Carrie Movie Review (2013)

The Good: Probably the best aspect of this movie is the fact that it doesn't deviate too far away from the original Carrie (1976) film, and still remakes the content to be very modern. It doesn't take very long for the suspense to pick up in the beginning. One of my favorite additions to this remake is the character development is a little deeper than in the original. This time around we get to see just how horrible Carrie suffers from the "Mean Girls" treatment from her fellow classmates, in a more contemporary sense of public humiliation. The mother ( Julian Moore) has a bit more depth to her character which draws an interesting line between her religious zealous and/or just mental illness. This movie gets a bit more graphic than the original towards the end and the "smashing" visuals were a nice surprise. Lastly, Carrie's powers in this movie are increased 10x! She may as well join the X-Men Movies.

The Bad: While it's nice to see Carrie's powers expanded, they are a bit all over the place and didn't really make sense. In the original she simply had telekinesis, but the fact that her powers are equivalent to that of a Marvel comic book superhero, it makes it just a tad bit harder to believe. The original story line kept Carrie's powers as potentially a scientific phenomenon, while this more modern version blurs the lines on whether this was natural or purely demonic. You'll almost get the sense that the director just gave her powers just for the sake of doing so, rather than keeping it within the context of the movie. There was a little bit of over-acting on the part of Chloe Grace Moretz only in the very beginning of the film. Rather than acting like a social outcast, she acts like she's a newborn child. Lastly, I felt a little disappointed at the "They're all gonna laugh at you" line. Just didn't have the same pizzazz I was hoping for.

The Reason: First and foremost, if you haven't watched the original 1976 version, please do. I highly recommend it. It'll give you a much better sense of appreciation of how far we've come and how well this remake really made the modern transition. I still think the average movie goer will enjoy this even if this is the first time you've ever heard of Carrie. While you don't have to run to see this in the theaters, I highly doubt you'll be disappointed if you did. Good theater watch, worth the money, and even better rental if you decide to wait.

The Rating: 8.5/10

Gravity Movie Review (2014)

The Good: The visuals for this movie are top notch. The 3D is masterfully intertwined with some first person cinematography that helps you really feel like you're in the character's shoes. The suspense of this movie is probably its biggest highlight. The fear of being lost in space, with little to no help, is a scary thought that is vividly portrayed by the director.

The Bad: The story-line is pretty weak. What you see in the trailer is exactly as deep as this movie goes in terms of the plot. The character development was also a bit disappointing. It's kind of difficult to really connect with either character Sandra Bullock's character outside of the one liners that give you maybe a shred of information about who she is as a person. Also some people may find Sandra's constant yelling, which is prominent throughout the movie, to be rather annoying.

The Reason: You can probably think of this movie as Tom Hanks' "Castaway" except a little more suspenseful and in space. Due to the nice visuals, it may be kind of hard to really appreciate this movie if you watched it at home, and not in 3D. However, due to the other faults of this movie (weak plot, character development, etc) it's a bit of a stretch to say this is a must see in the theaters as well. I'll put it to you like this: If you are captivated by the trailer, then do not expect much more beyond that. You will get it exactly as advertised. I will say though, to go see this movie as a matinee (or the "Dollar Theater/Show") and just save some money in the process.

The Rating: 6.5/10

Prisoners Movie Review (2013)

The Good: Hugh Jackman does a stellar job, as you could probably expect from the trailer. Despite his questionable actions, he does an excellent job of portraying his character's struggles with blurring the lines of what's right or wrong. All of the supporting cast, especially Jake Gyllenhaal, do a great job of keeping this movie feeling authentic. The suspense of this movie doesn't take long to take effect, and it doesn't stop until the very end of the movie. The story line was original and full of twists and turns to keep you guessing.

The Bad: This movie was a little over 2.5 hours long. While the movie does use this time to develop the deep plot and character development, viewers may get a little lost with all of the details. The big reveals are not going to be plain as day if you're not paying attention or if you missed a few parts of the movie. I can foresee some people feeling a little dissatisfied, but later having that "ahh-haa" moment once certain parts of the movie are explained. (I'm guilty of this) A minor issue I didn't like was the fact that they never really show how the girls go missing in the beginning. (Don't worry that's not a spoiler.)

