Movie Review: White Chicks (2004)

I was surfing around on TV last night, and I found this movie. Now, I had someone reccomend this movie to me a while back, they said it was really funny, and that it was one of their favorite movies. I watched it on Netflix not so long ago. I have to say, it is not the worst thing I've ever seen. It basically is about these two black detectives who have to disguise themselves as white girls in order to thwart a kidnapping plot. It is kind of a message about identity, it's just executed in a really weird way. The movie isn't hilarious, but it does have some really funny parts. In fact, whenever I watch the really funny parts in this movie over and over, they get more funny. Which is actually a really good strength on their part. If you ever watch a movie and it makes you want to view it again, then whoever directed the movie has done something right. The acting in this movie is meant to be comical, so it's not oscar winning, but it is memorable. Busy Phillips is in this movie, am I the only one who recalls her from Freaks and Geeks? Probably not, but her role is really good. There are some scenes where the movie gets just a tad too long, but they can be overlooked. The movie is pretty funny and does have some messages that can be discovered by really taking a closer look at this film. Two stars.

Movie Review: Dream House (2011)

There are very few movies that are hard to understand. Meaning, there are very few films that I've seen and haven't been able to comprehend. However, I struggled a little bit with Dream House. So Dream House is a horror movie about an author named Will who quits his job in order to be closer to his family, and write a book. Yes, it sounds like the plot of Sinister. Anyway, Will learns that the house that he lives in is the site of a grisly murder that took place years before. The beginning of the movie is OK. Stuff happens, but none of it is actually scary. There are a few "weird" scenes, things happening that we don't quite understand. The thing is, none of the mysterious occurrances are explained. Or, if they are explained, it is done in a way so it just confuses you more. At some point during the movie, I felt myself checking the time. That is never a good thing for me (when I'm watching a movie), it means that I have to start entertaining myself with other things b/c the movie isn't holding my interest. It might just be me, but the last half of the movie- to the end, is kind of slow. On the more positive end of things, the movie has some twists that I actually enjoyed watching. Some things happen that you really aren't expecting to see. Another thing that's really cool is how people after watching this, will start to form their own theories about what happens. Let's just say, it's not a straightforward movie. Overall, Dream House is an average attempt at a horror movie, a little slow, and hard to understand. Still good for teens though. 1.5 stars.

Star Wars Episode 7 Teaser/Trailer Review

So yesterday was black friday, which means people going crazy and buying things, and etc. However, instead of shopping, I found something that made the day so great, it topped everything. Yes, we finally got a look at Star Wars Episode 7. Now, I'm not sure whether or not the preview was considered a trailer or a teaser, but it was awesome. First off, the cinematography that is used in this movie is top notch. It has great settings, and the lighting in some of the scenes is really cool. Another thing I really enjoyed was getting a glimpse at the villian running through the woods and chopping trees down with his lightsaber. That was cool. (Even though we didn't see his face...yet). The only thing that was really missing from this preview was a glimpse at some of the original trilogy characters. By that I mean, Han Solo, Chewbacca, C3P0, R2D2, Leia, and maybe even Luke. So far, Disney has kept everything that Star Wars is, intact.

Movie Review: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014)

If you are at least 20+, you probably grew up with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. They rocked in the 80s and 90s. Every kid in the 80s most likely remembers the four crime fighting reptiles. There have been lots of adaptions of this team. There was a tolerable in the 90s, and then there were also three movies that came out in the 90s that most people panned. From what I've seen, they are not horrible, they just aren't great. Jim Henson was a genius, and his technology in those movies was actually pretty impressive. Let's flash forward to 2014. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is good in some ways, but not so good in others. First off, Nickelodeon has liscensing over this movie (and the planned sequel), so automatically we know that this movie really can't have raw crime in it. They want kids to come and see the movie, so Nickelodeon replaces all of that censored time with comedy. Yes, there are several comedic scenes in this movie, in fact I almost remember the jokes more than the action. Which isn't bad, but it means it didn't establish what it meant to create. Megan Fox is in this movie, I like her, she's cool, but I feel the only reason they put her in the film, was to mock Transformers. On the more positive side, the bad guys are actually really bad. I mean, they are the definition of a bad guy. Another positive thing? The CGI used to create the turtles was excellent, it looked like they actually spent a lot of time making these four dudes come to life. Overall, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a movie that older kids and young teens will enjoy. Two stars.

