Glory: A Movie Review

Today I will be blogging on my first war movie, and arguably one of the best movies out there in this genre.  "Glory" was released December 15, 1989 under the production of Edward Zwick.  The main actors in this movie are Morgan Freeman, Mathhew Broderick, and Denzel Washington, who portray the 54th regiment in one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.

Before I give my opinion of this movie, I want to start off by sharing with my readers one of the negative aspects that is shared by several people out there.  And that is that this movie was a potentially racist movie because it was seen mostly through the eyes of the regiment leader, Robert Shaw as opposed to one of the black soldiers in the regiment.  This is preposterous, if one has any knowledge of the background of this movie.  This movie was based on the letters Robert Shaw was writing and he is the narrator of this movie.  So why shouldn't the movie be seen through his eyes?  Now granted, I think Washington and Freeman are the better actors.  But, that just means that there should of been a  better lead actor other than Broderick.  I think the director's goal was to show his viewers how a white man reacted to the blacks.  Maybe he didn't believe viewers would sympathize with the blacks unless they saw a white man's reaction.  Anyways, like I said before, this racism complaint is absurd.  This movie has nothing to do with racism, it is the telling of how black men, primarily free but also slaves lead by white men, give their all(their everything) in a seemingly lost battle.

Now that I have hopefully cleared that up let's talk about the movie.  I will not be sharing too much about the movie, because it is a must see for those war movie buffs out there.  I will say that this movie is the best war movie I have ever seen mainly because of the chemistry between Freeman, Washington, and Broderick.  Like I all ready mentioned, I believe there could of been a better lead actor than Broderick, it does not take much away from the movie.  I also enjoy the themes brilliantly portrayed in this movie: friendship, devotion, and courage.  In one of the most desecrating battles of the civil war, where the 54th regiment was running uphill practically into gunfire, courage and devotion was the only thing that could possibly get them through.  Director Zwick did a remarkable job interweaving these ideas together through excellent acting and cinematography.  "Glory" won three academy awards in 1989, including best cinematography.

Before, I finish my review I want to leave with you a short dialogue from the movie.

" Lord, we stand before you this evening, to say thank you! And we thank you, father, for your grace, and your many blessings! Now I run off, leaving all my young'uns and my kinfolk, in bondage. So I'm standing here this evening, Heavenly Father, to ask your blessings on all of us. So that if tomorrow is the great getting-up morning, if that tomorrow we have to meet the Judgement Day, O Heavenly Father, we want you to let our folks know that we died facing the enemy! We want 'em to know that we went down standing up! Amongst those that are fighting against our oppression. We want 'em to know, Heavenly Father, that we died for freedom! We ask these blessings in Jesus' name. Amen! "

So, in conclusion, this movie is an excellent portrayal of courage and devotion even in the hardships of war.  I would highly recommend it to anyone out there who loves war history.  Even if you are not a fan, you will be touched by the compelling acting of the main characters and the themes so brilliantly conveyed in this movie.

What are your thoughts? Concerns? Was this movie a success?  Who would you of chosen to play Broderick's role?

Law Abiding Citizen: A Casual Review

"What would you do if you had ten years"

Have you ever had so much revenge and bitterness swelling up inside you, that you could hardly contain it?
"Law Abiding Citizen" was released on October 16, 2009 under the direction F. Gary Gray. If you are unfamiliar with Gray, he also directed a classic heist movie, "The Italian Job"(2006). This movie stars, Gerald Butler(Shelton) and Jamie Foxx(Rice) Before we delve into the summary and so forth, lets take a glimpse into the incredible actors and their careers. Gerald Butler has played in big hits such as "Ugly Truth", "300", and "Phantom of the Opera". Jamie Fox has starred in "Collateral" with Tom Cruise and "Ray", and "Miami Vice", just to name a few. These men have both played diverse roles, whether it be a hilarious comedy or a suspense thriller.
"Law Abiding Citizen" is a movie about revenge, the attempt to redeem what has been taken. In the opening scenes, the most precious treasure in Shelton's life was taken from him, his wife and daughter. He immediately goes to the "system" to receive his due justice, but nothing can be done. The one who had brutally murdered his daughter has been set free due to a plea bargain. So what does he do? He decides to do what no normal man would do; he goes against the seemingly unjust system and takes things into his own hands. He not only targets the one who killed his family, but also everyone involved in his family's case. So what does he do to enact his revenge. Well, if I leaked that information out the movie would be ruined. So, you will have to see for yourself!
I love this movie for several reasons. But before I share those reasons, I am going to share a reason why some viewers do not like this movie. And that is due to the fact that some of the stunts Shelton pulls to carry out his revenge seem implausible and unrealistic. To this response, I point back to the title I used to illustrate my review: "What would you do if you had ten years?" Shelton had ten years to plot and devise methods to get back at those who had taken away what was most dearest to him. Even so, realism was probably not Gray's goal in this movie; but instead to show what happens inside a man's heart when he looses something as precious as his family.
So, why is movie incredible? I love the actors Gray chose to star in this movie. The chemistry between Foxx and Butler is, to say the least, is brilliantly amazing! They played their roles with emotion and power. I had no problem understanding what Butler was trying to convey in his role. And Foxx did a remarkable job portraying the know-it-all detective who wanted the easy way out.
This movie is one of those movies that keeps you on the edge of your seat, because you are constantly wondering how Shelton is able to pull off his revenge in prison. Not only are they seemingly implausible, but He is in prison? How is a locked up man able to make such irrevocable chaos in such short amount of time?
What are your thoughts? Did you like the movie? What could have made the movie a better success? Please share!

"He's about to paint his masterpiece."

