Enchanted is a fantastic and hilarious movie, it's so sad that barely anyone remembers it.

Mrs Brown's Boys D'Movie: Actually pretty funny, even if the only reason I Didn't watch Age of Extinction is because it was on too late. I'd give it a 7/10.

That was that live action crap. Sorry, doesn't count. Frozen is still one of the best Disney movies right below Lion King and tied with Aladdin.

Have you seen Enchanted? It's actually really good and a pretty good (and funny) parody of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Writing it off just because its live-action is a huge mistake. It counts in every single way.

And Frozen is really, really excellent, but its not Beauty and the Beast, Lion King or Little Mermaid (ain't no Ursula in there). I could watch and re-watch Beauty and the Beast every night for the rest of my life and not get sick of it, which isn't something I could do for Frozen.

So? It was still messing with Disney tropes years before Frozen and is IMO a far superior film.

Totally.

Enchanted is a great film. It's one of the few live action ones they've done in the modern age that I actually like to watch again and again.

My goodness, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes was simply phenomenal.

Just rewatched Dark of The Moon.

The Battle of Chicago is not just the height of this franchise but one of the most incredible sequences ever put to film, Avengers tried with their final forty minutes but it's got absolutely nothing on this. There is some spotty CG, and some fairly weak moments of "cinema magic" when it comes to stunt doubles but these are minor niggles for a truly innovative closing act of a film. Bay is known for a ferocious, erratic style of shooting and editing but he feels fully streamlined and focused here - which is funny as by all reports he was as fatigued with the franchise as the critics were and more than ready to leave. With the emphasis on 3D really forcing Bay to think outside the box and really tuck his camera into the action, every huge sweep is finally given the space to breathe and it really feels like we're right there in the heart of it all, on the worlds most incredible rollercoaster with - FINALLY - all the clutter cleared out of our way. Hell if nothing else, the film needs props for the fact that the huge scale of all the action comes down to Optimus, a battle axe and only one arm - FUCKING AWESOME.

It isn't just visually where this film works better, either. The continuity between movies is weak at best but this is the first of the three that seems to be trying some genuine world building, and I have enjoyed seeing how far the cause and effect of each film has come. For once the narrative feels focused and thought out, no stupid comedy side stories, no chucking bits of Transformers mythos at random intervals, it's a straight mystery about the darkside of the moon, a Prime, the technology known as a Star Bridge and a whole lot of shady shit surrounding it. Shady shit, that all things considered, fits together surprisingly well by the end and never becomes so convoluted it loses you like the narrative did in the second film. Maybe if they made Ehren Kruger the head writer of Revenge of The Fallen it might not have been so awful, he's certainly wrote the best of the four.

I know I complained about the tone of Revenge of The Fallen and this is a much darker film but it's also maturer too and so the darker tone works in a way that it just didn't in the mostly goofy Revenge of The Fallen. Yes the film borders on melodrama at times but for all the pretence in the other films this is the first time Bay feels like he is genuinely trying to appeal to us on an emotional level and I love Dark of The Moon for that. Bay just feels much more comfortable with darker material and I'm amazed that such brutality still slipped through as a 12a. I'm also incredibly pleased that the majority of the comedy has been removed all together, I love comedy, just not when it's written by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman and helmed by Bay. The comedy works better in the context of the material but the execution was mostly awful.

Honestly out of the four films, characterwise, the film feels the strongest. I can't tell who is having more fun with their character, Patrick Dempsey, Alan Tudyk or John Malkovich but their fun is infectious, hell I even enjoyed John Turturro enough to actually mention him for once. It is a shame Sam grows into more of an asshole with every movie but it's also pretty clear that LaBeouf really doesn't want to be here any more either - never thought I'd be glad to see someone replaced by Mark Whalberg. Still, they have a lot of fun at poking at the ridiculousness of his relationship with Carly and I had a lot of fun with that at least.

Most importantly though, finally the Transformers are an interesting part of the movie! Optimus and Bumbelee continue to steal the show but we've got some key new additions like Leonard Nimoy playing a robot Sean Connery who is both a Prime and has the mind of Einstein, the new Decepticon called Soundwave who is both visually interesting but when teamed up with Laserbeak is also probably the only Decepticon other than Lockdown who actually provides a genuine and memorable threat. And The Wreckers, oh the Wreckers! Even less memorable Transformers, characterwise, get some really cool designs that don't quite vanish into the mess like they did in previous films. Huge shoutout to Sideswipe (what a waste of James Remar!) and Dino who are the coolest Autobots this side of Bumblebee and Optimus. Megatron is also looking his absolute coolest, I was never really sold on his design in the other films but he's awesome here. At the end of the day, it's still the Autobots who steal the show and it makes a nice change for the good guys to be the coolest side in the movie.

