Batman: The Dark Knight rises (2012)

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Batman: The Dark Knight rises

6/10

Starring

Christian Bale
Michael Caine
Gary Oldman
Anne Hathaway
Tom Hardy

Directed by Christopher Nolan

Distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures

A lot of people say this is the best movie they have seen this year so far. I just wonder why.

This year so far The Avengers still remains to be beaten. The movie Dark Knight Rises is not bad at all there was just something about the movie that just didn’t click for me. Just like I went to see The Avengers (staying away from previews and write ups about it so as to be surprised by the events) so did I for Dark Knight Rises. In the case of Avengers I was swept of my feet, while here I just sat still.

Nolan only agreed to a third film on the basis of finding a worthwhile story, fearing that he would become bored halfway through production if he discovered the film to be unnecessary. He later came up with a story with the aid of his brother.

The studio after seeing the success of Joker in The Dark Knight, wanted to have the Riddler as the villain but Nolan went for Bane instead.

The thing that will trip you about this movie is Selina Kyle; Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) was well delivered and captured my very eye. The character is very similar to that of the comics and was SEXY. But on the argument on whether Michelle Pfeiffer or Anne Hathaway delivered the best version of the Cat, well looking at how the stories were written Pfeiffer has the upper hand due to the fact that the Batman Returns (1992) focused on her somewhat, while here she was just a character. But if that is set aside I will pick Michelle’s adaptation for the whole psycho fun she put into it.

The plot of the movie goes: It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning in that instant from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the crime rate in Gotham has also dropped massively. The plan between the Bat and commissioner Gordon was going well till a terrorist group and their leader comes into Gotham.

The raid of the group opens wounds, and tears a father son relationship that Bruce had. The terrorist Bane was not the only one bring in the blues in to Wayne’s life, a mysterious thief known as Selina Kyle too was roaming the street.

A series of unfortunate events leads to the comic history between the Bat and Bane, where we get to see Bane break the Bats back. Now the Bat is out of commission and Gotham is at its knees, “Who will save them?”

We all know the answer, The Bat.

As acting, goes Bale did well, but Anne Hathaway stole the show. The directing is not flawed at all Nolan is a master movie maker and all respect must be given to him. But the story to me was as weak as bread on water, and the movie was just too long for me.

Will I be seeing this movie again? Not really. But I dare you to miss this flick, regardless of what anyone says it is a movie to see.

The Amazing Spider-Man (2012)

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The Amazing Spider-Man

6/10

Starring

Andrew Garfield
Emma Stone
Rhys Ifans
Denis Leary

Directed by Marc Webb

Distributed by Columbia Pictures

Not so amazing but as you get over the first 30 minutes bore of, “I have seen this before…” you get sucked in to the fun and the bumpy drive of Spidy getting started all over again.

The movie to me is more of a money making franchise and a keep the character right scheme than a plan to entertain. But if I look at what is being dished out this year some movies have been more on a making money agenda than entertaining.

Sony debunked the Spider-Man 4 idea, maybe because of cast or could it be because the story will cost too much to be made. The trio of Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Sam Raimi (as director) has been replaced with Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Marc Webb (as director).  Now Emma Stone plays Gwen Stacy in this flick and I figured we got an intro to our new Mary J. Watson in the movie.

Sony decided to reboot the Spidy series with Garfield as Peter Parker / Spiderman. The movie goes back a little as we get to see Dr. Curt Connors (Rhys Ifans) and with Connors comes the “The Lizard” something I was eager to see and I have to give credit to the CGI as the Lizard had a lot of close ups and still looked good.

A little change in things concerning the web slinger and some more addition in story that was never there before, that is why the 30 minutes intro will make you feel, “what the heck!”

Another thing I have to give credit to the director for is the well-choreographed introduction to the web slinger’s powers. He discovered his power in a train that led to a series of accidents that saw him beat guys up, and kept apologizing each time. 

Unlike the conventional shy and laid back Parker of Maguire, Garfield’s Parker is a little sly and dark and wears a hood as much times as possible.

He is left behind by his parents and his father could be alive, as Dr. Connors somehow knew him.

Conventionally we know the story; Peter leaves with Uncle Ben and Aunt May, he gets beaten by a radioactive spider and voila! But here Peter actually disobeys rules and sneaks into the lab where he got beaten, and after Ben was gone we get to see a dark Parker walking around in a hood.

Then when the director got bored I guess he throws down the hood, puts aside the revenge persona and changed into a hero.

And as usual Dr Connors was trying to grow back his hand which led to "The Lizard", he then decides to turn the whole city into creatures like him and then he was stopped by our hero. (Sorry, Spoiler)

Was Marc Webb better than Raimi as the director? 

Well wouldn’t say so because Webb had to make me like what I have seen before, and in a way he did. 

Was Garfield better that Maguire? That I will live for you to point out yourself and you can then tell me what you think.

But the movie is not a total waste, but it is obviously unnecessary but I still say go see it.

The Raven (2012)

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The Raven

5/10

Starring
John Cusack
Alice Eve
Brendan Gleeson
Luke Evans

Directed by James McTeigue

Distributed by Rogue

The best way to say this is that, The Raven was an okay thriller that will not bore you to sleep nor leave you fascinated. I will not tag this movie a success, or the best I have seen John Cusack in, but you may want to miss this.

The Raven to me made a mockery of an already sad tale, Edgar Poe was not a successful poet and was a drunk, but the movie made him look more pathetic as it linked his life and death to a series of events that he somehow had a hand in. The movie script is plain and weak to be considered a good work and far from a masterpiece.