Today I will be blogging on the movie, "Man on Fire"  This movie was released back in April 0f 2004 under the direction of Tony Scott.  If you are not familiar with Scott, he has also directed "Unstopppable"(Denzel Washington and Chris Pine) and "The Taking of Pelham 123"(DenzelWashington and John Travolta)

Tony Scott devised an excellent cast for this movie in Denzel Washington(Creasy), Christopher Walken(Rayburn), and Dakota Fanning(Pita).  Creasy is a retired, but seemingly bitter well-aged and raving alcoholic, who had offered to become the bodyguard of young Pita.  This movie takes place in Mexico City during a time where kidnappings have been frequent to say the least.  Creasy takes this job with reluctant attitude only because there is nothing else for him to do to get his mind off his dark past.  As the movie unfolds, Creasy obviously conveys through this emotions and mannerisms, that he really wants nothing to do with the question-minded young girl filled with curiosity.  Pita asks him simple questions but questions that, unless remained unanswered, would involve Creasy entering back into his desired-to-be-forgotten past.  As the movie continues, a radical change is seen in Creasy, as Pita  is kidnapped.  The man who once wanted nothing to do with this little girl, is now filled with revenge-smitten anger.  Not only because he had actually grown a little attached to Pita, but also because it was his sworn duty to protect her and the family.  So, what happens?  Well go get a copy and see for yourself!

I love this movie; in fact it is one my most favorite Denzel Washington movies.  Denzel portrays his character excellently.  He fills the viewer with curiosity up until the very end.  The emotions he is able to convey in this movie are fantastic and keep you on the edge of your seat.  What makes this movie great is the chemistry between Creasy and Pita.  Although their relationship seemed distant at first(which can not be blamed on either party, seeing that the one was a alcoholic with a dark past, and the other a curios girl with limited understanding of life and its troubles)  the two grew to love each other.  The reason why I love this movie most, is the incredible acting by the young Dakota Fanning.  She, without a doubt, proved herself as a great actor in this movie.  In fact, it is most likely the best childhood acting I have ever seen.  

Now that I have shared my opinion on the movie, I want to inform you why some people have accumulated negative reactions to this film.  One reason, is that the subtitles Scott uses, hindered the movie.  I did not think they harmed the movie in any way, but that is just my opinion.  I also want to warn that is not movie to sit down and enjoy with your children.  It is not a "Toy Story 3" type movie.  It is brutally violent in two scenes and also infested with language.  But, what can you expect from a bitter-struck man filled with vengeance and the desire and obligation to bring back the one thing he was supposed to protect(Pita and her family)  Creasy does whatever it takes in this movie with no regard to how it gets done, just that it gets done.  

For both of the above reasons, this movie has received some gripes and complaints.  I just wanted to share them with you so you would be informed.  But, I was not swayed by any others' critiques, and never am.  When I watch a movie, I block out the negative critiques and watch it with a open mind.  After concluding the film, these reasons did not detriment the film whatsoever.  This is a must see film for those of you out there who love watching suspense-engaging thrillers.


If you have seen this movie, please share your thoughts.  Was this movie successful?  Did you enjoy the cast.  What could have made this film more productive?


If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.  



If you are interested in more information on this movie such as great quotes and trivia, check out my Hub Pages link on the top of my website.


  http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0328107/

"Living superficial seems effortless, but is this simplicity as rewarding?"

If you have been following my articles, you may have noticed a vital component missing from my website.  Where are his blogs on comedy movies?  Does he not like to entertain himself with a hilarious screenplay from time to time?  If you are asking these questions, I do not blame you because it would be an utter shame if I did not enjoy comedies.  Fortunately for those of you who love to watch funny movies, I share the same desire form time to time.  I love watching movies that cause me to rack my brain.  However, once in a while, I would rather not think and just simply watch a movie.

Today I will be blogging on this sort of movie.  "Crazy Stupid Love" was released this past summer under the direction of Dan Fogleman( a director who is done various genres but is mainly know for his animated movies "Cars" and"Tangled").  The cast for this movie was brilliantly selected, insomuch that they were picked more for the chemistry they would have together instead of "hey he can fill this role, so lets get him!"  The actors selected definitely could play their individual roles almost effortlessly, but you can sense while watching, that the potential chemistry was in continual thought during the writing of this movie.

The cast of main actors for this movie are Steve Carell(Carl), Juliann Moore(Emily), Ryan Gosling(Jacob), Emma Stone(Hannah), Marisa Tomei(Kate), and Kevin Bacon(David).  I am sure many of you are familiar with Steve Carell simply because his of big-hit TV series, "The Office".  Since this article is not debating the TV show, I will not go off on a rabbit to debate or argue whether he should of stayed on this show.  However I do believe he is still very big on the radar map of the entertainment industry; "Crazy Stupid Love" being a major reason for this.  You are also probably familiar with Ryan Gosling who has been in several films such as "Drive", "Blue Valentine", "Fracture", and "Murder by Numbers"(one of his first main roles in a movie).  I could continue to delve into the acting careers of this stellar cast, but I think you are beginning to realize what I am attempting to convey here.

"Crazy Stupid Love" centers around a friendship established between two completely opposite men.  Carl, a shy but lovable guy who seems to have a honest and caring way about him randomly bumps into a cocky, ladies' man.  Carl and his wife Emily apparently have a great relationship.However, Emily randomly proclaims to her husband(in the beginning of the movie) that she wants a divorce.  Shocked, and rightfully so,  Carl chooses to mourn by frequenting the local cocktail lounge in hopes to find someone else.  He goes to these lounges and sits at the counter bar, spending his time drinking and griping/mumbling about what has recently taken place.  As he is routinely going through this process of mourning, he notices Jacob(the ladies' man) effortlessly smooth-talk his way into bringing a different girl home every night.  As Jacob converses with these women, he can overhear Carl's griping and it is clear to him what has happened in Carl's life.  Jacob decides to take Carl under his wing by supplying him with a make-over and new tips on how to pick up girls.  Carl eventually, through the coaching of Jacob, meets up with Kate, while Jacob unexpectedly falls in love with Hannah.  Jacob begins to gradually acknowledge that maybe there is something enticing about an honest and real relationship as opposed to a superficial one.