The Reason: This was a very emotional and suspenseful movie. If you have children, or young family members, try to think of them while watching this movie. That will help you relate the characters and really appreciate this movie the way it was intended. Be sure to pay attention because this movie is filled with details that are meant to be pieced together from the beginning to end. The moral questions that this movie raises definitely helps this movie stay relevant even after the credits. This film is more than worth your time and money. Go watch it and come back and let me know what you thought about it.

The Rating: 8.5/10

Riddick Movie Review (2013)

The Good: Vin Diesel is a natural action star. He gives you the cool, rugged and edgy demeanor that we've come to expect and appreciate in an anti-hero. The action scenes were good and some parts were unexpectedly more gory than the trailer promoted. Riddick's survival skills are put on display for the first quarter of the movie, so if you're into shows like Man vs. Wild then this will pretty much be the same deal, except on another planet.

The Bad: As with many action flicks, this movie's story line was pretty flat. It's pretty predictable, just like the previous movies ( Pitch Black and Chronicles Of Riddick). Outside of Vin Diesel, the acting is pretty bad. Characters make cheesy jokes that warrant a chuckle or two at best. The entire two hours of this story probably could have been cut short if so much time hadn't been spent on showing just how much of a survivor Riddick can be. That part probably could've just been assumed with a few cut scenes. Lastly, one of the coolest things about Riddick is the fact that he can see in the dark. Unlike in the original Pitch Black movie where his eye sight made him so unique, it's barely highlighted in this film. That's kind of like having a batman movie without him using any gadgets or Superman barely ever flying.

The Reason: If you were a fan of the previous installments of this film series, then you'll more than likely enjoy this 3rd sequel. It's pretty much the same cookie-cutter formula that the others used, so don't expect anything radically different. The rated R rating is justified as this isn't really a movie for kids given the adult language, brief nudity, and violence.
Wait for this and watch it at home. Good movie, especially for fans, but not really worth spending theater money on.

The Rating: 6.5/10

Insidious 2 Movie Review (2013)

The Good: James Wan (Director) is a probably one of the best directors to do horror in our generation. He's done other movies such as Insidious, The Conjuring, Saw, and Dead Silence Movie. (BTW, he's also directing Fast & Furious 7). So yeah, James has earned my respect in the movie making business. The suspense of this movie doesn't disappoint. While it's not directly "In your face" scary, this movie's atmosphere screams creepy. It's to the point that you would never want to trade places with any of the characters in the movie. The story line is probably the best part of this movie because it's so layered. Dare I say it's probably the first time I've seen a horror film dig ALMOST as deep as Inception. (Yup I said it) So be sure to pay close attention. Oh and most surprisingly, this movie actually has some funny scenes. Those ghost hunter guys provide much needed comic relief aside from the time you're gripping your seat from all of the suspense.

The Bad: While the story line is masterfully done, it can be confusing for a few reasons. If you haven't seen Insidious 1, then you'll definitely miss out on the connections the movie tries to make. If you're the type to get up during the movie and go get food or take bathroom breaks (pet peeve), then you'll definitely miss out on some parts of the movie. Because the movie demands that you pay such close attention, I can see casual movie goers potentially being lost and confused during many parts of this movie.

The Reason: You should watch this movie because this is how horror movies are supposed to be done. The director doesn't do the lazy job of just using the stale, over used formula that we've come to see in recent horror films. The horror and suspense do not take long to pick up, and the movie's run time will not make you go to sleep either. Again, I'd recommend seeing the previous movie first because this sequel ties into the first one, and does a lot of jumping back and forth in time. (sort of) If you don't feel like watching the original again, (which you should because it was good) then feel free to read the wiki page of Insidious so that you at least won't be completely lost. I would definitely recommend this as theater watch, given that you follow my advice above. Besides you'll probably want to watch this in the theater anyway because creepy movies like this may not be that easy to watch at home, at night, by yourself, in the dark!

The Rating: 8.5/10