Tuesday, June 30, 2015

New Movies July 3

In continuation of my weekly movie releases, here are the releases for the week of July 3, 2015.  This week continues with some more summer blockbusters.

1.  "Terminator Genisys" - When John Connor, leader of the human resistance, sends Sgt. Kyle Reese back to 1984 to protect Sarah Connor and safeguard the future, an unexpected turn of events creates a fractured timeline. Now, Sgt. Reese finds himself in a new and unfamiliar version of the past, where he is faced with unlikely allies, including the Guardian, dangerous new enemies, and an unexpected new mission: To reset the future…  The movie stars Sandrine Holt, J.K. Simmons, Jason Clarke, and Arnold Schwarzeneggar.  Here is one of the trailers released for "Terminator Genisys"


2.  "Magic Mike XXL" - Picking up the story three years after Mike bowed out of the stripper life at the top of his game, "Magic Mike XXL" finds the remaining Kings of Tampa likewise ready to throw in the towel. But they want to do it their way: burning down the house in one last blow-out performance in Myrtle Beach, and with legendary headliner Magic Mike sharing the spotlight with them. On the road to their final show, with whistle stops in Jacksonville and Savannah to renew old acquaintances and make new friends, Mike and the guys learn some new moves and shake off the past in surprising ways.  This movie stars Channing Tatum, Andie MacDowell, Jada Pinkett Smith and Joe Manganiello.


3.  "Jimmy's Hall" - In 1921 Jimmy Gralton’s sin was to build a dance hall on a rural crossroads in an Ireland on the brink of Civil War. The Pearse-Connolly Hall was a place where young people could come to learn, to argue, to dream... but above all to dance and have fun. As the hall grew in popularity its socialist and free-spirited reputation brought it to the attention of the church and politicians who forced Jimmy to flee and the hall to close.  

A decade later, at the height of the Depression, Jimmy returns to Co. Leitrim from the US to look after his mother and vows to live the quiet life. The hall stands abandoned and empty, and despite the pleas of the local youngsters, remains shut. However as Jimmy reintegrates into the community and sees the poverty, and growing cultural oppression, the leader and activist within him is stirred. He makes the decision to reopen the hall in the face of what they may bring...
This movie stars Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, Francis Magee. 

4.  "Faith of Our Fathers" - With the Vietnam War raging in 1969, two young fathers report for duty. A man of great faith and a doubtful cynic. A quarter-century later, their sons, Wayne and John Paul, meet as strangers. Guided by letters handwritten from their fathers from the battlefield, they embark on an unforgettable journey to The Wall—the Vietnam Veteran Memorial in Washington, D.C. Along the way, they discover the devestation of war cannot break the love of a father for his son.


5.  "Mala Mala" - A celebration of the trans and drag communities in Puerto Rico. A unique exploration of self-discovery and activism, featuring a diverse collection of subjects that include LGBTQ activists, business owners, sex workers, and a boisterous group of drag performers who call themselves The Doll House, "Mala Mala" portrays a fight for personal and community acceptance paved with triumphant highs and devastating lows. Filmed over the course of a historic three-year period, "Mala Mala" records the beginning of a new transliberation movement in Puerto Rico, as trans people came out of the shadows and into the spotlight. Through riveting cinematography that encapsulates the candy-colored, vivacious personalities as well as their frequently dark personal experiences, directors Santini and Sickles dynamically present the passion and hardships reflective of this distinctly binary human experience.


6.  "Jackie & Ryan" - Ryan is a modern-day traveling folk singer with only a backpack and banjo to his name. Ryan puts his dreams of becoming a successful musician on hold when he meets Jackie, a former country singer fighting for custody of her daughter. Together, with their passion for music, and soon, each other, they form an unlikely relationship.  The movie stars Katherine Heigl, Ben Barnes, Clea DuVall, Sheryl Lee, Emily Alyn Lind, Ryan Bingham.


7.  "In Stereo" - David and Brenda, who are perfect for each other and everyone knows it… except David and Brenda. After they break-up, their lives spiral out of control. David self-destructs as an artist while dating an immature woman who sleeps with his best friend. Brenda endures a failing acting career, an eviction notice, and a boyfriend who just doesn’t do it for her. And then chance brings Brenda and David back together on the streets of New York … at the worst possible time.