Movie Review: Rocky IV (1985)

Ok, so most people on earth have seen at least one Rocky movie. They all are unique, but some people feel that the fourth Rocky film, is where the series "jumped the shark". In some ways that's true, there is literally a music video in the movie. No joke. However, there are some things that this movie does that make it really important to the series. It might not be the most entertaining installment, but lets take a look at why people really don't seem to like this movie. The first thing that made me scratch my head was the robot. For Paulie's birthday (Rocky's trainer), Rocky, Adrian, and Rocky's son get him a robot that talks and does chores. Robots are cool, but they are completely out of place in a movie about boxing. That would be like if you put a cafe scene in a science fiction movie. It just feels out of place and doesn't contribute at all to the story. The second thing that made me scratch my head was the music video. One of the characters in the movie dies, and so Rocky goes to fight the boxer that killed the character (no spoilers). Anyway, while Balboa is driving to go meet this guy, he starts going through memories. The thing is, the memories are presented as a music video, and it feels like it goes on forever. Ok, so now you must be wondering what's good? Well, this film addresses the issues of using steroids and performance enhancing drugs, so that is good for youth viewers. The other thing that I really liked in this movie was the soundtrack. After you watch Rocky 4, you will feel compelled to go and listen to the soundtrack. The music fits really well with the story. Overall, even though Rocky IV has parts that are out of place, it does hold up as a fairly decent movie, Sylvestor Stallone is really great in this role. Two Stars

Movie Review: A Haunted House (2012)

I'm gonna 

I'm gonna be completely honest, I haven't seen any of the Paranormal Activity movies yet. Hate me for it, but to make up for that crime, I watched this movie which parodies modern horror films. Now at a first glance, this just mocks PA, but it actually incorporates elements from other horror movies. You just have to catch the reference to get it. So A Haunted House is basically about this guy whose girlfriend moves in. From the first scene, you can tell that this movie will rely very heavily on slapstick humor. Almost every scene has some sort of punching, or swearing, or something you would only get away with in a Wayans Brothers movie. So anyway, the GF moves in and the couple start to experience weird events. At first, they don't know that it's ghosts, but when they find out, they don't seem overly freaked by it. It gives you the impression that the whole thing is staged, but it's not. The other thing that doesn't make sense (this is part of my philosophy in general), if your house is haunted, just move. Don't stay there and let the paranormal forces take over you. Overall, A Haunted House is a good movie that has a few flaws that can easily be overlooked, by looking at the better portions of the film.

Movie Review: Sinister (2012)

When I first went into this movie, I only knew one thing: it was going to be scary. Not just a jump scare here and there, but scary from beginning to end. I didn't find that to be true. However, the movie has a bunch of creepy scenes, they just aren't the whole movie. In fact, I came out of this movie and thought: that was very good. So let me backtrack, a lot of horror movies these days aren't well received because they focus too much on special effects, and not enough on storyline. This movie does have a lot of special effects, but the story makes up for it. It tells the story of an author (played by Ethan Hawke) who is moving into a new house, so he can research his new novel. One thing leads to another, and the move to the new house becomes hell. Sinister is really good because it combines scares, good acting, and a really interesting storyline that fails to dissapoint. At the moment, I can't really think of a weakness in the film. As for strength, the scenes in this movie are so intense and horrific that just thinking about them scares you, the face in the pic above is VERY present in the movie. So, watch carefully, it is basically the whole story in that movie poster above. I'm being vague because there are lots of spoilers that I could give away, but overall Sinister is a great horror flick that relies on the old days of storytelling in order to scare people. Three stars.

