Timdiana reviews The Muppets

For years, they have brought joy and humor to many. They have become classic characters and icons to not only children, but adults as well. I speak of course of none other than the one and only “Muppets”. After 12 years, the Muppets have finally returned to the silver screen in their latest film entitled “The Muppets”. Is it everything that  fans and audiences could hope for. It’s time to play the music, it’s time to light the lights, it’s time to review “The Muppets” on Timdiana’s reviews tonight…or today…here is the review.

                The Story of “the Muppets” deals with of course of the Muppets as they must reunite in order to save the Muppet theatre.  The story was refreshing. It was an area that has not been seen in any other Muppet story: what would life be like for the Muppets after the Muppet Show was over.  The movie feature several sub plots such as the love story between Jason Segel and Amy Adams.  Sub plots like that were established, but there was a clear difference between the sub plots and the overall plot.  Nonetheless, “The Muppet’s”  plot, was entertaining and straight to the point.

                “The Muppets” feature an enormous cast of characters and cameos; but the film could not rely on just  the standard characters alone; it needed a new character to be a catalyst for newcomers. Enter Walter; the newest Muppet. His role is simple, get the Muppets back together as well finding himself. Having a character like that is a gamble, but it did work.   The performances from the human characters are just as enjoyable as the Muppets, creating a well rounded cast that does the franchise justice. If only other films could figure that out.

                There are two things the Muppets are known for, musical numbers and humor, and this film personifies in both. Full of silliness and breaking the fourth wall, the comedy had me laughing all the way through. The film could teach recent comedies a thing or two about humor. The musical numbers were memorable as well being very diverse from each other.  Both of these factors are played very strongly thought out the film as they defined what the Muppets were all about.

                Full of entertainment and nostalgia, “The Muppets” is a must see for anyone looking for fun time. It was everything I thought it would be, but the biggest surprise is that this film was undoubtedly one of the best films of the year.  My hat is off to the Muppets as after twelve years, they still got it.

4.5/5 hats

Timdiana reviews The Twilight Saga Breaking Dawn Part 1

Every beginning has an end. This is something that is said for the most epic of finales. For the stories that have kept you interested for years finally reaching its conclusion This is not one of those stories. This is none other than the “global phenomenon” that is “Twilight”. For close to four years, “Twilight” has been the film series that has been one big conundrum after another. Now at long last, “The Twilight Saga” is coming to an end, and by end I mean the first part of the end.  Is “Breaking Dawn Part 1” redeemable or is “Twilight” just digging itself a deeper hole?  Find out in this review of the first part of the “epic” love story that is the “Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1”.

                The story is about Bella and Edward finally getting married, going on their honeymoon which leads to unlikely pregnancy that causes a mass conflict between vampires and werewolves; and that’s about it.  The plot has absolutely no build up what so ever and  has enough padding to sink a boat so deep into the water that it actually is now stuck in the center of the earth.   It really is surprising how a story that is supposed to be important turns out to be as irrelevant as you could possibly make something.

                I suppose this is the part where I should talk about characters and acting; but what is there to really talk about?  The main characters are as boring and uninteresting as they have been in the first one. The only saving factor is the supporting cast, but even that is underplayed. Twilight has been keeping one dimensional character development strong since 2008.

                The film accomplishes two things: unnecessary montages and irrelevant pop songs.  I have never seen so many pop songs in one movie nor have I seen some of the worst montages ever to grace the silver screen. I wish to say there other things that stand out, but no, sadly not.

                Words can barely describe how frustratingly painful this film is. There are moments that could be considered tolerable; but at the end of the day, the story and characters bring any positives. The fact remains that even thought this is suppose to the first half of the finale; nothing is truly accomplished. If Diehard Twilight fans may enjoy it; however if you are not in that demographic, then try to avoid this film if all possible. We will reconvene this review in year with part 2.

1.5/5 Hats

Timdiana reviews Immortals

Most time, I feel that movies and greek mythology just do not go together.  Sure, there have been hits such as “300”, but there are also been misses like “Clash of the Titans”.  Despite the hits and misses, Hollywood continues to keep this idea going. The latest comes from the mind of Tarsem Singh with his latest film; “Immortals”;  a film that looked to be something different with its visuals, and of course its gripping 3d.  Does this visually appealing movie stand a chance to break the mediocrity of Greek mythology films? Prepare to set forth in this review of “Immortals”.

                The story of the film is about the journey of Theseus, who must become the hero he was meant to be and stop King Hyperion before he can release the Titans and bring chaos to the world. The plot is fairly simple as it is a very classic story. However, this plot has been so many times, that seeing it in this movie makes it feel too generic. There really is not much that stands out in this story. You will most likely forget the plot as soon as the movie ends.

                I had no issues with the performances in the film, even with Stephen Dorff in the cast. Unfortunately, like story, the characters are generic and forgettable.  The only ones that stand out are Hyperion, played by Mickey Rourke, and the old man, played by John Hurt. Everyone else is epically bland.

                As much as I cannot stand 3D, seeing it in “Immortals”  in the third dimension was actually 

tolerable. It did not feel like a gimmick and it did create some interesting dimensions.  However, factors likes this cannot make a movie, and although the visuals are impressive, it is dragged down the staleness of the film.

                “Immortals” is ok, but just ok. Asides from the visuals and performances from Mickey Rourke and John Hurt, nothing stands out in this film. It is not painful experience, but it is one that leaves no impression. You will not miss anything if you skip “Immortals”.

3/5 hats.

Timdiana the Reviews: The Twilight Saga Eclipse

(Part 1)

(Part 2)

It all begins...with a choice, like choosing  to ignore these movies.

