Silent Hill: Revelation 3D

I've got nothing...I'm sorry, but I've seriously got nothing on this one.

If you're a Silent Hill fan, you'll hate it. If not, you'll be confused if you didn't see the first film.

Good: Production value, sets, costumes, effects, acting, and 3D.

Bad: Dialogue and story.



Rating: ?/10

ParaNorman

Zombies are a genre that have stood as one of the most iconic creatures. The film that started the whole thing out, was George A. Romero's "Night of the Living Dead," being the start of the films. "Dawn of the Dead" had stepped things up as the first Zombie film in color, and much gore to it. "Shaun of the Dead," while a parody of the genre, still stayed fresh in it's own right. And last, but not least, "Zombieland" stands as the film that perfected it. Now, we take a look at the first animated zombie film, "ParaNorman."
The film tells the story of Norman Babcock, a boy who has the supernatural ability to see ghosts, but no one seems to believe him, except his friend Neil. One day, his uncle comes to warn him that the witch's ghost is about to awaken, and Norman is the only one who can fill in the position that he did. But things go wrong, when he runs out of time, and soon zombies that executed the witch comes back to life, and now Norman will need help to solve the crisis ahead and save the town.
The animation was really astonishing, being the best stop-motion animation I've seen since "Nightmare Before Christmas," and that's saying a lot. I also was really greatful on how it's a strong homage to classic horror films in the passed, all while being its own original story. The zombies were really creative in how they were made, and looks greatfully like a zombie in how it looks. If there was one part that I would say stood out, it would have to be the writing, due to it being very witty and creative. There's so much great humor in the film, that it fits for both adults and kids alike, even if it's sexual humor.

The characters were also established well, because they felt like actual characters, and not just cardboard cutouts of characters. With Norman being the sort of outcast character, but you actually feel sympathy for him. Norman's sister, Courtney, was pretty much what most teenage girls are now today, so it was funny to see this character develop like an actual character. My favorite character out of them would have to be the little chubby kid, Neal, we was a very likable character, and just whenever he was on screen had a funny moment to it. Even his older brother, played by Casey Affleck, was an enjoyment, especially at the end, and is one of the most humorous twists I've ever seen.

Overall, "ParaNorman" should be a great time to watch for horror fans, animation goers, and movie goers alike. If you haven't seen it on the big screen, don't miss your chance to see it on the small screen.


Rating: 10/10

Next Time: Silent Hill: Revelation 3D

Frankenweenie

After the COLOSSAL disappointment that was "Dark Shadows" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter," I was starting to lose interest in Tim Burton's work. It was just so annoying how his work in the past decade has ranged from either good, bad, or just okay. That's when I made this promise, that if his next film wasn't good, I would be officially done with Tim Burton. So now we have "Frankenweenie," and continuing on with the Halloween film reviews.

First, a little backstory. "Frankenweenie" was originally a black-and-white short film, made in 1984, and was one of Tim Burton's first projects, when he first worked for Disney. It was about a boy named Victor Frankenstein, who after witnessing the death of his dog Sparky, decides to bring him back to life. How? With SCIENCE of course! For a short film, it's not too bad. The acting's pretty good, and the nice little references were pretty funny. However, this short never saw the light of day, until it was on VHS in the 90's, when Burton became more well-known. This project is what got him fired from Disney, thinking it was too scary, and wouldn't be with the re-release of "Pinocchio." Yeah, kids can take children turning into donkeys, but CLEARLY a boy bring a dog back to life is too much. And this was BEFORE cencorship got too much.

Since then, Burton's gotten to become a household name, and when he started to collaborate with Disney again, signing on to do two 3D films, the other being "Alice in Wonderland," Burton was set to do a remake of the short that he made, longer and in stop-motion. How did it turn out? Well, better than what I had expected, and even more! This was a glorious movie to watch, just in time for the Halloween season.

The film does follow the same formula as the last, but with some added context to it. We see more of Victor's relationship with Sparky, and what he does in his time. He's into making his own little movies with Sparky, and it's very creative to see how well they do it. Not only that, we're introduced to more of the neighborhood, including some of Victor's classmates and see what's unique about them, like how one girl's very creepy and has a cat that can predict the future, one kid looking like the Frankenstein monster, and another looking like Igor, even being named 'Edgar E. Gore,' as well as Victor's neighbor and assumed love interest has the last name, 'van Helsing.' I also found it pretty clever, how the teacher Martin Landau plays looks like Vincent Price, whom Burton draws inspiration from.  And let's just say the other elements added the film were very fun to watch, and give the movie some pretty interesting substance, but I'm I the only one who thought the added stuff made this movie darker than the original? I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I'm just making a point.

