Cowboys & Aliens (2011) - Film Review

One of this Summer's highly anticipated blockbuster movie manages to live up to all its hype in terms of explosive action sequences, but fails to develop a cohesive plot.

Directed Jon Favreau, who brought us Iron Man and Iron Man 2, Cowboys and Aliens stars Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig as two cowboys defending a small western town against an alien invasion. While Favreau's direction should be commended in creating a fast-paced and action-packed film, the movie's story more resembles that of his 2010 Iron Man sequel. What results is a film filled with eye-candy battle sequences that in the end makes up for the lackluster plot.

Jake Lonergan(Daniel Craig) wakes up in the middle of the desert, unaware of who or where he is. With a mysterious device attached to his wrist, he then comes across a small town in Arizona where he is being sought out by Colonel Dolarhyde(Harrison Ford) for stealing his gold. But just before Jake's execution, the town is attacked by three spaceships that clearly do not belong in the film's 1873 time period. What results is a bunch of innocent human beings taken captive by a group of aliens, thus sending Jake and Colonel Dolarhyde on a mission to save the people, and along the way the two cowboys are aided by a beautiful traveler Ella(Olivia Wilde).

Having kept the identity of the aliens a secret in the film's promotional material, I must say that the aliens do not disappoint. The film also wastes no time in giving fanboys action to fond over, with Daniel Craig doing both hand-to-hand combat against humans, and gun shooting fight scenes with aliens. Harrison Ford also gives a strong performance, proving that though he may be well beyond his Indiana Jones days, he still has what it takes to kick ass.

An action filled adventure that promises plenty of explosions and fight scenes, Cowboys and Aliens does not disappoint as a summer movie, but simply just isn't something thought-provoking or enlightening. Instead, it is simply just fun.

This film is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence and will be released Friday July 29, 2011.

Crazy, Stupid, Love (2011) - Film Review

"What do you want for dessert honey?" Steve Carrell's character asks his onscreen wife played by Julianne Moore. "I want a divorce!" she quickly responds. And thus begins the hilarious new romantic comedy Crazy, Stupid, Love starring Steve Carrell as Cal Weaver.

Directed by Glenn Ficarra and John Requa and produced by Steve Carrell, the movie was hilariously engaging and features a top notch cast that includes Julianne Moore, Kevin Bacon, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. But while one might expect to see Carrell as the top dog comedian in this movie, it was actually the cast's two younger stars, Gosling and Stone that shined in the comedic department.

The movie follows Cal Weaver(Steve Carrell) whose perfect life falls apart when his wife Emily(Julianne Moore) admits to him that she slept with her coworker David Lindhagen(Kevin Bacon) and now wants a divorce. Somewhat going through a mid-life crisis in his life, Cal's A-game is reignited in him after an unlikely encounter at a bar with suave player Jacob Palmer, a role portrayed by Ryan Gosling who is the highlight of this movie. What then unravels is a story about love and family, and a shocking twist is in store when viewers least expect it, making this movie all the more witty and entertaining to watch.

Romantic comedy cliches are also embraced in this film, with a heavy downpour happening at the "breaking point" in Cal Weaver's life, but some unexpected plot turns makes this movie anything but typical and ordinary. What surprised me the most about Crazy, Stupid, Love however, is how little Steve Carrell made me laugh. Instead, Carrell and Moore took on the more dramatic parts of this film, and allowed for the movie's strong supporting cast to shine in bringing the comedy to the table. Ryan Gosling proves that he can do no wrong, having established himself as a credible indie drama actor in recent years, but can now add being a comedian to his resume. Emma Stone is at her best here, once again proving that she is indeed the new funny girl of Hollywood.

All in all, the movie was crazy funny, not stupid, and will have viewers falling in love all over again. Crazy, Stupid, Love should be praised for its sharp writing and well rounded cast that will have everyone in the theatre laughing out loud.

The movie is Rated PG-13 for sexual content and coarse humor and will be released in theaters Friday, July 29 2011.

Captain America (2011) - Film Review

In 2005, fan boys around the world were introduced to Chris Evans as the Human Torch in Fantastic Four. In 2011, Chris Evans was given the hefty task to make us forget about his Human Torch portrayal, and instead remember him as a courageous, patriotic, all-American superhero, a task which he surprisingly succeeds in accomplishing.

Joe Johnston whose resume includes Jurassic Park III and The Wolfman serves as the director of Captain America: The First Avenger, and Chris Evans stars in the title role. The film serves as the final lead-up to the much anticipated The Avengers movie due out in Summer of 2012, and notable connections from the other superheroes in the Avengers team can be seen in this film.