Something Cinematic: Immortals Review

Tim and Patrick Review the new film: Immortals.

Timdiana reviews Puss in Boots

        This is a tale of destiny. A tale of a supporting character making his way into the spot light. A Tale that is apparently a back story. A tale…well this is not really a tale, more like a review. This is the review of “Puss in Boots”.

So if you are still wondering, the plot of Puss in Boots is a prequel telling the back story of everyone favorite feline. However this story is not without its flaws. The pacing of the story moves rather quickly which creates a very unsatisfying flow. The plot also suffers too much predictability. There is nothing shocking about the story as it pretty much what expect to. So if you are expecting a simple story, then this is the movie for you.

                Antonio Banderas returns as Puss in Boots, and his performance is what you expect. The cast is decent, but there is a shockingly performance in this; and that is Zach Galifianakis as Humpty Dumpty. The character was definitive, interesting and was not too predictable. To top it off, Zach Galifianakis finally got to do something that was not Allen from “the Hangover”.   Overall, it was a surprising cast because it was not overloaded with stars, and it was refreshing to see.

                “Shrek” was known for its witting humor; so it would be expecting to see the same in this film. Surprisingly, the humor was just ok. There were some alright lines here and there, but there is nothing really to talk about.  Thought the laughs were not memorable, the movie did make up for in other elements such as having creative dance sequences.  That is something I guess.

                Perhaps the tale of “Puss in Boots” is not as glamorous as other stories such as “How to Train Your Dragon”; however it is entertaining nonetheless. The film takes it characters seriously and ot does entertain. It is pretty much what you expect from movie about “Puss in Boots”.

3.5 out 5 hats

Timdiana the Reviews: The Twilight Saga New Moon

(Part 1)

(Part 2)

Silver Screen Review:Paranormal Activity 3

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Happy Halloween everyone; and being the Halloween Season, it is once again time for another annual horror flick;  however instead of it being another “Saw” addition, a new set of movies has taken its place; a movie that will undoubtedly be sticking around for a while longer. I speak of course about “Paranormal Activity” with its third installment “Paranormal Activity 3”. The third film has broken box office records by having one the best opening nights a horror film has seen in quite some time.

                Before I jump into this review, let me just make one thing perfectly clear: I do not like this serious. I compliment the movies for their practical effects, but that is about it. Everything I have seen in these movies are not worthy of praise. So going into this film, I was a bit skeptical. So does this film deserve the praise it is receiving, or is it just another footage found film. Find out in this review of “Paranormal Activity 3”.

Once again, the film’s plot is another prequel to help explain and understand what happened in the first film, or just make more plot holes, at this rate, it is pretty much a shot in the dark.  The film story takes place in the 1980’s where and shows the early lives of Katie and Kristi, the two girls haunted by the supernatural being throughout the course of the film.  That might seem terrifying, unfortunately, it is nothing new. The plot follows the same structure as the previous two; and at the story goes on, it just leaves me in a state of confusion.

The movie follows four characters: the two girls, their mother and her boyfriend who mysteriously looks like Michah from the first film. As characters, they do nothing for me as the development has been playing the same song for years now and it is not interesting. However, when it comes to performances, I did not mind the two little girls. Sure, I did not care for their characters, but I will give them credit for their performances because I did believe them. Everyone, on the other hand, are just bland uninteresting.

I have no directing notes as every directorial decision has been the same since the previous two. It is like they just a have book for the basic to follow when making “Paranormal Activity”.

When it comes to the scares of the films, there are things I liked and there are things I disliked. I  enjoyed the practical effects of the film. Some of the things they did were actually impressive and looked believable. However the same thing cannot be said about the scares.  The problem is that scares take so long to get to their executions that it feels like seeing Sir Lancelot running towards the castle in “Monty Python and the Holy Grail”; and to make matter worse, this happens all time in the moviw. It comes to the point where the scares of “Paranormal Activity 3” are just not scary.

What can I say? The movie has its moments; unfortunately the scares are only startling and the plot is predictable as well as being full of plot holes. The movie left me disappointed as well as confused; to put it simply, it is “Paranormal Activity”.  2 out 5 hats

Silver Screen Review: The Help

Sometimes, it is good to get away from the norm, and that can be seen in the new hit film “The Help”. Some may recognize the title. “The Help” is based off the bestselling book written by Kathryn Stocket, the book tells the story of an unlikely friendship in a time where racial differences conflict the country.  The film has already received much praise, so let us see if “the Help” lives up to the buzz. Here is an interesting perspective in this review of “The Help”

Story: The films’ plot is at first is difficult to follow. It feels as if there are a lot of unclear details and it is not difficult to feel lost. However, the film makes up for keeping true to the idea behind the story and making it compelling.   So though the story has its issues, it does make up for getting the idea across.

Characters:  The film’s strongest factor.  The main characters are well developed, and with great performances to go with them. Actresses such as Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Bryce Dallas Howard shine through with their performances as they lead a well rounded cast of actors creating a very impressive ensemble.  One of the only issues was that it could be difficult to believe some of the female parts because they look a bit young for the roles, but that is just nitpicking.

Directing: Tate Taylor helms this film adaption of the bestselling novel.  The major issue with his directing was timing in scenes as well as the pacing in some of the film’s transitions. It felt as if some of the moments came out of nowhere and it is hard to follow the direction behind it.  Though Taylor’s direction was hard to follow at times, he did however make up with a good atmosphere as well as directing some very compelling scenes.

Everything Else: Two things stand out in this film, atmosphere are compelling scenes.  The film’s atmosphere seems very definitive thanks to the movie’s set as well as the lighting. As for the scenes, there are indeed some strong, compelling, and memorable. The scenes showed wonderful symmetry between acting, pacing and technical aspects.

