The Last Stand (2013)

The Last Stand (2013)

6/10

Starring

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Forest Whitaker

Johnny Knoxville

Rodrigo Santoro

Directed by Kim Ji-woon

The Last Stand is very entertaining, and it was fun seeing Arnold Schwarzenegger again in the lead role as an action hero—a role he has mastered through the years. It’s clear that this movie was made for Arnold fans. The film is very much like the oldies: it has a weak script, plot holes, and is riddled with uncalled-for one-liners, not to mention the cheesy dialogues and over-the-top action throughout. I loved it, and Arnold was amazing. The main antagonist drives a modified Chevrolet Corvette C6 ZR1, which he uses to perform some really impressive car stunts.

The movie is directed by Asian director Kim Ji-woon, and this is his first American film. The writing is very weak, and as you watch, you kind of become eager for the three seemingly parallel plots/events to converge. Finally, after 33 minutes into the movie, they meet, and it’s explosive.

The plot revolves around Sheriff Owens (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a retired LAPD officer who has resigned himself to a quiet life in Sommerton Junction, where the only crimes he deals with are minor disturbances. His peaceful life is disrupted when the most notorious and wanted drug kingpin in America, Gabriel Cortez, escapes from the FBI under the watchful eye of Agent John Bannister (Forest Whitaker). Cortez must pass through Sommerton to escape the FBI and cross the border into Mexico.

At the time of Cortez’s escape and drive toward Sommerton, Owens is busy trying to solve a murder in his town. The men who committed the murder (Cortez’s men) take down one of his deputies and are ready to eliminate anyone who gets in the way of their boss’s safe passage. Cortez is speeding down in his modified Chevrolet, and Owens decides that such lawlessness will not be tolerated. He suits up and goes full Terminator in the town.

The movie’s cinematography isn’t that grand, you would expect better from a movie done in 2013. There were scenes where I wished I could see more than what the camera was showing. The last Arnold movies before this were The Expendables (2010), where he had a cameo appearance, and The Expendables 2 (2012), where he had more screen time and even killed some bad guys.

I can definitely say that this movie is not for those who desire depth, wonderful dialogue, or an interesting cast. This is a movie for Arnold fans—and them only.

Robot and Frank (2012)

Robot & Frank (2012)

7/10

Starring

Frank Langella

Susan Sarandon

James Marsden

Liv Tyler

Directed by Jake Schreier

The best word to describe this movie is sweet. Robot & Frank is a beautiful drama that shows the inevitable attachment we humans tend to have to technological gadgets, and it takes a charming yet sad look at the effects of aging. Exploring human interaction with technology in depth, Robot & Frank doesn’t have a true moral undertone—it’s simply writer Christopher D. Ford and director Jake Schreier’s idea of what the future might look like when technology becomes closely interwoven with our survival.

The script is one I have to applaud as totally original. The movie drifts at a steady, playful pace, and its twists and turns aren’t easily missed—they kind of jump at you, making you smile. For this, I give credit to debut director Schreier and debut screenwriter Ford. Shot in about 20 days, the movie was made on a $2.5 million budget, and the robot suit was worn by an actor.

The plot revolves around a cat burglar named Frank (Frank Langella), who has grown old and retired from the game. He still dabbles in petty shoplifting now and then, but his age and dementia (memory loss) aren’t helping at all. Because of this, his son Hunter (James Marsden) drives to see him once a week.

Hunter is finding it difficult to cope with the long drive to visit his father, and his sister Madison (Liv Tyler) is always away on trips. So, he gets Frank a robot, pre-programmed with all of Frank’s details, to help take care of him. At first, the robot feels like an enemy to Frank’s stress-free life (though his lifestyle was leading him to an early grave and wasn’t helping his memory loss). But soon, the robot becomes Frank’s best friend, and Frank teaches it everything he knows. Together, they form a close bond—until a series of thefts start happening in the area.

As mentioned earlier, the movie has some twists you won’t expect, carefully placed throughout the plot. The acting, especially by Frank Langella, deserves recognition. Since the movie isn’t overshadowed by action or intense CGI graphics, the actors had to stand out in their roles. From the beginning, Frank’s performance draws you in and gives you confidence that this is going to be a good movie. James Marsden, who plays Frank’s protective and caring son Hunter, also does well in his supporting role.

Robot & Frank is available on DVD, and I highly recommend taking the time to watch this drama about how an old man befriends a robot.