The movie opens in present day where a group of scientists in the Arctic uncover a massive silver disk with red white and blue color painted on it. After the reveal of the iconic Captain America shield, the audience is then taken back to 1942 where the movie takes place. Steve Rogers(Chris Evans), a scrawny and short Brooklyn native is rejected for the fifth time from being enlisted as a World War II soldier much to his dismay. But after giving a heart-felt and passionate speech about being a soldier to his best friend Bucky(Sebastian Stan), Steve's driven personality is noticed by a scientist(Stanley Tucci). Thus begins his transformation into an American Superhero, and after the scientist Dr. Abraham Erskine performs what he calls the "super-soldier experiment" on Rogers, the once small boy now becomes a tall and buff soldier that will sure leave female viewers in the audience swooning.

Hugo Weaving stars as Johann Schmidt, Adolf Hitler's appointed head of advanced weaponry who later turns into the super-villain Red Skull, and Hayley Atwell portrays Peggy Carter, Captain America's love interest. But of the supporting cast, it was Tommy Lee Jones who was the real standout in his portrayal of Colonel Chester Phillips. Jones brought both humor and spark to the otherwise tedious and formulaic movie.

I must admit that Chris Evans did prove me wrong about his acting capabilities, but his scrawny pre-transformed Steve Rogers state was unconvincing (though that is not Evans' fault, but the production team for creating a poorly constructed CGI body). The action sequences were exciting to watch at first, but the choreography for the combat moves quickly became repetitive and boring. And while I did appreciate the well-rounded plot and Avengers Easter eggs sprinkled across this film, there was nothing new or special about this superhero flick.

There is nothing in Captain America that we haven't seen before, but credit should be given to Chris Evans for his decent portrayal of the superhero; and although the movie was better than Thor, it certainly is no X-Men: First Class.

Friends with Benefits (2011) - Film Review

The undeniably hot chemistry between Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis easily makes Friends with Benefits a hilariously perfect romantic comedy which not only took a stab at the romantic comedy cliches, but also brought the "sexy" back to a genre that has grown stale in the recent years.

Directed by Will Gluck who delivered the teen comedy hit Easy A last year, Friends with Benefits is not only funny and sexy, but also boasts a well-written screenplay that translated very well on screen thanks to the palpable chemistry of the movie's two attractive co-stars. Justin Timberlake once again proves that he not only is a talented musician, but also a gifted actor as well, and Mila Kunis gives yet another outstanding performance.

After breaking up with their respectable significant others, Dylan(Justin Timberlake) is offered a job at GQ in New York City by Jamie(Mila Kunis.) And after realizing that while one is emotionally damaged and the other emotionally unavailable, the two friends decide to take their relationship to a more sexual, pursuing a (dare I say it) no strings attached relationship. What then follows is a bunch of jokes and jabs at romantic comedy cliches and also a fun ride to seeing these two friends falling in love.

There is nothing new about the formula presented in Friends with Benefits, but the movie proves that having two attractive stars and a crisply written screenplay can make what is old easily new again. Though the movie's plot isn't exactly anything new that we have see before, Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis manages to make the concept seem fresh and intriguing. Further, the two stars' quick and witty banter throughout the film is rather enjoyable to watch, and the supporting cast which features Emma Stone, Andy Samberg, Richard Jenkins and Patricia Clarkson is not too shabby either.

Friends with Benefits is a clever and entertaining romantic comedy that does not take itself too seriously, making it an enjoyable movie that is worth seeing, if not for laughs, then for its two leads Mila Kunis and Justin Timberlake.

The movie is Rated-R for sexual content and nudity and will be released in theaters Friday, July 22 2011.

Post-Potter Depression

I am currently in a state of Post-Potter Depression. I have to admit that sitting in the theatre during the midnight premiere and seeing the scene in the moving image at the top of this post appear, I could not help but feel my heart ache and my eyes getting watery. Harry Potter has been apart of my life since I was in elementary school, and seeing this spellbinding saga come to an end marks the end of my own childhood.

I still remember when I got my first Harry Potter book. It was in 1999 when my Uncle bought a copy of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for my brother and I to read. That was when I first discovered the Harry Potter series, and knowing that my Uncle bought me the third book in the series, I quickly went and borrowed my best friend Mary's copy of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone so I can begin reading this series. I remember wanting to do a book report on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets in third grade, but my reading comprehension level was too low back then to be able to do an entire school project on the book. And I also remember when the fifth book (which is my favorite) was released. My aunt bought if for my brother and I and we both tried to wake up earlier than each other that summer just so we can hog the book and read it all day.

