Super short ranting time!

So lately we've gotten some decent to amazing films that are just overall good, but I've noticed something worrying. Every year there's more bad movies than good, and that ratio is steadily climbing.

Don't get me wrong, there are a few awesome films making their way to theaters at some point or another this year (Star Trek, Man of Steel, the next Hobbit, Iron Man 3), but as you've noticed, all those movies are based off of something or another.

What happens when the source material is tapped dry? Will film makers end up making reboots of reboots of reboots of adaptations? It's happened already with Batman as well as Spider-man, so I'm confident it will keep happening more and more often.

Hopefully there are still a few original films that come out, but I'm starting to doubt that.

Koji Shiraishi, pick up the pace, we need better horror films. The same goes to you guys too Rob Zombie, Ang Lee, and David Fincher.

Warm Bodies!

Warm Bodies:

Story:

R, a zombie in the post-apocalyptic United States of America, falls in love with a human and realizes that love is the cure to the zombie virus.

Review:

First off, no sarcasm intended with that story summary, as that is actually what happens. I liked Warm Bodies. It's a very odd and very romantic film, though the nearly necrophiliac themes were slightly uncomfortable.

What I liked the most:

1. For once, a unique story.

There aren't many zombie films that try to have a unique story. Most of the time zombie films are about survival of the fittest and shooting the undead in the head.

This one actually had some slight Romeo & Juliet influence that was very evident. A zombie falling in love with a human, while both groups are opposed to each other. It was a pleasing change from the typical zombie horror stories that are usually generated.

2. Comical soundtrack.

Soundtracks are necessary for any and every film. Les Miserables needed the soundtrack because it told the story, Pixar films need to sound like Randy Newman is singing about the characters, and any slasher film in general needs to have some scary suspenseful music with the outro being either metal or hard rock.

Warm Bodies has a comical soundtrack, used to make light of the serious setting and make some scenes humorous instead of intense.

3. The main character.

R is a zombie, but not just any ordinary zombie. He is a zombie that has thoughts and emotions. He's a humorous zombie.

Again, something not scene often in the zombie horror genre.

Who I recommend Warm Bodies to:

Oddly enough, romantic comedy types will enjoy this one, same with those who like zombies in general. Zombie horror enthusiasts will probably hate Warm Bodies if they watch it.

Bullet to Stallone's saggy-vein head, as well as that movie with the British Vin Diesel

Bullet to the Head:

Story:

When his partner is brutally killed, a hitman goes on a killing spree to get revenge on those who wronged him.

Review:

While Bullet to the Head isn't one of Stallone's better movies, it certainly does have its moments. Humor is mixed in with the endless amount of blood and fists that mix together to create Bullet to the Head.

What I liked the most:

1. The action.

Nothing defines an action movie quite like, well, the action. And the action in Bullet to the Head is pretty awesome. Fist fights are raw and intense and gun fights have near endless amounts of blood. Very entertaining.

2. The humour.

There is some true raw humour in Bullet to the Head, which helped lighten the tension in some scenes. Some offensive humour, and some less-offensive, but overall great.

3. Stallone.

While his slurred speech is starting to become an irritation to listen to, Stallone is at the top of his game. He's aggressively badass yet human at the same time. Basically staying true to Stallone form.

What I like the least:

1. Stallone's slurred speech.

I know this should be more of a personal dislike than a movie-oriented dislike, but I can't take an actor seriously when he sounds like he's drunk in every scene. That is possibly the most annoying part of the whole movie.

2. Plot pacing.

This is becoming a serious problem in action movies, when the directors and writers just decide to throw everything in with no regards to pacing. Everything seemed scattered and all over the place. The story was linear, but it kept spontaneously going from fast to slow to fast to slow.

Who I recommend Bullet to the Head to:

Anyone who likes action films.

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Parker:

Story:

After a robbery goes awry, a professional thief is left for dead on the side of the road. Seeking retribution, he goes after the group that cut him off of his profits.