The Ultimate Gift (2006)

The Ultimate Gift (2006)

6/10

Starring

Drew Fuller

James Garner

Abigail Breslin

Bill Cobbs

Directed by Michael O. Sajbel

The Ultimate Gift is a subtle movie that plays with human sensitivity and leaves you wanting more. I enjoyed this movie more than I expected to. After seeing the bad ratings it got, it took me more than six years to watch it—but after seeing it, I wonder why I waited so long.

The movie had something I really enjoyed: the beautiful scenery it displayed. Although the plot is quite predictable (you can guess from the start how some events will end), the scenery and shots will take you by storm. The cinematography was nice enough to make you realize that a considerable amount of money went into this movie’s production.

The movie is based on a bestselling novel of the same name, written by blind novelist Jim Stovall. It was funded by a financial group with the intention of boosting customer patronage—and it actually worked for them.

The movie (and book) is about 12 gifts that a man wants his grandson to acquire: work, friends, money, family, learning, problems, laughter, giving, gratitude, a day, love, and dreams. The reason for this is that Jason (Drew Fuller) is a spoiled brat who has never worked a day in his life and doesn’t know the value of these 12 gifts. After his grandfather’s death, he decides to take Jason through a life lesson he won’t easily forget, hoping that by the end, Jason will come to value and understand those gifts.

To help him along the way, Jason meets a friend named Emily (Abigail Breslin), who helps him achieve his grandfather’s goal. Their friendship adds a layer of warmth and depth to the story, making Jason’s journey even more heartfelt.

Drew Fuller plays the lead role of Jason, and to be honest, the moment I saw him, I thought, “Isn’t that Chris Halliwell from the TV series Charmed?” I have to admit, after Charmed, I don’t remember seeing Drew anywhere else. Bill Cobbs is getting older, but you can see from the movie that age has nothing to do with talent—he delivered a great performance. The movie also gave him a sweet assistant who acted like a mother figure to the protagonist, since Jason’s actual mother was busy with her younger lovers.

The Ultimate Gift can be seen as a cheesy film that plays on your emotions, but it’s a nice film that many should watch and enjoy. It’s a gentle reminder of the things that truly matter in life, wrapped in a story that’s both touching and uplifting.

A Haunted House (2013)

A Haunted House (2013)

4/10

Starring

Marlon Wayans

Essence Atkins

Directed by Michael Tiddes

This Marlon Wayans movie is a cheap mistake. It’s wrong on so many levels and tries hard to be like Scary Movie, but Wayans just went overboard with the level of disgust and sexuality in this found-footage comedy/horror spoof.

It always amazes me when movie makers think perversion and disgust are what you need to make a good spoof movie. I don’t find it entertaining when a movie shows a girl taking a dump or farting in her sleep—it’s disgusting to witness in real life, let alone on screen. A Haunted House has all of this and more. Yes, there were times I laughed, but by the end, I felt like I had violated my eyes. The sodomy scene was the height of it for me; I almost stopped watching.

After watching this spoof, which borrows ideas from The Exorcist (1973) and others, you start to wonder how to rate it: 5/10 for making you laugh sometimes, or 4/10 for making you want to puke. The plot revolves around a couple, Malcolm (Marlon Wayans) and Keisha (Essence Atkins), who decide to move in together. Keisha has long been haunted by a ghost, and as she moves in with Malcolm, the ghost follows.

Here’s where the movie gets a twist (according to Wayans): Malcolm believes that white people are the only ones who stay in haunted houses, while black people run for their lives. He tries to convince Keisha they should leave, not realizing the ghost is actually haunting her. It’s only when they call in a weird, gay psychic that the truth is revealed.

Another major issue I had with the movie is how it mishandles the whole exorcism theme. I’m not Catholic, but I don’t think such things should be played with—some topics should just be left alone. I’m not a fan of horror movies because they usually bore me, so I haven’t seen many of the popular ones lately. If they’re anything like what I saw here, I thank God I haven’t wasted my time watching them.

As horrible as this movie was, and as lame as its cinematography, it was a financial success, making over 10 times its $2.5 million production cost at the box office. To me, that’s amazing because after watching it, I never want to see it again—and I can’t advise anyone else to either. The movie has its own set of viewers is not for everyone.