Overall: “The Help” has it issues such as the details in its storytelling technique; however the film makes up in other aspects. The movie showcases terrific acting as well as an atmospheric sense that captures you right into the world of the film. You do not need to be a fan of the book to enjoy this film. “The Help” receives a gracious 4 out of 5 hats.

Silver Screen Review: Rise of the Planet of the Aoes

Another franchise can be added to the list of reboots which just so happens to be “Planet of the Apes”. The film series began in 1968 is back once again with a back story entitled, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”. The movie is getting a lot of positive reviews, but that remains to be seen with this critic. Is it a movie of the year contender or does it fall short like so many other movies dealing with Apes?   Find out in the review of “Rise of the Planet of the Apes”.

Story:  The film’s plot deal with the events prior to the 1968 classic. In this plot, there are thing that work and things that falls short by failing in execution. What works is the story of Caesar the Ape and his evolutionary rise into the world, which made for compelling storytelling.  What does not work is the plot’s pacing as well as the missing details that would have helped the film’s execution. That aside, the greatest of all the film’s flaws is that there are very few surprises to the story as most of the film’s plot can be seen and deciphered from the advertisement.

Character/Acting:  What can be said when the best character, as well as the best performance, is in fact a monkey. It is not as bad as it sounds. Since the majority of the film is seen through the perspective of Caesar, played by Andy Serkis, it comes to no surprise that he has the most development.  To see a  character having no dialogue and to be able to remain compelling is an impressive feat.  The film also see a great performance from John Lithgow, a decent performance from James Franco, and a complete waste of characters from both Brian Cox and Tom Felton.  However , the biggest issue about the development is how the movie seems to suffer from the cliché of characters being bad for the sake of being bad.

Directing: This film marks the fourth cinematic feature for director Rupert Wyatt.  Wyatt had some good decisions like making a standalone film as well as trying to make the characters and storytelling compelling as possible. Though these elements did succeed, other decisions were not as effective such as a good way to translate the original idea with the new idea.

Everything Else: The movie features the effects of WETA, the company that created the effects of “Avatar” and “The Lord of the Rings”. No Apes were hurt in the making of this film because they were all CG. That being said, the CG is definitive, not the best, but the well defined nonetheless.

Overall: Though not the best reboot, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is still a good film. It is compelling and makes for a compelling standalone film, just do not expect too much from this film. “Rise of the Planet of the Apes” receive 3 ½ out of 5 hats.

Silver Screen Review:Green Lantern

DC comic have been a part of the movie world for some time now, but only two of their prominent heroes have ever found success on the silver screen. Now another big name can be added to the list of superheroes adapted into film: Green Lantern.  Green Lantern marks the third DC mainstream superhero to make to the movies, but will this film is the comic’s brightest day or will it be its blackest night.  Many surprises await you in this review of “Green Lantern”.

Story: The plot of “Green Lantern” tells the iconic story of Hal Jordan becoming a part of the Green Lantern corps and becoming the intergalactic hero protecting earth with no fear. Unfortunately, this is the film’s biggest problem. It is not so much the story that is the issue but rather the pacing of the story. The movie does not take the time to develop scenes. The results of this leave the story feeling very much choppy.

Characters:   the movie center around Hal Jordan, played by Ryan Reynolds. So it makes that he has the best development.  Everything about his character was understandable and Ryan Reynolds performance was not too bad either.  The issues come from the film’s supporting cast.  The likes of Blake Lively did better than expected, but the villain Hector Hammond was indeed a letdown.  The movie features some great voices from the likes of Geoffrey Rush and Michael Clark, but they only such little screen time making it difficult to get any proper development. Thankfully, the movie featured an enjoyable performance from Mark Strong as Sinestro, a character who will hopefully get more development in the future.

Directing: Martin Campbell may not have the directed the perfect superhero movie, but he did have a few good decisions.  He directed some scenes fairly well and kept true to essence of Green Lantern. However, his ideas seem too be lost in translation as the movie seem to fall under the stereotypical superhero movie.

Everything Else: To be expected, the movie has some pretty decent effects. Seeing how the filmmakers bringing the effects of the Green Lantern’s powers to life were both effective and creative, and the designs for the characters and world of “Green Lantern”  were impressive.

Overall:   “Green Lantern” is far from perfect. A movie that could have been innovative turned out to be nothing more than a stereotypical superhero film. Yet despite all of its problems, the movie is ok. It is exciting enough and it is not too painful, only a little. “Green Lantern” receives 3 out 5 hats for sheer mediocrity.

Silver Screen Review: Super 8

Last weekend, the latest from the mind of J.J Abrams came to the silver screen. It was none other than the highly anticipated film: “Super 8”: Steven Spielberg as the executive producer. The movie has received many positives, but that remains to be seen from this critic. Does it live up to the anticipation and is it worth your time?  Well maybe this will bring some enlightenment; here is the  review to “Super 8”.

Story:   The story of “Super 8” follows a group of kids filming a movie, until they discover an alien life form has escape from the government and the begins to create havoc.  What do the kids do about the alien havoc? They continue to film their movie while ignoring the conflict completely at least that is what it felt like. If you were to discover an extra terrestrial, would you not get involved in the situation? Odds are you would. 

“Super 8” felt as if the plot was trying to do too much in too little time and because of that, the story suffers.

Characters:  Character development was actually done rather well. The kids’ performances were a bit of a hit and miss, but for the most part, they did alright.  The only issue was that although the characters had good development, they lacked dimension.

