Reviews

Drive isn't about action. It isn't about blood, fighting, sex, drugs, or even, driving… This new "Action/Thriller" movie is an artistic endeavor showcasing a general blueprint intellectually analogous to that of most Quentin Tarantino movies.

The film's composition is a fascinating interpretation of film noir and unlike most action recent action movies does not take advantage of new technology for intense, fiery action scenes. Conversely, the film takes advantage of long takes in which movements and conversations are slowly, rhythmically paced; actors are often allowed to react in real time without cuts. With exquisite cinematography and a disconcerting electronica, dream-like score coupled with shockingly brutal and explicit scenes of violence, this film works to invoke the cinematic ideals showcased in Quentin Tarantino classics like Kill Bill, and Pulp Fiction with one notable exception – Drive has virtually no dialogue.

Director Nicolas Refn (of not much else) takes an overly ambitious step by excluding dialogue from the film, and, although the silences emphasize the impressive cinematographic qualities of the film, these noiseless moments make the viewing experience alienating and awkward for the viewers. The movie's quiet nature is augmented by the fact that the movie's protagonist, Ryan Gosling, is a nameless mechanic/movie stunt- car driving/robbery getaway driver is monosyllabic for the entirety of the film. Furthermore, the equally whispery co-star, Carey Mulligan, plays a relatively small, nearly forgettable role in the film.

The other key misleading point about the movie is that the main character, the driver, doesn't really, well… drive. Just as Quentin Tarantino applied the theory in his lesser-known, car-chase slasher Death Proof, Refn's Drive revolves around the idea more than the character himself. In both movies, characters live and breathe in these environments – their cars serving merely as tools. However, Death Proof showcased an intense driving scene riddled with the special- effects, action-laden shots viewers have come to know. With Drive, however, viewers will come to remember the essence of the silent, artistically portrayed driver – not the machines, or even the ways in which he commandeers them.

For most Quentin Tarantino films, this disturbingly graphic, nauseatingly artistic film should be a satisfactory respite from the 21st century, Killer Elite action films that have recently roared into theaters. However, for viewers looking for more stimulating, exciting, and thrilling viewing experiences this movie isn't worth the ticket price.

Just Go With It, or just go without it – it really doesn't matter. The romantic comedy, Just Go With It starring Adam Sandler, Jennifer Aniston, and Brooklyn Decker was a truly average movie.

The movie was extremely predictable and it had about as many bland jokes as it did funny. Jennifer Aniston did a typically mediocre job acting and Brooklyn Decker's big-screen debut proved to be nothing special. Surprisingly enough, Adam Sandler did a fairly good job – although he was extremely convincing in a few of the more serious and emotional scenes, he tended to return to his typical man-boy humor routine in an effort to get some cheap laughs. The plot of the movie has undoubtedly overdone – a guy with an attractive long time female friend whose good looks are hidden by a myriad of easy to fix factors meets a stunning woman and attempts to woo her, only to realize his feelings for his friend. To make matters worse, the movie is presented in an unrealistic fashion – Adam Sandler appears as an unattractive compulsive liar who easily wins the hearts of two stunning and seemingly flawless women.

Despite these glaring flaws in the movie, Just Go With It did not go without some redeeming qualities. It had a couple of scenes that were laugh-out-loud funny, and a number of other scenes that were quite amusing. Furthermore, the movie's serious moments actually had substance – which was, considering the cast, entirely unexpected. Sandler easily made the transition from humorous to serious and skillfully portrayed a sensitive man who was great with children and was desperate for love. The movie also managed to keep the clichéd plot somewhat fresh with several surprising plot twists and amusingly unrelated scenes.

All things considered, I would recommend renting Just Go With It on a night when you don't feel like watching anything heavy. It is an average movie worth watching for a few laughs, but it doesn't offer much more.

Despite the success of the original X-Men movie trilogy (2000-2006), based on the failure of X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the new X-Men movie, X-Men: First Class, which arrived in theaters Friday, had most comic book-turned-movie fans uneasy. Furthermore, the mediocrity of the first Fantastic Four movie, Thor, and Superman Returns, make the creation of a successful superhero coming-of-age/beginnings film seem impossible.

However, the 132 minute X-Men: First Class proves that super hero movies are far from finished. Boasting spectacular acting performances by James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Jennifer Lawrence, an incredible script, and stunning visuals, this movie is one of the first must-see movies of the 2011 summer.

