Reviews

Les Misérables is a musical, and my first time actually watching a musical, set in 19th-century France. Jean Valjean(Hugh Jackman), who for decades has been hunted by the ruthless policeman Javert,(Russel Crowe) after he breaks parole, agrees to care for factory worker Fantine's(Anne Hathaway) daughter, Cosette(Isabelle Allen/Amanda Seyfried). I have to admit, I wasn't expecting to enjoy a musical but this film re-enforced that you can't fully enjoy a movie with an open mind. Enough about me, onto the movie.

This is an all star cast and these are some top notch performances especially by Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway, Eddie Redmayne, Russel Crowe and Samantha Barks(Who surprised me, for some reason I was very impressed with her role). Anne Hathaway's riveting performance as Fantine completely captivated me, every second she was on camera with such raw emotion and brilliance - I was blown away. Hugh Jackman was phenomenal as well with his leading role, a very commanding performance and again, with great emotion. They each sang with such passion and intensity. I was highly impressed with each and every actor's performance in this film.

I also really enjoyed how each theme - Dream. Hope. Love and Fight were incorporated into the storyline and brilliantly brought to life. Fantine's DREAM for Cosette brought to life because of Jean's HOPE for a better future and the LOVE and FIGHT of Marius. The songs were written well to suit each character. I loved the costumes and the fact this this movie wasn't made out to be too glamorous so that it would keep the real feel of what the characters were going through at the time.

I was really impressed with this film and I enjoyed its as a real emotional roller-coaster. Les Misérables is a must see for anyone who is interested in a truly exceptional film.

Ever since I first saw the trailer for Zero Dark Thirty I knew that I would want to see it and with all the Oscar buzz I made time to watch this film and it certainly didn't disappoint.

The main thing I loved about this film was the intensity that it built up especially toward the end and the fact that you feel every bit of emotion Maya, played brilliantly by Jessica Chastain and the rest of her team are feeling. While the entire movie is centered around Maya, the supporting cast does very well with their time on screen as well. The reason Jessica Chastain's performance as Maya is being praised is because of her sheer determination and confidence but yet subtlety to find and kill Al Qaeda terrorist - Osama Bin Laden, every ounce of frustration, hope, disappointment is showcased brilliantly.

The film's director, Oscar winner, Kathryn Bigelow has done as exceptional job with this film. The criticizing of the torture scenes is not necessary as they give a greater sense of reality to the film as it not a typical glamorous and polished Hollywood film. I would say this is more of a time line/sequenced film as it takes you through the efforts of the people who have been hunting Bin Laden however that doesn't mean there is no plot.The last hour of the film is by far the most suspenseful and I was highly impressed with the raw feel of this entire film.

Is this film Oscar worthy? Yes! I would highly recommend this movie, make some time and go witness "The Greatest Manhunt of History."

"Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds ever be in your favor!"

Recently I got some time and decided to read The Hunger Games. I must say, Suzanne Collins' novel was ingenious and I found myself not wanting to put the book down. I finished the book in 3 days then went on to watch the movie, here are my thoughts.

Jennifer Lawrence plays Katniss and I must say, she embodied the character so well as her performance was strong and captivating. If it was one thing that was adapted perfectly it was bringing Katniss to life with this great actress. Woody Harrelson who plays Haymitch, a drunk who was a former winner of The Hunger Games nailed his role! He was spot on and did a great job with the role. Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket, Liam Hemsworth as Gale, Willow Shields as Prim, Amandla Stenberg as Rue and Alexander Ludwig as Cato, all did excellent jobs with their roles.

However I'm not sure where I stand with Josh Hutcherson. The love-struck Peeta from the book did not transfer across in the film. For instance, in the book Peeta and Katniss kissed at least 5 times and were so much more romantic in the book than in the movie. He did a good job with the role but I think he could have done better. For those who have read the book you would have noticed that certain details were not included and the ending wasn't exactly the same. However the scenes that were vital in the book as well as the imagery - The awe of the Capitol in contrast with the poverty of the Districts - was so well done.