Directing: J.J Abrams has been known for many entertainment projects, so as the director of this film, there was much anticipation in seeing what he would do with this picture. He was able to create some good scenes as well as great details yet the movie still came up short.  In this critic’s opinion, the director recycled ideas from several 1980 films such as playing the jaws effect and not revealing the alien until an hour into the movie. I felt that it greatly detracted from the originality of the film.

Everything Else: Technically, the movie was impressive with its effects and its use of sound.   The location couldn’t be better; it took place in Ohio. Actually, “Super 8” was filmed in West Virginia, but it really looked like Ohio.

Overall: “Super 8” indeed had its moments that can be considered exciting, but the film lacked in telling a good story. The movie tried to do too much and for that, it suffered.   Did the film live up to hype? The answer to that is an unfortunate no.  Honestly, you would not be missing much if you skipped this one. “Super 8” gets 3/5 hats.

Silver Screen Review:X-Men First Class

This week's review is the most talked about film from the past weekend; the fifth film in the X-Men franchise, none other than “X-Men First Class”. The film has received a great reception, even from the likes of Rotten Tomatoes. I will be the judge of that. Is it worth your time and does it do not just the franchise, but the comic book genre justice. Find out in this review of X-Men: First Class.

Story:  The film’s plot deals with the X-Men before the X-Men as Xavier meets Eric as  they bring mutant kind together in the year of 1962. To be honest, the story to” X-Men First Class” was very original. The story had terrific pacing and had the perfect three act structure. Each act could be its own story while remaining a part of one solid story, which makes good story telling.

Character/Acting: The film features a surprising well formed cast.  Seeing the origins of Professor X and Magneto brought these characters full circle as their development creates more dimensions for both characters, especially Magneto.  The rest of the cast had a purpose being placed in the story and it felt appropriate seeing these characters in the movie. The movie features strong performance from James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender and Kevin Bacon much to my surprise.  With great character development and good performance,” X-Men First Class” passes in the area of character and acting.

Directing:  I must admit, when I heard that Matthew Vaughn was directing this film, I was skeptic; but the end result put my worries to rest.  Vaughn brought something original to the franchise. He brought a lots of tones to the film’s story which helped with the storytelling. My hat is off to Vaughn as he manages to keep the essence of X-Men alive by creating something new.

Everything Else: The film’s effects were both glamorous and subtle. The film was also very creative with certain scenes such as the training scene. Perhaps the one issue some may have is the film continuity with historical events and the characters used in the film. However for this critic, this factor did not hinder the film, in fact, it seemed to work for the movie.

Overall: “X-Men First Class” is perhaps one of the biggest surprises of the year. The film feature terrific storytelling, a good cast of characters and great performances, and that is just a few of the film's positive factors.  Not only did the “X-Men” franchise need a film like this, but this could quite possibly be one of the most original superhero films to come out in quite some time. Therefore I have no other choice but to take my hat off to” X-Men First Class” as I give it 5 out of 5 hats

"The Hangover Part II" is "The Hangover" all over again...and not in a good way.

"The Hangover Part II" is "The Hangover" all over again...and not in a good way.

When Sequels Attack: A look at Kung Fu Panda 2 and The Hangover Part II

When Sequels Attack: A look at Kung Fu Panda 2 and The Hangover Part II

Something Cinematic:Drink Up Me Hearties Yo-Ho

Silver Screen Review: Thor

The silver screen reviews return to start you off on the summer movie lineup, starting off with another movie for the  superhero genre; but unlike most superhero films, this movie does not just deal with a superhero, but in fact a god.  This is the next movie to come out Marvel Studios, none other than “Thor”. There is much riding on this movie, being not only the first movie of the summer, but the first superhero movie of the summer as well. Is it worth it or is it just another superhero movie? Brace yourself for the review of “Thor”.

Story:  What is compelling about “Thor’s” plot is that this is not your average superhero origin story. “Thor” already knows who he is and what he is capable of. What does seemed to be familiar is the plot point is Thor realizing the error of his ways and becoming the hero he is supposed to be.Repetative as it may seem, the plot still works for the film’s format.  As for the plot’s pacing, it was exceedingly well done as the flow of the movie was comfortable and well defined.

Character/Acting:  My hat is off to both the writers and Chris Hemsworth; because together, they brought Thor to life. Everything about this character seemed real and true to the character of the comics. The film also features a strong supporting cast with the likes of Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins and Stellan Skarsgard. But the one character that truly stole the show was Loki, played by Tom Hiddleston. Loki has to be the best developed villain to come out of marvel studios, and that is no easy feat. I can go on forever about this impressive cast was, which goes to show what great development and terrific acting can obviously do for a cast.

Directing:  I thought “Thor” would be a challenge for director Kenneth Branagh because it is part of a genre Branagh is not familiar with. But Branagh showed me that his film truly belonged with credit going to his definitive directing. What impressed me the most about Branagh’s directing was finding a way to entertain fans while making the film understandable for audiences who are not familiar with the comic.

Everything Else:  There are many things that make film worthwhile. The action is great, the effects are impressive and the music is enjoyable. Yet out of everything that makes this film outstanding to see, I was most impress with the design and look to “Thor”. The look of the Asgard as well as the Asgardians was outstanding as it brought the essence of “Thor” to life.

Overall:  What a movie to start off the summer. The plot is understandable, the acting is outstanding and Kenneth Branagh shows what it takes to make such as innovative superhero film. “Thor” may not just be one of the best films of the summer, but it may in fact be one of the best superheroes movies of all time. Hats are off to Thor with 4 ½ out 5 hats

Harry Potter and Deathly Hallows Part II Trailer!!!

The trailer to the final installment of Harry Potter was released last night, so without further ado, here is the last trailer:

Ladies and Gentleman, your intermission will be ending shortly, 4 months to be exact.  Feel free to take this time to get back to your seats.

