL looking people rather than beautiful young teens and some very sad and unexpected moments. This movie would probably be the best Horror Fest movie I have seen. It brought me back to the day when apocalypse movies were abundant and new. Even for a very restricted budget, as the film displays, this film was dynamite.

First off, the acting was equivalent to 28 Days and Weeks, the remake of Dawn of the Dead and Land of the Dead. Unlike its predecessors, Mulberry Street is an isolated outbreak strictly in the Manhattan and New York region. This outbreak was not cause by a virus, or at least confirmed that it was virus, or a zombie outbreak or even a gas, it was simply caused by underground sewer rats. When bitten, people turn into "rat people." They become deformed, grow long front teeth and pointy ears and eat other people. What made this movie scary was that they weren't zombies or enraged people but mutations of the human body running around and viciously attack people. They jump out of nowhere, they puke blood, eat other people and violent manner that all of this is happening. It's scary, when you see these people faces and the way they act before they turn into rat people. Something about this particular apocalypse movie was different from Days, Weeks, Dawn of Dead or Land of Dead, it was pretty scary and very well done for a low budgeter. One of the scarier moments was when the building super, who got bit, started crawling up the inside of the walls and ceilings.

The characters in this movie were not you typical drunken, sex-craved, beautiful teens, but were you typical lower class, medium income New York tenants. That's what I also loved about this movie was it had real people who acted like real people in such situations and with outstanding performances by Nick Damici, Kim Blair, Ron Brice, Antone Pagan and Lou Torres. Another great element that drives this movie is the emotional feel and the chemistry between those characters. A father, along with his flamboyant friend wait for the arrival of his long seen daughter, and just the respect and love they had for each was powerful. The relationship that one of the older tenants has with a bedridden old man who breaths through an oxygen tank is hysterically powerful and the love between that father and a barmaid, whom he has trouble confronting. All of these aspects and more made this film emotionally driven and powerful. There are points were it's almost sad and a good amount of laughs.

Another great and unexpected aspect of this film was the humor. The old guy with the breather is hysterical even the most hectic and horrible situations. There was plenty of humor in this film that lightened the mood including the bar's owner who found a great way to defend himself from the rat people, with none other than a frying pan. Great humor portrayed by one of the more flamboyant tenants who also found a great way for defense involving a lighter and an aerosol can. The humor was abundant and I enjoyed this ingredient.

The visual of the film was hand-held, like a camcorder and when the action heightened it got shakier and more intense. Not quite as motion sickness as Bourne Ultimatum was, but the camera did try to stabilize and keep a hand-held style going. A great attempt and it worked. I enjoyed the camera-work the natural lighting inside the dimly lit apartment and the darkened red lights of the outside streets.

Overall, this movie had great scares, some very emotional moments, sad moments, hysterical moments and a great horror film that would fit greatly in the apocalypse line up of films. If you haven't seen this, I would strongly recommend it and give it a chance. A lot of people found it stupid but it was very well done, unlike some b-movies were the director doesn't push his actors and actresses to go above and beyond. For this movie, there is no need for Arsenic, just a chance.

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Pacific Rim

Pacific Rim (2013)

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PG-13 - 131 min - Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi - 12 July 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.3/10

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Director : Guillermo del Toro
Writers : Travis Beacham, Guillermo del Toro
Stars : Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Rinko Kikuchi, Charlie Day

When monstrous creatures, known as Kaiju, started rising from the sea, a war began that would take millions of lives and consume humanity's resources for years on end. To combat the giant Kaiju, a special type of weapon was devised: massive robots, called Jaegers, which are controlled simultaneously by two pilots whose minds are locked in a neural bridge. But even the Jaegers are proving nearly defenseless in the face of the relentless Kaiju. On the verge of defeat, the forces defending mankind have no choice but to turn to two unlikely heroes - a washed up former pilot (Charlie Hunnam) and an untested trainee (Rinko Kikuchi) - who are teamed to drive a legendary but seemingly obsolete Jaeger from the past. Together, they stand as mankind's last hope against the mounting apocalypse.

Larger Than Life

Pacific Rim takes inspiration from the elements of any material that involves giant creatures and robots. It shows a simple concept about piloted robots, Jaegers, fighting against sea aliens, Kaijus. This idea alone would already make a fantastic blockbuster. The surprise we get is it features more than just endless explosions. There are plenty of innovations to root for which it can almost be a new popular classic. The only less intriguing parts however are the clichés that are too known in many big sci-fi action movies. Despite of that, it kept the promise of being gigantically awesome. It's not completely groundbreaking, but it's still quite an experience.

Aside from the large scale battles, the film amazingly creates an innovating futuristic alternate universe. It tells the origins of the Kaijus and how the Jaegers work, shows what society and the media have become, and throw some satires of the genre. The exploration of the vision is so absorbing, it feels like you went to it as a trip. But what somewhat halts this from being larger than life is when it takes the generic elements of any typical blockbuster, like the hero's motivations, the main robot is somehow an underdog in one scene, there's an arrogant team member, sacrifices, and so on. It's hard to not notice them since they are the central points of the story. The intriguing stuff about the Jaegers and Kaijus still took over the experience. At least it embraces its own fantasy tastes without being "dark" and emo like today's blockbuster trend.