X-Men: First Class also manages to succeed where the other aforementioned comic book movies failed – it is action-packed and thrilling. The movie is reminiscent of the sensational 2008 superhero movie, The Dark Knight in its fast-paced yet digestible storyline – X- Men: First Class brilliantly traces each characters physical, emotional, and mental development in the movie, while simultaneously showing the viewer each characters motivation, past, and, to an extent, future. These moments of development play pivotal roles in the film, but they are integrated into the main action of the plot, so the movie doesn't have the now common feelings of slowness and transition associated with character development.

Moreover, the movie is strong enough to stand alone – meaning that the viewer doesn't need to have seen the previous X-Men movies to understand and enjoy this one. However, the director, Matthew Vaughn, makes sure to drop plenty of subtle jokes (including a brilliant cameo from one of the actors in the earlier movies) to keep the more intimate fans satisfied. The movie doesn't stay as true to the comic books as many of the more obsessed fans would like to see, and to that, I simply say, stop going to the movies to watch books. If you want to see something that closely follows the original plot line, curl up at home, alone, in bed, with your snuggie and apple juice, and read your precious comic books.

The premise of The Hangover: Part II is nearly identical to the first – the same "wolfpack" from the first movie, Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), Doug (Justin Bartha) and the not entirely welcome man- child, Alan (Zach Galifianakis), throw a wild, out-of-control bachelor party that results in the loss of an important character.

At first blush, it seemed as though this movie, with its recycled premise and familiar characters another painfully obvious attempt to wring the last few cents out of a Hollywood cash cow. However, director Todd Phillips, easily quiets these criticisms by playfully mocking the similarities and by upping the raunchiness, insanity, and humor of the movie.

Galifianakis once again steals the show as the perfectly crafted weirdo Alan, who's sporadic and bizarre interjections enliven momentary lulls in the movie. Alan's antics are further accentuated by the return of the humorous and insane criminal, Chow (Ken Jeong). Combined with new, shockingly outrageous situations, the duo keeps the laughs coming and in doing so gets the audience to forget the movie's lack of originality.

Regardless of my strong recommendation, wholesome moviegoers and those who are wholeheartedly convinced that this movie is nothing but a remake should skip The Hangover: Part II because, to be honest, this isn't a movie to be taken seriously. It is not a cinematic masterpiece by any stretch and the storyline is weak at best, but if you're willing to venture into the bowels of Bangkok for a raunchy, silly, sophomoric, and extremely amusing movie, call up your wolf pack and head to see an amusing movie you'll never forget – hopefully.

Viewers shuffle out of the movie theater after viewing I Am Number Four sweating nervously as their hearts beat rapidly at the frightening scenario the movie just presented – a sequel is a very strong possibility. The titular "Number Four" is an attractive alien played by Alex Pettyfer, one of the few survivors of his planet. The movie follows his efforts to blend in as a teenager on Earth to hide from the aliens inexplicably determined to kill every member of his species.

However, Number Four has a tough time blending in – as it turns out his dazzling good looks and uncontrollable superpowers (such as his hands, which, upon occasion, emit bright beams of light). The film cleverly masks the gaping holes in the storyline by drawing attention to Alex Pettyfer. Pettyfer looks like an Abercrombie & Fitch model – the only difference is that the models are aware that they can't act.

As the audience tries in vain to overlook the gaping holes in the plot, the expected yet poorly executed plot "twists" and transition, and Pettyfer's impressive ability to make acting look extremely difficult, they look towards the CGI and other special effects to breathe life into this otherwise rotting corpse of a film.

Overall, the CGI and special effects were well done, however, at times, this 21st century; sixty million dollar Hollywood production's special effects and CGI are only slightly more believable than Pettyfer's acting. The computer-generated beasts are the strongest examples of this shortcoming, as they are painfully reminiscent of Mr. Hyde from Van Helsing.

I Am Number Four was a disappointing film, to say the least, and although at times it appeared to have potential, its weak storyline and pitiful Pettyfer lead brought the film's quality down substantially. I would advise against purchasing or renting this movie when it is released on DVD and Blu-Ray on May 24, 2011.

Watching "Contagion" in a crowded movie theater is like watching Cloverfield on a subway. "Contagion" is a terrifyingly plausible thriller following the rapid progression of a worldwide epidemic will have audiences glued to their virus-riddled seats.

Director Steven Soderbergh develops the story in a brilliantly realistic fashion – focusing simultaneously on the devastating effects of the disease while the medical community scrambles desperately to find a cure and control the hysteria that spreads more quickly than the virus itself.