Stand Up Guys (2013)

Stand Up Guys (2013)

6/10

Starring

Al Pacino

Christopher Walken

Alan Arkin

Directed by Fisher Steven

Stand Up Guys is a movie that, once you get past the first 35 minutes of grossness, drama, and intro, turns into a bag full of laughs and eyebrow-raising scenes. It made me enjoy watching the movie and even left me wanting more, as the ending is open for you to fill in the blanks.

The movie stars two legends, Al Pacino and Christopher Walken, and features an original song by Jon Bon Jovi. Both actors deliver an expected combination of finesse and chemistry that you can only get when two veteran actors share the screen. I’ve been a huge fan of Christopher Walken for a long time, partly because I’ve never come across an actor who can make me laugh even in a scene as simple as reading a book. Another reason I love Walken is his versatility—he can play any role, hero or villain, comic or dramatic, and still deliver a performance that makes you smile at how well it’s done.

That said, it doesn’t mean Al Pacino isn’t as good—or, in the eyes of others, even better. But in this movie, Walken caught my eye. Pacino’s performance, however, is one that commands respect. My favorite scene is when Pacino ends up in the emergency room after popping too many Viagra pills—look out for that one.

The movie follows Val (Pacino), who’s just been released from jail after 28 years for refusing to rat out his friends, Doc (Walken) and Richard Hirsch (Alan Arkin). After his release, Val craves excitement and pushes Doc to provide it. Doc does his best, and their night goes from getting Val laid to breaking into stores, rescuing a rape victim, busting Richard out of a retirement home, and outrunning the cops.

Val’s release also leads to a confession and a funeral.

What Stand Up Guys offers is great acting. The cinematography isn’t exceptional, but the screenplay is masterful and captivating. The moment Alan Arkin is introduced, we get to see some cool driving stunts that make you wonder what these characters were like in their younger days. Fisher Stevens (Crazy Love, 2007) directed the movie.

It’s a short film, just about 90 minutes long, but I can tell you it’s 90 minutes well spent. I found the movie funny enough to want to watch it again. So, when it’s in cinemas near you, take the time to see it. It’s not a date movie—it’s a guy movie.

Jack Reacher (2012)

Jack Reacher (2012)

6/10

Starring

Tom Cruise

Rosamund Pike

Richard Jenkins

Werner Herzog

Directed by Christopher McQuarrie

Jack Reacher’s portrayal by Tom Cruise is one some say doesn’t live up to the standard of the character Lee Child created in his books. In my opinion, even though I haven’t read any of the books, Cruise may not be as tall or as built as the character in the books, but he did a fine job. In fact, after watching the movie, I started craving the books.

The movie may not be a classic or anywhere near Cruise’s Mission: Impossible films, but it’s a good action movie that will keep you on the edge of your seat as you desperately wait to see how Jack Reacher figures out that James Barr (Joseph Sikora) is innocent. Although Reacher initially doesn’t want to help, his Sherlock Holmes-like curiosity gets the better of him.

The movie is based on one of the many Jack Reacher books by Lee Child. This action thriller is an adaptation of One Shot, the ninth book in the Jack Reacher series. The story is set in a city where a sniper randomly shoots five people. A man named James Barr is caught and accused of the crime, with all evidence pointing to his guilt. The only thing Barr says is, “Get Jack Reacher.” Reacher is a former United States Army Military Police Corps Major and a former member of the military police unit, which handles cases involving U.S. Army Special Forces.

Reacher sees Barr on TV and shows up before the D.A. can even start looking for him. The D.A. initially thinks Reacher is a friend of Barr but later discovers that Reacher actually came to bury him. However, as Reacher joins the investigation, he realizes Barr may be innocent—and only he can prove it.

The annoying thing I had to witness in the movie is the old-school trope where the hero drops his weapon and decides to fight the villain hand-to-hand. It’s so outdated and frustrating—I don’t know why it was included. Everyone in the movie was impressive, except for the main antagonist, an old man whose presence was so forgettable you wouldn’t miss him.

The inclusion of Robert Duvall in the cast is a welcome addition. Director Christopher McQuarrie (who won an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for the classic The Usual Suspects (1995)) did a good job with the movie’s direction. You’ll be left in the dark and thrilled as things unfold, but then annoyed when Reacher drops his gun to go hand-to-hand. For McQuarrie, I give a 6/10.

Jack Reacher is a nice movie to see when you get the chance.