Charlie Hunnam's performance is fitting to a graphic novel based movie, which is kind of appropriate as his role. In the battle scenes, he gives genuine human emotions as he punches and fall. Idris Elba remarkably brings heart to the picture while being awesome at the same time. Rinko Kikuchi makes her character more than just a partner of Raleigh. Charlie Day and Burn Gorman delightfully serves more energy to the story, while Ron Perlman appears in a short screen time but satisfying enough.

Now the real highlight of the picture, the visuals are overall shiny and snazzy. The designs of the creatures and robots are palpably marvelous. As the special effects move these heavy giants, the action did something better than just blowing up stuff. Although explosions and loud noises are not actually flaws(It's about giant robots, c'mon!), but a real good set piece needs a decent and genuine fortitude. In the midst of the noises, you will always get the sense of danger to the Jaegers, mostly because there are human pilots beneath the ravaging machines. It effectively made those sequences electrifying and the monsters terrifying than you would expect.

Pacific Rim will have its own fans. It feels like a self-indulged blockbuster that people will end up loving. Besides, this film is said to be Guillermo del Toro's dream come true coming from his childhood. And seeing all that, there's plenty of things to explore and to be intrigued. If only the plot can break some points from the mainstream storytelling, it would have been less predictable and much extraordinary. But physically, it is extraordinary. It's both big and eye candy which is the snazziest merit you will see. Also in the action scenes where it's more into the thrills than the fireworks, because it's all about iron fists hitting on monsters' face. Again, the story may be familiar, but the setting and the action keeps everything looks fresh and amazing.

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Stake Land

Stake Land (2010)

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R - 98 min - Drama, Horror, Sci-Fi - 17 June 2011
Big Blue Sky Rating : 6.5/10

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Director : Jim Mickle
Writers : Nick Damici, Jim Mickle
Stars : Connor Paolo, Nick Damici, Kelly McGillis, Gregory Jones. Martin was a normal teenage boy before the country collapsed in an empty pit of economic and political disaster. A vampire epidemic has swept across what is left of the nation's abandoned towns and cities, and it's up to Mister, a death dealing, rogue vampire hunter, to get Martin safely north to Canada, the continent's New Eden." />

Martin was a normal teenage boy before the country collapsed in an empty pit of economic and political disaster. A vampire epidemic has swept across what is left of the nation's abandoned towns and cities, and it's up to Mister, a death dealing, rogue vampire hunter, to get Martin safely north to Canada, the continent's New Eden.

A good vamp/survival Movie

After reading some of these reviews, i thought they were a bit harsh. But with that said, i respect there opinions about this movie.

I enjoyed this movie, from start to finish i was well entertain, sure it's gloomy, the story is simple, the action was good, and so was the script, there might not have been many words spoken in the movie, but it fits in well to make you feel like immerse in there gloomy Vamp filled world.

Everyone in the movie acted well yes, there is no big name actors, and i'm happy about that. You don't need big name actors to make a good movie.

Not sure what other people expected from Stake Land, but i got what i expected, survivors trying to survive, not just trying to survive against vamps, but also against human desperation and cruelness.

Decent acting, decent script, great movie, 9 out of 10

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Gravity

Gravity (2013)

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PG-13 - 91 min - Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller - 4 October 2013
Big Blue Sky Rating : 8.7/10

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Director : Alfonso Cuarón
Writers : Alfonso Cuarón, Jonás Cuarón
Stars : Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Ed Harris, Orto Ignatiussen

Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) is a brilliant medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, with veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) in command of his last flight before retiring. But on a seemingly routine spacewalk, disaster strikes. The shuttle is destroyed, leaving Stone and Kowalsky completely alone - tethered to nothing but each other and spiraling out into the blackness.

Gravity is a very well put together film. Stunning visuals combine with brilliant scoring to play backup to some great acting and very solid writing.

When I first opened my email to see a Klout Perk inviting me to an advance screening of Gravity, starring George Clooney and Sandra Bullock, I'll admit my first thought was... 'what is Gravity?' At this point, it was still early enough that the huge marketing blitz for the film was just starting, and since I don't watch a lot of live TV, I had not seen any trailers for it. Since I never like to turn down a free movie however, I immediately signed up. I'm very glad that I did.

Security was pretty intensive for a screening only a month or so before a new release, forcing us to check in (my name was on 'the list') with 3 separate people, as well as having to leave our cell phones out in the car and be screened though a metal detector wand to ensure we weren't bringing ANY electronic devices in the theater.

Thankfully, the drama wasn't limited to the process of getting in, the movie provided plenty as well! From the opening scene to the closing credits, there are many dramatic moments, underscored brilliantly by the AMAZING Steven Price score. The music and sound in this film really stand out, both in the places where it is used, and even more dramatically in places where it is not. Movies very rarely seem to know where silence is the right choice, but they do a fantastic job here.

