Star Trek

So I managed to go to the world premiere at the Sydney opera house last night. While I will not ruin the film before its release by delivering a shot by shot review here I will say that JJ Abrams is quite possibly the smartest film maker on the planet. Managing to poke fun at some of the sillier aspects of the original series/movies while still being completely respectful, action scenes that easily rival anything in Transformers, and space battles that are breathtaking. Now let me just say that while I do consider myself a big fan of Trek in all its forms, i don't have a uniform hanging in my wardrobe and I cant speak Klingon, but having said that I will say the movie is F###ING AMAZING...!!! Honestly, incredible film, do yourself a favour and see it as soon as it comes out. thanks, the end.
Author: tattooedtool

Twilight

Don't spend your time comparing it to the book. If you just sit there comparing the book and the movie, you'll take the fun out of the movie itself. If you are a book reader, reading Midnight Sun really helps understand Edward's reactions and such. This is the best movie I've seen that has stayed the closest to the book as much as it could. I do understand why they made a few changes to please some of the moviegoers who haven't read the book. It ties things in a different but acceptable way. I loved how they interpreted the book. I understand that it was a teen movie so of course there was a little cheesiness at times. But hey, the book is geared towards a teen audiences regardless of the wide age range that actually reads it. I think Summit did a good job and should make New Moon.
Author: cligutan

Watchmen

Firstly, I have not read the graphic novel. This was deliberate, since I knew there was going to be a movie, and reading any book tends to ruin the movie. I'm sure there are a whole bunch of things in the graphic novel that they left out or changed, and it's hard for those who have read it to imagine how people could understand the subtleties of the story without it. But trust me, the morally complex, multi-layered characters and plot were very well delivered by the movie alone. There was nothing that seemed like it didn't make sense or wasn't quite explained. The movie was just about perfect.

I'm surprised to hear a lot of reviews saying that this is just an action movie for teenage boys; I thought quite the opposite. There was much less action than I expected, the movie centered mostly on emotions and ideas conveyed through dialog, narration and character flashbacks. The action scenes were all fairly short, though when there was action it was delightfully innovative. There were a lot of nasty and unexpected twists like limbs snapping, guts sticking to the ceiling, bones audibly crunching... Every time something violent happened, they made it interesting and shocking rather than recreating the generic ho-hum violence of every other movie. (And there was no obligatory 30-minute-long final action scene culminating in the conclusion of the plot... oh joy! Those get so boring.) Plus, many of the scenes were rather bold for a mainstream film, and showed certain things that are normally hidden off-screen or completely avoided. The only example I feel I can give without spoiling anything is the full frontal male nudity, something that is rather conspicuously hidden in almost every Hollywood movie. This movie isn't concerned about hiding little things like that, just as it isn't concerned about hiding certain subjects that most movies wouldn't show.

This movie definitely isn't for everyone. People expecting another Dark Knight will be disappointed (or, as in my case, thrilled), as this movie is completely unique. People who want an action movie and don't want all that talking and thinking will be disappointed. But to those looking for a long, complicated, deeply moving epic that will really make them think about the very concepts of right, wrong, and heroism (and who haven't read the book, which based on other reviews seems to ruin it): Do NOT miss this movie!
Author: Casey Smith

G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra

I watched this film last night and luckily I had no high expectations. As a fan of the G.I Joe toys when I was a kid (back then they where called Action Force) I had a good idea of the characters and story before hand. I am glad to say this film stayed true to most of the original concepts with a few tweaks for the better here and there.

Go see this film if you want to see a fun action film full of special effects and doesn't take itself too seriously.

Don't go and see this film if you are an uptight, unhappy film critic that spends too much time highlighting plot holes and acting because that's not what this film is about. It's more of a roller-coaster ride. Fast, furious and just fun.
Author: Filmaholic78

The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight is stunning, in every sense the word. Whether you look at the acting, the directing, the writing, or any other aspect of the movie, it's hard to find a weak point.

Nolan returns to do another incredible job at directing, and once again raises the bar for the Batman series. He creates a perfect balance between having The Dark Knight be a drama about the characters in it and an action-packed crime saga.

The acting alone is terrific. Christian Bale is a natural as Bruce Wayne, and also makes the best Batman I've seen yet, and by his side is Michael Caine, who just seems to fit perfectly as Alfred. Maggie Gyllenhaal does quite well as Rachel and Aaron Eckhart pulls off the transformation from Harvey Dent to Two-Face. Gary Oldman playing Gordon deserves an honorable mention. And then there's Heath Ledger, whose performance alone is nothing short of amazing. A few years ago most people would've said that he would be best known for and remembered by his starring role in Brokeback Mountain. Not anymore.

There's a constant internal struggle for Bruce Wayne, who does all he can to keep the difference between himself and Batman, and the difference between what is right and what has to be done. And all the while chaos reigns in the streets of Gotham, compliments of the Joker, who seems to be the one man who can bring down Batman.