This clever strand of relationships brings a brilliant layer of twists and excitement to the movie.  A major reason that causes this comedy to stand out, at least in my opinion, is the fact that it is composed of good-hearted people.  When does this happen in Hollywood comedies these days?  It is a relaxing change to the comedy realm.  I am not saying that other types of comedies are horrible.  I loved "Just go With It" and "Horrible Bosses".  It was just a surprising change to see a comedy with a clever plot and pleasant characters.

Also, this movie took very thoughtful concern of its characters.  Not that the characters were very deep like Leonardo Dicaprio in "Shutter Island" or Denzel Washington in "Man on Fire".  This movie creatively allows the characters to convey their feelings, and to some extent become surprised by those feelings.  All in all, this comedy was excellent.  The direction was fantastic and the actors complimented each other very well.  In my opinion, this idea to create a comedy movie different than what most viewers are used to was a clever idea.

As usual, what are your ideas on this movie?  Could the cast decisions have been any better? Was this movie a success?  What could have made this movie better?  Please share your thoughts!

If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better. 


http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1570728/

"Are you watching closely?"

I am sure that many of you out there share the same interest as me when it comes to magic tricks.  I have always enjoyed the sleight-of-hand and illusion because it makes me wonder.  How did he/she do it?  If you are like, me you have asked this question several times when it comes to magic.  This is because our mind works in complex ways.  We are curious creatures with a yearning for adventure, something to disrupt the mundane, normal and routine lifestyles we all have experienced from time to time.  We want something we can marvel at, even if we know that it is fake or illusory.

Well, if in fact you do share this same interest, you will without a doubt love the movie I will blogging about today.  "The Prestige" directed by Christopher Nolan, and co-written by his brother Jonathan Nolan, was released on October 20, 2006.  This movie is saturated with rich, vivid illusions performed by none other than Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman.  Coming along their sides for role support are Michael Caine, Scarlet Johansson, and David Bowie.  If you have seen movies directed by Nolan such as "Memento" and "Inception" and have enjoyed them, you will certainly not be displeased with this magical masterpiece.  Nolan is most known for his genuine ability to immerse his films with intellectual elegance sophistication.  If any of out there do not mind racking your brain for answers while watching a film, then "The Prestige" is a must see!


" Every great magic trick consists of three parts or acts. The first part is called "The Pledge". The magician shows you something ordinary: a deck of cards, a bird or a man. He shows you this object. Perhaps he asks you to inspect it to see if it is indeed real, unaltered, normal. But of course... it probably isn't. The second act is called "The Turn". The magician takes the ordinary something and makes it do something extraordinary. Now you're looking for the secret... but you won't find it, because of course you're not really looking. You don't really want to know. You want to be fooled. But you wouldn't clap yet. Because making something disappear isn't enough; you have to bring it back. That's why every magic trick has a third act, the hardest part, the part we call "The Prestige."

"The Prestige" takes place in the 19th century Victorian world where magic and illusion are what everyone does; its how you made a living.  Christian Bale(Alfred Borden" and Hugh Jackman(Robert Angier) who were once friends, share a mutual hatred and vengeance towards each other due to accidental death of their "lovely stage assistant Piber Perabo(Julia McCulough) who was Robert Angier's wife.  Supposedly this was the result of some risk-taking by Alfred Borden for stage effect.  The once "best friends" came vicious enemies wanting nothing better than to demolish one another through competitive magic tricks.  Throughout the movie, Borden and Angier do whatever it takes to "one-up" each other on stage.

Although the acting in this movie is incredible to say the very least, in my opinion, it seems to appear subservient to the plot.  This may seem to sound negative, but in reality is a very good thing!  If you think about it, you do not go to a magic show to see the emotional integrity the assistant coveys as she is being "sawed" in half.  Rather, you go to be utterly amazed how the assistant is able to get up and walk in one piece after being seemingly mutilated by the magician.  So in regards to "The Prestige" the acting is amazing, but what will really entice the viewer, is the plethora of plot twists that keeps you on the edge of your seat.  

As I have all ready mentioned, Nolan's dexterity in intellectual directing becomes very apparent throughout the entirety of this movie.  This movie is saturated with plot twists as it layered with countless flashbacks to cause the viewer to desperately attempt to concentrate on what is taking place in the film.  This eager desire to comprehend the storyline is what causes the film to be so incredible.  I know that at least for me,  I starve for this aspect in movie making.  I do not want a movie to simply provide me the answers.  I want to discover these answers for myself, because that gives some sense of accomplishment.

Before concluding I would like to share one last quote from the movie...
"You never understood, why we did this. The audience knows the truth: the world is simple. It's miserable, solid all the way through. But if you could fool them, even for a second, then you can make them wonder, and then you... then you got to see something really special... you really don't know?... it was... it was the look on their faces... "  In my opinion, this movie did exactly that.  Throughout the entire course of this movie, I was in wonder and awe.  Even though I may, unfortunately, have to return to normal life here on earth, at least for a few hours I could experience a marvelous masterpiece of cinemetography and screenplay.

For all of these above reasons, I would highly recommend this movie to anyone out there who is not opposed to opening their minds.  But, as always in any case, I am well aware that some people out there did not like this movie for certain reasons.  If so, I would love to know why.  Was this movie a success?  Do you think Christopher Nolan accomplished his desirable goals in this film?