The screening was in 3D, of which I normally am not a huge fan. Typically, the glasses are uncomfortable, or don't fit over (or under) my glasses, which forces me to wear them alone and watch the movie with my crappy blurred vision. The glasses provided for this film, however were easy to slip on over my own glasses without feeling like I was wearing safety goggles. The 3D effects were well done, and accented the movie nicely without feeling obtrusive or 'gag-like'. I probably would have enjoyed the movie just as much in 2D, but I will recommend seeing it in 3D if that's your thing.

The visuals in Gravity are absolutely stunning! The views of the earth from space and the way the graphics are completed really give you a small sense of what it would be like to be in space. Even without getting into the script or acting, the visuals, combined with the previously mentioned sound design excellence, create a truly immersive experience well worth going to a theater to experience on the big screen. Of course, we have to talk about the acting... Both Clooney and Bullock put on a great show in Gravity. With Sandra Bullock actually putting on an acting clinic at times that I, for one, never gave her credit for in the past. Without spoiling the movie for anyone, I will tell you that these two are the only people you see on screen, with the rest of the very short cast list appearing in voice form only. It can be incredibly hard for a one or two man show to keep people's attention, but much like Tom Hanks in Cast Away, they pull it off with the 1-2 punch of great acting and solid writing.

It also doesn't hurt that the run time on the film is only 90 minutes. I'm sure they could have easily forced another 20 to 30 minutes in to get the time up, but they made the right choice I believe in making it short and to the point. The overall effect is that when you leave the theater you know that the whole story was told (and beautifully told at that), and that none of your time was wasted on superfluous or gratuitous film stock.

In short, Gravity is a very well put together film. Stunning visuals combine with brilliant scoring to play backup to some great acting and very solid writing. I gave it a 9/10 and I highly recommend giving it a watch, preferable in the theater... your choice on the 3D or 2D version.

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Children of Men

Children of Men (2006)

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R - 109 min - Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi, Thriller - 5 January 2007
Big Blue Sky Rating : 7.9/10

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Director : Alfonso Cuarón
Writers : Alfonso Cuarón, Timothy J. Sexton
Stars : Julianne Moore, Clive Owen, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Caine

The world's youngest citizen has just died at 18, and humankind is facing the likelihood of its own extinction. Set in and around a dystopian London fractious with violence and warring nationalistic sects, Children of Men follows the unexpected discovery of a lone pregnant woman and the desperate journey to deliver her to safety and restore faith for a future beyond those presently on Earth.

A thinking person's thriller

Alfonso Cuaron has given us a very clever rendering of a very English dystopian novel. P D James, the "Baroness of Bad" is famous for her well-written and absorbing police procedural novels ("Inspector Dalgliesh") but in the early 90s she produced a vision of a world only 20 years into the future in which for unspecified reasons all the women on earth have become infertile and no babies have been born for the last 18 years.

The rest of the world has lapsed into chaos but the British, stoically, have put the remainder of their civil liberties into the fire and have settled down under an oppressive dictatorship to ward off foreign boarders and await inevitable extinction, though there are some violent dissidents called the fish.

Theo (Clive Owen), a journalist with connections to the top, is "persuaded" by his ex-wife and fish member Julian (Julianne Moore) to obtain some exit papers for Kee (Claire Hope Ashity) a young black woman, who, it turns out, is pregnant. Theo is swept up in Kee's escape across a grim decaying landscape. Not only are there the security forces to contend with, but some equally ruthless insurgents. Cuaron builds the tension exquisitely, interspersing the adrenaline fueled bits with quieter bits.

Kee' projected saviors are a mysterious group called the Human Project who conveniently sail their well-maintained Greenpeace style ex-North Sea fishing trawler past offshore light buoys in the hope of rescuing the human race. But the improbability of this doesn't matter much because by the end of the movie Cuaron has effectively demonstrated what the world would be like if humankind suddenly stopped reproducing. Having children is our way of cheating death, without them there is nothing but death, and in this future there are none about but the living dead.

The casting is pretty well perfect. Clive Owen as Theo puts his haunted good looks to good use as he turns from cynical reporter to a hunted enemy of the state. The motley characters he meets along the way – his ex-wife, the fish rebels, the refugees who help him, the "fascist pig" border guard and above all Michael Caine's aging hippie are all wonderfully realized.

It has been suggested that Cuaron has really made a film about today, not 20 years into the future. The rampaging security forces we see might as well be in Bosnia or Iraq, or even Northern Ireland. In an age of terrorism, order without law very quickly becomes tyranny, which has never been the answer to terrorism. What he and PD James do demonstrate is just how fragile our civil society is.

As a film this is a very fine piece of work. The sets exude grimy Britain, the battles are hair-raising, the quieter moments intense. Cuaron would do a great James Bond movie. He has turned a rather rarefied novel into an exiting and engrossing thriller without obscuring the original message. He is a very versatile and enterprising film-maker and I'm sure he's going to do lots more good stuff.

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