Silver Screen Review:Rio

In this edition of the silver screen reviews, I look at the new animated feature “Rio”. “Rio” comes to us from the mind of Carlos Saldanha, the director who brought us the “Ice Age” Trilogy. He returns to the big screen with a film he has been waiting to bring to life. But is “Rio” the next animated hit or does it crash and burn? Get ready to take trip through this review of “Rio”

Story:  The story of “Rio” is about Blu, a domesticated macaw, going to Rio and finds himself stuck to Jewel, a female macaw, and wind up in the adventure of a life time. The plot has no big surprises to it as you figure out how where the story is going.  Though “Rio’s” plot may be familiar; it is enjoyable and it certainly has its moments.  What did fascinate me was how paced the story was. It is surprising to discover that this plot runs about an hour and a half.

Character/Acting:  Like the story, there little to no surprises with the characters. Jesse Eisenberg and Anne Hathaway’s characters seem to follow there more usual character traits. Yet one thing that did impress me was the development of Blu and Linda, played by Leslie Mann. Both characters go out on an adventure and discover things about the world as well as themselves. The movie also features an enjoyable supporting cast  with the likes of Jemaine Clement, Jaime Foxx as well as George Lopez, and this is to name a few. The only  other issue I have  in this section is the characteristics of the animal cast seemed a little too human for my taste.

Directing:  Carlos Saldanha has finally brought his idea to life. Unfortunately, there were not many surprises when it came to the directions.  Besides the details of the city itself, I felt  there were no surprises in directing; however that is not to say he did a bad job. He was able to deliver with “Rio”, even though everything about this film fit his forte.

Everything Else:  There were things that I liked about the animation, and there were things I did not care for. I felt at times that animation was to cartoonish for my taste. The design for the characters seemed way too generic. I felt that some of the characters had the same design and I felt it took away from the animation. I am not going to count out the animation just yet because it did have some positive factors.  At some points, the animation was colorful and seemed to fit what the movie was expressing. So though it does not fit my preference, it did get the job done.

Overall:  Though there are no impressive surprises, “Rio” is an entertaining movie. Is it the best animated movie of the year? Not really. But if you are looking for just a fun movie, look no further than “Rio”. “Rio” gets 3 ½ hats out of 5.

Silver Screen Review:Hanna

Welcome to another Silver Screen Reviews: Pulse Edition. This week, I take a look at a rather independent looking movie, the movie known as” Hanna”.  Looking at this movie, I could tell that was not t going to be a big movie, but nonetheless, the movie did receive some decent publicity over the past couple of weeks.  So is “Hanna” a film worth your time or is it just a movie that may just passed by. Stay tune for this review of “Hanna”.

Story:  The plot of “Hanna” follows the character Hanna, a young girl trained by her father in being an expert killer out for revenge. The movie at its core is really about a girl trying to find herself as she enters an unfamiliar world for the first time, or something like that. I really did enjoy the plot; it did keep me compelled all the way through.  However, the story does suffer from a great deal of confusion as well as having very little understanding of the events of the film.  When reaching the conclusion of the movie, there seem to be no other way for the events to come together, but I think a little more thought in this plot would not have hurt.

Characters/Acting:  I found myself enjoying the three main characters. Hanna, played Saorise Ronan, was very intriguing character. Her character trying to be more human showed very distinct development that I thought was done well. This is the first film that I have seen Saorise Ronan in and I have that I am impressed with her performance. Eric Bana makes for great supporting character as well as Cate Blanchett making a good antagonist.  My only complaint about her performance was her accent. It was not as if it off nor was it not understandable, it just bother me.

Directing:  Joe Wright directed this film and there were some decisions I agreed with, while there were some I did not agree with.  As a whole, I agree and understand what he was trying to accomplish. However there were some minor details that I did not agree with. The minor details did not hurt the film, but I question why they were done in this matter.

Everything Else: Visually, “Hanna” is impressive to see. Its cinematography is gripping and distinctive. I also was impressed with the film’s soundtrack. I found myself following the rhythm of the beats. The music was most impressive.   At times, “Hanna” could be very creative, and though I question its creativity, it did not take away from the film itself.

Overall:   Hanna is a very interesting film, but it greatly suffered for its questionable details and its story. Other than that, “Hanna” is compelling as well exciting, it is something different to see. If looking for something unique, you might want to check out “Hanna”. “Hanna” gets 3 ½ out of 5 hats.

Silver Screen Review:Source Code

This week, I take a look at the new Sci-fi thriller, “Source Code”, directed by Duncan Jones. Who is Duncan Jones might you ask? Duncan Jones is the son of David Bowe who decided to make a career in filmmaking. His first film came out a couple years ago that was simply titled “Moon”. It was a severely underrated film that showed Jones’ creative genius. Now Jones is back with his second feature film. Will it show his creative genius and guarantee him fame?  Find out in this review of “Source Code”.

Story: The concept of “Source Code” is really interesting when you think about it. The majority of the films is shot in one location and the events only last eight minutes. Despite the story’s time span, the events never seem repetitive.  The story of this sci-fi thriller is full of twist and turns that keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout the entire length of the film, which is only 90 minutes.

Characters/Acting: The movie follows Colter Steven, played by Jake Gyllenhaal, as he tries to solve the mysteries of the film’s events while we learn how he managed to get into the source code in the first place.  The development of Jake’s character transitioned well throughout the film considering  his character has to go through the same events over and over again. Jake’s performance is well done as he never stirs and always remains compelling.  The other actors in the movie have a good performances also, but my only issue is that some of the characters are not as in depth as Jake’s. Still it was really good cast.