All in all I enjoyed this film and would highly recommend it to anyone who wants to see a movie about hope because "Hope. It is the only thing stronger than fear."

In 2002, Sam Raimi brought us Spider-Man and 10 years later Marc Webb gives us The Amazing Spider-Man, and that's what the film is - Amazing.

Peter Parker (Garfield)was abandoned by his parents as a boy and raised by his Uncle Ben (Sheen) and Aunt May (Field). Peter is also finding his way with his first high school crush, Gwen Stacy (Stone). As Peter discovers a mysterious briefcase that belonged to his father, he begins a quest to understand his parents' disappearance - leading him directly to Oscorp and the lab of Dr. Curt Connors (Ifans), his father's former partner. As Spider-Man is set on a collision course with Connors' alter- ego, The Lizard.

Andrew Garfield is perfect for the role of Peter Parker and does a better job with the character than his predecessor, Tobey Maguire. He adds more emotion to the character. It is amazing to see his journey and see his character evolve. His goofy and shy personality contrasts well with the intensity he brings to Spider-Man.

Emma Stone plays Gwen Stacy, the love interest, daughter of Captain Stacy(head of police) and intern for Dr Curt Conners. The chemistry between Garfield and Stone is adorable and its very fun to watch to couple's love story unfold. Gwen is more than a damsel in distress as opposed to Mary Jane from the past movies. Her role is quite crucial in the movie and Emma Stone was a prefect choice.

Rhys Ifans plays Dr. Curt Conners, the antagonist of the film, and the alter ego - The Lizard. His life's work as a Biologist studying gene mutations quickly becomes his downfall as what he thought was a cure led to his demise. Ifans is a very satisfying villain and does a great job with the role.

I'm not a huge Spider-Man fan but this movie managed to persuade me. I recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the character or in the mood for a good hero movie.With these young talents, strong performances by the cast, great special effects, a well written and well directed film, The Amazing Spider-Man is truly... Amazing.

Mila Kunis, Mark Wahlberg and Seth McFarlane, just from knowing that I knew that I had to see Ted.

This film is the epitome of hilarious, I laughed from beginning to end and I'm sure you will too, as long as you aren't easily offended. Mila and Mark have good chemistry and their performances were very strong. Seth McFarlane's wit and sarcasm was evident in the script and the crude humor of Family Guy was present throughout the film. I won't recommend this film for anyone under 13 however adults will thoroughly enjoy the movie. The plot is basic, nothing phenomenal but the humor and wit along with the cast makes this movie just plain old fun.

I don't want to spoil anything but there are a few cameo appearances from celebrities such as Norah Jones and Ryan Reynolds as well as several cross references to pop culture for humor. If you're in the mood for a great and hearty laugh, Ted is definitely the movie for you.

Lisa(Rachel McAdams) is on the Red Eye flight to visit her Dad(Brian Cox) however when she meets Ripner(Cillian Murphy), she realizes that this might be the longest flight of her life.

Wes Craven certainly doesn't disappoint with this 85 minute thriller. The movie starts off with the airport encounter where Lisa meets Ripnern and then they end up sitting next to each other on the plane; all is well until takeoff.The atmosphere quickly changes to an extremely intense one and the movie gets more interesting from that point on.

The performances were solid, McAdams and Murphy did excellent jobs playing the "damsel in distress" and "villian" respectively. The music was simple, though there was not much it helped create the atmosphere of intensity and thrills. The script was well written based off the interesting plot and I liked that the movie had good character development, as the audience we all took keen interest in the main characters.

Simple and effective are the words to describe this thriller. Hats off to Wes Craven for another job well done!

Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows is a one of the rare sequels I enjoyed just as much as the original, if not, even more.

Holmes(Robert Downey Jr) and Watson(Jude Law) re-unite to face their rival, Professor Moriarty who Holmes describes as "The Napoleon of Crime". The movie started strong, kept a good pace and had quite and intense ending.The performances are all solid from each cast member and this sequel is more humorous than the first movie which made it more enjoyable. The script was well written and Holmes, as usual, was quite witty and quick. I also enjoyed the visual effects and music in the movie. Hats off to Guy Ritchie and Hans Zimmer on a job well done. Just like the first movie, the mind games continue however in this movie, Holmes is challenged by the Professor, to avoid spoilers I will just say this:

Professor Moriarty: Are you sure you want to play this game? Sherlock Holmes: I'm afraid you'd lose.