The Harry Potter series brings back so many memories in my life, and it deeply saddens me to see that both the books and movies have come to and end. But as it always is, all good things must come to an end. An even though Harry Potter may be over, the memories that I have had with it will never go away.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 (2011) - Film Review

The Ends is Not Near, It's Here.

One of the biggest cultural phenomenon came to an end when avid fans of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series gathered at movie theaters all over the United States for the much anticipated midnight premiere of the conclusion to an influential and invigorating franchise that has spanned and entire decade.

It has been 10 years since we were introduced to "the boy who lived" on the cinema screen, and Harry Potter proves that it has not lost a single bit of spark or magic throughout the course of its series on the big screen. In the final installment of the popular book series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 was not only entertaining, but nostalgic as the movie marked the end of an era; and for many, the end of their childhood.

Directed by David Yates and starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint in the three title roles of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley, the film wastes no time in picking up right where part 1 left off, which is right when Lord Voldemort(Ralph Fiennes) obtains the Elder Wand. And with the death of Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore(Michael Gambon), Harry and his two best friends must set out to find the remaining horcruxes to kill Voldemort for good.

The visual effects were stunning, ranging from magic spells in fast-cut battle sequences and a large dragon guarding the Gringotts bank. The final battle at Hogwarts was powerful on many emotional levels, rousing up the die-hard fans in the audience as they watched their beloved characters fight for their own lives, and the lives of their loved ones. With every death that took place in the film, sniffles and sobbing could be heard in the audience, which goes to show how much the Harry Potter series has become an integral part of our lives.

Daniel Radcliffe's acting has grown so much since he first appeared in the series, and the confidence and compassion in which he exerts into the role makes us emotionally engaged and rooting for Harry Potter until the very end. When the final scene before the epilogue came, one cannot help but shed a tear when they realize that this will be the last time Harry, Hermione and Ron will be on the big screen together.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 most definitely lives up to all the expectation and hype, and can simply be described as a beautiful, bittersweet, and epic conclusion to a series that has touched the lives of many. And while the movies and book series may have come to an end, the magical memories will live on with us forever.

Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon (2011) - Film Review

Steven Spielberg and director Michael Bay are back with their action-packed CGI-filled Transformers franchise. In the third installment titled Dark of the Moon, both the plot and its visual effects improves compared to its prior chapter, Transformers 2.

Shia Labeouf returns as the adorkable Sam Witwicky, who is now struggling to find a job in the real world, and also sporting a hot new girlfriend, newcomer Rosie Huntington-Whiteley who has no problem flaunting her flawless looks and body as Carly Spencer. Gone is Megan Fox and a basic Autobots versus Decepticons storyline, and its place is nicely executed twist to the 1961 Man on the Moon NASA mission.

The gorgeous cars, particular the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG that Rosie sports, and the action-packed robot battle scenes were sheer perfection. Furthermore, a few unexpected plot twists in the film easily made it a more favorable presentation than its previous installments.

Though I am not entirely convinced that Rosie Huntington-Whiteley is a good actress, she sure delivers in the looks department. Girl sure know show to flaunt her beauty in the movie. Shia Labeouf delivers as Sam, and the supporting cast of Patrick Dempsey and Josh Duhamel also makes for an enjoyable experience.

In conclusion, while not exactly intellectual or an inspiring movie, Transformers: Dark of the Moon was a fun and visually stunning movie, that is worth your extra $4 for those pair of 3-D glasses.

Billy Elliot the Musical (2011) - Theatre Review

The touring production of 10 time Tony Awards winning Broadway musical Billy Elliot has made a stop in the Bay Area in San Francisco for a limited engagement. I had the pleasure to see the show here, with Ethan Fuller playing the role of Billy the night I saw the production.

I had heard about Billy Elliot and seen the "Angry Dance" Tony performance, but did not really know what the plot of the show was until I saw the show last night. The musical completely blew me away, not only with the phenomenal dance numbers put on by the young children in the cast, but also by the heartfelt story.

The song "The Letter" literally brought tears to my eyes, and "Solidarity" left me giving the entire cast a standing ovation. The young children in the production were all amazingly talented dancers, all on point, crisp and sharp in their coordinated routines and choreography. The set design served its purpose, and the stunning aerial dance sequence performed by Billy to the soundtrack of Swan Lake was absolutely beautiful.

I cannot rave enough about how much I loved this show, and I plan to see it once more during its time here in San Francisco. Billy Elliot has easily become one of my top favorite Broadway shows to date.