World War Z

I waited for months to see what the hype was about this movie only to discover it’s another Summer Bomb of 2013. Brad Pitt plays a United Nations employee who is involved in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments, and threatening to destroy humanity itself.
How Brad Pitt is chosen to be the one is not clear because his past is not revealed. Mireille Enos from the cable series The Killing plays Brad’s wife and her talents are wasted in this movie. It seems as if most of her best scenes were cut out of the flick.
The fast moving zombies are cool but that’s about it. Most of the flick reminds me of 28 Days Later, which is a better film. So as viewers you are not invested in Brad’s family because we don’t really get to know them. This leads to almost zero intensity. Speaking of intensity Brad just is not cut out to be an action star at this point in his career. You can clearly see that he is not invested compared to Andrew Lincoln in The Walking Dead.

Verdict:

Skip it. It’s not the Blockbuster I expected. Even Brad Pitt fans will be disappointed. So far Iron Man 3 has been the best summer popcorn movie of 2013.

I hope another flick comes out that is more entertaining but there are only so many weeks left.

The Wolf of Wall Street Official Trailer #1 (2013) - Martin Scorsese, Le...

The Man of Steel

I was bored for the first hour and the reason why is because I already know the origin of Superman. I have seen it in every version of Superman ever made. Why show me it again?!? I was sitting waiting for the action scenes which were outstanding. This is the Dark Knight take on Superman so don’t expect tongue in cheek jokes. Superman now flies different (cool turbo acceleration) and screams when he is angry. This movie is a foundation not a Blockbuster. The studio is setting up for a Justice League of America superhero movie similar to The Avengers.

Amy Adams and Lawrence Fishburn were ok as Lois Lane and Perry White but where is Jimmy Olsen?
The great Russell Crowe, who has now taken on supporting roles, fills the role Marlon Brando did in the 80’s as Superman’s father.
We also have that dude from The Bodyguard, Kevin Costner, who Madonna called boring back in the day. Madonna was right; he is boring and just gives a tired performance. Can the movies start portraying fathers who are cool? I freaking hate the stereotype of this tired dad while Diane Lane, who plays his mom, is still vibrant.
The new dude playing Superman is good looking, fit, and can act so he will most likely be in the sequel and not disappear like Brandon Roth. Yeah, Brandon who?

Verdict:
Good start but let’s get new villains and less jibber jabbing in the sequel.
I am still waiting for the Best movie of the summer because this is good but not great.

The Purge

Great trailer! Great premise, but is the worst movie I have seen so far this year.
It’s like The Stepford Wives meet The Hunger Games. Yeah, it sucks!!
A family is held hostage for harboring the target of a murderous syndicate during the Purge, which is a 12-hour period in which any and all crime is legalized. Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey, from Game of Thrones, star as man and wife, but it is the casting of their son which starts all of the chaos that is the only interesting thing in the movie. The boy looks just like Michael Jackson’s son Blanket.


He acts just as weird as Blanket. He does not show any emotion, similar to Blanket, and puts his whole family in jeopardy.

Verdict:
Don't waste your time. I already did it for you. Stupid script, stupid movie! It’s at the top of my list for worst movie of 2013.

The Internship

The boys from Wedding Crashers are back together again but this is not as funny.
This is an underdog story that has been done many times before.
I am a big fan of the pairing of Vaughn and Owen but this script is weak. Will Ferrell makes a cameo appearance, which is now expected in these “frat boy” comedies.
The Internship takes place at Google but you really don’t get to learn much about new technology such as Google glasses which would have been a cool addition.
There are also not too many funny moments. Most of them you have already seen in the trailer. Instead of the Internship they should have done Wedding Crashers part 2 where the guys are still not married and still crashing weddings.

Verdict:
Huge disappointment! These guys still have chemistry and I would like to see them together again with a better script. They should not make the mistake that Will Smith made with Kevin James. They were great in Hitch but they have yet to make another movie together.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire Official Trailer #1 - Jennfier Lawrence,...

Now You See Me

When I first saw the trailer for this movie I thought it would be enjoyable but it turned out to be too slick for it’s own good.

The story is about an FBI agent and an Interpol detective who track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.

Director Louis Leterrier films at a fast pace and casts good looking people so you will not get bored. However he does not give you a chance to learn about the characters so you really don’t understand what makes them take on this adventure.

Isla Fisher from Wedding Crashers and Jesse Eisenberg from Social Network star but are not given enough material to show how good they are as actors.

Verdict:

OK summer escape movie that could have been better. It’s just like Lite Beer.

Fast & Furious 6

FF 5 was great and had awesome action scenes from Director Justin Lin. Now in FF 6 Lin and Letty, Michelle Rodriquez, are back and the focus is on family.

The story is about how The Rock who plays Hobbs, Vin Diesel (Dom) and Paul Walker (Brian) reassemble their crew in order to take down a mastermind who commands an organization of mercenary drivers across 12 countries. Payment? Full pardons for them all.

The is a pure Summer Popcorn movie with unbelievable scenes and over the top scenarios. The studio should roll up the Brinks truck to Justin Lin because he has done 4 of these movies and they have made huge bank. He should do the next one. Yes there will be a FF7, stay for the end credits.

Verdict:

Great summer action movie but not as good as FF5.

The Hangover Part III

Everyone complained that the 2^nd movie was like the first (expect for me because I loved both the 1^st and 2^nd) so now Director Todd Phillips gives you a Three Stooges version of the Wolfpack without them experiencing a hangover?!

The story starts when one of their own is kidnapped by an angry gangster, the Wolf Pack must track down Mr. Chow, who has escaped from prison and is on the lam.

As you watch this movie you can read the face of Bradley Cooper and see that he was not fully engaged in this movie and that he was just collecting a paycheck. The other 2 members of the Wolfpack give it a game effort but not even Melissa McCarthy, from Bridesmaid, in a cameo role, could save this movie.

Verdict:
The movie should have started from the ending scene after the credits. Some people liked it, I didn’t. Maybe I will give it a 2^nd look. This movie will enhance Hangover 2 in the eyes of the people who hated it.

Star Trek Into Darkness

The first reboot of Star Trek with Director JJ Abrams was great. In this follow-up I was not dazzled as I was with the first. Abrams brings back an old nemesis from a Star Trek movie and the actor playing him does not convey a great villain.

The story starts after the crews of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

The first 30 minutes of the movie is predictable with plenty of banter, I found this disappointing but Trekkies will love it. To be honest I was bored but I know many people loved this movie.

Verdict:
OK movie but not as good as Abrams first. I expected more.