Directing:  As I have already mentioned, I am very impressed with the work of Duncan Jones. One the impressive qualities I see in this director is his ability to make the audience think that the movie is going in one direction when in fact it goes in a completely different direction.  Another great quality in Jones’s directing is his ability to create such imaginative stories while being very subtle about it.

Everything Else:  The main theme of the movie combines time travel with “The Matrix”.  The sci-fi of “Source Code” does not throw you off, but it can be a little unbelievable at times. However, if you can suspend your disbelief, it should not bother you.  The effects as well as the visuals are both subtle and fascinating creating an outstanding atmosphere for this Sci-fi film.

Overall: “Source Code” is a great addition to the Sci-fi genre. Its story never tires and has well rounded performances. Duncan Jones really proves the importance of storytelling and how to combine it with great creativity. My only complaint about “Source Code” is that sometimes it could be a little confusing. Thankfully, it does not overshadow the wonderful storytelling of a creative Sci-fi movie. My hat is off to Duncan Jones and “Source Code” as I give it 4 out of 5 hats. 

A special announcement from Timdiana

And now a special announcement from Timdiana!

Silver Screen Review:Sucker Punch

For this week’s review, I look at a film directed by one of my favorite director, Zach Snyder. Zach Snyder has made a career for himself with movies such as “300”, “Watchmen” and more recently, “Legends of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga’Hoole”. This time Zach Snyder creates a movie both written and directed by him. This movie is “Sucker Punch”, a movie that looked to be a madman’s paradise. But is it a madman’s paradise? Prepare for the unexpected in this review of “Sucker Punch”.

Story:  I like the idea of “Sucker Punch’s plot: exploring the human imagination in a very dark world; however the story is lost in translation. The plot is very confusing and spontaneous. It is difficult to understand what the story is trying to communicate. You would think how this film was advertise that there would be something in the story that would blow your mind away, but there is not, it more of a low blow to the audience.

Characters:   Apparently all the girls in the movie were good while the guys were bad. As interesting as that sounds, the development did not work.  The bad guys in this movie were flat with no thought to their characters except for the fact that they were bad. These characters might as well be wearing top hats as they twirl their mustaches and wave their capes around as they laugh manically.  The main female characters had a little more development then the villains, but I felt there was no real drive to their characters. Though the performances were not bad, the development however did not cut for a film of this caliber.

Directing:  At first sight, you can tell that this is a Zach Snyder movie because of the signature to his movies, which are the zoom ups to significant objects and the cinematography to name a few. The only differences with Sucker Punch and Snyder’s other movies is that these elements are taken to the extreme in this movie.  Most of the time, I like the creativity of Zach Snyder, but not when it comes to “Sucker Punch”. I think with “Sucker Punch”, he was doing little too much to make it unique.

Everything Else:  “Sucker Punch’s” imagination sequences are full of swords, samurai, robots, giant robots, dragons and zombie Nazis.  These reasons alone were all that I need to be excited for this movie, but did they help movie in anyway? My answer to that is yes and no. The imagination sequences were cool to see, but there was little to no explanation about them and as entertaining as they were, there seem to be no reason to the madness.

Overall: I thought “Sucker Punch” could have been something interesting, but the story and characters really killed the momentum for me. I suppose that if you do not think much on it, “Sucker Punch” can be entertaining. Unfortunately, “Sucker Punch” is not something to be unexpected. 3 out 5 hats for effort. 

Silver Screen Review: Paul

You may recall the 2007 comedy known as “Superbad”. It was a critically acclaimed comedy that I did not care for, but that is not important right now.  The point that I am making is what happens when you take the director of “Superbad” and put it together with the minds of Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, you get the movie “Paul”. How does this combination translate on screen and does the comedy work?   Hop aboard this review of the film “Paul”.

Story: By comedy standards,” Paul” has an enjoyable and a surprising compelling story.  This movie is a comedy above anything else, but the story knew how to be serious at times and manage not to have the drama seem out of place. This movie is full of all kinds of movie elements such as being an adventure movie as was as being a sci-fi film. The story never seems to stray and kept my attention all the way through.

Characters/Acting:  This was a really good cast of characters. The movie feature one of my favorite comedy duos, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. The two seem to do what they do best as play their usual awkward and witty selves and I think it really worked for the movie. Seth Rogen voices the alien Paul and his performance to as a surprise to me as his character was more complex than I would have imagined. The film also has numerous talents such as Kristen Wigg, Jason Bateman and Bill Hader and that is just to name a few.  Bottom line, the characters were terrific with development that had you understanding the characters till the very end.

 Directing:  Greg Mottola not only adds another comedy to his resume, but I would say that this could be one of his best films.  Greg Mottola brought several elements to this film and his ability to work so well with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost made for a really fun movie.

Everything Else:  The comedy of “Paul” was really well done. The humor that I am normally not a fan turned out to be rather amusing. I think what made the crude humor funny was how subtle it was. Not only is the comedy subtle and clever, but the references will make movie goers chuckle.  When it comes down to it, I think really what worked for “Paul” was the writing of the film. So I have to tip my hat to Simon Pegg and Nick Frost for creating such great humor in the script.

Overall:  “Paul” is a movie for those looking for a fun time. It is a comedy that can be just as crude as it can be clever. The combination of Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Greg Mottola really paid off in the end and made a great time at the movies. “Paul” showed me that there may be some hope in the comedy genre. “Paul” receives 4 out of 5 hats.

Silver Screen Review:Rango

Gather around readers, and let me tell you the story of the review of the movie “Rango”. This is the latest animated film from director Gore Verbinski.  Not only is this film animated but this is an animated movie with talent such as Johnny Depp , and this is an animated movie that is not in 3D.  For this fact alone, I just had to see this movie. So now the question remains is “Rango” worth seeing or is it just another animated movie? Saddle up readers, for this is the review of the movie known as “Rango”.