Sherlock Holmes: A Game Of Shadows is a clever, enjoyable and action packed movie, just as well done as its predecessor. This movie will not disappoint.

Bridesmaids is an extremely crude movie revolving around the life of Annie(Kristen Wiig)after being selected as the Maid Of Honor by her best friend Lillian(Maya Rudolph) however when Annie meets Helen(Rose Byrne), competition ensues between the two and we see Annie's life begin to take a turn for the worst.

The movie honestly has a good cast, I was very impressed with the performances especially Megan(Melissa McCarthy) who was the highlight of the movie for me, she is hilarious and brought a really good energy to the cast. My only critique for the acting is Kristen Wiig, she seems like a bland actress to me, maybe it was just her character but she put me off for most of the movie. Lillian was a little boring but the rest of the cast did good jobs with their roles.

There were parts of this movie that had you laughing so hard, most of which was because of Megan and the movies kept a good pace also. The script I thought was well written, the plot was creative and entertaining though a little predictable and the casting was excellent I just wasn't really drawn to any of the characters and that made the movie lack emotional depth.

Aside from the movie's predictability and the lack of being drawn to the characters, Bridesmaids is funny and had solid performances from the cast. If you're in the mood for a comedy,check it out

The Help is set in the 1960's where colored people had little to no rights and mainly focuses on the colored maids working for the "white" people.I didn't really want to see the movie but it got great reviews so I decided to check it out. I must say this movie was quite touching and very well done.

The cast is excellent with award worthy performances from Viola Davis, Emma Stone and Octavia Spencer - the main cast. The acting was amazing and there was great chemistry among the respectful classes of people in the film ( the whites and the blacks).

The script was well written and I love the balance of comedy and drama. There are some intense scenes however the comedy makes the movie more enjoyable rather than just a movie to make you feel sad all the way through. There was a perfects balance there and I loved that. The film also took you on a roller-coaster of emotions. Sometimes you were sad, extremely happy, angry or laughing. Its also one of those movies that can hold your interest from beginning to end.

With great performances, a brilliant script and a film so touching and inspiring, The Help is definitely a must-see!

Shark Night 3D has a simple plot and its nothing we haven't seen before - college students on a deserted island with shark infested waters.

This movie has a very predictable plot and very little character development even on the main characters which doesn't make you feel anything when a character dies. You can guess how the sharks got in the water way before the movie is even half over, which completely killed some of the fun.

If the plot doesn't make you iffy then you would look at the cast, most of whose names many of us have never heard of. The only really good performance in this movie was from Dustin Milligan, his acting was solid.

The movie was just to un-realistic for my liking. For instance, sharks don't leap out of the water often nor do they attack every human being. On top of that the movie's shark kill scenes are basically screaming and bloody water, there is little to no gore. The 3D was good when underwater but otherwise it did nothing for the movie.The movie isn't even a horror, there are just moments of suspense before the kill and that's it.The 3D was used well in some parts but for the majority of the movie it was not necessary.

So if you're in the mood for half-naked college students, some suspense and blood and a movie with a predictable plot, Shark Night 3D is the movie for you! Otherwise, you should pass on this one.

Final Destination 5 has the typical Final Destination plot - Survivors of an incident that are supposed to be dead now have death coming to restore order.

The film starts off decently, the character introductions and in this movie we get a little bit of character development which was nice, its rarely done in horrors but I think in any movie it should be done! However we could have gotten more story behind the characters.

As this is the fifth installment, for consistency the script,acting and plot must be interesting to ensure that its not something we have seen four times already. The acting was nothing spectacular but it was solid and I think the plot and script were good also.

In a way this movie was different but at the end of it all, there is nothing really that makes it stand out. Sure there is a twist at the end and it makes the movie more interesting but the first hour of the movie is nothing really new.