I'm sure people will assume I'm being sensationalist for the sake of sensationalism but I'd argue that this is not only the best part of the Transformers franchise but one of the best films ever made too. I'm not saying that in terms of narrative, or characters, but I'm speaking purely on a film level. To me films that take hundreds of millions of dollars, the most modern of technology and start levelling Chicago in a computer are to me what cinema is all about. Popcorn is the future, and may Bay keep transcending boundaries of cinemas assumed limitations. Just bought the 3D verison, can't bloody wait.

Enchanted was a good film, but in my opinion it wasn't superior to Frozen. I suppose in the end it depends on what you look for in a movie. If Frozen relied solely on being a witty film, then it could be argued that Enchanted has it beat there, but that's not all Frozen is.

Enchanted would probably have gotten more recognition if Giselle was an actual Disney Princess (because then Disney will market it over and over again).

Enchanted doesn't rely on solely being witty either though. Yes it's much more of a parody than Frozen is, but Frozen's comedy just comes off as ill-fitting rather than being a natural part of the film.

Watched a few movies recently. Star Trek II, III, IV, VI and the Harry Potter series. Love them to bits.

M - It started out really slow for me but then the last hour just flew buy really quickly. I loved the search for the killer that was done by the Crime Syndicates and then the entire trial. That was just pure irony and it was great. The only real issue I have with the movie is that it just stops without any warning. One of the mothers is talking, finishes her sentence, and then the movie just goes back to the disc menu without any warning. That kind of soured the immersion of the movie as it was like, "Wait, what? Did my disc just glitch?" Overall, I give it a 7/10 stars.

Well, that is it, no more Film Noir movies in my collection to watch at the moment. :-(

A New Hope - This movie does a great job of setting up the Star Wars universe as we are shown to a lot of great and interesting looking creatures throughout the movies. It is just amazing at how there is such diversity shown in a galaxy from just one bar scene. The characters are well done and they do a great job of building up the movie's conflict before the main character is even introduced to the plot. Luke is a likable character who is young and shows his faults while the rest of the crew is also interesting and well rounded characters. Plus this movie introduces Darth Vader, who is one of the most badass villains in cinema history. The movie is not perfect though as some of the dialog comes off wooden and the fight between Obiwan and Vader leaves a bit to be desired. Nevertheless, the plot is good and the movie builds up its own mythology within the universe and leaves the viewer in suspense of what this universe entails. Overall, I give ANH a 9/10 stars.

Jaws - There is nothing else to add about this movie that hasn't already been said in the past. Plus, it was nice to watch a good shark movie before I get dragged into watching Sharknado 2. -_- Overall, I give this movie a 9/10.

The Empire Strike Back - One of the greatest movies ever made. Easily 10/10 stars.

BTW, I forgot to mention this yesterday when I watched ANH but I just noticed for the first time that when the ST's are entering the room where C3PO and R2 are in, one of them bangs his head on the door. lol

Return of the Jedi - A really good, albeit flawed, finale to the Star Wars saga. I do feel the movie should have had Wookies in it instead of teddy bears, but the ending makes it all well worth it. I give this movie an 8/10 stars.

And now, I am preparing myself for quite possibly my biggest marathon ever, which will probably last me a month or two. Here is my second go at a Disney Marathon.

This marathon will consist of:

EVERY Disney movie that I own (79 movies in all unless I happen to get Frozen sometime in the near future)

3 Disney flicks on Netflix (Atlantis, Lilo & Stitch 2, and Brother Bear)

Power Rangers Wild Force - Power Rangers RPM (I am skipping MMPR2010)

The first three Bionicle movies

Pearl Harbor (Touchstone Pictures was owned by Disney for a time..... Gotta love technicalities >_<)

Guardians of the Galaxy

and Iron Man 3, Thor 2, and Captain America 2.

If I lose my sanity..... well..... let's just hope that doesn't happen.

Day 1:

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1937):

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wK5oj4cMIn...%2Bfriends.png

Disney's first full length animated movie, Snow White, is pretty enjoyable. It has pretty memorable songs such as High Ho and Whistle While You Work. It is a timeless classic that can be enjoyed by all ages. Some of my favorite scenes involved the witch, and I'll have to admit, I was kinda terrified during the Queen's transformation sequence. I mean... look at it!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpWfgLTRPGo
Also: Snow, you can't just marry a man you just met! All joking aside, this movie is a must see.
I give this movie a 7.5 out of 10.

Pinocchio (1940):

http://img2-2.timeinc.net/ew/dynamic...inocchio_l.jpg

Ah, Pinocchio. Origin of the famous song, "When You Wish Upon A Star". Another one of Disney's timeless classics....


Did Disney enjoy scaring the sh*t out of little kids back then?!?! In Snow White, we had the forest scene and the Queen's transformation, and now we have, well, feast your eyes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tgmfV5VLHvs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi8cC1IUaZ4

Anyways, like Snow White, there are quite a few memorable songs in Pinocchio, such as When You Wish Upon A Star, My Little Wooden Boy, and I've Got No Strings. Again this movie is a must see (unless you get scared of well..... See the YouTube videos above).
I give this movie a 7 out of 10

Tune in tomorrow when I review Fantasia, Dumbo, Bambi, and *cringes* The Three Caballeros.