If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0482571/

"You can't handle the truth"

In a sick and disparaging world, we can but only hope to discover the truth so cleverly concealed by deception.  We desperately attempt to accomplish this feat, simply because we believe that in doing so, we will somehow be set free.  But is this really the case?  Is the apprehension of knowledge always the coveted alternative.  The movie I will be writing about today explicitly communicates this message.

Today I will be blogging on yet another one of my favorite movie genres.  (If you have not figured it out yet, I am pretty much open to all movie genres.)  With that being said, I will be critiquing "A Few Good Men", a rare jewel in the courtrom drama ganre. "A Few Good Men" was released in the early winter of 1992, directed by Rob Reiner and written by Aaron Sorkin(who also wrote "The Social Network" and "Moneyball").  This movie is centered on two marines who have been accused of murdering a colleague.  It has been arranged for Kaffee(Tom Cruise) to be their attourney.  Kaffee is portrayed as a lazy and cocky, but well-educated young navy lawyer who is known for being able to set up plea bargains.  However, he discover evidence that these two marines(James Marshall and Wolfgang Bodison) may actually be innocent, so he decides rather to take it to court. 

This movie is amazing for several reasons.  First let's look at the main actors.  We have Tom Cruise(Kaffee), Demi Moore(JoAnne Galloway), Kevin Bacon(Cpt. Jack Ross), Kiefer Sutherland(Lt. Jonathan Kendrick), Kevin Pollack(Lt. Sam Weinberg) and of course Jack Nicholson(Col. Nathan Jessup).  Need I go any further critiquing?  Did you see the last name I mentioned......Jack Nicholson??  If any of you out there are Nicholson fans, you will not be disappointed by watching this movie.  Now needless to say, Nicholson is not, by any means, the only reason to watch this movie.  He certainly does not steal the film, meaning he does not separate himself from the other actors and what is going on.  Rather, he in only an insignificant number of scenes, seems to suffuse, or permeate the production with authority. 

Another reason this movie is excellent is becuase it pleads the viewer to ask a serious question.  Is knowledge always the coveted alternative?  This movie will definitely cause you to think hard and long on this question, even after the credits roll.  I love intellectual movies like this one.  If you are the same, then this movie is a must see!

Since I am fair and impartial, I will share with you a reason why some people do not like this film.  The reason is that, this movie is one of those movies which "tells you what it's going to do, does it, and then tells you what it did."  Now this is for sure a good reason to not like a movie.  However,  I personally do not think this causes the movie to lose any flavor, or vitality.  I am simply telling you how some others view it; but you must see this movie for yourself.  It does not detriment the film whatsoever, in my opinion. 

From time to time, I will be sharing a rather lengthy quotation from a movie, because I feel that it may genrate a desire in some of the reluctant ones out there.  Those, who are not sure whether they should give a certain movie a venture.  This time is one of those times.  Before reading on I want to inform you that this quote does contain some mild language.  So I  would like to apologize for any of those out there that may be offended upon reading it. 

"Jessep (Jack Nicholson): You want answers?
Kaffee (Tom Cruise): I think I'm entitled to them.
Jessep: You want answers?
Kaffee: I want the truth!
Jessep: You can't handle the truth! Son, we live in a world that has walls. And those walls have to be guarded by men with guns. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg? I have a greater responsibility than you can possibly fathom. You weep for Santiago and you curse the Marines. You have that luxury. You have the luxury of not knowing what I know: that Santiago's death, while tragic, probably saved lives. And my existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, saves lives...You don't want the truth. Because deep down, in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall.
We use words like honor, code, loyalty...we use these words as the backbone to a life spent defending something. You use 'em as a punchline. I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain myself to a man who rises and sleeps under the blanket of the very freedom I provide, then questions the manner in which I provide it! I'd rather you just said thank you and went on your way. Otherwise, I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post. Either way, I don't give a damn what you think you're entitled to!"

This quotation is towards the climax of the movie, and I will not share any futher information, as to avoid ruining the movie for those who have not yet had the opportunity to watch it.  This excerpt rewards you with a glimpse into the amazing character Jack Nicholson so brilliantly portrayed in this movie.

As I conclude this article I would like to again go back to the question I posed in the beginning of this article.  Is is the apprehension of knowledge always the covteted alternative?  Well, that is for now; until next time.  I hope you have enjoyed this article on one of my favorite courtroom dramas!  Please share your thoughts on this movie.  I would love to hear from you!

If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.
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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0104257/

"Life is the most spectacular show on Earth"

Since I have all ready caved in and confessed my passion for all sorts of movie genres, I will continue to share my variety by critiquing yet another movie excluded from the category of action and thriller.

The movie I will be blogging on today is "Water for Elephants."  This movie was released on April 22, 2011 under the direction of Francis Lawrence and adapted from the novel "Water for Elephants"  written by Sara Gruen.  First of all, I would like to be able to say that I have read the book.  But, unfortunately I have not, so I can not compare and contrast the two.  If you are not familiar with Francis Lawrence, he also directed "Constantine" and "I am Legend"  The screenplay was done by Richard LaGravenese, who also created the screenplay for "Horse Whisperer." 

