Transformers

Film Title: Transformers
Year: 2007
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Length: 144 minutes
Film Genre: Action / Adenture / Sci-Fi / 2007
Director: Michael Bay
Producer: Steven Spielberg, Michael Bay, et. al.
Writers: John Rogers (story), Robert Orci and Alex Kurtzman (story and screenplay)
Players:
Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicki
Megan Fox as Mikaela Banes
John Voight as Defense Secretary John Keller
John Torturro as Agent Simmons
Plot: Alien robots have come to earth to find the power of the lost All Spark and have no problem leaving destruction and death in their wake. A band of heroes has also come to save the people of earth.
Acting: The thespian efforts in the film could certainly be better, but story, action and effects make up where acting is lacking. Not one of Torturro's best.
Cinematography: Good. The first time the audience sees Optimus Prime transform, one might hear a cheer from some (coming from a fan of the original show).
Visual: Incredible visual effects throughout, if maybe too much.
Audio: Very good
When I watched it last: A few weeks prior to review
What to watch for: Awesome special effects, Optimus Prime, 2008 Mustang GT and 2009 Camaro.
What to watch out for: Some language
IMDB Rating: 7.7 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 3 out of 4 stars; "It's goofy fun with a lot of stuff that blows up real good, and it has the grace not only to realize how preposterous it is, but to make that into an asset."
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.2 out of 10; Transformers is a fun, action-packed adventure to save the world. Don't miss one of 2007's best.
--Reviewed by Brady

Deja Vu

Film Title: Deja Vu
Year: 2006
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Length: 128 minutes
Film Genre: Action / Drama / Sci-Fi / Thriller
Director: Tony Scott
Producer: Jerry Bruckheimer, et. al.
Writers: Bill Marsilii and Terry Rossio
Players:
Denzel Washington as Doug Carlin
Paula Patton as Claire Kuchever
Val Kilmer as Agent Pryzwarra
Jim Caviezel as Carroll Oerstadt
Plot: ATF agent Doug Carlin (Washington) investigates a ferry explosion and finds a secret government experiment that allows investigators to see the past. An obsession with one victim propels Carlin to attempt to change it.
Acting: Denzel strikes again as an enforcer of the law. One would think that he had oversaturated the genre (Out of Time, Training Day, Inside Man, etc...), but once again he impresses with his characterization. None of the other actors are particularly outstanding in Deja Vu, but the sum total of acting is superb.
Cinematography: Good.
Visual: One of the movies strong points. The Special FX in Deja Vu are phenomenal. The explosion of the ferry in the beginning is one of the best ever seen in a film. The digital aspects of the movie are mesmerizing at times. In order to not spoil the film, it will be left at that.
Audio: Good.
When I watched it last: One day prior to review.
What to watch for: Denzel, an awesome plotline, edge of your seat action and suspense, the discussion that will inevitably occur after the movie.
What to watch out for: Language, intense drama, very brief nudity, some violence.
IMDB Rating: 6.9 out of 10
Chicago Tribune Rating: 3 out of 4 stars; "It's an almost overwhelmingly professional picture, murderously fast, slick and full of outlandish notions, painstakingly realized...surprisingly satisfying -- thanks to Washington, a good cast, Tony Scott's swift direction and that unyielding professionalism" (Michael Wilmington).
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.7 out of 10; A thrilling ride like you've never seen before...or have you?!
--Reviewed by Brady

Children of Men

Film Title: Children of Men
Year: 2006
MPAA Rating: R
Length: 109 minutes
Film Genre: Action / Drama / Sci-Fi / Thriller
Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Producer(s): Armyan Bernstein, Thomas A. Bliss
Writers(s): Alfonso Cuaron, et. al.
Players:
Clive Owen as Theodore Faron
Claire-Hope Ashitey as Kee
Julianne Moore as Julian Taylor
and Michael Caine as Jasper Palmer
Plot: For reasons unknown, humans have become sterile and to make things worse the youngest person in the world - an eighteen year old - has just died. In the chaotic world of not-too-distant-future England, a refugee girl has turned up pregnant and a few brave people must attempt to get her to scientists who can figure out the "cure" to infertility.
Acting: Children of Men is a good movie and better thespian efforts (along with some plot adjustments) could have made this a great movie. Clive Owen is a great actor, but he cannot hold this one up on his own. Julianne Moore proves, yet again, why she should not be allowed to have any serious roles: uninspired and unconvincing come to mind.
Cinematography: Some blurry camera work makes for headaches, almost literally at points, escpecially during close-ups and zooming shots. Otherwise, the cinematography is good. Minus a few easliy recognisable set-up shots, the filming draws you into the story in a very "real" way.
Visual: Settings were often reminiscent of Orwell's descriptions in 1984 and Equilibrium's Libria: the wealthy in their beautiful Greek and Roman inspired neo-cathedrals and the poor or middle class, as it were, in chaotic slums. Scenes of confrontation with police and government authorities are brutal and graphic, many victims with missing limbs and bloody wounds.
Audio: Sometimes the sound seems to come from places it should not, like in a conversation including several persons. The voices come from every direction, but often from the wrong side. A tad bit confusing (and frustrating) for audiophiles, like the author of this article.
When I watched it last: A few hours ago
What to watch for: A good story (maybe poorly executed at times, but still a very good story), a sometimes-exciting thriller
What to watch out for: Language, Strong Violence, Momentary Nudity, Some Drug Use, Julianne Moore
IMDB Rating: 8.0 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: NA
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 7.1 out of 10; Some may find it entertaining, but not a great movie by most any means, but a decent film nonetheless.
--Reviewed by Brady