Blue Like Jazz (2012)

Blue Like Jazz (2012)

3/10

Starring

Marshall Allman

Claire Holt

Jason Marsden

Tania Raymonde

Directed by Steve Taylor

Blue Like Jazz starts strong—you begin watching and think, “This is going to be great.” But then it carries on with weak acting from some of the cast and a very weak script that makes you want to get up and walk away. The movie’s message, however, is good, as it explores themes of commitment and self-discovery.

The message is relatable. Many people go through phases where they conceal parts of their identity to fit in or avoid standing out. The movie’s story centers on that struggle—someone trying to be part of the world while grappling with their beliefs and values.

Based on a book of the same name by Donald Miller, the book is a semi-autobiographical work subtitled Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality. I haven’t read the book, but from the movie, I believe it’s named Blue Like Jazz because of the protagonist’s father’s love for jazz and the fact that he was the one who pointed the protagonist toward a path filled with doubt.

The book and movie follow the life of Don, a nineteen-year-old sophomore at a Texas junior college. Don moves to the Pacific Northwest, where he learns that holding certain beliefs can make you an outcast. To escape his background and way of life, Don does everything possible to fit in with the cool kids—even denying parts of himself.

Before watching, I did a little research to know what I was getting into. Some people say the movie is a Christian film, but the director claims it’s not—just a regular movie with religious undertones. After seeing it, I wonder why people didn’t view it the same way as the director. Interestingly, the movie came to life through contributions from fans of the book (and others) on Kickstarter. The names of the contributors are listed in the credits at the end of the film.

In conclusion, the movie’s message is thought-provoking, as I mentioned earlier, but the execution feels off. The director seems to be trying to balance a faith-based story with worldly additions to make it appear more secular, hoping in my view to make money. He includes controversial elements like cursing and homosexuality, knowing these topics spark varied opinions. This movie could have been better, but since I haven’t read the book, I can’t say whether the story strays from the original. What I can say, though, is that I didn’t particularly enjoy this film.

Officer Down (2013)

Officer Down (2013)

3/10

Starring

Stephen Dorff

Dominic Purcell

David Boreanaz

Directed by Brian A Miller

Officer Down is not all that—it lacks in everything but stupidity. I want to express my sincere displeasure about this movie; the acting felt like something I’d see in a preschool play where the kids are struggling to concentrate. With actors like Stephen Dorff (Blade), Dominic Purcell (Prison Break), and David Boreanaz (Bones), I expected better. The movie plays with your mind a little, testing your patience, as if the director is wondering how long it will take before the audience realizes that everything they’ve been watching for the last hour is leading nowhere.

They kept dragging out the story of how a corrupt cop went straight, and after a while, I just gave up and almost X-ed out the movie as one of those I didn’t finish or write about—until I stumbled on the twist in the plot that caught my attention.

The movie’s twist was actually very good, but the execution was so poor that it was hard to believe they could mess up something promising. Believe me, they did. The flashbacks were excessive and muddled the story. The cinematography wasn’t half bad, but the delays before anything made sense were frustrating. The movie claims to have a director, but to me, it felt like a bunch of guys doing whatever they liked on screen while loosely following a script. James Woods would have been better off not being in the movie because his inclusion felt like a damp rag in the corner that had started to stink.

The movie is, sadly, about a crooked cop named Det. David Callahan (Stephen Dorff), who got mixed up in drugs and had a turnaround after facing a life-changing experience. But his past wasn’t done with him yet—it came back with a vengeance, leading him to make more mistakes and almost getting him killed. (That’s as succinct a summary as one could make from this hour-and-a-half waste of my time.)

I regret the moments I spent watching this movie and truly wish I had never heard about it, let alone seen it. It’s one thing for a movie to be full of junk while trying to make the audience marvel at an unbelievable twist, but it’s another thing for a movie like this—full of junk—to bury what could have been a good twist under all the mess.

Take my word for it, this is one crappy movie and the worst I’ve seen this year—and the year is just beginning. I doubt anything worse could come out this January.

Life of Pi (2012)

Life of Pi (2012)

8/10

Starring
Suraj Sharma
Irrfan Khan
Tabu
Adil Hussain


Directed by Ang Lee

The movie has a saying that if you hear the story of Pi, you will believe in God. Well, I did listen to and watch his story, and I have to say the story is both mystical and, as it was made out to be, spiritual. The movie is intense, and it starts with a light, comic introduction of the lead characters. As I haven’t read the book, I was wondering if the movie was going to fall into the genre of an outrageous comedy. Then, it drifts ever so gently into a dramatic scene where the protagonist, Pi, meets the tiger Richard Parker. From then on, the movie holds your gaze, and it is just an exceptionally good drama.