All in all, fans of this series will definitely enjoy this film and for those who are in the mood for a horror flick, check this film out.

If you love Glee and wanna see the stars in their element, then this is definitely a movie for the gleeks!

The stars performed some of their greatest hits while showcasing the real life stories of 3 very big Glee fans. The stories are quite touching and the songs performed by the cast are so enjoyable. We also get a sneak peek of the cast backstage and special appearance by Holly Holiday(Gwyneth Paltrow).

Normally a concert movie in 3D would misuse 3D however this film is different, it used 3D well and it definitely added to the experience of the movie.

This is definitely just a fun movie where all the gleeks can go enjoy the songs, sing along and feel the true concert experience!

Captain America Stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers who volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into the American superhero, Captain America.

I should start off by saying it was an enjoyable film but I expected more.

The film starts up well and has a pretty simple plot - The hero must defeat the villain to save the world. The acting was pretty solid and I enjoyed watching the movie as the plot unfolded. The music was well chosen but I think a better job could have been done with the script. Chris Evans pretty much carried the movie and did a good job at it which was pretty much the movie's highlight.

With impressive action sequences, a budding romance and the superhero stereotype plot (Hero vs Villain) you have yourself - Captain America. An enjoyable superhero flick but nothing more.

Black Swan starts Natalie Portman as Nina, a ballerina in a New York City ballet company whose life is dance. The new season opens with the director, Thomas Leroy's(Vincent Cassel) version for which he must replace Beth(Winona Ryder), the prima ballerina. Nina is the first choice however a new dancer, Lily(Mila Kunis) is quite the competition. Swan Lake has 2 sides, The White Swan which Nina is perfect for and the Black Swan which Lily's personification fits. It is here Nina's obsession with perfection could lead to her destruction.

There are so many reasons why I love this movie. First off is Natalie Portman's breathtaking portrayal of Nina. To see Natalie's perfection of the character Nina's extreme transformation is phenomenal.You really want to root for Nina. This is also Mila Kunis' big break as her portrayal of the "frenemy", Lily with which she does an amazing job. Cassel,Ryder and Hershey do fantastic jobs with their roles as well.

The script was so well written and its execution was fantastic! I love the fact that this movie plays with your mind and is so intense. The "Did that really happen?" aspect of the movie was executed so well. The movie's sensuality in comparison to performance was genius! Also the music and sound for the movie were perfect!

The thing I love most about this movie is the fact that there are so many questions and possibilities! People watch the movie but each person might get a different interpretation of it. Was Lily a friend or enemy? Did Nina imagine the entire thing? and more.

I honestly cannot fault Black Swan. Its is Pure Genius and The Best Movie of 2010 for me and will forever be one of my favorites.

Nick(Jason Bateman), Dale(Charlie Day) and Kurt(Jason Sudeikis) drunkenly and hypothetically discuss how to kill their bosses, and before they know it, they've hired a murder consultant to help them pull off the three deeds.

Horrible Bosses is, first off, very original. I love the plot and when we see how horrible these bosses really are, we find ourselves hoping Nick,Dale and Kurt can pull off the job. The Bosses, Dave(Kevin Spacey), Julia(Jennifer Aniston) and Pellitt(Colin Farrel) are described as a Psycho,Maneater and Tool respectively - and those are very accurate!

The cast is amazing, I love them all and the acting is very well done.The script was well written and I think this movie was just good fun. Personally there was a little unnecessary cursing at time and it wasn't as funny as i expected but i enjoyed it and I think anyone who watches it will enjoy it also.

7/10

Constantly overshadowed by the chivalrous actions of his brother Prince Fabious (James Franco), disgruntled scoundrel Thadeous (Danny McBride) vents his frustrations by blundering simple assignments, indulging in too many spirits, and berating his aide Courtney (Rasmus Hardiker). But when Fabious' new bride Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel) is kidnapped by the evil sorcerer Leezar (Justin Theroux), Thadeous is forced to tag along on his very first quest. Encountering wise wizards, ruthless jungle savages, and the fiercely driven warrior girl Isabel (Natalie Portman), Thadeous must learn to play the role of a valiant knight - and when Fabious is captured by Leezar, the bumbling prince might just become a hero.