Story:  At first I thought the plot was not going to be anything special, just another plot of a character coming into a new world and learning some kind of lesson at the end of the film.  Essentially, that is what happens, but there seems to be so much more than just that.  The plot is not only just a story about finding oneself, but it deals with other factors such as being a comedy of errors as well as being an adventure.   The plot will be something you enjoy and something you may take with you after seeing it.

Characters/Acting: “Rango” is full of amazing characters as well as performances. First, there is none other than Rango voiced by none other than Johnny Depp. I am going throw in my two cents and say that this role was made for Johnny. The role of Rango is a Chameleon which seems fitting for Johnny Depp.  As expected Depp’s performance was good, but it did not overshadow the rest of the cast. The cast for this movie was memorable as well as enjoyable which goes to show that it is important to have a great ensemble as well as having a great lead.

Directing:  I got to give Gore Verbinski credit, “Rango” is a kind of film I would not have thought Gore would do; but at the end of the day, he does a very good job with this film.  He was able to use different elements to create something unique and bring something new to the animated genre.

Everything Else: The animation for this film is phenomenal, not to mention the cinematography is innovating. Both the animation and cinematography gave this film a well defined realistic feel to it.  “Rango” also can give tips to most comedies as the humor of the movie was clever in its delivery and it showed that this was not just for kids, but for adults as well.

Overall: I could on and on about how great “Rango” was which only proves that this is worth seeing. This is easily the most fun I have had at the movies this year.  “Rango” is not only one of the best animated this year, but it could be one best animated movies in quite some time. I tip my hat to “Rango” as I give it 4 ½ out 5 hats.

Silver Screen Review:I am Number Four

Instead of watching one the latest new releases, for weeks review, I will look at a movie that is somewhere in the box office top 10. I thought it would better than seeing yet another movie in 3D. Is that so wrong? Anyway, this weeks film is based off a sci-fi novel title “I Am Number Four”.  Some may say that this is just another movie based off a book and it is nothing special,  and maybe it is, however what I have to say might just be a surprise. Find out in my review of “I Am Number Four”.

Story: For me this story is very much reminiscent of a superhero movie and for that it makes the movie really intriguing. My biggest problem with this movie’s story is that it just throws you into the plot with very little explanations.  It is felt like the filmmakers were saying,” oh, by the way, these character are from space, but we figured you have seen the trailer for this movie so we won’t explain anything to you”. The filmmakers should have included a proper back story and explained some of the plot points. Instead what we seem to get is an ok story with little to no explanation.

Characters/Acting:  I have to say that I really like the characters of the film, but I did not care for the performances. The characters in the movie were complex and interesting, but I felt that performances did not live up to the characters.  The most compelling performance in this movie was Timothy Olyphant’s character, Henri. Besides from him, the other actors were good, just not that good.

Directing: D.J Caruso did a fairly good job with this movie. I think he knew what he wanted to make and I think translates fairly well on this screen.  If there is any problem with the directing of the film, it would have to be the details in the works.  He does not seem to be a stickler for details and it shows in the final product.  

Everything Else:  What makes this movie reminiscent of the superhero genre is the fact that the main 

character has powers known as legacy. I have no problem with this except for the fact that the powers are not explained. I really wish the filmmakers went into more detail about the powers instead of just throwing in there. If there is anything that makes this compelling to see is the action, it takes its time to get into the action, but it is worth it.

Overall:  “I Am Number Four” turns out to be better than I expected. True, it does not have a compelling plot or characters, but it does make up for being interesting enough to see. Do not expect this movie to be the best of 2011, but expect to enjoy it. “I Am Number Four” gets 3 /5 hats.

Timidana Look at the Oscars

For this week, I have something special for you the reader. As you may or may not know, the Oscar are coming up very shortly and I could care less; but I suppose give my thoughts and who is going to win the Oscars this year.  So stick around and here read my thoughts on the so called most prestigious award ceremony in the movie world: The Oscars.

Best Actors:  The first Categories deals with the actors who are determine to be awarded the best of the best.  These are the nominations for the best actors: Javier Bardem (“Biutiful”), Jeff Bridges (“True Grit”), Jesse Eisenberg (“The Social Network”), Colin Firth (“The King’s Speech”) and James Franco (“127 Hours”).  All of these nominations are good choices (even the films I have not seen); but there are only one winner. My choice to win the nomination for best actor is Colin Firth with Runner Up: Jesse Eisenberg.

Best Actress: For every best actor, there must be a best actress. Here are the nominations for best actress: Annette Bening (“The Kids are Alright”), Nicole Kidman (“Rabbit Hole”), Jennifer Lawrence (“Winter’s Bone”) Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”) and Michelle Williams (“Blue Valentine”).  Another prestigious list making the choice indeed a difficult one…oh who am I kidding, Natalie Portman is winning this thing. Winner: Natalie Portman, Runner Up: No One.

Best Director:  I have always thought this award would just be compensated into the best picture award, but I guess this is not the case. Anything to make another award I guess. Anyways, here are the nominations for best Director: Darren Aronfsky(“Black Swan”), Ethan Coen and Joel Coen(“True Grit”), David Fincher(“The Social Network”), Tom Hooper(”The King’s Speech”), David O. Russell(“ The Fighter”).  Each brings something to the table…well I suppose that is obvious seeing that they are nominated for best director.  But which style prevails?  My choice for best director is David Fincher for “The Social Network” . David Fincher manage to take a particular genre that I do not care for and make it refreshing and feel original. Runner Up: Daren Aronfsky.