The power of the CGI used is so high up there that I believe Avatar (James Cameron) has been bitten when it comes to the use of 3D imagery to make all things look real. From the production set, which was done in Taiwan where the crew built a tank that could hold 1.7 million gallons to shoot all the ocean scenes, to the interaction between the animals and Pi, you will be taken off your seat.

Ang Lee was the man in the director’s seat for this movie. Lee’s famous movies, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000) and his Academy Award win for Best Director for Brokeback Mountain (2005), gave him the edge and know-how he needed to make this another Academy Award-worthy movie. Life of Pi received eleven Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.

Based on a fantasy adventure novel by Yann Martel, which was published in 2001, the movie and book plot follow Piscine Molitor "Pi" Patel, an Indian boy who got involved in spirituality and scientific reasoning from an early age. His father decided to move the family to Canada and sell off his zoo animals, but on their way aboard a Japanese freigter, tragedy struck. Pi is shipwrecked and stranded on a lifeboat in the Pacific Ocean, alone with a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker.

The movie/book is about how Pi survived 227 days stranded on a boat and how he managed to take care of himself and the tiger onboard.

Life of Pi is, as I have said before, a great movie that everyone should get the chance to see and enjoy. I see this movie winning Best Visual Effects at the Oscars, and probably more. So, the next time you’re at the cinema thinking about what to watch and this movie is still running, watch it—or better still, wait and get the DVD.

Parental Guidance (2012)

Parental Guidance (2012)

5/10

Starring

Billy Crystal

Bette Midler

Marisa Tomei

Directed by Andy Fickman

Parental Guidance can be seen as a sit-down family movie on a beautiful Saturday morning or a struggling sitcom trying to get off a Friday time slot. Don’t go rushing to the cinema expecting a masterpiece—just be patient for the DVD release. The movie is predictable, sloppy, and at times outright outrageous to be taken seriously. Parental Guidance also suffers from a lack of creativity, as some scenes and elements can be said to be taken from other family-oriented movies like Cheaper by the Dozen (2003), which, in my opinion, is just lame.

The movie is directed by Race to Witch Mountain (2009) director Andy Fickman, and it stars Billy Crystal and Bette Midler (who were the only reason I got up to go see the movie—and due to the box office performance of the movie, I guess some people also fell for it, thinking their presence was a recipe for a good movie). Both Crystal and Midler play married grandparents who are called upon to babysit their grandkids for a few days. Ironically, you’d expect Marisa Tomei, who plays Crystal and Midler’s daughter, to shine alongside the two classic actors, but she fell short.

The movie plot, as I said, is about two grandparents called upon by their daughter Alice (Marisa Tomei) to come babysit her kids as she and her husband plan a getaway together. Artie and Diane (Crystal and Midler) show up to find out their grandkids are raised in the most awkward way, as their parents practically allow them to do what they want, never saying no to them or correcting them.

Diane (Midler) wants to connect with her grandkids, as she and Artie seem to be left out of their grandkids’ lives, so she begs Artie to be at his best. But Artie, who is still chasing a dream, selfishly ignores Diane’s warning and almost wrecks what was left of the family bond.

As far as acting goes, Crystal and Midler were head and shoulders above everybody else. They were a fun couple and wonderful to see on screen—they did their portrayals pretty well. But their counterparts in the movie were just below standard.

Parental Guidance had a bad rating from critics, holding a 19% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, although 66% of the audience enjoyed it. I enjoyed seeing Billy Crystal and Bette Midler, but that’s not a good enough reason for me to suggest anyone go watch this movie. As I said, wait for the DVD release and have fun watching it together with your family because, for me, this movie should have been a TV movie or a B movie.

Django Unchained (2012)

Django Unchained (2012)

7/10

Starring

Jamie Foxx

Chrostoph Waltz

Leonardo DiCaprio

Directed by Quentin Tarantino

Here is a movie that catches your interest from the very beginning, with a masterful intro that gets you hooked as you look forward to seeing how the movie is going to play out. The movie’s lead actors (Christoph Waltz, Jamie Foxx, and Leonardo DiCaprio) were the cream on the cake, as they delivered memorable acting that won’t make you forget Django easily.