I must start off by saying it was the cast that drew me to this movie. Natalie Portman and James Franco both fresh off the Oscars, Danny McBride who is hilarious as well as Zooey Deschanel and Justin Theroux. However if there was ever a movie that could pair these actors with a horrid script - it is this movie!

First off, the jokes are not funny! They are rather disturbing and rude making them inappropriate. Most of the jokes in the movie are like this which makes it not funny.

The plot was alright, Thadeous falling in love with Belladonna and him having to rescue her however...why was she kidnapped? She is kidnapped because Leezar needs a virgin to have a dragon child with....Come on! That's a bit ridiculous!

I wish I could say I loved this movie but I didn't. Despite the good cast and good acting that is pretty much all the movie had going for it. Script was horrid,jokes were not funny and plot was a bit stupid.

4/10

Friends With Benefits can be described as the relationship where friends have sex to avoid the emotions and drama of dating. Dylan(Justin Timberlake) and Jamie(Mila Kunis) are Friends With Benefits, the question is... How long can they last with the emotions?

The opening sqeuence of this movie was one of my favorite parts, it was very well done.Also there is no denying that the cast for this movie is great! Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis have such great chemistry and I must say they played their roles so well and with great emotion. I am fans of them both but I think Mila really shined in this movie.

The script and plot were very good and there were times you would second guess yourself as to knowing how the movie would end which is great because the movie was not very predictable! On top of that, the movie was super funny and quite raunchy however it didn't step over the line to make it uncomfortable or disturbing.It was just enough.

All in all with a great cast,good script and committed acting...Friends With Benefits is the PERFECT summer romance/comedy movie!

10/10

I was never a big Twilight fan but I decided to give it a chance and I must say it wasn't that much of a disappointment.

The big problem with this movie is the acting and cast! Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson have such awkward acting habits and I think they could have brought such emotion to the characters but didn't. Robert looks like if he is sick at times and Kristen lacks emotion and has awkward gestures that quickly blacklist them as bad actors.

The script and plot are good however the movie is so slow at the beginning, it is easy to lose interest. The movie only gets a little interesting around the halfway point and even then it doesn't hold you that strongly.

All in all this movie could have been a lot better. I love the storyline and plot but poor casting,bad acting and lack of interest can really kill a movie.

5/10

Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston star in "Just Go With It." A movie where Danny (Adam Sandler) must engage Katherine (Jennifer Aniston), his faithful assistant, to pretend to be his soon to be ex-wife. Danny must pretend that he is married, because he lied to his dream girl, Palmer (Brooklyn Decker) the most gorgeous woman in the world. To keep the woman he loves, covering up one lie soon turns into many lies.

First off, I love the cast! Sandler,Aniston,Decker,Kidman and Swardson are the dream team comedy cast. The script was filled with humor that they carried out so well. There are scenes where you will laugh so hard that you may get trouble breathing or laugh till you cry.

Secondly, while the plot is predictable, watching them as the movie progresses is definitely fun! The movie also gets interesting when Devlin(Nicole Kidman) is introduced. I also must say Nick Swardson was extremely funny! Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler had good chemistry and after all the lies that they told, they eventually discover the truth.

I laughed so much for this movie and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I recommend it to anyone who is in the mood for a good comedy.

Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows:Part 2 is the final installment of the Harry Potter Series. I was so excited to see it and had high expectations, as usual these expectations were met. The movie kicks off right where Part 1 ended and there is an intense atmosphere from the very beginning as Harry and his friends know what must happen. There are lots of emotions running throughout this movie as an avid fan would feel for each character as the story unfolds. The effects are great! The 3D didn't really add much however it didn't take anything away either. The music and sound is superb as usual. The script was well written and the acting was great. When you grow up loving Harry Potter, this is the kind of ending you expect to see and I must say David Yates did a phenomenal job! Its intense, it emotional and it sure is thrilling which makes this movie the Perfect Ending.