Movie Review: The Dead Zone (1983)

Alright, so you guys have probably already heard that I am a huge Stephen King fan. I love his books and moves, and I find him a huge inspiration as a writer. Most of his movies weren't considered "good". What I mean, is that most people who are fans of Stephen King books, don't usually like the movies because they aren't faithful to the book. Or in some cases, fans just consider them bad. I haven't really felt this way about these movies, I mean yeah, there didn't have to be 100 Children of the Corn movies. That's where the strength in The Dead Zone is. There are no sequels or tie in products, a TV series came way later, but the movie is a solo hit. The Dead Zone is a great movie because it combines good acting with tense and chilling moments. The plot of the movie is that a guy named Johnny Smith gets into a car accident and wakes up from his coma five years later. Now, whenever he touches anyone, he can get information about their past 

and can see events that will impact them. It's a really cool plot, and it's executed really really really well. Christopher Walkem plays the lead and you literally believe that he is the psychic. Overall, The Dead Zone is a great movie that fails to disappoint in any of its scenes. Three stars.

Movie Review: Snow Day (2000)

Snow Day is one of those moves that Nickelodeon released theatrically. Usually, the movies that Nick released in theaters were usually not well received. It was a variety of reasons, most people felt that the films were cheesy and lacked depth. Snow Day is kind of cheesy, but it's a great story that makes up for it. It intersects a few different stories, Chevy Chase is in one of them. His performance isn't as big as the poster makes it look, but it still is pretty good. The acting in the movie is ok, most of the performances were done by young actors, so any hiccups are forgiven. Josh Peck is in this movie, he literally is my favorite character in this whole movie. This was when Josh was still on The Amanda Show and s few years before Drake and Josh. Overall, Snow Day is s funny, heartfelt, and even meaningful look at friendships and just everyday life. Three stars.

Movie Review: Night of the Living Dead (1968)

I'm just going to say it: 50s and 60s horror movies were awesome. The absence of special effects and certain technologies, allowed for the movie to put all of it's effort into making a good story. In fact, it still surprises me that certain horror moves from that time period, were flops. Fortunately, Night of the Living Dead, isn't one of them. The main reason why this movie is cool is the story. Basically, a zombie apocalypse occurs and all of zombies trap a group of people inside a house. This movie does a great job of showing how people work with each other in times of distress. It's what The Walking Dead has been doing forever. The movie is also all in black and white, so the close up shots of the zombies are freaking creepy. Overall, solid performances and storyline make Night of the Living Dead a classic horror movie. Three Stars

Movie Review: American Pie (1999)

High school is probably the best part of anyone's educational expirience. There are many movies that try to take that expirience and replicate it, so therefore any adult who watches the film will be brought back to the days of HS. However, most of those movies only do it within the duration of the film. Meaning that you watch the movie, and then everything that came with the film is gone. American Pie does something very different. You watch it, and then you keep thinking back to it. And yeah, it does bring you back to the days of senior high school. Not a lot of movies do that. Anyway, American Pie is a really raunchy movie, it bases most of it's humor on sexual innuendo/sexual situations. Here's the thing: it pulls all of those jokes off really well. So well, in fact that it is really funny. I love this movie, Jason Biggs has the best role in this movie. He is one of those kids who is learning things about himself as he descends into college. It's just a great movie, I liked it so much I even own it. It's also really interesting and demonstrates a good director and screenplay. I also really like watching this movie over and over again because the more you view it, the more you can connect to the characters. I mean, no one can really connect to Stiffler, but everyone else has very likeable traits that can be mirrors into our own lives. Overall, great movie, three stars.

Movie Review: Jurassic Park (1993)

I remember picking this movie up on VHS, it was the exact picture that is posted above, I didn't know what it was. All I know, is that the reaction that I had before I saw it, and after I saw it, was vastly different. So, Jurassic Park is basically a movie about this group of explorers who find a way to recreate dinosaurs using DNA leftover in dead mosquitoes. Then, the explorers bring this theory to a group of scientists and it succeeds. Somewhere along the way, someone thinks it would be cool to give rebirth to dinosaurs and put them in an amuesment park. It sounds awesome, and the truth is, it is. Jurassic Park is a story that is so unique because it actually makes logical sense. The theory behind how we can create new dinosaurs makes so much sense when you first hear it. It's almost like someone had put a mental block over that part of your mind. Anyway, this movie literally was my whole life after I saw it. I only saw it once, and in fact I do still have the VHS copy of the film. Most people who grew up in the 90s will look back on this movie with fond memories, it is a nostalgic film. Yes, there are sequels to this movie, but the first one is probably some of the best science fiction I have ever seen. Four stars.