Django Unchained, I can boldly say, lived up to the hype. This action-packed movie is for all (above 17) to see.

Written and directed by Quentin Tarantino and released on Christmas Day of 2012, the movie is set two years before the American Civil War, and it deals with the slave trade and Mandingo.

Tarantino got inspiration for the film from Sergio Corbucci’s 1966 movie Django, which, at the time of its release, was tagged to be the most violent movie ever made. This movie also borrowed elements from the 1975 film Mandingo, which was about slaves being trained to fight other slaves in a Roman gladiator-style.

Django Unchained’s plot is about love and revenge. Django (Jamie Foxx) is a slave being taken to be sold when a bounty hunter approaches the men transporting him and starts questioning the slaves to see who knows some men he is hunting. Django knows them, and after some unforeseen circumstances, both roll out as bounty hunters, killing many and selling their corpses to the authorities for money.

During their money-making endeavors, Dr. King (Christoph Waltz) asks Django the one thing that he wants. Django’s reply is that he wants to free his enslaved wife.

So, he and Dr. King (who seems to be up for any kind of adventure) set off to free her. But in order to do that, they have to fool Calvin J. Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio), who is the owner of Django’s wife, into selling her to them. This must be done wisely, as the heavily suspicious Stephen (Samuel L. Jackson) is watching.

The movie isn’t all sunshine—there were some letdowns, like the intensive violence. The heavy use of the word “nigger” may not go down well with some, and I guess if you’re one for history, the depiction of slavery as a Western shootout may not sit well with you. Also, the Mandingo element of the movie (slaves fighting slaves while their masters bet and watch) can be seen as insulting, since there is no historical evidence that such a thing ever existed.

Django Unchained is a good movie, one you will enjoy if you’re ready to put sentiments aside.

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

10/10

Starring

Elijah Wood

Ian McKellen

Andy Serkis

Viggo Mortensen

Liv Tyler

Sean Astin

Directed by Peter Jackson

The Return of the King is a nice ending to a beautiful trilogy. Winning eleven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director, this movie is just too good of an ending. If you’re watching this trilogy, look forward to the ending where you get to see the ring destroyed (in the most unbelievable twist—that is, if you haven’t read the book) and Aragorn rise to the throne that he was meant to be upon.
This is what The Fellowship of the Ring movie was heading toward: an ending that will remain in the minds of movie watchers for years to come.

The movie has a massive number of visual effects shots—triple that of The Fellowship of the Ring and double that of The Two Towers. These shots can be seen clearly as the movie nears the end, with the battles at Rohan, which were quite filled with many CGI implementations. And look forward to when Aragorn goes searching for new recruits—there, you’ll see another set of visual effects.

The film and the novel differ quite a bit, but that doesn’t take away from the film’s professionalism in the masterful art of storytelling, brought to life by Peter Jackson. The movie showcases intense directorial work, which you just have to be impressed by. The actors were charming, but in this movie, three people stole the show: Elijah Wood (Frodo Baggins), Sean Astin (Samwise Gamgee), and Viggo Mortensen (Aragorn).

The movie’s tale continues from where The Two Towers left off. Frodo and Sam are nearing Mordor and getting close to destroying the Ring of Power. The other members of the fellowship (who have reunited by the end of The Two Towers) go out to save Gondor from the hands of Sauron’s army in the battle at Minas Tirith.

As all this is going on, Elrond (Hugo Weaving, Agent Smith from The Matrix and V from V for Vendetta) approaches Aragorn and tells him the only way he can win this fight to save Gondor is if he wields the sword Andúril and claims what he has been running from: his kingship.
Hence, the name of the film/novel, The Return of the King.

Making over a billion dollars at the box office, The Return of the King sold more tickets than its previous two counterparts. Although The Fellowship of the Ring is considered by most to be the best of the three, this movie ranks second.

After you’re done reading this, it’s not complete yet until you go and get the DVD Extended Version box set of The Lord of the Rings—and make sure you get the novels too.

The Oscar wins for the movie at the 76th Academy Awards in 2004 were: Best Picture, Best Director, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Original Song, Best Visual Effects, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Makeup, Best Sound Mixing, and Best Film Editing.