Before I share my critique/plugin, I would to share a short summary for the movie with mild "spoiler alerts."  Jacob(Robert Pattinson) decides to venture on a "do not where I am going, but need to go somwhere other than here" journey after the sudden death of his parents.  He finds himself on a train which happens to be none other than a circus train.  The menacing and proud ring leader of this circus,August(Christopher Waltz), threatens to toss this young schoolboy off the train. But he finds out that Jacob is learned in vet medicince.  Realizing this could be a great service to his circus, and perhaps save it from despair, he decides to let the boy travel with them.  As he travels with the circus, Jacob begins to establish a love for August's wife Marlena(Reese Witherspoon).  During the movie, August realizes that the circus is struggling to receive a steady income. So, he decides to buy off an Elephant to become the new mascot and circus act.  And of course, the love for Marlena is swelling up within Jacobs heart all along.  Will the jealous August allow this?  Does he even notice it?  Does the Elephant act succeed?  Well, I guess you will just have to discover this for yourself!

As mentioned in the summary the lead roles are played by common actors, Witherspoon("Legally Blond"), Waltz("Inglorious Basterds"), and Pattinson("Twilight").  Now let me get off track here for just a moment.  Please do not disregard this movie due to Patttinson being a lead role just because you may of disliked him in "Twilight".  This is a entirely differnt movie with an entirely differnt role.  Okay, now lets get back on track.  I think what makes this movie great in my eyes is the fact that it actually has a plausible set and is sort of old-fashioned.  Now do not get me wrong.  I love action movies; if you have all ready read some of my blogs, you will know that.  I think it is relaxing and benefical every once in a while to entertain the mind with a movie that has real-to-life characters and a conceivable sotryline.  But, as always, this is my opinion; feel free to disagree. 

From the beginning to the very end, this movie is embossed in colorful imagery.  And of course, if you love animals, you will clearly love this movie, seeing that is centered around an Elephant.  However, I do have to say that I think the lead roles could have had a better chemistry amongst each other.  I mean, the separate roles were incredible, and I believe, highly targeted what people were going through in the early 1930's.  But amongst each other, there could been more of a harmonious connection.  Even with this minute flaw, I love this movie and would recommend it to anyone out there who is dying to see a conventional romance story.  A conventional romance meaning one differnt than what Hollywood is promoting nowadays. 

If you have seen this movie, I would love to know your thoughts behind it.  Was the movie successful?  Could there of been a stronger chemistry between the actors?   Did "Water for Elephants" successfully depict its time period?  If you have not seen this movie, I would encourage you to watch it and then share your opinion. 

If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1067583/

"Is it productive to leave the here and now to find a better place?

"There is no place like home; there is no place like home"  By that first sentence, can you guess what I will be blogging about today?  Well if you guessed the Wizard of Oz, you are absolutely wrong!  Just kidding.

If you have all ready visited my site prior to todays blog, you might have been given the misleading impression that I am only a  fan of suspense/thriller movies.  Well, I have decided to remove that idea far from any of your minds by taking a complete 180 and blogging on a entirely different genre of movie.

In my opinion, the Wizard of Oz is the most classic movie of all time because it successfully targeted audiences of all ages(young and old).  I would like to begin my critique by mentioning that if any of you out there have not seen this movie, there is simply no reason or excuse!  In fact, you should stop reading this blog right now and go find a copy!

All right.  "Wizard of Oz" was released in late August of 1939.  The director of this movie was Victor Fleming, who won an oscar for it.  If you are not aware of who this director was, you might be delighted to know that he also directed perhaps a movie on your top movie lists("Gone With the Wind" which won Best Picture Oscar).  Judith Garland(Dorothy) Ray Bolger(The Scarecrow), Frank Morgan(The Wizard), Bert Lahr(The Cowardly Lion), and Jack Haley(The Tin Man), co-star in this movie.  The chemistry between these actors, especially the four friends that embark down the yellow brick road, is incredibly remarkable to say the least. 

An interesting theme that this movie portrayed is the powerlessness of man.  In most movies, the guy is the hero. Think of "The Hulk", "Ironman1 &2", "Batman"(all of them), Thor,and too many more to count.  You get the picture.  Whereas in this movie, all the men seem sort of powerless, unable to control their own fate.  Even the Wizard seems weak in his own way.  The power figures in the movie are Dorothy, Glinda, and the Witch.  In fact there are several themes in this movie, but for sake of avoiding pain in my hands due to the laborious typing, I will refrain from delving in too much.  I will leave it up to you to share what you think the important themes are. 

I think that what makes this movie so amazing in my mind was the director's genuine ability to relate to the audience's imagination.  There are no special effects in this movie, like "Transformers" or "Super 8".  What you do see in this movie, if you were to call it "special effects" merely depict the framework or skeleton of the movie.  Victor Fleming leaves the rest to the imagination of the viewer.  This then allows the viewer to create his/her idea of the movie.  As I have all ready mentioned before, this movie has the ability to both enchant children and adults. If you think about it, Disney borrowed this idea for its animated pictures("Beauty and the Beast" "The Little Mermaid")  It is this aspect of incorporating a dose of comedy, adventure and catchy soundtracks together.  "Wizard of Oz" laid the groundwork for all of these movies to come.  It was the first of its kind!

I will avoid summarizing this movie, just in case, for some very peculiar reason, some of you have not yet had the opportunity to be captivated by its beauty and wonder.  But, I will say that in the beginning of the movie, Dorothy wanted nothing to do with where she was.  But, as she walked down the yellow brick road with her friends, the only thought that enraptured her mind was how she could get back home.  This irony leads me back to the question I chose to title my blog with, "Is it productive to leave the here and now to find a better place?"

Is is productive?  What are some other themes you saw as important in this movie?  Do you think the journey down the yellow brick road to meet the Wizard was all just a dream, or was it actually reality?  What could Fleming of done better? 

If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0032138/

"Do not let a child's seemingly innocent nature fool you!"