Best Picture: Now we come to the big one: the best picture. With 12 nominations it is a difficult choice to make. So many good films, so many different choices and so many film that I have actually seen. But as the dust settles and winner must be declared, my pick for best picture is…”The Social Network”. It is everything you would want in a movie and it actually deserves the title of best picture. Runner Up: Inception(Hey I can dream).

And that is my look at the Oscars. It is worth much…probably not; but I guess I could say the same thing about the Oscar in general.

Here are some other picks to win:

Best Animated Movie: “How to train you Dragon”

Best Score: Hans Zimmer (“Inception”) or Trent Renzor( “the Social Network”)

Best Cinematography:” Black Swan”

Spider-Man Reboot revealed

So the title for the Spider-Man reboot has finally been revealed. After looking a the title and seeing the picture, I'm contempt to give it a chance. Here is the link to the story: http://www.richlovatt.com/2011/02/the-amazing-spider-man-movie-costume-revealed

A much different style, but I'll go with it.

X-Men First Class Trailer 1

Well it is time to see if this movie will be worth it or not, here is the trailer to X-Men:First Class 

.... Dammit, this looks intriguing enough to see. Well, we will just have to see when it comes out June 3rd.

Silver Screen Review:Gnomeo and Juliet

Do you remember the great animated movies that came out of the year of 2010? I already miss seeing them on the big screen. Why am I bringing this up? Because this week’s cinematic viewing is a very dull start for the animated genre for this year.  Allow me to first interpret what I believe was the conversation for the idea of this film. The producers needed an idea for a new animated movie. They thought long and hard on this idea and they came up with this: what if we do something like “Toy Story” and combined it with one the most timeless love stories of all time. So what did they get out this? They got “Gnomeo and Juliet”; and this is the review.

Story: The plot of this movie obviously follows Shakespeare’s classic tale...very loosely mind you. This is a very light hearted rendition of the story and very much family friendly. So if you are expecting the same classic tale, keep in mind that you are going into a movie with the main concept is lawn gnomes.

Character/Acting: Looking at it on paper, you would never expect any of these voices to take part in project like this.  Actors such as James Mcavoy, Emily Blunt, Micheal Caine and Maggie Smith to name just a few, feature their voices in this film. There are no characters that stand out in “Gnomes” besides William Shakespeare himself (voice by Patrick Stewart).  I was pretty content with the voice work, not greatly impressed, but not disappointed either.

Directing: I have nothing to say about directing because nothing about the directing even remotely stood out. If director Kelly Asbury was aiming for a movie of one liners and music from Elton John, then a job well done.

Everything Else: Now I might be a crazy person, but having Elton John not only as the composer, but the executive producer seems to me like a poor choice on the filmmakers’ part. Going to a movie and hearing some of Elton’s greatest hits repeatedly just does not sound like a good time at the movies. If you are hoping for clever humor in your movie, then this is not the movie for you. However, if you love one liners, then by all means, go see this film because it is full of them.  I should point out that this movie was featured in 3D, and that is all I am going to say on the subject.

Overall: Despite all of the issues I have with this movie, I will say that it is harmless. It is not excruciating to sit through, but do not expect to get anything out of the movie. Need I remind you that this movie deals with the subject matter of lawn gnomes? Well it could be worse…it could be Justin Beiber in 3D. 2 ½  out of 5 hats.

Timdiana the Reviews:the Openings

Here is the intro to my web reviews. It is just the opening and nothing more...enjoy!!!

Silver Screen Review: Sanctum

For this week’s review, I look at yet another movie inspired by true events. This time it deals with the wonders of diving in under water caves. This is the movie “Sanctum” which was shot in 3D. But this movie is not just another movie in 3D, it is a 3D movie produced by James Cameron…let us just begin this review. Here is my review to “Sanctum”.

Story:  The inspired plot of “Sanctum” is about the drama and excitement of cave diving. The movie throws the audience right into the plot, and in this case, that is not a good thing.  The movie has no back story with little to no explanation.  It does get better by the last act, but there is still that one hour and fifteen minutes worth of aimless, mediocre plot.

Characters/Acting: Character Actor Richard Roxburgh actually has a decent performance in this movie as Frank. It is not an amazing performance but it gets the job done. As for the rest of the cast, I cannot say the same thing. The rest of the cast is either forgettable or they just put on a performance that I could care less about.  But at the end of the day, these characters either have no proper development or they are just really stupid.

Directing: “Sanctum” is Alister Griesons first full length feature presentation.  If the director’s goal was to make a 3D film about diving in caves, then I suppose he did a good job.  That being said, I think there is room for improvement for Alister. For example: remembering details such as explaining your story and characters and using proper camera shots. You know the little things.

Everything Else:  I will give the movie this; the filmmakers did a good job on the film’s location. It did feel as though I was looking at an underwater cave.  The films greatest mistake is also its greatest asset, 3D. The 3D of the movie does little to nothing to enhance the experience; in fact I think it is more of a strain to watch. The 3D is used for the bigger wide shots of the film’s locations and that is about it. This movie proves that just because you can put something in 3D, it does not mean you should. The film also goes to show that the grand effects of 3D are over exaggerated and it really needs to stop.

Overall: “Sanctum” in itself is a rather interesting idea, but it turns out to be one poor execution. The story is very lackluster, the characters are forgettable and the only decisions the filmmakers were thinking when making this movie was how much money could they get from making a 3D film. I questioned why it was in 3D, and when I left the theater, I was still questioning why it was 3D. In conclusion, all “Sanctum” did was loose my tolerance for any movie with James Cameron’s name attached to it. 2 ½ out 5 hats.