Movie reviews of 2012

My movie reviews of 2012

Intro: Do you think Jumpers would be better if the writers of this movie wrote that one? 

Chronicle: This is a found footage film about three boys who finds a mysterious stone that gives them telekinesis. After getting telekinesis the three boys develop a bond and we see how these powers affect their lives. When one of them takes things too far they have to decide if they are going to use their powers responsibly or not?

This movie is an example of telling a familiar story and making it feel fresh! The movie uses tropes we see in superhero movies without the characters embracing the idea of being superheroes. For example, this movie works as an origin story and a cautionary tale. What makes telekinesis work differently from what we've seen before is that it can take a toll on you, the ability is treated like a muscle. The found footage helps us see things from their point of view as they learn what they can do with this power. I like the pranks they pull with their powers. I'm fond of how these three parallel each other, they each play a role in the paths they take in life. This movie has some good messages about being there for your loved one and being honest with yourself.

Andrew is an outcast who is pushed around by most people and comes from an unstable home because of that he's hostile to almost everyone. My gripe with this character is that he loses sympathy to a degree after he gets his powers because he develops an ego and he didn't have to go as far as he did.  

Matt (Andrews's cousin) is the Average Joe who doesn't know what he wants to do with his life. He's also disingenuous I mean he acts like he's above being popular, but we see him at parties. After he gets his powers, it makes him more of a leader. What bugs me about him is that he could have done more to keep Andrew level-headed I mean does he know about what's going on with his parents? To be fair Andrew is hostile like I said.  

Steve is the popular one with personality. Despite that, he feels lonely as far as he has no one that he can be vulnerable with. I don't like what happened to him in this movie I'll leave it at that.       

The problems I have with this film involve the use of the camera, plot holes and I can’t address other issues I had without spoiling the movie. In closing, this is a movie that should have gotten more attention. 

Rating = Treasure chest

Intro: I wonder if this is what Prince meant when he said party like it's 1999. 

Project X: The plot is centered on three friends throwing a house party for one of their friends on his birthday so they can be popular and get girls. They get more than what they bargain for when the party gets out of hand. So, they have to get things under control before there's nothing left. 

If you wonder what Superbad would be like if it was a found footage film on steroids, you would get this. This movie made such an impact on people that they tried to mimic this party in real life. I thought house parties were losing their novelty because we have other alternatives like Dave and Busters, indoor Kart racing, Hooters and Mario Party. I don't have much to say about the characters because this movie is not about them it's about this party. Speaking of the party it's kind of overrated despite it being over the top, I mean it would have been better if it had more variety to it. For example, how can you have a house party without playing spin the bottle or uno? 

Despite not having much to say about Thomas (the birthday boy.) The movie got me invested in him. I mean you're both excited and scared for him at the same time. There is a subplot of who he going to hook up with Kirby his childhood friend or Alexis the hottest girl in school? 

Costa is the mastermind behind this party and he's annoying. He's that friend who tries to act cool, but he comes off as obnoxious.  

One of the problems I have with this movie is that it's hard to suspend your disbelief. For example, only one neighbor complains about all the noise that they are making. You'll find it hard to swallow that this many people would come to Thomas's party considering he's not popular. Also, how did the cameraman manage to capture everything that happen without no one noticing him? There is one scene that will make you feel uncomfortable. I also have issues with the dialogue and jokes. I wish they didn't involve sex most of the time. 

All in all, this movie is almost every teen’s dream party and every parent’s nightmare. If I was a parent, I use this movie to talk to my kids about High School popularity. It doesn’t matter in the long run, I mean it not going to get you anywhere. You can't put it on a job resume and it not going to make you a legend. It’s not worth throwing away your future or your life for kids that didn’t like you from the beginning and won’t remember you beyond amusement.

Rating = Rental 

Intro: I'm not going to make a District 9 joke that's way too easy. I didn’t want to see this movie at first because the premise turned me off to it. Not because it reminds me of the running man it's because the movie involves kids killing each other. People are not comfortable with seeing that unless their juvenile delinquencies. Really, I'm surprised that this movie was made considering that Battle Royal was banned in so many countries because that movie is similar to this. What made me change my mind about seeing it is the controversy around this movie I'll get into that later. What that said let's get into what I think of this movie.  

The Hunger Games: This film is based on a book of the same name. It's about the Capitol drafting two kids from 12 Districts to participate in the Hunger games. It's an annual event where kids between 12 and 18 fight to the death until there's one winner.    

This movie was a missed opportunity I mean it could have been better if it was rewritten. What makes this movie different from the other movie I mentioned is that this is treated as a reality show or the super bowl for the 12 Districts. In order to have a chance of winning you have to sell yourself to people in order to get sponsors. I don't know about you, but this movie puts reality shows and the WWE into perspective. Also, if you win you get to join the wealthy class. This movie has one touching scene in the film you'll know what I'm talking about when you see it. I also like the way it ended I can't elaborate without spoiling anything.   