Review:

Finally a Jason Statham movie where Jason Statham isn't always Jason Statham! This is also one of those films that's actually more than the trailer implies.

What I liked the most:

1. Jason Statham's non-Jason Statham-ness.

Statham has a very limited acting range, as one sees from a lot of his movies, so it was refreshing to finally watch a movie where he changes his style just a bit, and goes outside of his range even if it's just for a few mere moments.

2. Every actor/actresses other than Jennifer Lopez performance:

I know J.Lo was going through a rough patch during the filming, but every other actor outdid her performance. Even Michael Chiklis, and I'm not a big fan of Chiklis' 'acting'.

What I liked the least:

1. The story.

Even with some eccentric characters, the story was just a bit too typical for my tastes. Sure, there were moments when it shined, but there weren't a lot.

2. Jennifer Lopez:

Again, I know she was going through a rough time, but she's been an actress for long enough that she should be able to put aside her personal life long enough to make it through filming a movie. It was disappointing since she's been a good actress in previous films.

Who I recommend Parker to:

If you like action movies that aren't dumb but aren't too intelligent to be a run-of-the-mill action film, then Parker is the movie for you. Jason Statham does a really good job in this one.

OH JEEZ IT'S A not creepy ghost o.o

Mama:

Story:

A young couple takes custody of two children, only to discover the wrath of the vengeful ghost that unofficially adopted them.

Review:

I had high hopes for Mama. I really did. Director Andres Muschietti was assisted by Guillermo Del Toro during the making of Mama. Del Toro, as in, the guy who directed Pan's Labyrinth, the Hellboy movies, and Cronos. But unfortunately such high hopes were thrown off a cliff and dashed into the rocks.

What I liked the most:

1. Unintended humor.

The children are supposed to be creepy little barbarians, but they really don't do much other than add unintentional humor to Mama. They're creepy for a span of two minutes, then they become unintended comic relief.

2. Jessica Chastain's portrayal of someone not hunting Osama Bin Laden.

Jessica Chastain could possibly be one of the better actresses out in the field, and it definitely shows in Mama. She knows how to act and how to amplify the emotions her character shows.

What I liked the least:

1. The weakly done attempt to copy Tim Burton's directing style for the ending.

Tim Burton is a great director, and he knows how to make an ending for a film both beautiful and creepy (Corpse Bride, anyone?). Unfortunately he's not directing Mama. The antagonist looks like she came straight out of a Tim Burton movie, and the track for the ending sounds like a Danny Elfman composed track, but there is one problem with all of this:

It's not Tim Burton directing Mama (and Danny Elfman didn't compose the score for this movie).

As such, the ending is a lot weaker than it could have been, and there's no actual concrete conclusion to the story.

2. The other actors.

Jessica Chastain is the only person who does a great job in Mama. The other actors were more hit and miss, most of the time landing on the miss side of their respective fields.

3. The typical psychiatrist.

Of all the things I didn't expect, the psychiatrist was one of them. You'll get deja vu when his character is introduced because almost every other horror film that involves ghosts has a psychiatrist in it. There was no point in him being there.

Who I recommend Mama to:

Well, if you were disappointed by the lackluster The Apparition or House At The End Of The Street, then you might like Mama. It wasn't a complete waste of time, plus the unintended humor is good for later inside jokes (Chop chop).

Two reviews! Gangster Squad and Cronos

Gangster Squad:

Story:

A group of cops is assembled to wage war on Mickey Cohen, a mobster from Chicago hellbent on taking over Los Angeles.

Reviews:

It certainly isn't an amazing cop vs. gangster movie, but Gangster Squad does a good job regardless. Some underwhelming performances and sloppy editing prevented Gangster Squad from being awesome.

What I liked the most:

1. The humour.

Whether it's not-so-subtle moments of racism, alcohol, or other topics, there's usually a moment in Gangster Squad where there are bits of humour to balance out the bits of violence.

2. The violence.

While not quite on the same level as a Tarantino movie, there is still a lot of violence, most of which is very well done. A lot of movies just use bland, generic violence, while Gangster Squad managed to make the violence a part of the movie.