Just finished The Stepfather and my lord was it a phenomenal movie. It got me to jump inside my skin twice, had a great suspense to it, Terry O' Quinn was great, and it was a great character study. Just another great movie to add to the list.

Hell this year as a whole I've seen arguably great movie after movie after movie.

I absolutely hated The Stepfather. It was just terrible. The acting was extremely poor. The characters were stupid. THe worst part was, the movie had absolutely no suspense because you already knew he was really going to kill them.

Day 2, Part 1:

Fantasia (1940):

http://33.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6...37tvo1_500.jpg

Fantasia is Walt Disney's third animated feature film. It consists of seven musical segments: Tocccata And Fugue In D Minor, The Nutcracker Suite, The Sorcerer's Apprentice, Rite of Spring, The Pastoral Symphony, Dance of the Hours, and Night On Bald Mountain. Each of these segments had a piece of classical music to go with them. Personally my favorite segments were The Sorcerer's Apprentice (Mickey's first ever appearance in a Disney Animated Feature) and Night On Bald Mountain (the debut of Chernabog).

There isn't really much else to say.....
I give this movie a 7.25 out of 10

Dumbo (1941):

http://www.nuovosud.it/sites/default...edia/dumbo.jpg

Dumbo is one of Walt Disney's many masterpieces. It, like Snow White and Pinocchio before it, has many memorable songs, such as Pink Elephants on Parade, Baby Mine, and When I See An Elephant Fly. Unlike the three movies before it (Snow White, Pinocchio, and Fantasia), Dumbo doesn't seem to have any terrifying scenes. The closest scene to that would be the Pink Elephant Scene.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hrocjxnLWd...322_orig-1.png

This Thing. The original Megazord.

This movie is about an elephant. With big ears. That can fly. Because..... DISNEY!!! The elephant befriends a mouse after his mother is locked in a cage after trying to protect him from a rude kid. After a failed circus stunt, Dumbo becomes a clown, gets drunk, and learns how to fly with some crows.

While Dumbo is a classic, it is really short, with a total of 64 minutes.
I give this movie a rating of 6.75

To be continued.....

Just rewatched The Conjuring on Bluray.

Based loosely on real life Ed and Lorraine Warren - and one of their cases - the Conjuring envisions them as basically a superhero duo seemingly more inspired by the urban fantasy genre of the likes of Harry Dresden and John Constantine than anything else. Lorraine literally has superhuman abilities the movie never once questions and while Ed has no real powers of his own he's learnt ways of battling demons through human techniques and science, including most importantly, the art of exorcism. Having characters who are basically always in control, and have methods of seizing control again once it slips away from them, really forces Wan to do some interesting things with his film to stop us getting too comfortable. It seems we spend so much of the horror genre following characters running away (and never in the right direction!) it's nice to watch a film like The Conjuring where they take a stand at the start, and don't wait for all the ethnic minorities and hot girls in the cast to die first.

The only real issue I have with how The Conjuring is written is sequels. It's pretty clear, early on, that what the producers really wanted here was a franchise and honestly I'd be perfectly happy for one. BUT... The movie skims over a lot, and also requires lots of logic leaps too, seemingly worried it may end up burning through material that could be used for later films. It doesn't really get in the way of the experience overall but it's only when the film finishes that you realise how dumb or confusing so much of the film is despite a very simple narrative on paper. The film pretends to have a rich mythology, and hints at the complexity of it all, but never actually fills in the details - or never really in any meaningful way at least. Despite this, a lot of the crucial moments of the film require us to have an understanding and belief in the universe of The Conjuring, yet the movie never puts in the effort for us to have that kind of faith in our understanding of the inner workings.

Once the scares begin though, Wan never takes his foot off the accelerator, it's the kind of film where the moment moment you decide to relax is a decision you're swiftly punished for. Honestly the scares come so unrelentingly it should probably be boring but it spends a lot of time setting the scene, and the atmosphere, making good use of ambient and natural sounds and lighting. Subtly changing the atmosphere in the room can have a big effect when a director like Wan is behind the camera.

The Conjuring is not without set piece moments, either, but it's a film that tries to scare you from the inside out - basically forcing you to scare yourself - rather than just trying to shock you or make you jump by banging pots and pans. The all out bombast of the Insidious films is wonderful but it never really worked all that well so thankfully when this film comes down to a battle for Carolyn's soul, it's a downplayed, personal and emotional affair that requires us to care about the characters, with the performances to back it up, in a way rarely seen in modern horror. The almost throwaway moment where the possessed Carolyn looks at April, and April looks back... just all the stuff that dances through April's face...just WOW.