Nochnoy Dozer / Night Watch

Film Title: Nochnoy Dozer (Russian)/ Night Watch (English)
Year: 2004 (Russia) 2006 (America)
MPAA Rating: R
Length: 114 minutes
Film Genre: Action / Fantasy / Horror / Fiction / Foreign
Director: Timur Bekmambetov
Producer: Varvara Avdyushko
Writers: Timur Bekmambetov
Players:
Anton Gorodetsky: Konstantin Khabensky
Boris Gesser: Vladimir Menshov
Zavulon: Viktor Verzhbitsky
Svetlana: Mariya Poroshina
Olga, sorceress (owl): Galina Tyunina
Ignat: Gosha Kytsenko
Yegor: Dima Martynov
Larisa: Anna Dubrovskaya
Kostya: Aleksei Chadov
Bear: Aleksander Samojlenko
Plot: The forces of Light and Dark have been waging an eternal war. Known as the Others these two factions create a truce and as part of this truce create policing units called Night watch and Day Watch. The Night Watch is the police unit of the Light and enforce the rules of the truce and make sure that the Balance is held.
Acting:
The acting in this movie is good, nothing spectacular
Cinematography The cinematography is pretty standard nothing too fancy. However, the interlacing of the subtitles into the movie itself is shear brilliance.
Visual: Amazing special effects (over 400 in the movie).
Audio: The audio is about as good as the special effects, it really helps to emerse you in the film.
When I watched it last: Last night
What to watch for: Amazing and unique special effects. Interesting twist on an age old story. Awesome subtitles (you just have to see it for yourself)
What to watch out for: Language. Lots of blood. Slow at times
IMDB Rating: 6.4 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 2 stars
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 8.0 out of 10. An interesting concept. Special effects are amazing. Subtitle animation is unique. This movie is the 1st in a trilogy, and a good builder movie. Worth buying if you like these sort of movies.
--Reviewed by Jason

Event Horizon

Film Title: Event Horizon
Year: 1997
MPAA Rating: R
Length: 96 minutes
Film Genre(s): Sci-Fi, Horror/Thriller
Director(s): Paul W.S. Anderson
Producer(s): Nick Gillott, Jeremy Bolt
Writer(s): Philip Eisner
Players:
Laurence Fishburne as Captain Miller
Sam Neill as Dr. William Weir
Kathleen Quinlan as Peters
Joely Richardson as Lt. Starck
Richard T. Jones as Cooper
Jack Noseworthy as Justin
Jason Isaacs as D.J.
Sean Pertwee as Smith
Plot: A state-of-the-art ship, built to travel faster than the speed of light, disappeared seven years earlier and has just reappeared in the orbit of Neptune sending out a distress beacon. A rescue mission is sent out to recover the ship and crew but is met with a terror unlike anything anyone has seen before.
Acting: For the most part, the acting in the movie was good. Laurence Fishburne was already a seasoned actor and was well on his way to his best performance in the upcoming Sci-Fi mega movie The Matrix. Richard T. Jones is the necessary comic relief in the movie. His self-confidence and unearned machismo are the only alleviation from the absolute tension of the film. With a full cast of 15 people, a lot of stagecraft is demanded of only a few people. I’m not convinced that Sam Neill is a worthy portrayer of the antagonist/absolute evil. It’s hard to watch Jurassic Park’s hero become a carved-up Devil personification.
Cinematography: This movie demanded much of the camera crew. Uneven floor plans for the sets meant a lot of rigging and movement. In one scene, the camera rotates around the crew as they talk about what should be done. The camera goes back and forth several times making for a nice alternative to several camera switches.
Visual: Visual effects in the movie were both stunning and haunting. The vividly lit green tunnels near the core have been copied to an extent in many movies. Spacecraft design and settings were expansively and visually awesome. Roger Ebert points out a design goof. The Event Horizon is floating in the turbulent atmosphere of Neptune, yet after the initial approach by the rescue vessel, all the scenes seem to take place in calm space.
Audio: Orbital was called in by Paul Anderson to work with Michael Kamen on the film’s music. Dark beats are layered on top of Kamen’s symphonic melodies, which gives many of the scenes an edgy heart-pounding effect.
What to watch for: Awesome visual effects…and that’s about it.
What to watch out for: “Orgiastic” (as quoted by the Paul Anderson and Jeremy Bolt) scenes of sado-masochistic mutilation, torture, blood (lots and lots of blood) and intense gore; language.
When I watched it last: Two nights before review
IMDB User Rating: 5.8 out of 10
Roger Ebert Rating: 2 out of 4 stars; “It's all style, climax and special effects.”
The Cinema Standard Overall Score: 5.0 out of 10 stars; Sorry, but I’m not a horror movie fan.
- - Reveiwed by JB