The stop-motion animation was pretty good, and it was just so much fun this year, to see three great stop-motion movies this year. And needless to say, Burton finally delivered a remake that was actually better than the original, and it was of his own work. This is by far his best film since "Sleepy Hallow," which is another good remake. The 3D was also used very effectively, and the imagery really captures on how 3D and stop-motion can be used right.

Overall, "Frankenweenie" is a great Tim Burton movie that goes back to his roots, and is one of my favorite movies of the year. Sadly, I wished this film wasn't bombing at the box office as hard as it was, because it's definitely worth the price of admission, especially for the 3D.

Rating: 10/10

Next time: ParaNorman

Hotel Transylvania

Well, it's that time of year again for the Halloween spirit to take over the place. We'll be seeing decorations in stores, many costumes being made...but sadly, that charm among most has been growing dimmer and dimmer, due to some "parents" thinking Halloween should be safer and more friendly. But THAT'S not what I'm here about! This year, we'll be talking about the Halloween films of this year. What qualifies as a Halloween film? Well, it has to be A) The film takes place on Halloween the entire film; B) Have classic monsters in it, or have reference to them; or C) A horror film released during late September or during October. So without further ado, let's start with "Hotel Transylvania!"

"Hotel Transylvania" tells the story of Dracula, who creates a incredibly hidden castle, that is the sanctuary for all monsters, but was created to protect her daughter, Mavis, from the outside world. But when a mountain climber named Jonathan arrives at the hotel, Drac has to keep him hidden from the other monsters, all the while Jon and Mavis start to grow more attached to each other. Now, you might think this sounds simple, and it is for the most part, in a good way. It knows how to keep itself entertaining and still enjoyable for what it is.

The casting works in its own way. Adam Sandler plays the role of Dracula, and he gives it the typical Adam Sandler performance, in terms of voice acting that is. Being the second animated Sandler film (after "8 Crazy Nights" back in 2002), it's a big improvement. Not only that, but they give him a strong backstory to why he has a dislike for humans in the first place. I was really taken by that, so I give props. Mavis played by Selena Gomez was pretty good for what she did. Originally, Mavis was said to be played by Miley Cyrus, but she dropped the project. I'm glad they went with Gomez instead, since I think she's the better actress. And I'd be lying, if I didn't say Mavis was cute. Andy Samberg as Jonathan was also a joy to watch, being the man of the modern world, but not to a certain extent. I probably would have walked out, if he said anything that the typical high school idiot would say...oh god, just thinking about it makes me cringe. I also found the other characters to be enjoyable, like Kevin James as Frankenstein's monster, Steve Buscemi as the werewolf, David Spade as the invisible man, Cee Lo Green as the mummy, etc. All of them were enjoyable in their own right.

The animation in the film was just spectacular in several ways. Sony Animation has really shown to do great animation, just like with "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs." It was well paced, it really had so much to look at, and it showcases many monsters in such creative ways. While knowing Adam Sandler and Andy Samberg were in the film was a good enough treat, what made me really enjoy the film was the director, Genndy Tartakovsky, the creator of "Dexter's Laboratory," "Symbiotic Titan," and "Samurai Jack," three of my all time favorite cartoons. I'm glad to see that he's still getting work, and I'm hoping that sooner or later he gets a studio to green-light him to do a "Samurai Jack" movie, after over a decade.

Overall, "Hotel Transylvania" is a film that is ripe for the Halloween season. It's fun, its humor is clever, its got fantastic animation, and it's one of my favorite movies of the year so far. If you're a fan of Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, or Genndy Tartakovsky, you'll love this movie. However, if you're not into CG animation, Samberg, or Sandler, then you'll skip this.

Rating: 10/10


Next time: Frankenweenie

Taken 2

In 2008, we were given the Pierre Morel film, "Taken," starring Liam Neeson. It told the story of Bryan Mills, a former CIA agent who's daughter was kidnapped, while on a trip to Paris. When Mills finds out about it, he goes the extreme to find the culprits, kill them, and get his daughter back. While it was a simple premise and critics were a bit mixed by it, the film has gained a strong cult following from action fans alike. Not only that, this film is what made Neeson a successful action star, appearing in such films as "The A-Team," "The Grey," and "Unknown."

Now we've come to the 6th, and sadly final, movie that Liam Neeson appears in for this year. The sequel to the film that made him the badass he is today, "Taken 2." How was it? Maybe not as good as the original, but still an enjoyment either way.