Most crucially though is the Conjuring's ability to understand what the audience is already scared of, what they have always been scared of and always will be. Those strange bangs and creaks in the middle of the night - it's just the house settling...right? That shadow in the corner of the room, it's just the moonlight hitting the table...right? That isn't a person standing in the window, right...it's just a trick of the light...right? That door didn't close on its own, it's just a draft...right? It even taps into our childhood fears, like the concept of the monster in the wardrobe or under the bed. Why is the unknown so terrifying to us?

The Conjuring was not pretty decent, but it lost me when they started to go into the whole exorcism crap. I hate exorcism movies because the actors try to take them way too seriously and it just comes off laughable. I do not know why, but I can accept grown ups who wear spandex and fight evil but I cannot accept stupid demonic possessions where they need to get some priest in to perform the ritual at all.

Day 2, Part 2:

Bambi (1942):

http://www.cornel1801.com/disney/Bambi-1942/03.jpg

Disney's fifth animated masterpiece is a story about a young deer named Bambi. As he grows up, he learns a lot of new things and makes new friends, such as Thumper the Rabbit and Flower the.... Skunk. But soon, it is discovered that Man is in the forest. Then, the unthinkable happens... Bambi's mother is shot dead by Man. Because....... Disney?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTZPMJj-X9M

Yeah, the scene starts out all happy, but then BAM!! Man is enjoying deer for dinner.

Ok... That one was too soon :p.

Anyway, while this movie used to be one of my least favorite movies when I was little (Because.... Bambi's mom), it is easily one of my top 10 favorite Disney movies. I just hope I don't have to endure another tragic death scene in this marathon.....

http://oyster.ignimgs.com/wordpress/...BA-610x343.jpg

god dang it.....

I give this movie a 8.5 out of 10

The Three Caballeros (1944):

http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pu...Caballeros.jpg

I'm just gonna say it... between Bambi and Cinderella, there weren't many good Disney movies. The only one out of that time zone that I enjoyed was Fun And Fancy Free. But anyways, onto the review.

The Three Caballeros is Walt Disney's sixth Animated Film. The first half hour is enjoyable, but after that..... It. Gets. As. Boring. As. Heck.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MreYStwybM...alleros_10.jpg

We also find out that Donald Duck's birthday is Friday 13...
Also, there is a bit with a flying donkey.... because DISNEY!!!!

So, after the story about a penguin, an odd bird, and a flying donkey, we get a segment from one of Donald's friends from Brazil, Joe Carioca. A talking green parrot. Because...... DISNEY!!! After an interesting song, there is yet another song that consists of Donald and Joe chasing after this Brazilian woman. I lost count for how long this song went on for....
After that was over, Donald and Joe meet a friend from Mexico: Panchito. They then proceed to sing a really catchy song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t2JWa8sOOIk

After that, Panchito then teaches Donald about Pinatas. Shenanigans ensue. After that, there is a song called "Mexico", and then Donald starts chasing after some women.... again.... See a pattern here?

After Donald's shenanigans, there is yet ANOTHER song that seems to drag on for the rest of the film.
Oh... there is also this.....
http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Upxd2UuvR3...onald%2B09.png
And this.....
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ru0thVNJ9...lleros+wtf.png
After the song, there is a reprise of the theme song with fireworks.... and the best two words I've seen in this movie: The. End.

So.... Do I like this movie? Not really. The fully animated parts are enjoyable (especially the pinata scene), but other than that, the movie seems like a chore to get through....

I give this movie a 3.5 out of 10

Tune in tomorrow for my reviews on Fun And Fancy Free, So Dear To My Heart, Melody Time, Cinderella, Alice In Wonderland, and Peter Pan.

I should also mention that I will double up on movies starting tomorrow. The reviews of Mary Poppins, Bedknobs And Broomsticks, Treasure Island, and 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea will be postponed as I try to get through as many Disney films as possible before my trip to Galveston.

Day 3, Part 1:

Fun And Fancy Free (1947):

http://basementrejects.com/wp-conten...ckey-mouse.jpg

Between Bambi and Cinderella, there was a time when Disney movies were just... well....
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1Ru0thVNJ9...lleros+wtf.png

Most of these movies from that time had characters such as Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, and Jiminy Cricket. Fun & Fancy Free just happens to contain all four of those characters. So let's take a look at Walt Disney's ninth Animated feature*.

The movie opens up with a song sung by Jiminy Cricket. After escaping the jaws of death (a.k.a. a cat), Jiminy finds a room that has a doll and a stuffed bear. Both toys, according to Jiminy, have sad looks on their faces. He then puts on a record that has the story of Bongo on it, leading to the first segment of the movie.

Bongo:

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5_4276TKuz...appy+bongp.jpg

The first segment in Fun & Fancy Free is a story about a circus bear named Bongo. Even though he is the star of the circus. Bongo wishes that he could live in the wilderness. He then escapes from the circus train that he is on. After Bongo attempts to climb a tree in the wilderness (and fails miserably), the narrator begins to sing a song as Bongo wanders around the wilderness.... because DISNEY!!!
That night, when he tries to sleep, he is awakened by the sounds of the wilderness and a storm. While trying to catch a fish the following morning, Bongo meets a female bear. And after he meets the bear, the narrator sings yet another song. Because..... DISNEY!!! After the song, a big mean bear appears and beats Bongo up because Bongo is in love with the bear that the mean bear is in love with. The lady bear slaps Bongo, and Bongo is heart broken. And then there is.... another.... song.....It is in this song that Bongo learns that a bear likes to say that they're in love by slapping the bear that it is in love with..... What?