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

Ok, so were less than a month away from the release of the last Hobbit movie. So, I thought we'd take a blast to the past and look at where it all started. In 2001, we were blown away by the talent of Fellowship of the Rings. It's accuracy to the LOTR novels, the acting, hey even the Frodo was cool. However, the real reason I personally enjoy this movie, is because of the story. The story is pretty complicated, it basically revolves around whoever is in possession of the ring. The ring is a magical object which is extremely powerful, but at the same time is very dangerous. I think the other reason this movie is so awesome, is because of the acting. In this film, the acting is so believeable that you actually think you are in Middle Earth. One thing that the movies do (all three of them) is the length. These movies rock, but the length is often what turns people away. It is not a quick story and needs that time to explain what is happening. Overall, LOTR: Fellowship of the Ring is a great ride. Three stars.

Movie Review: Fatal Attraction (1989)

We as humans can learn a lot from watching movies. Films often contain just about every lesson known to mankind, and they can make it fun to learn. However, some movies have an underlying message about morality, but present it in a way that is meant to scare us. Fatal Attraction would be an example of this. This film is actually very good,  but it is very disturbing and does get across what the lesson is: Cheating is bad. Yeah, it seems simple and cliche, but the film tries to teach us not to cheat by going to the extreme. The story revolves around a regular joe who has an affair with another woman while his wife is away on vacation. What he doesn't know, is that the girl that he has had an affair with, is a raving lunatic. The movie takes a lot of twists and turns. That's probably why most people who saw it, loved it. I can't really say I'm a part of that demographic, the movie was very good,but I was never in love with it. Overall, Fatal Attraction is a good look at honesty and the risks we take. Two Stars.

Movie Review: Natural Born Killers (1994)

There are many movies about serial killers. Usually, the point of the film is to make the act of being a murderer look bad. However, Natural Born Killers is an extremely controversial film because it takes the act of being a serial killer and glorifies it. The movie itself doesn't do it, but the storyline does. The movie depicts two married serial killers named Mickey and Malerie. These guys are so vicious and evil, that they start actually becoming famous for their acts. The media starts covering their every move, and in one scene a fan declares his love for the duo. This film was really controversial when it came out in 1994 because of one main thing: violence. The level of disturbing imagery and violent scenes in this movie are extremely high. So, now that I've talked about the movie itself, let's talk about what's good, and what isn't so good. On the positive side, the movie is very well acted. The screenplay is creative and the animated segments are very attractive. On the more negative side, the movie has some scenes that are really slow and kind of seem like they don't belong. For example, when we first learn about Malerie's childhood, it is presented in the form a television sitcom. It was really fun to watch, but that just isn't in the right place for a movie about serial killers. Overall, Natural Born Killers is a very disturbing and average movie that sometimes slows down and often contains cutaways that are hard to understand. Two stars.

Movie Review: Frozen (2013)

At first I couldn't believe that I was going to review this movie. It's not a bad movie, I just realized I have lots of things to say about it. Surprisingly, most of the things are positive. So, Frozen is one of those movies that girls love, but guys don't get. Being a guy, I didn't understand why people were so obsessed with this film. It's good, no denying that, but it feels like people almost just like it because other people like it. The main reason I like this movie is because of the animation. Find this on Starz, and your TV will make this awesome in HD. The visual graphics are stunning and the animation is some of the best that Disney has ever realized (it even kind of exceeded the animation in Tangled). Disney's main focus is on animated features. So, it is very aproperiate to like a Disney movie because of the animation. Liking the animation is key to a cartoon movie. However, the story is also really interesting in this movie. I'm not really into princesses and things like that, I find that too cliche to make a story have enough depth. Frozen makes princesses in a story have depth. I have absolutly no idea how they did that. So the storyline, animation, and depth make Frozen a really cool movie to watch no matter what age you are. That was exactly why I loved Wreck-It-Ralph, it combined a great story with impressive visuals. Overall, Frozen is a joyride and even contains material that adults will be able to identify with.