If you have ready any of my prior blogs, you will be aware that I have been writing critiques and sharing plugins for movies.  However, my previous blogs have all been positive in the sense that I have enjoyed the movie.  Therefore, the review I gave it was a positive one.  This blog will be entirely different in nature, as I will giving a particular movie a bad rating.

I simply do no want my viewers to think that I just like all movies and therefore, am a biased movie critiquer.  Now, do not get the wrong impression either.  I do love most movies for a plethura of reasons, but there are those very few that stick out as "could of been better", "just downright awful", or "if only that actor had been it" type of movies.

Well, now that I have you on the edge of your seats(which of course is right where I want you), the movie that I will be writing about is "Hanna".  Now mind you, before I share my negative thoughts towards the movie, let me admit to you that the trailer did look appealing. I was excited to see this movie.  Before I get started, let me warn you that this editorial does contain "SPOILER ALERTS!" 

Even in the beginning scenes, I can convey several reasons for disliking the movie.  The father is seen leaving the house in the dead of winter in blizzard wearing just a suit!  Yes, just a suit.  Now, that might not bother some of you, but it really irritated me.  He is seen in an earlier scene with a huge warm winter coat on.   But in the process to embark on a journey during a blizzard, of course all you need is a suit on.  Later on Hannah, played by Saorise Ronan, is seen taking down two highly trained and armed CIA agents with her fists!  She then surrenders, but the rest of the agents do not shoot her.  She just killed two of your own agents, and you have guns pointed at her.  Can you use them please, or do you need me to show you how to you use it? Delving further into the movie Hanna is seen breaking out of a CIA headquarters with relative ease.  She is shown having the knowledge to destroy security cameras, whereas later on in the movie, she is  terribly afraid of a television set because she has no experiecne with electronics whatsoever. Do you remember where she came from?  She has never left her humble abode and has known no one except her father.  But, of course, she can easily break free from a maximum security building.  Hanna's kill count is at least ten plus in this movie! Well, I am done with all the ranting.  These are just a few of the reasons why I did not like this movie, but I simply do not want to bore you with any more.

Before I conclude this critique, I do want to inform you that I disagree with several people out there who dislike this movie because Hanna is too young to be able to be violent or deadly.  Have you lived by yourself with just your father in the middle of nowhere, performing physical training every day?  Well, neither have I, so I guess we will never know for sure.

Let me finish this blog by saying that I believe that this movie had great potential.  I did not dislike the plot or central idea.  Even some of the actors did a good job.  What I dislike are several of the impossible events that took place in this movie.  I also do know that everything I commented about has to do with the realism aspect of the movie.  The director's goal could very well of been to portray other aspects instead of realism.  And that is fine with me, I realize that.  It just irritated me is all.  I did, however enjoy the cinematography and soundtrack, if that counts for anything!

Now that I am off my soap box, I would like to hear from those of you who have also seen this movie.  Did you like it?  If not, how come?  Do you agree with what I had to say?

If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0993842/

Don't take from a father what is dearest to him, or else!

Have you ever been bitter or held a grudge against someone in your life?  Has that anger evolved into a strong desire to enact revenge towards that person?

Well this is exactly the case in the movie "The Taken."  In this blog I will sharing a short summary of the movie, my personal critique, and a plug in for it as well.

Liam Neeson plays  the role of a Central Intelligence Agent who has recently retired so he can live closer to his beloved daughter who is played by Maggie Grace(who has played minor roles in both "Lost" and "Knight and Day."  The daughter invokes on a trip to Paris on a trip with friends where she is then kidnapped.  Do not be alarmed.  This is not a spoiler alert(Look at the title of the movie)  This movie portrays the love, devotion, and courage of a father who takes dangerous risks to try everything in his might and power to bring his daughter back.  Does he do so?  I guess you will just have to find out.

I enjoyed this movie from beginning to end.  In fact I have watched this movie four different times in different states in the span of one week.  Does that give you any insight into my love for the movie?  I enjoyed the cast chosen for this movie;  I am a big Liam Neeson fan(A-Team, Star Wars anyone?)  The director of this movie is Pierre Morel(also director of the "transporter" movie series), who in my opinion conveyed the theme perfectly.  The theme of this movie has been done several times before, but not as intense as conveyed in this movie.  Neeson digs deep into his role and can be seen throughout the entire movie. His devotion for his daughter can be seen in all of his emotions.  This movie is a must see for all audiences, but especially for you fathers out there.  Unfortunately since this article is designed as a plugin as well as for sharing my opinion, I can not reveal any more information, as to avoid "spoiler alerts."  But I will leave with you a short quote from Neeson's character as to possibly entice you to watch this movie at some point.


"If you let my daughter go now, that'll be the end of it. I will not look for you, I will not pursue you. But if you don't, I will look for you, I will find you, and I will kill you."

If you have seen this movie please share your thoughts  Did you like Liam Neeson and how he portrayed his character?  Is this just another one of those  "been done same way before" movies, or is this a fresh new look at the theme?  Should the development make a sequel?  If you didn't like "The Taken, please share why!



If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.




http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0936501/

We all know that the sun rises, but what else rises?

We all know the sun rises, but what else rises? What else rises?  The "Dark Knight Rises" will be released on July 20, 2012!  Now I am 99.99% positive that I can refrain form asking this next question, but for fairness sake, I will ask it anyways.  Are you excited?   Ahhhhhhh, I am so excited! I can barely hold it in!  But, there may be some people out there who do not share my passion and anticipation.  That is why I am writing this blog;  Well really I am writing this blog for a two-fold reason.  1. To critique "Dark Knight" and share my opinion on "Dark Knight Rises" and 2. To hear your opinion about whether or not you think "Dark knight Rises will be a success.