Bongo then proceeds to fight the bad bear, and Bongo wins by causing the bad bear to go over a waterfall. So, the moral of the story is to never fight a bear on a unicycle.

So, Bongo and the female bear live happily ever after (I'm assuming) make bear babies.

We the cut back to Jiminy Cricket, where he find an invitation to a birthday party. Jiminy arrives there, and sees an old man, two puppets, and a little gir... wait, what? The old man proceeds to tell the story of Jack And The Beanstalk. We then go to our next segment.

Mickey & The Beanstalk

If you know the story of Jack & The Beanstalk, then you know the plot of this segment. If you don't know the story, where is your childhood? This segment is basically Jack & The Beanstalk with Mickey, Donald, and Goofy.

There is this though**:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqEVYbPw9lI

Basically, Mickey trades in his cow for some magic beans. The beans grow in a huge beanstalk and Mickey, Donald, and Goofy find themselves at Willie the Giant's castle. They rescue a gold harp from the giant and make their escape, killing the giant in the process. They brought happiness back to their village.

One of the puppets is sad that Willie died, and the old man tells the puppet that Willie was just a figment of his imagination. It is then revealed that Willie was real, kind, and was looking for Mickey Mouse.

Fun and Fancy Free is, in my opinion, one of the better Disney animated films from the mid to late 1940's. It has two very entertaining stories, and is one of the only Disney movies to contain all four of Disney's most famous characters (Mickey, DOnald, Goofy, and Jiminy Cricket).

I give this movie a 7 out of 10.


So Dear To My Heart (1948):

http://25.media.tumblr.com/eaa5257bb...rb0o1_1280.jpg

So Dear To My Heart is among the first Disney movies to use both live action and animation (after The Reluctant Dragon (1941), Victory Through Air Power (1943), Song Of The South (1946).)

This movie was really entertaining. The songs were definitely catchy. If there is one complaint I have, it's this: what the hack was with that random owl. It's like, every scene he is in, he sings. Because..... DISNEYok... that joke is getting old....

I give this movie a 7.9 out of 10

To Be Continued...




*= I am aware that I went from the 7th movie (The Three Caballeros) to the 9th movie (Fun And Fancy Free). The 6th movie (Saludos Amigos) and the 8th movie (Make Mine Music) are unfortunately NOT in my VHS collection and will not be reviewed until either I find a copy of them on VHS or DVD OR until I have reviewed every Disney movie I had. If I cannot find them before the marathon is over, they will be reviewed in a separate marathon that contains movies that I don't own such as Song of the South, Swiss Family Robinson, and The Emperor's New Groove

**= This is from the separate release of Mickey And The Beanstalk

http://rack.1.mshcdn.com/media/ZgkyM...Sht_v4b_Lg.jpg

SOON.

I'm in line right now. :lol

I will definitely have a review for that. :p

Day 3, Part 2:

Melody Time (1948):

http://www.cornel1801.com/disney/Mel...ppleseed/4.jpg

Right when I thought that I wouldn't have to endure another movie like Fantasia, I got proven wrong. After a painstakingly long theme song, we get to our first segment, which is about a young couple on a sled ride in winter time. They eventually go ice skating, and there are two rabbits that are skatin.... wait, what?! In both couples, the man f***s up and the woman storms off. Both females unknowingly walk onto thin ice. The males attempt to save their lovers. It ends up beeing the woodland animals and two horses that save the females, and both couples are reunited.

In the next segment, a bumble tries not to get killed by music. Huh. Sounds like my experience watching this movie. That is basically all that happens. Music is evidently deadly. It should be noted that the music in this segment is extremely catch.

Johnny Appleseed is the next segment. The story of Johnny Appleseed is told in a song..... He just plants apple seeds.... moving on

The next segment is about a happy little boat. He causes a giant ship to crash, and he is exiled. He later redeems himself by saving an ocean liner in a storm.

The following scene, titled "Trees", is a poem about..... trees. That's pretty much all you need to know..... moving on

Now, the next sequence caught me off guard. It's Donald, Joe, and that odd little bird from The Three Caballeros. Donald and Joe seem to be sad about something, so the odd bird starts to cheer them up with a samba....
...
...
...
Kyoryuger comments incoming.

Aaaaand Donald starts hitting on girls again.... Really, Disney? This scene looks more like a deleted scene from The Three Caballeros. And I wouldn't be surprised if it is.
Also, the odd little bird seems intent on killing Donald and Joe.....

The final sequence is another American Folk Tale. This time, it is Pecos Bill. The western guy who was raised by coyotes. Shenanigans ensued...