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)

10/10

Starring

Elijah Wood

Ian McKellen

Sean Astin

Viggo Mortensen

Andy Serkis

Liv Tyler

Cate Blanchett

John Rhys-Davies

Directed by Peter Jackson

The captivating thing about The Two Towers is the fight choreography and the battle at Helm’s Deep (which was kind of the movie’s climax). It’s one that you won’t forget easily, and the movie is just another powerful extension of what Peter Jackson could do. The movie is filled with a lot more CGI (from my view) than the first, and while it may not be the best of the three, The Two Towers delivered some powerful performances, especially from Aragorn (Viggo Mortensen), the dwarf Gimli (John Rhys-Davies), and the elf Legolas (Orlando Bloom).

After you’ve watched The Fellowship of the Ring, you’re ever so eager to see what the Fellowship—now broken into three groups: Frodo with Sam, Pippin with Merry, and Aragorn with Legolas and Gimli—will be able to achieve on their own as part of the master plan to destroy the ring at Mount Doom. The interesting thing about watching this flick is that some managed victory in their own areas, giving you, the viewer, a delightful hope, while Frodo (Elijah Wood) and Sam (Sean Astin) were moving closer to their target.

The movie’s plot is focused mostly on the battle at Helm’s Deep. The other fellowship members (except Frodo and Sam) and, after the fall of Gandalf when he battled the Balrog, chased after the Uruk-hai who took Merry and Pippin to rescue them. While they chased, Merry and Pippin found an adventure of their own in the forest. The rescuers—Aragorn, Gimli, and Legolas—found themselves in Rohan and had to save the king and defend the city from an attack by Saruman’s forces. This defense and intense battle happened at Helm’s Deep.

The three most notable changes in the movie compared to the book that I picked up instantly are (although many other differences can be found):

1. In the book, Théoden is just depressed and deluded by Wormtongue, but in the movie, he is possessed by Saruman.
2. Théoden didn’t just run to Helm’s Deep as the movie made it seem—he actually fought at first.
3. The exclusion of Shelob, who was later included in the final movie of the trilogy.

Not winning as much as the first, The Two Towers won two Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Editing. It was a commercial success, making close to 10 times its $94 million production cost.

While not as much of a powerful score as The Fellowship of the Ring, the movie is a nice follow-up to the first. It served as a bridge from an excellent beginning in the trilogy (The Fellowship of the Ring) to a magnificent ending (The Return of the King). You can’t watch the first only without seeing this one too, so get the DVD box set and enjoy.

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

10/10

Starring

Elijah Wood

Ian McKellen

Liv Tyler

Viggo Mortensen

Sean Astin

Directed by Peter Jackson

What makes this one of the best movies ever made is how Peter Jackson brought to life a book that has stood the test of time. Many adaptations of the book have been done in films and animations before this, but none possess the intense action, wonderful musical score, and cinematography at its best—nor do any have a masterful director like Peter Jackson, who brought out the best in the actors and made the story blend so beautifully.

This is the best adaptation of the book The Lord of the Rings, mostly because of the scenery and the actors. The CGI used is intense, and the locations used in the making of this movie will make you think you’re watching J.R.R. Tolkien’s imagination come to life as he was writing the book. I think the best thing that stood out from this movie is the score.

The Lord of the Rings is about the quest of a hobbit and his faithful companions who are trying to save the world from the rise of an evil lord named Sauron, whose power is stored in a ring—a ring with a mind of its own, which found its way into the hands of the hobbit Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood).

There are many differences between the book and the movie, from the merging of characters (which made Arwen used more in the movie than she was in the book) to the exclusion of some characters like Tom Bombadil and the reduction of the roles of others like Barliman Butterbur. But regardless of these changes—which were mainly done to make the movie shorter and the story more precise—the movie still shines. For example, the reforging of Narsil, which in the book happens during the fellowship, is done in the last part (The Return of the King) in the movie, making Aragorn’s rise to the throne more dramatic.

The Fellowship of the Ring was a critical acclaim during its release and a box office hit, making over eight times its production cost of $93 million. It also won four of the thirteen Oscar nominations it received: Best Cinematography, Best Visual Effects, Best Makeup, and Best Original Score.

This is considered the best of the trilogy and can be found on AFI’s 100 Movies…100 Years (10th edition) at number 50.

Peter Jackson brought life into this movie adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. The fight scenes were extraordinary, the dialogue is unforgettable, and the cinematography is just exceptional—from powerful wide-angle views to shots that make you awe at the magnificence of creation. This is a movie for all to own on DVD.

