The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

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The Wolf of Wall Street (2013)

5/10

Starring

Leonardo DiCaprio

Jonah Hill

Directed by Martin Scorsese

The Wolf of Wall Street, I didn’t get to see what the whole hype was about. The movie is not bad, it is just not great either. It received positive reviews from critics, although its moral standing is kind of lost on me because we are seeing the repercussion of what happened to Jordan Belfort in a light that seemed like all the thing that he faced afterwards was worth it.

The comic style of the movie was also too raw for me to like it that much, I just found myself straight faced not laughing as I was told I would.

The movie is based on Jordan Belfort's memoir The Wolf of Wall Street, where Jordan Belfort (Leonardo DiCaprio) was a small time stockbroker who was got a job working in an established brokering firm that was ran by Mark Hana (Matthew McConaughey), Mark advises Jordan to adopt the same lifestyle he lives, having casual sex, masturbating and using cocaine to stay on top of his game.

Jordan has barely settled down into his new job, when the firm fails after Black Monday.

Jordan then gets a job at another brokering firm that sells penny stocks and from there, Jordan blew up. He took over the way things are being run in the firm and launching out big, by creating his own brokering firm Stratton Oakmont.

After that things went on the fast lane for Jordan and his friends and the money they were making was too much for them to spend, as they started doing shady deals to make more money and robbing the poor masses.

This movie has been nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Director for Martin Scorsese.

The film is historically significant as the first major movie to be distributed entirely digitally. It is also noted for being the drama film with the word "fuck" said the most in cinematic history. (Courtesy: Wikipedia)

I feel that many will find this raw comedy and lack of moral standing of this movie to be fun, because of the way movies have shifted to a new level where they use sexual reference, sex and vulgar language to keep the vulgar world happy.

Been wondering when the world turned to such, where a line like, “soon you will be jerking off thinking about money” is considered funny.

As I said The Wolf of Wall Street is not for me, but it can be for you so give it a try.

Captain Philips (2013)

Captain Philips (2013)

7/10

Starring

Tom Hanks

Barkhad Abdi

Directed by Paul Greengrass

Captain Philips and his trip via the Indian Ocean is a movie that I was surprised that I actually enjoyed, and I enjoyed every moment of it. This Action thriller is based on a real life event where Captain Richard Philips was taken hostage by pirates led by Abduwali Muse.

In the movie Tom Hanks plays Captain Philips and Barkhad Abdi plays Abduwali Muse. Although I do not know who Barkhad Abdi is, I do believe his role in the movie was exquisite, he was for me on time when he delivered his lines, and the precision in his acting made him the man to watch the entire run of the movie. I actually enjoyed his portrayal better than that of veteran actor Tom Hanks.

For his role in this movie he earned himself a nomination as Best Supporting Actor in the Academy Awards and at the British Academy Film Awards, coming up later this year.

The captivating thing about Captain Philips is the pace, it keeps you glued. The way the events kept unfolding, it makes you feel like a boat in the middle of a storm, not knowing which way the waves is taking you. For that intense suspense I was kept at the edge of my sit all through the movie.

The movie as said above is about how Captain Philips got taken hostage as he tried to save his crew from harm and putting himself in the hands of the pirates.

There are more reasons to go see this movie other than what I’m saying. Just go online and see the audience and critics rating of this movie. Not only is it well liked it is also a financial success. Captain Philips made the best use of its scenery as it was shot off the coast of Malta in the Mediterranean Sea, and then they did their best to make all the events seem true and real. As the movie is based on a publication of Richard Phillips's memoir A Captain's Duty in 2010.

Then another thing to cheer is the casting, the four people who were casted to play the four Somali pirates were just on point, they were the ones who made the film what it is and they were the ones, I can bet made sure that this film got an Academy Award for Best Picture.

Enough said, go see this movie, although it is nowhere as good as Her (2013) which I believe is the best movie that was released in 2013.

Her (2013)

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Her (2013)

9/10

Starring

Joaquin Phoenix

Amy Adams

Rooney Mara

Olivia Wilde

Scarlett Johansson

Directed by Spike Jonze

You need to stop what you are doing right now and go see this film.