So... that about covers it for Melody Time. This movie was so boring it made the second Ghost Rider movie seem like a masterpiece compared to this. I give this a 2 out of 10.....

Cinderella (1950):

http://dconmovie.weebly.com/uploads/...56556_orig.jpg

After eight years of movies that were basically compilations of different animated segments, Disney made a movie that had one story. Cinderella, one of Walt Disney's animated masterpieces.

Basically, the story is about this young girl who is the stepdaughter to a very wicked lady. The family gets an invitation to the ball to dance with the Prince so he can choose a wife. The stepmother, with the help of her equally wicked daughters, makes it to where Cinderella (the young girl) can't go. So, Cinderella's fairy godmother makes it so that Cinderella can go to the ball until midnight. Cinderella dances with the Prince, and the Price decides that he wants to marry her. But it is too late. The clock strikes midnight and Cinderella leaves. Luckily, one of Cinderella's glass slippers falls off and the slipper only fits her feet. The Prince has every lady try on the slipper, but before Cinderella can try it on, the stepmother breaks the glass slipper. It is then revealed that Cinderella has the glass slipper. Cinderella and the Prince get married and live happily ever after.

I am going to say it... I actually enjoy this movie, and, like Bambi, it is one of my Top 10 favorite Disney animated films. The songs are memorable (especially that catchy Bibbity Bobbity Boo song). The only thing that I don't like is the cat. What that cat did at the end of the movie is unforgivable. So you can imagine my happiness when this happens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXM-9Tjc5r0

i could watch that over and over again. Anyway, this movie is truly one of Walt Disney's greatest masterpieces.

I give this movie a 8.5 out of 10

The reviews of Alice In Wonderland and Peter Pan have been postponed. Tomorrow, I will review....... Guardians of the Galaxy, the new movie from Disney/ Marvel. I will pick back up with Alice In Wonderland, Peter Pan, Lady & The Tramp, and Old Yeller on Saturday.

I just watched it. :D

Here's mine.

Guardians of the Galaxy is the first and (as of today) only movie where I have cried. I didn't cry during the end of Avatar: The Last Airbender. I didn't cry during 3 Idiots. I didn't cry during The Amazing Spider-Man 2. I have never cried during any of the Disney movies... Except for this one.

The story of the movie is basic enough: Peter Quill is abducted by a group of extraterrestrials shortly after his mother dies of cancer. Raised by them as a thief, Peter, attempting to go by the "outlaw name" of Star-Lord, steals an orb from a deserted planet. The Orb is sought by the film's villain, Ronan the Accuser, a Kree fanatic who seeks to eradicate the planet and culture of Xandar after Xandar's Nova Empire signs a treaty with the Kree Empire. With the Orb, Ronan plans to give it to Thano, who in turn will destroy Xandar for Ronan. After Roman's forces lose the Orb to Star-Lord, Thanos sends his daughter, Gamora, to retrieve it. Gamora, however, plans to sell the Orb to the Collector, using the money from the transaction to escape Thanos's grasp. Star-Lord is also pursued by Yondu and the Ravagers, the group of thieves that took Peter in, because Yondu planned to sell the Orb to another person.

While trying to sell the Orb on Xandar, Star-Lord encounters Gamora, as well as the bounty hunters Rocket and Groot. After a very well done altercation, the four are arrested by the Nova Corps. Putting aside their differences after being sent to prison, the four decide to escape and split the bounty the Collector is offering for the Orb. They are joined by Drax the Destroyer, who seeks vengeance against Ronan for the death of his family. After a very entertaining prison break that's mostly orchestrated by Rocket, the five travel to Knowhere, a mining colony in the head of a celestial being (read: "Celestial") to meet with the Collector. The Collector, being a bit of a douche, makes them wait for him to be ready, allowing the five of them to explore the world. Drax breaks off from the group after a drunken fight with Rocket and decides to summon Ronan, his desire for vengeance getting the best of him.

Meanwhile, Rocket, Groot, Gamora, and Star-Lord meet with the Collector, who reveals that the Orb is one of six Infinity Stones. Knowhere is then attacked by Ronan, who manages to get the Orb. Realizing the magnitude of it's power, Ronan betrays Thanos, choosing instead to use the power of the Orb himself to destroy Xandar.

Knowing this, Peter contacts the Ravagers and the Nova Corps, and together, they unite their forces to defeat Ronan, reclaim the Orb, and lock the Orb away.

Of the Marvel movies, this one was the funniest. While some jokes did reference the various eccentricities of the film's concepts, a lot of the humor came from the characters. All of the Guardians have numerous moments where the audience was laughing. Heck, in the film's opening, during the credits, Star-Lord dances through the abandoned temple housing the Orb to an old '70s song (the name of which escapes me). Moments like those are joined by the exchanges between the characters, the most humorous of which come, surprisingly, from Drax, who's unfamiliarity with metaphors is played to a humorous degree.