"Taken 2," takes place after the first film, with Bryan Mills' daughter and ex-wife coming with him to Istanbul for Spring Break, while he's at work. However, the relatives of the people that Mills killed are hunting him down, and now it's a game of cat-and-mouse for Mills and his hunters. While the plot might be simple, it doesn't mean it's bad if it knows how to make it work right.

As always, Liam Neeson gives a strong performance as he did in the original. He's smart, he's cautious, and he still has the same intimidation factor as with the first movie. I was generally surprised by Maggie Grace's performance, now that she has more to work with, other than being a hostile character from the first film. She does try to keep herself strong, as long as she's following her father's guild-lines  and it works. However, that doesn't quite make up for her atrocious performance in "Lockout." Yeah, thought I forgot about that movie, didn't ya?

As for the rest of the cast...well, not much can be said. The villains wanting vengeance are what they are, so nothing much can be said. The mother played by Famke Janssen, while not bad, didn't really leave much an impression. That might be due to her being a minor character in the first, but thankfully it doesn't take away anything from the film. Many of the other characters, like Mills friends in the CIA, are on the same level, and like I said, don't take anything from the movie.

The action scenes are great, but don't really hold up to what the original had. Instead of Pierre Morel as director, we have Olivier Megaton, who was the director of the Zoe Saldana film, "Columbiana," and it's a vast improvement in terms of action. It was also produced by Luc Besson, producer of the first film, as well as the "Transporter" trilogy, the "Taxi" quadrilogy, and "The Fifth Element," which he also directed. His production value really helps this film, and the shots of Istanbul really work well for this movie.

Overall, "Taken 2" may not be as good as the original, but it's still just as fun watching. If you're looking for a good time, then give this movie a go, and if they DO decide to do a third film, I'll be there for it.

Rating: 8/10

Looper

Time travel movies are a genre among themselves, but seemed to have been taking a set back for some time now. While there are a few that pop up, none of them have been as iconic as certain films. "Back to the Future" still stands as the most iconic of the genre, as well as being one of the greatest film trilogies ever made. There have been other movies that had time travel, the more recent being the new "Star Trek" and "Men in Black 3," but none of those films hold a candle to the new film, "Looper."

"Looper" tells the story of Joe, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who is one of many specialized killers that execute criminals from the future, and collect the silver sent to them. If a looper has their future self sent as their next target, they have thirty years left to live, before they're put in that place. When Joe gets his future self, played by Bruce Willis, he hesitates, giving the older Joe a chance to get away. Now Present Joe has to find his future self, and either kill him or find out certain info his future self knew. This film is just breathtaking with every moment shown. The depth, mystery, and logic is not only clever, but downright glorious. The elements of time travel done for this film, and doesn't leave as many confusing resolutions as any other time travel film.

The casting works excellent in this movie. Joseph Gordon-Levitt does a fantastic job in this movie, and gave quite possibly the best performance I've seen him give. With what his character does is pretty expected from someone who works with this type of organization. Paul Dano appears in the film as Joe's friend, and he did a fantastic job, despite the screen time he has. Sure, he plays a bit of a smart-aleck, but he has depth in his character. Jeff Daniels plays Joe's boss and leader of the organization, and gives a fantastic performance. In one scene, where he's interrogating someone, he doesn't do the stereotypical thing where he tortures a guy. Instead, he just has a talk with him, and it's all just calm and smart. Definitely one of the most original interrogation scenes I've seen in film. Emily Blunt plays the mother of a child, and delivers a great performance along with the others. All I can say, is that she definitely made up for "The Five-Year Engagement." Bruce Willis as the older Joe was a great choice to play an older Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and how both actors work off playing one in the same. Not only that, but his backstory on how his life was before going back was resonable at times, but it makes you wonder which Joe should you actually root for. And some of the actions that Willis does make you hate him for it, but also makes you feel what Willis felt in the film.

The film was written and directed by Rian Johnson, who also directed "The Brothers Bloom," and "Brick," which is another film starring Gordon-Levitt. With this being his third film and best film, he's marked his place as one of my favorite directors proudly. If any other film of his is planned out soon, then I'll be seeing it the weekend it comes out.

Overall, "Looper" is by far the best time travel film I've seen since "Back to the Future," as well as being a strong contender for best film of the year. It's dramatic, it's action-packed, it has a good western feel to it, and keeps the sci-fi element subtle. If you get a chance, I highly recommend it.

Rating: 10/10