This sci-fi movie is centered on two characters and then the movie evolves to like a black hole and sucks you the viewer in, and all through the process you keep telling yourself not to blink because you don’t want to miss a thing.

Joaquin Phoenix is an actor that I have come to respect, for his acting ways and his choice of movies. Her is a choice that I know he will forever thank his agent and Spike Jonze for.

The screenplay in this movie is what drives me nuts, what class and the thing is it is the first solo screenplay that director Spike Jonze did and it is just classic. I will put the screenplay with the likes of Before Midnight (2013). As a matter of fact if you liked Before Midnight you will love this.

The movie plot is about this couple Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) and Samantha (Scarlett Johansson), the thing is Theodore is human while Samantha is an OS, an A.I. software that was created to evolve and learn as it relates with its human counterparts.

Theodore and Samantha’s relationship started on a companionship level, with Theodore needing someone to talk to, to take away the loneliness. But as their time together grew a form of attachment started to form and Theodore stated to grow fond of Samantha and it (i.e. she) with him. In the course of their now formed relationship that even Theodore now tells everyone that Samantha is his girlfriend (note Samantha is a software with voice only no body). Samantha in turn helps Theodore get over his divorce and also help Theodore kick start his career as a writer.

The whole relationship was rosy, till both Theodore and Samantha start to mature mentally to the knowledge that such a relationship where both a software and a person fall in love is going to be complicated to maintain, how they resolved that… you will have to watch to find out.

Here is a movie that is sure to give Gravity (2013) a good run for its money in the Academy Awards, as Her was nominated for 5 awards including Best Picture and Best Writing (Original Screenplay).

I have a feeling that it may pick both because this movie is just too wonderful to be overlooked for just the Best Original Screenplay. An award it also won in the Golden Globe this year.

Make it a date to see this movie this week, you will be glad you did.

47 Ronin (2013)

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47 Ronin (2013)

3/10

Starring

Keanu Reeves

Hiroyuki Sanada

Directed by Carl Rinsch

47 Ronin. Read about it, watch the trailer and then wait for the DVD to be out, borrow it and watch the last 20 minutes, if it is a most that you must see this film. If it has also been a while that you have seen crap, here is one for you that is a total load of nonsense.

(Spoiler Alert)

The movie boast of the best of the best in Japanese actors and then add the Matrix (1999)star Keanu Reeves and you will expect an explosive movie, but to be honest I had to struggle to keep my eye open while watching this movie. The build up to the final showdown was too long and when we were going to meet the demons I was expecting more than what I saw. These were the guys who trained the hero, but all they did was talk, talk is cheap men do some moves free the whole illusion paparazzi.

And when he had to take on the dragon lady, he sliced and diced and cut this dragon over and over, but the dragon still kept coming at him. I began to wonder if the dragon was immune to pain or the skin couldn’t be pierced.

But then, the dragon lady attacked the princess and Keanu had to save the princess isn’t that what heroes do, since the days of Mario Bros. they have been saving the princess from the evil villains, one of which was this dragon lady, who by the way all through this movie I didn’t fully grasp her agenda – but let’s get back to what I was saying, when she went after the princess all of a sudden the sword pierced her skin, in fact Keanu character had some hidden powers that we only get to see once in the whole 100 minutes of this movie

WHAT A LOAD OF RUBBISH.

I have never seen a more boring face off than this, when the main bad guy was taken on the supporting hero I was expecting a well-crafted fight, but again I was disappointed.

The only thing good in the movie was the acting. And the only reason you should see this movie will be… to be honest there is no good enough reason to see this movie. I heard it also going to be a financial disaster. That is not good news for any studio, but I’m not surprised.

Before I forget about the plot, here is a summary. The bad guy wants to marry the leader of another clan’s daughter, who so happens to like a half breed named Kai (Keanu Reeves). The bad guy’s henchwoman was a witch who now caused the death of the girl’s father and the exile of his protective guards. Who happen to be Samurai’s, Kai and the Samurai’s were exiled from the village and then they reunited and sort revenge. (Something like that)