Movie Review: Witness (1985)

Man did I love this movie. Harrison Ford stars as John Book, a detective who must inflitrate an amish community in order to get information from one of the amish kids, who witnessed the murder of a man in an airport bath room. I really loved this movie the most because of the chemistry between the characters. Ford's character interacts really well with the mother of the amish kid. I'm being vague about names because they seem to have escaped me. Another thing that makes this movie awesome is Harrison Ford's commitment to this role. Harrison has played a detective like 1000 times. However, he always manages to make a different character from the same description. What makes this movie even more awesome is the set designs. When Harrison gets to the amish community, the set literally looks like and makes you feel like you are in an actual amish community. The houses are made to look like antiques and the equipment that people use to acomplish things are extremely accurate. Overall, Witness is a fun ride for just about anybody who likes good acting, and won't mind a little bit of blood. Three stars.

Movie Review: Sin City (2005)

Sin City is a 2005 neo-noir film directed by Robert Rodriguez. That is basically what wikipedia calls this film. It's not inaccurate, but I think that this movie also fits into the genre of: Sheer-awesomeness. Sin City is one of my favorite movies of all time. It's extremely unique(I can't really say I've ever seen anything like it). The plot revolves around a few different storylines. Each story in the movie is opened with credits and concludes with ending credits. Point is, if you want to watch all of the movie, that would be great. However, if you are really only wanting to see Bruce Willis dominate, then go to the end of the film. Sin City is one of my favorite movies because of Bruce Willis's character. As well as the way the movie flows and the black and white filmography. Lots of movies have used black and white film (Don's Plum), but only a few of them have used it completely to their advantage. In my mind, the best way to use black and white is to only put color on a few objects that are symbolic within the story. Schindler's List did this with the girl in red. This movie does do that, and it makes the movie so much better because it leaves you wondering why Rodriguez decided to put color on those specific objects. Sin City is awesome, and in fact it may be one of Robert Rodriguez's best films, if not the best.

Movie Review: Thinner (1996)

I seem to be on a roll with the Stephen King movie/miniseries reviews. So now, I am going to review a movie that is seemingly underrated and undervalued. This movie is Thinner. So Thinner is about this guy named Billy Halleck, who mysteriously starts to lose weight after running over a gypsy. There is more of a backstory to that, but I'll let you watch the movie and then you'll understand why I didn't mention it here. The movie chronicles Billy's quest to save his weight with the help of a lawyer. Most people didn't like this flick when it came out. In retrospect, I can kind of understand why a first viewing of this movie would be a mixed bag. I mean, some of the characters do really despicable things that just make their whole image look tainted and downright bad. Especially the last act that Billy takes in the end. That was just disturbing. On the more positive side, I think that the acting is great and that the story is great. Stephen King himself commented that he really didn't think any character in the movie was likeable, so if the author noticed that about the movie, it has to have some truth to it. Overall, I really enjoyed watching Thinner, there are parts where the horror genre tries to seep in, but is rejected by other themes in the movie. However, the themes that take over all revolve around morality, so it's a good message hidden under some not-so-easy to understand plot lines.

Miniseries Review: Stephen King's IT (1990)

Ahh, Stephen King. One of my favorite authors of all time. Most people don't think too highly of any of King's miniseries, but I think there is one that is almost as good as his theatrical releases. Stephen King's IT is one of my personal favorites. "IT" tells the story of a group of kids who are haunted by a life-form/ghost thing that takes the shape of a clown called Pennywise. The second half of the miniseries features all of the kids as adults, and Pennywise's return. I'm just gonna come out and say it: the first half of the movie is way better than the second half. The first half features themes such as loss of innocence and what being an "outcast" means as a kid. In the beginning of the first episode, a young boy is encountered by a clown in a sewer (his paper boat fell in the drain...why else would a five year old be reaching into a dark, empty sewer?). Anyway, the ending of the scene is so creepy, and the imagery scared me so badly that I still think about it to this day. Now, there are some parts where the movie resorts to using what I call "Stephen King Syndrom". What I mean, is that a lot of Stephen King's miniseries have the same ideas behind them. These include:Stereotypical bullies, young kids who expirience a loss of innocence through something that doesn't exist, and racism. All of these things are present in most of King's miniseires and most of his books. However, this movie almost tries too hard to get in those themes. Especially racism, (the bully only goes after the black kid...really?). Overall Stephen King's IT is a great ride for teens and young adults. It is my #3 best Stephen King adaptation.