Katniss Everdeen is a noble character as we see when she volunteers to take her younger sister's place in the hunger games. She doesn't like to rely on her femininity which was shown in one scene. I didn’t buy the interaction between the two main characters, 

Peeta Mellar is a charming character with a sense of humor and knows how to camouflage. Despite that, he doesn't think highly of himself because his district doesn't think he will win. This almost makes me wish this movie was centered on him.  

Haymitch Abernathy is Katniss and Peeta's mentor. He's also a harsh drunk but he manages to show them what to do to get sponsors and how to survive the hunger games.

Rue is kind and caring. She helps Katniss through the hunger games they seem to have a big sister-little sister relationship. This character is the reason why I watched this movie because people were not happy with her for reasons that makes no scene. I hope they are embarrassed and the fact that she's too adorable to be mad at says a lot.   

The problem I have with this movie is the backstory behind the hunger games, the reason why this event exists is to keep the other Districts from rebellion. Do I really have to explain how stupid this is? I also have an issue with some of the directing it seems the director is not comfortable with showing kids killing each other. Some of the CGI doesn't look good. 

With all that said, this movie wasn't as good as it could have been. 

Rating = Average 

Intro: OK either this movie help me realize the three stooges slapstick didn't hold up or the movie didn’t do a good job at making it work. 

The three stooges: This film is centered on three Orphans name Moe, Larry and Curly who spend most of their lives at an Orphanage. That's about to change when the Orphanage is about to close due to not having enough money to keep it open. So, the trio goes out into the world to try to raise money for the Orphanage. 

It’s safe to say that this is one of the worst movies I've seen this year! That's a shame because this movie does work as a love letter. To be fair I was worried about this movie I mean what made the three stooges work is that it's a collection of shorts. How can you make that work in an hour an half movie? Also, this movie was directed by the Farrelly brothers, I didn't find any of their films amusing. 

The reason why the comedy doesn't work in this movie is because it has dramatic scenes in it and they don't mix well with the humor. The story is another thing that hurts the slapstick because it's convoluted which makes it hard for the comedy to be used. I like the idea of the three stooges in modern time but that was wasted it, I mean the film comments on what's relevant instead of using it to make us laugh. Another thing the guess stars doesn't seem to fit in the movie for the most part. 

The thing I like about this movie is what the movie has done with the three stooges. We know why they are the way they are for the most part. The actors who played Curly, Moe and Larry did a good job mimicking I mean portraying them. There is a scene in the movie that could have explored their dynamic, but the movie didn't take advantage of it. Overall, this movie was a misstep. It could have been better if this was three or five shorts that didn't tell a single story and didn't focus on the three stooges carrying the film. 

Rating = Trash

Intro: A line from the movie: Are you sure you want to go back to 1969? It wasn't the best time for your people. 

Me: Thank you for reminding me why we can't get a movie where Black people can time travel. 

Men in Black 3: An old foe of agent K escaped from prison and went back in time to kill him. Doing that cause an alien invasion so, his partner agent J has to go back in time to prevent agent K from being killed and the invasion. 

If this is the best that the writers can come up with after ten years of rewrites, then this shouldn't have been a franchise. Just because this movie is a comedy that doesn't mean writers should be lazy with the story. If they are then the movie should be funny enough to make up for the story's shortcomings, sadly that's not the case here. The jokes are not clever enough for them to work. This movie even has the nerve to joke about how Black people were treated in the 1960s. This rubbed me the wrong way because we are still being mistreated. 

There is one hiccup with how time travel works in this movie. Besides the fact that time travel makes no sense in this movie, it's also pointless because A the main villain had a chance to kill K in the present but didn't take it and b there is a character that can see the past, present and future. What the fudge!?! The big reveal in this movie annoys me because the movie makes a big deal about it and it's not that being of a deal. Plus, it undermines the first film.  

Agent K is cranky in this movie this could be due to the death of Zed. (The former head of MIB.) That can't be it because the movie made a joke about that. The reveal in the movie was suppose to explain why he's like this but that's head-scratching. 

Agent K (from the past) is the same character, but he can be amusing. What bugs me about him is the way he treats agent J, he treats him like he is an incompetent rookie. Also, this movie retconned what we thought we knew about this character. 

Agent J Is the same character as the first movie as far as playing the everyman. It makes no sense for him to be this character considering he has been doing this for years. 

"the animal" Batista I mean Boris "the animal" (the villain) is ruthless and crafty.   