As Soderbergh depicts the disease's transmission through human interaction – including coughing, and more dangerously, touching – the audience members find themselves reaching for their hand sanitizer, suddenly aware of how many germs they are exposed to on a regular basis. Furthermore, this touching film (pun intended) provides insight into the human condition; touching on subjects ranging from death, desperation, and violence to grief, love, and understanding

The all-star cast of characters, including: Matt Damon, Jude Law, Kate Winslet, Laurence Fishburne, Gwyneth Paltrow and Marion Cotillard, brings this film to the next level. Their excellent portrayals coupled with Soderbergh's realistic depiction of a world fighting against time and an unknown, fatal virus brings the sickness into the theater. Unlike most disease or epidemic thrillers, "Contagion" focuses on the science of the virus more than it focuses on the horrific symptoms. Through this detailed, scientific approach, the logic behind the virus's creation and transmission becomes extremely solid. The film's unsettlingly realistic premise easily makes it seem like a PSA for inoculations, while the plausible and rapid developments in the plot also make the film a depiction of survival.

Moreover, Soderbergh brilliantly manipulates the cinematography to allow for lingering close-ups, quick cuts of devastated scenery, and occasional moments of black humor. These detailed techniques show the virus's destruction while simultaneously giving the audience a sick thrill.

"Contagion" is the most realistic and disturbing epidemic/disease/thriller movie of the year, so it's certainly worth watching – though viewers should probably consider bringing a bucket of soap and warm water, some hand sanitizer, some acid, or possibly full contamination suits.

Marvel has no shortage of colorful characters to choose from when constructing a new film, but as far as the most popular leading men are concerned, we may soon be hitting a drought. Obviously, the company can (and most likely will) keep firing out sequels, prequels, and remakes featuring Spider-Man, Hulk, Thor, Iron Man, Wolverine and the X-Men, but comic fans, loyal though they may be, often want something new. Fortunately, one of the last "big" Marvel heroes to get his own movie has arrived, and his vehicle, entitled Captain America: The First Avenger, is a rewarding installment that is smart, clever, confident and, best of all, different.

Most recent origin stories in superhero cinema are similar. Even Thor, who hailed from another dimension, is still dealing with guilt, immaturity, and daddy issues found in almost every Marvel adaptation. Captain America differs not only in the fact that it is an early-'40s period piece, but also in its plausible and palpable originality. The freshness, combined with a strong ensemble and an intelligent script delivers one of the finest superhero adaptations of the year.

Fine as both a noble runt and a gentlemanly superhero, Chris Evans delivers a character worth caring about. Smaller assets pop up at every turn: Stanley Tucci, Tommy Lee Jones, Neal McDonough, Dominic Cooper, Sebastian Stan and the gorgeous Hayley Atwell as Cap's eclectic batch of allies; and, best of all, a meaty but entirely logical editorial approach that encapsulates all of Rogers' early adventures in one tight and refined two-hour frame.

And, sincerely, a certain "propaganda montage" is something special. The action, the chuckles, the surprisingly interesting character development ... they're what make Captain America a very solid action flick. But it's that one special montage that elevates the film into something a little bit cooler than the typical Marvel fare. Captain America also proves once again that great movie making is about much more than special effects – its about acting, directing, scripting, and most of all, it's about passion – something that has been eclipsed by a few clicks.

After eight films in 10 years and a cumulative global box- office take of more than $6.3 billion, the most successful franchise in movie history comes to an obligatory – and climactic, fulfilling conclusion in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. To say the least, this is a massively eventful finale will take fans on a ride of pure adrenaline.

It has been an extraordinary journey – an adventure for the producers, the performers, and the audience as the once young, naïve, and, in all honesty, mediocre actors Daniel Radcliffe,Rupert Grint,and Emma Watson have become remarkable thespians. Their emotions are palpable as they take viewers on one last, heart-stopping, breathtaking journey into the magical world of Harry Potter.

With the knowledge that the end is near – in a number of ways – the production team holds nothing back. The eventual sight of the once mystical and ethereal Hogwarts in absolute ruin is striking. Although the cinematography was excellent throughout the series, with the most recent installment it is taken to a new level as the audience members find themselves overwhelmed by the reality of the wizard world. Furthermore, the makeup is at its best – especially when it comes to the goblins and Lord Voldemort, (one instance in particular is truly astonishing). Alexandre Desplat creates what may very well be the best soundtrack of the series, subtly incorporating echoes of John Williams' original themes while richly boosting the electrifying, intense dramatic scenes with brilliant compositions.