3. The story.

While Gangster Squad is slightly based on a true story, it takes a lot of creative liberties from that story and ends up making a movie that is true to character and unique from the source material.

What I liked the least:

1. Emma Stone's lack of performance, and Sean Penn's overdone performance.

Emma Stone's hot, I think anyone can agree that she is hot, but just being hot isn't enough to do a good job in portraying a character in a movie. Her lack of emotions throughout the film don't really help her any; Yes, we get that she is sad in that scene, or afraid in that other scene, but we don't see it.

Sean Penn on the other hand, does perhaps too much for his role. He gets the mobster part down perfectly, but he is too evil sometimes.

2. The editing ruins the pacing for the plot.

Rapid scene switches can sometimes be used to good effect, but for Gangster Squad, that isn't the case. You'll be watching a violent scene and then all of a sudden SWITCH peaceful moment. No gradual transition or anything. As such, the pacing alternates from slow to fast on a bipolar rate.

Who I recommend Gangster Squad to:

Anyone who likes Mafia films. This is a good movie, and despite its flaws was overall entertaining to watch.

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Cronos:

Story:

An ancient device that gives immortality to its owner is found, creating a trail of destruction.

Review:

Leave it to Guillermo Del Toro to deliver an amazing movie like he always does. Cronos was an excellent film that is creepy, suspenseful, and emotional.

What I liked:

1. Everything.

From the story, to the creepily amazing performance by Ron Perlman (known to most of us as Hellboy), to countless other moments in Cronos, to the soundtrack, everything is brilliant.

What I liked the least:

1. Nothing.

Everything was well done. I can't honestly think of anything that I disliked or liked the least.

Who I recommend Cronos to:

To people who like pushing their minds a bit when watching a movie. Cronos is a thinking person's movie. It's an old movie, but it's an excellent movie all the same.

Respect women's rights, or their redneck chainsaw wielding cousins will come after you

Texas Chainsaw 3D:

Story:

Heather Sawyer inherits her grandmother's estate. What she doesn't know is that her cousin, an aggressively hostile man, is living in the basement.

Review:

What do you get when you combine a decade spanning franchise with a prequel-esque storyline? A movie that outsells The Hobbit in America. Odd, though, that such a poorly written, poorly acted, and overall poorly conceived movie is doing so well.

If you expect me to say, "just kidding," you will be sorely disappointed.

What I liked:

1. Accidental/intentional exploitation of rednecks as comic relief.

The one thing I can appreciate about any movie is taking something funny and making it outright amusing. For a movie that is roughly an hour and a half, Texas Chainsaw does provide some pretty good humour at the expense of rednecks all around the United States of America. You can basically tell this movie was made by a democratic American.

What I didn't like:

1. Everything else.

The soundtrack is cheesy, the script was more or less typically horrible 90's slasher dialogue, Leatherface isn't as scary as he was in the other films, and who decided that casting Alexandra Daddario as the protagonist was a good idea?

Everything about this movie screams mediocrity. Even the actors seemed to be hastily speeding through their lines just so their characters could get killed off.

Who I recommend Texas Chainsaw to:

Nobody. No one would be stoned, drunk, or otherwise intoxicated enough to be able to watch this thinking it's a good movie.

Beasts of the Southern Wild + Jack Reacher

Beasts of the Southern Wild:

Story:

In the wake of a natural disaster, six year old Hushpuppy is forced to be courageous and strong as her father's health fades.

Review:

I was originally going to write this review a few months ago, but I kept pushing it aside and pushing it aside until finally I ran out of movies to watch. Upon reflection, I should have watched Beasts of the Southern Wild first. Amazing, emotional, and spellbinding for a realistic story about a dangerous situation through the eyes of a six year old. This is a movie that I highly recommend to anyone.