All in all, there is nothing disappointing about The Dark Knight. For a movie that's two and a half hours long, there isn't a dull moment. Living up to the expectations and hype seemed impossible for it to do, but somehow The Dark Knight not only does, but surpasses it.
Author: Ak0707

Planet Earth

I don't think I can add anything to the previous 10 out of 10 comments, other than that I'd give it a full 11 out of 10 if this were possible. I have seen my share of nature documentaries, but this takes the cake. Utterly awe-inspiring, mesmerizing and brilliant. I own an extensive DVD-collection, but if I had to choose 1 title and had to throw away everything else I had, this would be the one I'd keep. I have no better DVD-title in my collection. Period.

David Attenborough is my personal hero. Although he merely provides the commentary for this series (as he did with the also terrific Blue Planet), but his work for the BBC's Natural History division (setting it up and making several brilliant series himself) and his inspiring personality make him one of the true greats.

Miss this at your peril.
Author: Robert

300

I somehow missed the hype on this one, and the trailer really didn't excite me, but I got a chance to see an advance screening and the other reviewer here who said "It blew me away" hit the nail right on the head.

I generally hate going to the cinema - preferring to wait until the DVD or HD-DVD are available because I'm fed up of shoddy prints, poor sound systems, ignorant members of the public with their ringing phones, late arrivals, noisy popcorn etc. My home system is so much better. But not for this movie! It needs to be seen on the big screen (preferably an Imax - I'm hoping to catch it a second time on IMAX) with a good sound system. The images are consistently breath-taking, the sound is staggeringly good and note-perfect throughout, and Gerard Butler is barely recognisable as the guy from "Dear Frankie" (a great, under-rated movie) and "Phantom of the Opera".

Highly recommended. I've given it a 9, and I don't think I've given a movie that high a score for over a year (and I average about 6 movies a week). This makes "Gladiator" look like a cheap kid's cartoon.
Author: Ian Smith

The Incredible Hulk

I wasn't really sure if I'd like the movie. Ang Lee's version didn't please me at all. It didn't have enough action and it had far too much dialogue. I had never really been a fan of the Hulk comics, but I did like all the movie adaptations of the Marvel Comics. While I didn't enjoy The Incredible Hulk as much as Iron Man, it's still great fun, and it will definitely make a big profit at the box office, and hopefully more money than the first did.

I also must say the cast is a lot better this time around. Edward Norton is far more convincing as Bruce Banner than Eric Bana was. Liv Tyler does a good job as Betty, Bruce's girlfriend, though I do like Jennifer Connelly a bit more. The supporting cast is also great, and they all deserve to at least be nominated for some awards. My favorite performance is tied between Norton and Tim Roth.

Now, to the special effects. Predictably, they are magnificent. With recent superhero movies, the effects are always brilliant, and they certainly adapted the Hulk character more closely to the original comics from what I've heard. The action scenes are cool and fun to watch, and fans of the comic books will be on the edge of their seat in excitement.

All in all, it's a great movie that comic fans should enjoy, and even if you don't really read them, you'll still like the movie, as I did. While it's not my favorite superhero movie, it is a whole lot better than Ang Lee's version, and a fun time at the theater.
Author: femaleanimefan

Indiana Jones Kingdom of Crystal Skull

After a long nineteen year wait, Indiana Jones is back on the big screen hamming it up and continuing his search for rare and wild artifacts that could seriously take someone's life away. This film has Jones in the late 1950s fighting against the Soviets in order to obtain a crystal skull found in Peru which they believe will give them absolute knowledge over all other countries. Without telling the spoilers, it is important to state right here and now that this is definitely the weakest written of the four films. It simply doesn't give the magic and suspense that Raiders was able to throughout the entire running time. Of course the acting is good with Harrison Ford looking as good as ever and Karen Allen and Shia Labeouf supporting him well. The directing by Steven Spielberg is solid as we get some nice chase scenes and the pace is just fine. Still, it's that script that is giving me winces of pain as I watch this film. Of course, you shouldn't go into this thinking it was going to be as good or better than Raiders or the Last Crusade. I didn't expect too much and that is exactly what I got; not too much but enough to recommend for all fans of the original three to see. Are the first three the best? Of course. Should they have made this fourth one? Probably not. Still, if you are a fan, it doesn't hurt too much to see Indy crack the whip one more time.
Author: bobsgrock

Godfather Trilogy

This Blu-ray edition of The Godfather Collection is perhaps the most impressive set ever released on home video. Sure, other collections may have offered more supplemental features, more movies, and many have offered audio and video qualities that present to viewers and listeners that "modern" high definition experience, and all of that is absolutely wonderful. However, no other collection can boast three all-time classic films, so painstakingly restored and presented exactly as they should be, in line with the original theatrical presentations, beginning back on March 24, 1972, and spanning some 18 and a half years.

Now, almost 18 more years after the third installment of the series first screened in theaters, The Godfather Collection is available to own in a package that director Francis Ford Coppola closely supervised during the year-long restoration; we can watch this new Blu-ray edition with the high expectation that the director himself has issued it with his own recommendation as to the presentation's quality.

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