So let me begin with my critique on "Dark Knight" (MINIMAL SPOILER ALERT HERE)  I absolutely loved it, from the intelligent script, to the genius of a director, and to the elegant cast of actors.  If you read my earlier blog on the movie "Inception", you will all ready be aware of my love for director Christopher Nolan.  He is a genius when it comes to directing because he know how to relate to his audience. Nolan is aware of what his viewers want to see and how to convey that in his pieces of work.  And the actors?  Simply put, how can one go wrong with names such as Christian Bale and Heath Ledger.  Bale is know for his role in the first two Batman movies and of course, will be performing the role in the new and upcoming "Dark knight Rises."  But another movie he played an excellent role in was the movie "Prestige"(also directed by Christopher Nolan)  But, that is a whole different story and will without a doubt be fully critiqued in one of my future blogs.  And Heath Ledger....If you have not seen "Dark Knight", Ledger is enough reason to go see it.  I am a huge fan of Christian Bale and his ability to relate to his characters emotion and feelings, but I have to honestly say that Heath Ledger is the aspect that changes this movie from amazing to outstandingly amazing.  Ledger hit the nail perfectly as he played the role of the Joker.  There was no convincing needing to take place in my mind.  He played the role perfectly.   If you are fan of this movie I am sure you will remember this quote of his which sends chills down my spine...

"The Joker: Come here. Hey! Look at me. So I had a wife. She was beautiful, like you. Who tells me I worry too much. Who tells me I ought to smile more. Who gambles and gets in deep with the sharks. One day, they carve her face. And we have no money for surgeries. She can't take it. I just want to see her smile again. I just want her to know that I don't care about the scars. So... I stick a razor in my mouth and do this... 

[the Joker mimics slicing his mouth open with his tongue] 

The Joker: ...to myself. And you know what? She can't stand the sight of me! She leaves. Now I see the funny side. Now I'm always smiling!"     

What a great moment in this film among several others. Before I ask some questions about the upcoming "Dark Knight Rises", I just wanted to share a short summary of "Dark Knight" for those of you that for some strange reason, have not been able to see it yet.  "Dark Knight" portrays Batman as he teams up with Harvey Dent to bring down the opposing vigilante mob and bring peace to the disparaging city of Gotham, but in attempting to accomplish this, let the cat out of the cage so-to-speak.  Joker, with his hell-bent passion to turn Gotham against itself, does everything in his power to stop Batman and bring his heroic qualities down to his level.    

So questions for "Dark Knight Rises."  1. Do you think this movie will be the last movie in the Batman series?  2. Are you upset that the Joker will not be in it?  3.Do you think it has potential to be the movie out of the series?  4.Will this movie be a success?

If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/          http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/

"Has the web caught you up in shear anticipation"

"Spiderman, Spiderman, Does whatever a spider can Spins a web, any size, Catches thieves just like flies 
Look Out! Here comes the Spiderman. "  I know there are several people out there who simply can not wait for the "Amazing Spider Man" to come out.  It will be hitting the big screens on July 3, 2012.  Now the reason I am blogging about this now is because I know there is a vast number of opinions out there pertaining to the Spiderman movies done in the past.  Some people think the director was bad, while some others think Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst did an awful job portraying their roles as Peter Parker and Mary Jane.  Whether you liked or disliked the Spiderman trilogy, this movie should be a lot better than the attempts in the past.  The new movie coming out will be completely revamped with a new director and crew of actors.  In my opinion, I think this is an excellent choice because it will give the series a colorful change and new reason for people to attend the movies when it is released.  Sometimes change is good, and I believe change is perfect when it comes to the Spiderman movies.  Viewers simply do not want the same old routine actors and scripts; they have seen it in the past three movies.  People want a fresh new look at Spiderman, and I think that is what Marc Webb is concerned about, as he was in the process of directing "The Amazing Spiderman."  Webb has integrated an excellent cast for this movie in Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone to name  a few.  Andrew Garfield has played in "The Social Network" and "Never Let Me Go", and Emma Stone has previously been aired in "Easy A" and "The Help", and "Crazy Stupid Love."  Emma Stone will be playing Gwen Stacy in this new Spiderman movie who is the girl Peter Parker is attracted to before he meets Mary Jane.  To avoid "spoiler alerts" I will not be sharing any more information.  I know for some strange reasons, there may be some of you out there who have not seen any of the previous movies in the series, and simply out of respect, I do not want to ruin anything for you.  My main purpose for blogging is to hear your opinions about it. Do you think it will be better or worse and why?  Has the web caught you up in shear anticipation?  If it has, please comment and share your thoughts!  I would love to hear them!

If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0948470/

"Get Busy Living, or Get busy Dying"