What I liked the most:

1. Realistic story.

A bayou community is flooded due to the melting ice caps. Amidst the very fast emotional development of young Hushpuppy, the environmental message is very strong. We get glimpses into Hushpuppy's backstory as the events around her begin to worsen. Not often does a movie do this and is able make the viewer fully able to understand Hushpuppy's emotional state every single time. The writing has a very authentic feel to it, and that's what makes BOTSW so memorable.

2. The actors.

As seen in Life of Pi, using unknown actors/actresses to lack overshadowing other characters is a very useful tactic. There are no major names in BOTSW, and with that, you don't fully know how the story ends until it's close to the ending. You never feel like some characters (other than Hushpuppy) are more important than other characters, and as such, each character becomes equally important regardless of their screen time.

Not only that, but the acting is some of the best I have seen this year. Each character not only brings forth their own uniqueness, but also emphasizes what Hushpuppy is going through while progressing the great story even further.

3. The camera work.

Shots of the bayou combined with shots of the ice caps and some brilliant up close shots with the wild beasts help amplify the already amazing brilliance that BOTSW is. Some of the scenes are filmed with perfect amounts of intensity, and help provide the necessary realistic feel that helps pull the movie along.

What I liked the least:

1. Absolutely nothing.

This is a movie that is nearly flawless. There were some parts that irked me, and sometimes the story seemed just a tiny bit murky, but I get the feeling that was on purpose.

Who I recommend Beasts of the Southern Wild to:

Those who liked Where The Wild Things Are will like this. Others, who like dramas, will also like this, and yet more who like emotional movies will like this.

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Jack Reacher:

Story:

Jack Reacher, a former military officer, investigates a brutal slaying that he at first believes was committed by James Barr, a former army sniper. The more he investigates, the more danger he brings to himself and the defence attorney representing James Barr.

Review:

I went into this movie only knowing that it starred Tom Cruise. I wasn't expecting an intriguing mystery with some slightly noir-ish elements and very aggressive choreography.

What I liked the most:

1. Tom Cruise actually looks like he's fighting.

In countless other action movies, Tom Cruise merely looks like he's displaying a fight. He never makes any of his characters look like they're actually fighting. In Jack Reacher, he actually pulls off some awesome moves and his character even has a signature finishing move. It may seem odd that he's capable of this at age 50, but this just means that there's more to come from the man most of us know as Ethan Hunt. On that note, if you want some of the better fight scenes Tom Cruise has been in, watch Jack Reacher. They're well done.

2. The intriguing mystery of the story.

From the get go you know that things aren't what they seem. You automatically know someone's being framed, but you don't know why they're being framed and what the actual purpose of the framing is. For a movie to reveal so much yet explain so little at the same time, that's very effective. Jack Reacher does that, all the while pulling you in to what becomes an action/mystery hybrid.

3. The amusing moments.

For as serious a movie as Jack Reacher is, there are moments where comedy is sprinkled in. Out of the few people in the theater that was watching, most of us laughed at the intentionally comic outcomes of some of the scenes.

What I liked the least:

1. Tom Cruise still acts like any other character he's played.

There are no discernible differences between each character portrayed by Tom Cruise, with the exception of Less Grossman in Tropic Thunder. Don't get me wrong, he always does a good job, but it would be nice to see a different portrayal of character every now and then. Everybody he portrays ends up sounding the same, and Jack Reacher was no different.

2. Rosamund Pike.

A lot of people see her as a good actress, but a lot of the times her characters, like Tom Cruise's, end up sounding the exact same. That was the exact problem with Helen, her character, in Jack Reacher. There is no discernible difference in portrayal, and thusly her character sounds exactly the same as every other character she has portrayed.

3. The not-so-evil antagonist.

Without revealing a lot, and to summarize, what you get is an antagonist that's very much as disappointing as the antagonists from the first two Daniel Craig 007 films. Not too much background, and not a lot of overly evil actions from a character that is supposed to be evil. It's very disappointing, and it was one of the low points of the movie.

Who I recommend Jack Reacher to:

Fans of mystery films with a lot of action. If you like movies like Taken, then you'll love Jack Reacher.