The only disappointment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is the harrowing knowledge that this film represents the end of one of the greatest film series' of all time .

Horrible Bosses, takes a dark premise — three men working together to murder their bosses — and molds it into a thoroughly entertaining and consistently funny movie.

The talented cast, led by Jason Bateman, Charlie Day and Jason Sudeikis as the three miserable employees does is superb, while the supporting cast of Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Aniston and Colin Farrell do excellent jobs as the titular bosses. A tattoo-covered Jamie Foxx adds another dimension to the movie's humor as the "murder consultant" with the charming name, "Motherfucker Jones."

Spacey plays a seething, condescending monster of a human being. Farrell does a brilliant job as a karate-obsessed coke-head with a frighteningly bad comb-over. And an unsatisfiable and horny Aniston has fun with her character, letting loose a string of vulgarities that would make Rachel Green squirm

The premise is ludicrous, as it is meant to be with this genre of slapstick, raunchy comedy, but director Seth Gordon balances the absurdity with enough passable logic and laugh-out-loud humor to make the movie extremely entertaining. Horrible Bosses is one of the summer's best comedy and is highly recommended!

Selena Gomez is an actress. Period. With her newest movie, Monte Carlo, Selena Gomez has successfully been released from the Disney Channel label cast upon her by the immensely successful series, Wizards of Waverly Place.

I do not mean to imply that Gomez has, in any way, left her good- girl image or abandoned her role-model status among teens, tweens, and assorted others across the globe – rather that she has progressed in her career to the point that she can now be seen as a serious actress. Gomez, along with talented cast mates Leighton Meester (who also shows her range as a thespian in her rare non Gossip Girl role) and Katie Cassidy, star in a beautiful story of love, heartbreak, and maturity.

Based on a previously done plot, Monte Carlo is about a young woman from Texas played by Selena Gomez, who is mistaken for an heiress, also Selena Gomez, and, along with her blue-collar best friend and bookish stepsister, is whisked into the idyllic world of luxury. Despite this formulaic plot, the movie hits a surprising range of emotional grace notes, including several moments of genuine regret, and concludes with an understated moral lesson about the value of self-respect over social status.

In Monte Carlo, these young women struggle to understand and appreciate the world around them, and in doing so come to understand who they truly are. The actresses do astounding jobs portraying their roles, the cinematography is excellent, and the scripting is brilliant. Through a movie with an overdone plot, themes of self-reflection and understanding percolate through the developing journeys of these three young women – while light humor weaves throughout the plot. These jokes – both blunt and subtle – keep the audience thoroughly fixated on the story and provide the film with the organic atmosphere it needs to make a true impact on viewers.

Monte Carlo is more than just a standard tween film or Disney movie – it is a must-see summer movie that boasts great acting, stupendous ideals, and enormous potential.

The summer comedy, Bad Teacher, is filled with jokes – an number of which don't quite work, but when the film works, it gets some big laughs from the audience. Elizabeth Halsey, played by Cameron Diaz, is not a reluctant educator who wakes up to her gifts over the course of the film – she's selfish, stupid, and completely superficial. Her only goal in life is to get a boob job so she can attract a rich, attractive man – and if she needs to "teach" to earn the money, so be it.

Although I generally don't care for Cameron Diaz, she does a fairly decent job in this role – her comedic timing is excellent, and she doesn't get too absorbed in the paper-thin plot to take the edge off of her character.

The script by Gene Stupnitsky & Lee Eisenberg is decent overall, but it didn't have a strong resolution – substantially weakening the movie. Fortunately, the large and talented cast including Lucy Punch, Jason Segel, Phyllis Smith, John Michael Higgins, and Dave "Gruber" Allen hold the shaky script together. All of them make the best of the material provided to them and Justin Timberlake delivers a shockingly impressive comedic performance.

When everything is taken into account, Bad Teacher has strong acting and some great jokes, but the failed jokes and weak plot make it an average movie. It's entertaining, but not quite worth the ticket price, so it earns a "C."

The new sci-fi thriller, Super Eight, proves that writer/director J.J. Abrams has not "Lost" his touch. Super Eight was advertised in an extremely risky fashion – neither the movie poster nor the movie trailer divulge anything substantial about the film itself – indicating that Abrams and executive producer, Steven Spielberg, had faith that the movie would stand for itself. In short: their gamble paid off.