Lemony Snickets getting its own series......on Netflix

Alright, I'm a huge sucker for the Lemony Snickets books. They are one of the most creative things I have ever read. I even enjoyed the 2004 film adaption with Jim Carrey and Meryl Streep. The main flaw in the 2004 fillm was that it only included the first three books in the series (not all thirteen books had been written). However, the movie could have included more of the books if it was divided into two parts. Anyway, the other day I heard that Lemony Snickets is going to be getting its own Netflix series. At first, I wasn't really sure what to make of this, I mean yeah that would be cool, but they have to be careful to not drift away from the books story lines. Basically, adapt all thirteen books into 13 episodes and then don't go any father. Bonus episodes with new story lines are ok, but they have to be creative. Overall, I am thoroughly excited for this series, the release date hasn't been announced yet.

The Burbs (1989) Movie Review

So before Tom Hanks did The Polar Express and Forrest Gump, he did a really great project which most people seem to have forgotten overtime. The Burbs is a 1989 comedy movie that delivers just about the most entertaining story of the 1980s. Ok, maybe not that good, but I really liked this movie. The Burbs focuses on a small neighborhood that is occupied with various dysfunctional inhabitants. The movie is seen through the eyes of Tom Hanks and Carrie Fisher. It takes a lot of twists and turns, but to summarize the plot, Tom Hank's character and a few friends witness the neighbor who never leaves his house, commit a crime. Or at least it looks like a crime. Part of the reason why I like this movie so much is because it is a cult movie. I am huge sucker for those. There literally should be a genre of movies called "cult". I've watched a bunch of cult films, even ones that were literally panned by everyone (Freddy Got Fingered). The first hour of this movie is engrossing and it delivers a really interesting setup into the subplot. The rest of the movie is still really good, but I found myself kind of slipping away. Especially in the scene where Tom Hanks and his friends are preparing to invade the neighbors house. That was the only part where I was kind of getting lost in the plot and getting severed from the story. Overall, this movie is a great ride and people of all ages will enjoy it.

Fight Club 2! As a graphic novel?

We all remember Fight Club. It was a movie that both confused us and intrigued us. It brought us a look into the world of violence and how certain people deal with feelings of anger and stress. Anyway, a few weeks ago I heard online that there was gonna be a Fight Club sequel. At first I didn't think that a second film would work. The movie ends where it ends, and I'm not sure that the ending can really be expanded on. Yet alone, explained. I then heard that the sequel is going to be a graphic novel. When I heard this, I thought: They have to be very very very careful.
          Here's why: Fight Club is nostalgia. So, that means that the sequel is instantly going to be trashed because no one is going to want something that ties in with such a landmark movie. Also, they have to be careful not to "jump the shark". Jumping the shark means that they can't be adding new plot lines that weren't present in the original film.

          Here are some ideas for what it could be about
      1 Did Marla and Edwward Nortons character live?
       2 does anothe group of people start their own fight club?
     3 or is fight club somehow a legendary thing that some dudes discover (probably not)

Welcome to Media World!

Hi. Welcome to Media World. This is a blog that is used for me to express my options/talk about movies, TV shows, and even video games. I'm going to try to do one post a day (I consider it a mini job). So......that being said, enjoy the site. For now I'm going to disable comments, but if I eventually do decide to let others comment on the blog, only nice comments, anything else that is either meant to degrade or harm others will be reported. Not looking to report anyone, but I'm just putting that out there. Enjoy the site and happy reading!