The humor doesn't intrude on the rest of the movie, though. The writing is very intelligent, knowing when a joke is appropriate and when to take the moment seriously. It never gets too serious or too ridiculous. It immerses you in the story of the characters and, in turn, shows you what it has to offer. It laughs, it cries, it rages, it roars. It's... charming.

But the writing's greatest strength is in the characters. The personalities of the Guardians are all well developed and interesting. You've got Star-Lord, the lovable bastard with a heart of gold buried down there (some digging required). You've got Gamora, the manipulated assassin who's finally trying to make a stand for what's right. You've got Drax, the obsessive maniac who hasn't known friendship in a long time. You've got Rocket, the smart-mouthed, trigger-happy thug who harbors his pain of being a freak. And you've got Groot, the innocent, caring, gentle but formidable giant who only says "I am Groot." The weakest of the primary characters is probably Ronan. While he was intimidating and had a decent back story, he pales in comparison to the Guardians. Still, he served his part as a villain quite well.

In short, Guardians of the Galaxy is not only my favorite Marvel movie to date, but my favorite comic-book movie to date. The writing and the characters harmonize with one another to near perfection, and the aesthetic of the movie is a site to behold.

But why did I cry? What moved me so emotionally that not only were tears released, but a few sobs as well?

In the climax of the film, during the final battle in the skies, the ship in which the Guardians are in is crashing. Knowing that they will die otherwise, Groot grows into a ball around them all. Rocket, however, knows that the force of the impact would cause Groot to shatter, and begs him not to do it. Groot responds with one sentence:

"We are Groot."

And thus, reaching the end of the fall, Groot sacrifices himself to save his friends. He gets better, and I knew that, but it was such a beautiful scene.

In short, I highly recommend watching Guardians of the Galaxy (especially in IMAX). 9.9/10 stars.

Day 4:

Guardians Of The Galaxy (2014):

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What can I say... That movie was freaking amazing! After two amazing movies in a row (the first being Captain America 2), it is safe to say that Avengers: Age Of Ultron will be just as epic. Due to this being a new movie, there will be absolutely no spoilers. Except this: in the end credits, a certain duck makes a cameo.

I give this movie a 9 out of 10

2004's The Punisher and 2008's Punisher: War Zone.

Both heavily flawed in some ways but each has some good points. Its hard to pick which one is "better"- 04 tells a more cohesive story & has an overall better cast (Thomas Jane is a great Frank Castle; his work on the video game & "Dirty Laundry" cements this & I hope he comes back again now that Marvel Studios has the rights back) but War Zone is more in touch with the comic characters' origins and has much better action scenes. I'd say both are worth seeing if you're a comics fan.

The 1989 version though is an irredeemable piece of shit.

UPDATE: I will have no other reviews for today. Any additional reviews I had planned for today have been postponed to tomorrow.

Ringu: What happens when you mix a cursed tape with overly curious teens? People die of course!

Ringu is not what I expected at all, but in a good way, when anybody talks about it or it's remakes they sell it as the ultiamte scarefest, so I expected a very gory and screamerish movie.

It's not, its actually a more suspenful movie where a reporter and her ex-husband slowly unravel the mystery behind the tape, it's even slow at some parts, not unbearably so, but simply calm.

The final act is excellent, as soon as the story behind Sadako starts unraveling it gets incredibly engaging, and the conclusion is extremely satisfying, it's a great and memorable ending.

And it scared me once, so kudos to it!

Just watched Guardians of The Galaxy, wow!

I'll be perfectly honest, I'm pretty much completely burnt out on Marvel Studios. Not so much because of the films - this years Winter Soldier was undeniably great despite some pretty irksome flaws - but because of the fans. Y'see, for me, half the viewing "experience" is the conversation it inspires once the credits have finished. Conversation which, when coming to Marvel films, ran dry intellectually about three years ago.

A Marvel Studio's production is always followed with the same empty wooping and bleating, 'GREATEST FILM EVER MADE!' the sheep chant in their ritualistic circle. If you listen hard enough, you can still hear the echoes of when they were crying the same chant for the last Marvel Studios production, and if your ears are really clean, you can already hear the intakes of breath as they prepare to chant it for the next one - probably even before the first trailer. Worst though is the nasty round of hissing for anyone who dares discuss a Marvel Studio Production in any real detail or heaven forbid someone dares to suggest something they thought didn't work or.... [gasp]... didn't like.

With that in mind as much as I enjoyed Guardians of The Galaxy's marketing, and was excited for the film, I honestly tried to distance myself from the usual Marvel Hype train as much as I physically could because I've honestly just had enough and it's impacting my enjoyment of the actual films themselves. I'm happy to say that now I've finished the film, distancing myself was probably the best decision I've made in my life. I was completely blown away by this film, it may be "just another" Marvel Origin story but you've never seen it done like this.