10/10

The Hangover 2 is the sequel to one of the most successful comedies of our generation, The Hangover.We fell in love with 4 characters - Doug,Stu,Phil and Alan, all of which returned for the sequel. This time around the gang is in Bangkok for Stu's wedding, and again, the guys have a crazy night becoming Hungover....again.

I enjoyed this movie, the plot was similar to the first however there were lots of times you would go "Oh my gosh!" then end up laughing,which is great! However one thing annoyed me, and that was Alan. He is a lot more immature and he is a lot more annoying in this movie than the first. Zach Galifianakis'recent film, Due Date was another example of how irritating his character can be and it ruined the movie for me a little.

However if you loved the original you will love the sequel! It is not disappointing, it is a good sequel however if there ever is a third movie, let's not make Zach that annoying.

Cars 2 is the sequel to Pixar's Academy Award nominated film, Cars. This film is centred around Mater, not McQueen but Mater who is a rusty tow truck with a lovable personality. The movie's basic plot is Mater being mistaken for a spy while accompanying McQueen throughout the World Grand Prix races.

First off, I think the movie lacked the ability for the audience to be emotionally attached to the characters, therefore there was not any great character development. Everything we knew and loved about the characters was not furthered but rather left at how it was in the first film. Luckily, they have built a strong foundation.

The film's plot was good but could have been better. Spy Cars could have been a good name for the movie. Its creative however a bit silly at times. It wasn't very predictable but the ending is something you would have thought of possibly happening, which ruins movies for me.

However the animation is amazing and it is a very enjoyable film for what it is - an animated spy movie involving cars. All in all I enjoyed the movie but I expected more from it, especially in the emotional aspects.

Good job Pixar but your standards are slowly dropping.

6/10

I am a fan of the Transformers movies so when the third one was announced I was pretty excited for it and the trailer looked promising.....as the all do. The movie starts off rather interesting with Sam's new love interest, Carly(Rosie Huntington-Whitely) and I must say that she is a big improvement from Megan Fox, she brings sex appeal and class to her character which I love! Back to the movie... The plot revolves around an ark that crashed on the moon and Apollo 11 being used as a cover to investigate it however the deceptagons want to use it to bring Cybertron to earth and make it their home, and the auto bots must stop them. I will commend Spielberg and Bay on their great work on the effects and use of 3D, it was really a good action flick however, to me, that is all the movie ended up being. For 2 and a half hours I sat there knowing what would come next and instead of feeling sympathy for some characters I found myself waiting for this movie to be over. The script was OK, I think it could have used some more dialogue and the fades annoyed me. Good acting, good plot, great effects but not enough depth to hold you into wanting to see how it ends but rather dragging it out and having certain parts predictable. Wanna see a good action 3D movie? This is for you. Looking for a memorable and amazing movie? Keep looking....

I saw the trailer for Scream 4 and thought....hmm OK it looks good and that fact that they are trying up and coming actors...might be good for it so I didn't really go for high expectations, Like others I tought it was just another re-make. WRONG! This movie was intense from the very first 5 minutes! I was very impressed with the acting I didn't think some of the actors and actresses were ready for it but I was so wrong. The plot was great, I liked the twists and Wes Craven never disappoints for an amazing suspense movie.But Scream 4 can make you go from your heart racing from the suspense to making you laugh...a lot! All in all Scream 4 was a great movie and if you like horrors and suspense and thrillers then this movie is definitely one to see!

I expected No Strings Attached to be a raunchy/romantic comedy and it was really good as that. I love Natalie Portman's versatility as she just did Black Swan and seeing her do well in this makes me a fan of her and I respect her a lot. This is Ashton Kutcher's "home ground" and he did good also. The movie had it fair share of laughs, it wasn't hilarious or fall off your chair laughing funny but it was funny. I enjoyed the story lines behind each of the characters, it was nice to watch as each unfolds however the movie is a bit predictable which I didn't really like. This quote stayed with me from the movie: "We don't pick who we fall in love with and it never happens like it should" and it pretty much sums up this movie All in all,if you like the cast and in the mood for a romantic comedy then this is the movie for you!