The Raven is meant to depict the life of Poe after his fame for the poetry of “The Raven”, which didn't bring any financial revenue to him. While the plot of the film is fictional, the writers based it on some accounts of real situations surrounding Edgar Allan Poe's mysterious death.

The plot focuses on the life of Poe (John Cusack), whose life has been drenched with negativity and death, that all his writings and story all have death and gloom all over it. But later he encounters Emily (Alice Eve), who becomes a light in his dark world.

But all around him people start to die, in a way similar to what he depicts in his writings, now he and the police have to catch the killer as his light (Emily) has been kidnapped by him.

Director James McTeigue, who made his directorial debut with the masterpiece V for Vendetta (2005), did not leave a mark of greatness in this movie, as the movie lacks any memorable moment at all.

John Cusack to me is not a fascinating actor, as his style of acting is similar in all his roles. Whenever he acts, he looks like the same guy but different scripts. Other actors didn’t impress me either.

Luke Evans, was not also impressive in this movie I blame the script and the director for that, but we will get a better view of Luke in the upcoming Peter Jackson Hobbit Trilogy (he is billed to be in the second and third part of the trilogy) and Fast and Furious 6. Alice Eve spent half her time in a box so we don’t get to see more of this actress in this movie, so if you want to enjoy seeing Eve, check her out in the 2010 movie She's Out of My League, a fun movie.

Ted (2012)

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Ted (2012)

5/10

Starring

Mark Wahlberg
Mila Kunis
Seth MacFarlane

Directed by Seth MacFarlane

Distributed by Universal Pictures

Other than the occasional laughs, you are not missing anything if you skip watching this in the cinema.

Seth MacFarlane, who is the creator of family guy, wrote and directed the movie, this is his directorial debut, and I may not be watching his second work. I am not a huge fan of family guy, the whole idea baffles me. But no matter, i see Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, i just expect to have a good time, which i didn’t have.

Wahlberg and Kunis combination was great on screen, they gelled together and there were the best thing to see on the screen. The movie dragged with profanity and too much sexual reference, i just kept waiting for the next thing to happen as each scene dragged and i wish i could just skip ahead.

The computer animation was handled by visual effects facilities Tippett Studio (who were responsible for the way back when Robocop series and the more recently The Smurfs). MacFarlane wrote the screenplay with his Family Guy colleagues Alec Sulkin and Wellesley Wild, and they must have thought there were writing for a cartoon, because some events that happened were totally ridiculous, a teddy bear and sex, that is loony, perverted and ridiculous in so many ways.

The plot is simple: as the result of a childhood wish, John Bennett's (Mark Wahlberg) teddy bear, Ted, came to life, as John grew so did the bear, in attitude, voice and reason, but things started to change when Lori (Mila Kunis) comes into the picture, John has to grow up, but Ted keeps him grounded.

Acting by the leads is an A+ from me; i was actually impressed by Mark Whalberg, not saying he is bad at what he does just saying i was impressed. Directing and screenplay D-, some scenes were just too dull for me.

Whalberg was in Contraband and The Fighter (with Christian Bale) before this movie, i was not too much of a fan of Contraband, but the fighter was just a legendary movie to watch. Mila Kunis was also in the movie Max Payne with Whalberg. Mila jumped at me from the movie The Book of Eli and later on Black Swan, i see her growing to be a regular on the silver screen.

Well, Ted is a movie all we want to see, some loved it, a few didn’t i am of the few, may be you go see it yourself and let me know what you think.

Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012)

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Ice Age: Continental Drift

6/10

Starring

Ray Romano as Manny
John Leguizamo as Sid
Denis Leary as Diego
Queen Latifah as Ellie

Directed by Steve Martino and Mike Thurmeier

Distributed by 20th Century Fox

Ice Age: Continental Drift is funny, but you will fill the drag, like the makers are running out of ideas, but choose to recycle some elements like romance and repackage a new movie for all to see. To me the franchise is a Blue Sky gold mine one they plan to keep mining till it is all run out. But that aside the movie is fun to watch and you are curious to see what this weird herd is up to, as each installment brings laugh and excitement.

Ice Age: Continental Drift is the fourth installment of the Ice Age series and the seventh CG production of Blue Sky Studios and the first sequel not to be directed by Carlos Saldanha who will be directing RIO part 2.

What I love must about this flick is the introduction of a partner for Diego; a white tiger lady is added ladies and gentlemen.

The movie also has the whole fun of the old clichés, which I seem not to be tired of seeing. It also showcases cool CG effect; I loved the water effect most.

The plot was educational as long as you know it is bogus due to Scrat's (Squirrel) hunt for acorns he triggers the break-up of the world continent into the continents as we know them today, which cause Manny to lose his family.

Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure to find his family, after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world, and learn why it is good to be part of a family herd, than being part of a group where one person leads and other follow.

Well, the new directors weren’t that bad, as the movie did have some fun screenplays and events that you will be thrilled to see. As we watch this creatures move from the Ice Age to the present age the pictures tell stories that are kinda informative and entertaining.

Hey! I must have missed that geography class when they taught that Scrat the squirrel created the whole world.

Although this is not the best addition to the Ice Age series it was fun to watch. And the movie kinda opens doors to new additional sequels.

But I hope Blue Sky won’t bother making any more and just keep giving us shorts, of Scrat and his acorn hunt.