The core heroes may not be exactly well known - or part of some rich geek history and culture - but I'd also argue they are the most endearing characters Marvel has ever put to screen. The real stand out for probably everyone is bound to be Groot. He's a humanoid tree confined to having Vin Diesel repeating "I am Groot" and yet he manages to capture the hearts of the audiences, charm them, make them laugh and cry while being a total badass. Never before have I been so happy to see a twig with a smile on its face dance to Michael Jackson. And we can't mention Groot without Rocket, who expected Bradley Cooper to be such a good voice actor?!

My second favourite was...what does he call himself again...Star Prince? (come on man!) Pratt is insanely charming, and clearly having the time of his life, playing one of the funniest creations Marvel has put to screen. You'd expect him to get overshadowed by everyone else, but he manages to keep himself centre stage mostly through pure charisma and Pratt's incredible versatility. Honestly he's the best actor on screen for keeping up with Gunn's breakneck tonal shifts, which seems to leave some actors in the dust at points. And that opening scene....**** man, it's a punch in the gut for everyone but I really related to that personally and I really emotionally latched to Quill early on because of that. Who knew such a tired trope could still hit home so hard?

But honestly, I enjoyed all the characters. It's ironic, really, as despite the long build up and development periods I still find most of the Avengers pretty thinly drawn - well other than Steve Rogers - so to be introduced to The Guardians so swiftly and finish the movie with such a strong connection to them, Gunn really has put the rest of Marvel Studios to shame. This is like the Avengers for everyone who, like me, thought that film was an overrated, generic blockbuster that seemed to be trying harder to capture Michael Bay's success than making an endearing picture.

I really do like the way Marvel - perhaps more than any other studio making superhero films right now - puts the emphasis on the heroes. Most of Marvel Studio's villains have been honestly completely forgettable, yes that includes Loki who has yet to achieve anything despite turning up in basically every single film, but with reducing the villains to more generic positions it gives more space for the heroes complexities and I honestly think that is the right way round. Complex villains have a place but I often think studios do it at the expense of the heroes, and to me that is wrong.

The 3D experience was undeniably wonderful and Gunn's use of colour is something else but I found the use of CG - especially in rendering the locations - way overkill. I understand these are alien worlds, and they need to feel as much, but half the movie looks like it's playing out on a soundstage in front of a matte painting. I was very rarely convinced they were ever actually at alien worlds which is disappointing in a film which features so much planet swapping.

On more individual things though, the effects work is fantastic. Nebula, Drax and Gamora all used authentic non digital make up and Rocket and Groot, despite being all CG, look fantastic. The detail and smoothness of their animation coupled with the way they are blended in make them look absolutely convincing.

It's a world of limitless possibilities, Gunn fills the film with style but it feels effortless and perfected. It will make you laugh, it will make you cry, it will leave you cheering - it'll capture your heart, mind and soul. Marvel Studios have made some good movies, some could even be argued as "great" but I think this is the first time they've made a legitimate, game changing, classic which may be the most important superhero film in a year defined by important superhero films.

Glad to hear you enjoyed it! Not sure why you thought it would be gory, though I can understand the screamerish part. But anyways glad you liked it. Now get back in the chair because you have a shit ton more of the movies to watch :lol

Locke, how was the after credits?

Went to see Guardians of the Galaxy today and absolutely loved it, hands down my favourite Marvel movie so far (followed by Winter Soldier and the first Iron Man). Everything about it was just perfect - the scale, the cast, the aesthetics...I really don't have a single bad thing to say about it.

Batman: Assault on Arkham however isn't so lucky. In fact it was awful. It was pretty much everyones' main complaints with the New 52 put into a film and shoved into the Arkham universe. Terrible dialogue, female characters that get topless as much as possible, Harley sleeping with Deadshot...need I go on?

The only good things in this are Batman, the Joker, and one perfectly delivered line from Amanda Waller. "NO ONE MESSES WITH THE WALL! :loll

If we're talking about a certain character dancing to Michael Jackson with a smile on their face, it may be one of the warmest, most laugh out loud moments of my cinema going life. Especially given what comes so briefly beforehand.

He might also be referring to the post-credits scene, which I found amusing but the CG was really off compared to the rest of the film for some reason.

The other scene with the dancing to the Jackson 5 bit was delightful though. They need to sell those. :D

I think everyone in the world wants one of their own now. :lol

Guardians of the Galaxy - If you want to see a movie about a bunch of comic heroes you have never heard of before, this is the movie for you and it is down right fantastic. The movie is just so fun and action packed with some great character development that is definitely one of the best movies of the year. It isn't as deep as Dawn of the Planet of the Apes or as original as The Grand Budapest Hotel, but this movie does Star Wars better than most Star Wars. It also does a great job of building the Marvel universe as a whole rather than just the universe on Earth. There is a scene after the credits, so do not leave as it is hilarious. Of course, it is a Marvel movie, so you already know the rules of the credits. The actors are all fantastic and you would never know how badass a raccoon could be until this movie. Overall, I give it a nice 8/10 stars as it is better than Avengers and about the same length as Captain America 2.