The good things I can say about this movie is I like how MIB looked in the late 1960s and I did get a few laughs despite the movie being ridiculous sometimes. Overall, saying this is better than the last movie isn't saying much. You're better off watching the animated series. 

Rating = Rental         

Intro: Look fans don’t care what kind of story we come up with as long as Judge Dredd keeps his helmet on his head. 

This sums up my reaction

 

Did Hollywood forget about the 1995 movie? There was a lot wrong with that movie besides not keeping the helmet on. 

Dredd: This movie is about a street judge name judge Dredd who’s patrolling Mega City. One day he’s assigned to a rookie name Anderson to see if she’s cut out to be a judge. She gets her chance to shine when they investigate a crime that’s connected to a drug lord name Ma-Ma, worried that the judges will ruin everything she build she locks down the apartment complex to trap the judges. So, the judges have to fight their way out of the building and capture Ma-Ma.   

This movie was an action-packed version of Training Day! The story may be simple but that’s its strength because we know little about this world, we wish we know more about it. I’m impressed with the visual and 3D effects in this movie considering that this film was made on a low budget. I like the lawgiver (that’s the gun the Judges carry) because that gun has everything from armor piercing, rapid-fire, grenade, toothbrush and backscratcher. Seriously, if batman had a gun, you would get this. I enjoy the dynamic between Judge Dredd and rookie Anderson because it refreshing to have two characters have a professional relationship without them being romantically involved.  

Judge Dredd is a stoic character who values the law more than people. There isn't much to say about him beyond that because this character is an enigma. Despite him dropping bodies left in right there are a hand full of moments where he shows mercy. That's my gripe with this character I don't know why he will kill most people a spare a few. 

Rookie Anderson is the opposite of Dredd we see that by how she's taken back by all the death a destruction Dredd caused. My gripe with her is that she's a mutant with psychic powers. The writers seem to be picky about when she can or can't use them because it would have made things easy for her and Dredd. 

Ma-Ma (the main villain) is a ruthless and resourceful woman. 

Before I get into my issues with the movie, I'm not going to comment on this movie being a rip-off of the raid redemption because I have nothing new to say that's already been said. Also, this isn't the first time that two movies that are similar came out in the same year. Remember Antz and A bug's life? One of the problems I have with the movie is the story it may be the strength of the movie but it's also its weakness. I mean this movie could have been a social commentary on police having the authority to be judge, jury and executioner. Both the judges and the criminals don't care about collateral damage. Heck having a psychic as a judge should make people upset. The movie could have given us more backstory on cursed earth and mutants. It's hard to be invested in the stakes in this movie when the judge's guns makes them OP. There is one plot hole that I notice. 

Overall, this is a fine action film that I would recommend to everyone. 

Rating = Rental          

Intro: A line from the movie: All right Pxxxy willows back to the starting point. 

How did Disney get away with that? Where's the outrage? 
        

Wreck it Ralph: This movie is about a video game villain name Wreck it Ralph who's tired of his role as the bad guy after thirty years, so he decides to go to other games so that he could become a hero. his quest ends up causing more harm than good to the arcade. So, Ralph has to fix things before it's too late. 

I have been waiting for a video game movie like this for years however this fell short in some areas. I like that it's creative with the video game world. This is something that the other video game movies are missing but I digress. Animation in this movie is also creative because they look different in different scenes. The movie made references to other games and some clever lines. This movie deals with acceptance, recognition and not having people put you in a bubble. Everything that was done or said in this movie matters in the overall story. The twist in this movie is good because it affects the story and it's not used for shock value. I love the end credits and how this movie use some of its visuals to tell the story. 

Ralph is the bad guy in a game called fix it felix despite that he has a good heart. He was to be more than a villain, but his peers don't want to give him the chance and he doesn't feel respected by them. This makes you feel bad for him it's like being a co-owner of a business, but your partner reaps the benefit while you're stuck with the responsibility. My issue with him is that he could have gone about getting what he wants in a different way. 

I don't have much to say about felix because he's just an upstanding guy even with the development he got in the movie.  

Vanellope is one of the racers in sugar rush she's a clever and immature girl. The movie uses her to represent people who are disabled. I like her dynamic with Ralph because they both want the same thing. 

Calhoun is the typical overly tough sergeant, but we see that there is another reason why she's like this. What bothers me about her is her dynamic with felix because I don't buy it. Plus, there is one scene in the movie where it wasn't subtle about it. Also, she could have used more screen time.      

King Kandy is the closest thing we get to a villain because he's shady.  

One of my issues with this movie didn't have a lot of cameos of video game mascots or easter eggs as the ads said it would. The climax in this movie is pointless. Just because I don't consider this the Toy Story of video games that doesn't mean the movie doesn't deserve the praise it got. I would recommend this to gamers and non-gamers. 

Rating = Worth Seeing