Super Eight reminds viewers what's missing from most of the big budget, CGI-laden Hollywood movies of today – emotion. Due to a poignant combination of phenomenal acting and impeccable scripting, the on screen emotions seem organic and genuine – transforming the seemingly implausible sci-fi film into a believable, emotional roller coaster for the viewers.

Abrams' admiration for his mentor/coworker, Steven Spielberg is palpable in the movies' nostalgic atmosphere. The story takes place in 1979, long before cell phones and YouTube gave every kid the opportunity to make "movies." It also happens to be the period in which Spielberg captured the imagination of moviegoers around the world with the impassioned films that made his career legendary: Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. The Extra Terrestrial. Despite the clear links between Super Eight and Spielberg's' movies Super 8 never feels old, stale, or recycled in any way.

Although the movie may not satisfy the disgusting CGI-thirst of the younger (okay, fine, my) generation, the movie brings back the emotional, enjoyable elements of older movies. Absent are the effects of the surrealistic, 21st century, Avatar sci-fi movies, and the repulsive influence of the Apatow generation. Super Eight is a movie that reminds viewers, especially older viewers, of the power of film. This film brings viewers back twenty or thirty years to a time when filmmaking was about much more than nukes and nudity.

There's gonna be times where people tell you that you can't live your dreams. This is what I tell them: Never say never!

The words resonate within viewers – bringing the powerful dynamic of Justin Bieber, not only as a singer, but also as a powerful icon of ambition, into the viewers' living rooms. The powerful moment when Bieber shouts these words to his fans, Beliebers, captivates the way in which the film captures the concert experience. Although the film does a great job capturing the concert element, the rest of the movie proved to be disappointing, to say the least.

The movie's picture quality was poor, which was most likely intended to give the film the same type of raw, behind-the-scenes, voyeuristic feel of the popular concert-related movie, Michael Jackson's: This is It. However, the majority of the film is essentially a compilation of home videos, so the poorly lit interviews of Justin's friends, family, and acquaintances looked pitiful by comparison. Furthermore, many of these "acquaintances," a term I believe most aptly describes a number of individuals in the movie who do not appear to have personal connections to Bieber – make the movie seem significantly less insightful. Moreover, the movie is essentially a concert-film interspersed with homemade videos of Justin and the aforementioned interviews, which, due to the sporadic nature of these occasionally insightful interviews made it impossible for non-Beliebers to follow his rise to fame. These factors also made segments of the film somewhat boring and redundant for his fanatical fans.

Justin Bieber: Never Say Never proved to be a weak film from a cinematic standpoint, and the movie is really only for die-hard Bieber fans (of which there are a great number). Fans of his music will most likely be let down by parts of the film, but satisfied with the powerful portrayal of his concert. Individuals who do not like Bieber's music will be dissatisfied with this film for its lack of focus on Bieber as a person and its poor production quality.

A refreshingly original love story, Waiting For Forever, which was recently released on DVD and Blu-Ray, is a sweet and sappy film with superb performances from a talented cast. The film's main characters are archetypal enough to give the story the sweet romantic atmosphere romantic movie viewers have come to love yet the characters have enough quirky and unique characteristics to make the movie relatable and original.

The movie features a down-on-her-luck TV actress who visits her dying father and finds herself romantically pursued by her childhood friend. Although she lost touch with her childhood best friend Will long ago, he never forgot her. After she helped Will through a difficult time in his life, he dedicated all of his time and effort to finding her. The film contrasts Emma's struggle with life's burden and Will's idealistic and optimistic view that the two will be together.

Will's unrelenting pursuit of the love of his life, Emma, unnerves some viewers due to their belief that he is a stalker. However, when his difficult childhood (which is explained in the movie) is considered, it is clear that Will did not emotionally mature in the same way Emma did, and he lives in a blissfully optimistic, and somewhat ignorant world in which love is not only the prevailing emotion, but the reason for life itself. The movies departure from archetypal and stereotypical characters and themes keeps it refreshingly fresh and keeps the viewer focused on the harsh divide between the realities of adult life and the innocent ideals of youth.

The film's primary drawback is its tendency to become melodramatic at times – as is expected with the romantic genre (even in a completely original screenplay). These melodramatic scenes detract slightly from the realism of the movie, but not to a large enough extent to weaken the movie's quality or message substantially.