Up

Wow, I was completely blown out of my chair as I watched Pixar's fabulous new film, Up.  Up is undoubtedly the most beautiful, touching, truthful, amazing, funny, exciting film of the year.  It is also my favorite movie of the year so far.  With rousing visuals that will astound even the most cynical viewer.  At some parts of the movie I was watching with my mouth open and I said out-loud "WOW," and I didn't even see it in 3-D.  The movie starts off with Carl meeting Ellie who he soon realised is the love of his life.  The film continues with a five minute montage set to music beautifully showing the rise and fall of their marriage without dialogue.  Carl Fredrickson is one of the most endearing animated characters of all time.  Russell, the boy scout could have turned into a Rhino(from Bolt)like performance, instead he is an amazing character and his friendship with Carl is believable and in a way beautiful.  He is infatuated with the wonders of life and adopts many of the creatures he finds along their journey as his own temporary pets.  Their travels are truly epic and the action scenes are of massive proportions.  They are all masterfully choreographed and are breathtaking.  The morals presented in the story don't feel preachy at all.  The film was sending chills down my spine the entire time.  Up is defiantly the must see film of the summer so-far.  Don't judge this move because it's animated and rated PG, it is a movie to be enjoyed by adults and children alike.

Up - 4 out of 4

-Zach

Terminator Salvation

With a director named McG, Terminator Salvation's got to be great, right?
Wrong. Terminator Salvation is an insult to the other 3 movies. The
third movie isn't a gem but this new one makes it look like one.
Christian Bale is horrible in the movie; I know he can act, for proof
see American Psycho. The action sequences are good but they don't
measure up to the ones in the other installments. If you want to see a
good action movie this weekend, I'd suggest you stay home and rent
Terminator 2.

Terminator Salvation - 2 out of 4
-Zach

New Inglorious Basterds Clip

Heres a clip from my most anticipated film of the year, Quentin Tarantino's Inglorious Basterds. This weekend I will review the new Terminator film and will post and early review of Up.

-Zach

Angels & Demons: Quick Review

I'm sorry, I'm busy this week so I don't have time to give a full review of Angels & Demons.  I felt the movie was very well made and directed, I found it very exciting.  I believe this movie is tons better than The Da Vinci Code, and Tom Hanks hair isn't as distracting.  I like the twists and turns the movie took and I felt the main plot was very compelling.  In all Angels & Demons was a worthwhile experience.

News- I saw a screening of The Proposal on Thursday, I'll post a review when the film is closer to release.  Also, I am probably going to a screening of Up this week and I will review that after I see it.  I get my screening tickets from filmmetro.com.

Angels & Demons - 3 out of 4

-Zach

Star Trek: An Early Review!

I was lucky enough to attend an early screening of Star Trek, starring Chris Pine as Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock. Pine gives a fine performance, Quinto is rather one-note though. Eric Bana plays an amazingly well written villain. Leonard Nimoy gives a surprisingly good performance as Spock from another dimension. A great thing about the movie is the accessibility, I have seen approximately two episodes of Star Trek and I completely understood everything that was going on in the movie. I many not know the name of these planets, I may not know what "red matter" is, but I was still invested in all the story lines from start to finish. I usually don't give a plot synopsis, but because this is an early review, I will. The story follows Captain Kirk from his life as a child, to him becoming captain of his own starship. The film doesn't spend a lot of time on Kirk's days in Starfleet Academy, basically he cheated on a test and was put on probation. He later fakes his way on the the USS Enterprise, gets himself kicked off again, meets Spock from another dimension, fakes his way back onto the USS Enterprise and is immediately sent on a mission. He becomes first officer because Captain Pike, knew about his father. As you can see, the plot is pretty average. Once the movie gets passed the Starfleet Academy stuff, its pretty much non-stop, very exciting action. Star Trek is a great start to the summer movie season and can be enjoyed by anyone.
Star Trek will be released this Friday, May 8th.
Star Trek - 3.5 out of 4
-Zach

Tribeca Film Festival: Part 2

The last two movies I saw at the festival were, The Girlfriend Experience and Moon.
The Girlfriend Experience - A Manhattan call-girl, a trip to Vegas, a personal trainer, all these things form the plot of an amazing, stylistic movie called The Girlfriend Experience. The director of the film is the one and only Steven Soderbergh. While doing her call-girl "duties"the main point of discussion is the Economy and the election. At one point the call-girl, Chelsea, and her client at sitting on a balcony in the morning, the client is reading the newspaper and her asks her "So, do you think the bail-out is going to work?" She replies with a no, end of scene. The film is so simple yet there are numerous complexities. Sometimes, the film acts as a slice-of-life style film, such as when Chelsea and her client see Man on Wire and she explains how they both enjoyed the film, the audience sees them walk and talk about the film. Other times, it acts as an plot-based, emotional roller coaster, such as when Chelsea arranges a weekend getaway with her client, which violates the conditions set up by her and her boyfriend intensifying their relationship, when she arrives at the place, her client doesn't show up. The Girlfriend Experience is a fantastic film and is a must-see summer movie.
The Girlfriend Experience will be in limited release, May 22nd.

Moon - Moon is a gripping sci-fi flick about a man serving a 3 year contract, mining for an alternate energy his isolation drives him insane. After an accident on the job, he wakes up in the infirmary and notices he is hallucinating as he sees himself across the medical table. He soon comes to realise this man who looks just like him is not a hallucination. As the plot unfolds a conspiracy is unfolded that will surprise everyone who comes to see the movie. It was influenced by 2001: a Space Odyssey, Alien, and Silent Running, all these influences are evident as the movie goes on. Sam Rockwell gives a fantastic performance. The screenplay is complex and intense. Moon is a must see movie.
Moon will be in limited release, June 12th.
The Girlfriend Experience - 4 out of 4
Moon - 4 out of 4
-Zach