Since this is my blogsite, I should probably share with all of you my all-time favorite movie!  Are you all ready?  Drumroll Please!  All right, thank you for the drumroll, anyways...the movie is "Shawshank Redmption." This movie is awesome for several reasons.                                                                                                
First of all let's talk about the director a little bit, Frank Darabont.  He was born actually in a refugee camp in France.  And if you are like me and didn't know much about him before watching this movie, and maybe still don't, does "Green Mile" ring any bells?  Thought so :)   If that is not enough said, well then, I guess you will just have to watch  that movie too then.    Darabont received seven nominations from "Shawshank Redemption" and four nominations for "Green Mile."                                                                                                                        
"Shawshank Redemption" is also currently holding the 1st spot on the IMDB top movies list.  Now that has to be enough incentive for any one thinking whether they should or should not watch the movie. This movie has received the most votes on IMDB at 760,891 votes.  IMDB voters are just regular, casual movie viewers for the most part which pretty much implies that the movie is loved by many movie lovers out there!                           Well if you are still deciding whether or not to get off the couch and run over to your local Blockbuster, maybe I should mention some of the actors in it. Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins, to mention a few, play complimenting roles in this movie.                                                                                                                       
Here is a short summary on the movie. Andy Dufresne(Robbins) and Ellis "Red" Redding(Freeman) meet up in prison, and this movie portrays them as they share what brought them there and establish a permanent relationship with each other.  Freeman(the inmate everyone knew and respected) had been there for several years for crimes he had committed in the past and Robbins(a successful banker, obviously now not in his comfort zone) had actually been put into jail because he was accused wrongfully of murdering his wife.  "Shawshank Redemption" colorfully shows these two different characters with opposite personalities as they are drawn emotionally to each other and construct an everlasting bond of friendship.                                                                
Throughout the whole movie the viewer gets the vibe that Dufresne wants to escape because deep down he knows he is a free man.  So does he escape, you may be wondering?  Well, I guess you will have to find out for yourself-----Go to Blockbuster now!  Does he escape?  To contain from "spoiler alerts" I will have to conceal that information unfortunately.  But, I will say that this movie pertains a lot to morals and ethics, and will make you think.  You will go through several emotions, as you roller coaster your through this movie, watching two men grow to love each other from completely different backgrounds.                                                                                                                                                             
If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.
I will be tagging links at the end of my blogs that will bring you straight to IMDB, if you want to learn about the cast, or directive staff, plot summary, quotes, and even interesting trivia pertaining to each movie I blog about.   http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0111161/

"Dreaming within Dreams?"

If you have read my first blog, you will know what I am trying to do with this website.  I desire to convey my love for movies by sharing what I discover with others.  Whether it be critiquing, sharing my favorite movies or discussing up and coming movies to hit the big screens, I want to be able to get a group of people that share my love for movies, so we can have fun discussing with each other.
I share all that to bring up my first movie I would like to talk about. And that is the movie "Inception."  Ahhh, I do not even know where to begin! Ok, first of all, Christopher Nolan is a directive genius.  His ability to direct and put together incredible cinematography is clearly proven in "Inception" and of course "Dark Knight" (which I will be discussing in a future blog when I write about the new and upcoming Batman, which I am extremely excited for!) But, not only is it his ability to direct and write, which makes this movie incredible. His stellar cast portray his script perfectly.  Leonardo DiCaprio(Shutter Island), Joseph Gordon-Levitt(50/50), Ellen Page(Juno) and English actor Tom Hardy(who was brought to the attention of the entertainment mainstream because of his role in this movie), compliment each other almost too perfectly.  
On the top of these reasons, "Inception is currently holding firmly to the 14th spot of IMDB's top movies' list.  (side-note:since I have all ready alluded to IMDB twice I would like to do a short commercial break.  This stands for International movie Database and has a plethura of information to browse through.  I get a lot of my information and bits of trivia from this site)Anyways, I was wondering what any readers thought of this movie?  Did you like/dislike this movie and what are your reasons for either/or?   Also, I am curious to know your ideas on the explanation of the ending of the movie?  As Cobb(DiCaprio) proceeds to see his kids and arrive back home, the top is seen spinning continuously, and the movie ends?  Is this reality, or has the entire movie been a dream interwoven in dreams?  Please share any thoughts!!       

If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.


 http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1375666/    

LET'S BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES! MOVIES ARE WHAT WE WISH OUR REAL WORLDS WOULD BE!

Greetings all Movie Lovers,
My name is Josh Zerbini, and I currently reside in Clarks Summit, PA, roughly two hours outside of Philly(home to the Philadelphia Eagles and Philidelphia Phillies) Well, now that I got myself sidetracked mentioning sports teams, I actually despise Philly teams being that I was born and raised in Connecticut.  Go Huskies, Redsox, and Patriots!!!  Ok, now that I have released that burden off my chest, let's talk about this new blog I have created. 
      Recently, some friends of mine told me I should start a blog where I could critique movies.  Why?   Because of my love for movies, thats why!  Some people would consider me a movie buff. I can go on for hours ranting on and on about "this" movie or "that" actor.                                            If you have just browsed this website for the first time, you have probably noticed the title: LET'S BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES! MOVIES ARE WHAT WE WISH OUR REAL WORLDS WOULD BE! I mean think about it for a moment.  No, keep thinking, keep thinking, Ok Good!  What about the animated world of Infamous "Toy Story" series.  Wouldn't it be awesome to be a little talking toy?  On a  side note, you must have realized by now that I get distracted...(Toy Story 3 is currently holding the 46th spot on The IMDB top movie list)    What about the shootem up, actioned packed , "Saving Private Ryan" Or, the intellectual movie, and one of my all time favorites, "Inception?"   How intriguing would it be to create your own dreams and then live in them? How about the suspensful thriller "Taken", where you could take revenge against those who have kidnapped your own daughter, and take out a whole army single-handedly, so to speak. That would be so sick!  Or what about the witty and comedic "Horrible Bosses", where you can sit with your friends and plot devious methods to take down your bosses?  I mean lets's be honest.  Don't your bosses drive you nuts some times? :)                        Ayways that is it for now.  In the future, I will be writing blogs where I will be critiquing all sorts of movies and actors, giving my opinion of them why they worked or why the flopped and possibly what the production staff could of done to improve them.  Note, that it will just be my opinion and you can take it or leave it.  If you have anyting you want to argue or critique yourself you can always just subscribe to my blog or shoot me an email.  I will be happy to converse with any other movie lovers out there! 


 If you have just visited my site, you are probably wondering what it is all about.  My name is Josh and I am using this blog as a site where readers can receive movie buzz and plugins for movies and share their opinion on those movies. I would love to hear your opinion on whether or not the director and actors did a good job and what could of made the movie better.