After The Fellowship of the Ring came The Two Towers.

Sherlock Holmes and The Secret weapon (1943)

Sherlock Holmes and The Secret weapon (1943)

6/10

Starring

Basil Rathbone

Nigel Bruce

Lionel Atwill

Directed by Roy William Neill

Good movie, worth seeing and enjoyable acting. Starting with a side of Sherlock that we don’t really get to see much of in the other films of the Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce series, Holmes disguises himself in order to fool the Gestapo and escape from Switzerland to London. With him is a scientist, Dr. Franz Tobel. Later in the film, he also uses disguises to get his way around. These acts make Rathbone’s performance more pronounced, as his acting in this movie is top-notch.

The film is quite interesting, drawing you in with various suspense tactics, making you wait as you desire to see what’s going to happen next or where all this suspense will lead. This is the fourth in the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce series of Sherlock Holmes films, which are based on the characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The movie is credited as an adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes tale The Adventure of the Dancing Men, but throughout the movie, the only element that can be said to be taken from the tale is the dancing men code, which Tobel draws to be given to Holmes.

In this film, Lionel Atwill appears as Professor Moriarty, but he previously appeared in the first film of the Rathbone/Bruce Sherlock film series, The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939), as Dr. Mortimer.

The movie’s plot is about a scientist, Dr. Franz Tobel, who invents a bombing device called a bombsight. Sherlock smuggles him into London so he can deliver the invention into the hands of the British.

But Tobel is wanted by the Germans, who are ready to do anything to get their hands on either Tobel or his invention. Professor Moriarty (who seems to be on the Germans’ side because of the financial gain he’ll get) decides to kidnap Tobel and then find the invention, which Tobel has divided into four parts and given to four different people.

The chase then begins between Sherlock and Moriarty—Sherlock looking for the parts and Tobel, and Moriarty looking for the parts too, as he has Tobel, who refuses to bend even under torture.

Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon is a nice watch, and you’ll enjoy the acting put together by the trio of Basil Rathbone, Nigel Bruce, and Lionel Atwill. I believe the movie is free to download and is in the public domain, so check archive.org.

Silver Blaze or Murder at the Baskerville (1937)

Silver Blaze or Murder at the Baskerville (1937)

5/10

Starring

Arthur Wontner

Ian Fleming

Directed by Thomas Bentley

Silver Blaze, or Murder at the Baskervilles, stars Arthur Wontner, who plays Sherlock Holmes in this 1937 adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Silver Blaze. Arthur Wontner is flanked by Ian Fleming, who plays Dr. Watson. The movie has a very bad score—the music was more annoying than appealing—and the acting by the extras is all out of place, making it harder to appreciate this movie.

Arthur Wontner’s portrayal of the famous detective can be seen as dull in this movie, and Watson is ever so silent, with Holmes doing too much detecting and talking, which makes it look a little too unrealistic. The movie has a weak story, and the directing is poor, as you can spot many flaws in the tale. The story doesn’t carry you along as it should.

The movie starts by introducing the antagonist and Holmes’ arch-enemy, Professor Moriarty, as he plans another dark scheme. Sherlock Holmes (Arthur Wontner), on the other hand, receives an invite from an old friend to come spend the holidays with him. The invite is from Sir Henry Baskerville, whom Holmes helped 20 years earlier in getting rid of the hound that haunted the Baskervilles.

Holmes reluctantly agrees to go after Dr. Watson (Ian Fleming) convinces him that he needs a break from the endless cases they’ve been handling. While staying with the Baskervilles (Henry and his daughter, who is there with her fiancé), the two (Holmes and Watson) find themselves in the middle of a double murder mystery and the theft of a prized horse, Silver Blaze.

Now, Holmes and Watson have to put their holiday on hold because they need to solve this mystery, find the missing horse before the big race, and bring Professor Moriarty and the criminals behind it all to justice.

Silver Blaze was made and released in 1937, and the movie was re-released in America in 1941 as Murder at the Baskervilles, with the producers hoping to ride on the success of Basil Rathbone and Nigel Bruce’s The Hound of the Baskervilles (1939). Since this movie is set 20 years after the events of The Hound, it’s made to look like a sequel to the Rathbone/Bruce Hound of the Baskervilles.

Well, as old as it is, you’ll have to excuse the poor video quality, but the story itself is dull. If you don’t fall asleep watching this, you still won’t be recommending this flick to anyone.