8.  "Amy" - From BAFTA award-winning director Asif Kapadia, "Amy" tells the incredible story of six-time Grammy-winner Amy Winehouse – in her own words. Featuring extensive unseen archive footage and previously unheard tracks, this strikingly modern, moving and vital film shines a light on the world we live in, in a way that very few can.
 A once-in-a-generation talent, Amy Winehouse was a musician that captured the world’s attention. A pure jazz artist in the most authentic sense – she wrote and sung from the heart using her musical gifts to analyse her own problems. The combination of her raw honesty and supreme talent resulted in some of the most unique and adored songs of the modern era.
 Her huge success, however, resulted in relentless and invasive media attention which coupled with Amy’s troubled relationships and precarious lifestyle saw her life tragically begin to unravel. Amy Winehouse died from alcohol poisoning in July 2011 at the age of 27.

9.  "Stray Dog" - Debra Granik's documentary STRAY DOG, a powerful look at the veteran experience, a surprising love story, and a fresh exploration of what it takes to survive in the hardscrabble heartland.  Harley-Davidson, leather, tattooed biceps: Ron "Stray Dog" Hall looks like an authentic tough guy. A Vietnam War veteran, Ron runs a trailer park in rural Missouri. After seven years of living on his own, he has begun a new life with his wife, Alicia, who recently emigrated from Mexico. Stray Dog and Alicia caravan on his Harley with fellow vets on an annual pilgrimage to the Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC. Gradually, a layered image comes into focus of a man who has been seared and tempered by his combat experience, and is struggling to come to terms with himself. When Alicia's two teenage sons arrive in Missouri, the film reveals a tender portrait of an America completely outside the mainstream. Stray Dog is at once a powerful look at the veteran experience, a surprising love story, and a fresh exploration of what it takes to survive in the hardscrabble heartland of America. 

10.  "Cartel Land" -  In the Mexican state of Michoacán, Dr. Jose Mireles, a small-town physician known as "El Doctor," leads the Autodefensas, a citizen uprising against the violent Knights Templar drug cartel that has wreaked havoc on the region for years. Meanwhile, in Arizona's Altar Valley - a narrow, 52-mile-long desert corridor known as Cocaine Alley - Tim "Nailer" Foley, an American veteran, heads a small paramilitary group called Arizona Border Recon, whose goal is to stop Mexico's drug wars from seeping across our border.

Sunday, June 28, 2015

E3 2015 - Microsoft

Continuing from the Bethesda Press Conference, we now head into the world of Microsoft.  As with the Bethesda information, here is a full copy that I have pulled from YouTube including the entire Xbox E3 Press Conference in its entire 90 minutes.
It starts with an introduction video showing most of the upcoming games including Tomb Raider, Gears of War, and Halo 5:  Guardians.

Halo 5:  Guardians - The video starts with the introduction of the Guardians in their search for Master Chief.  343 Studios is keeping up with the technology in graphics and during the play demo, they show off Guardians and more lovely destruction.  The main enemies are back for more from 343 Studios's Halo 4.  They also introduced a new multiplayer called Warzone, which pits the player versus everything else.  New weapons, new enemies, and of course more destruction brings this excellent game into the Halo franchise.

Recore - From Keiji Inafune and the creators of Metroid comes an Xbox exclusive which shows off a female lead character after destruction has occurred on the planet taking out "cores" from the enemies and reusing the core in other mechanical characters.  Phil Spencer introduces this game, along with the other new Xbox exclusive IPs that are coming out for the next couple years.

Phil Spencer also introduced the major information deal breaker in stating that Xbox One has now become backwards compatible with Xbox 360 games, which is something that I'm sure everyone has been wanting for years and years.  And to show it off, they played Mass Effect 1 on Xbox One, with all of the Xbox One new abilities.  This also gives everyone the ability to play on the Xbox One and play with people that are playing on an Xbox 360 around the world.

Fallout 4 was introduced with more of the same information from the Bethesda press conference in case you didn't get the information at the press Conference.

EA came out to introduce EA access which allows members to get early access to upcoming games, as well as access to some of EA's best games from Xbox 360.  Plants v Zombies Garden Warfare 2 was introduced in a world exclusive video.

Forza Motorsport 6 - It was as much a game show-off as well as showing off the new GT race car made by Ford Motor Company.  Introduced by Henry Ford III, they show off a beautifully crafted movie for Forza 6 and the new Ford GT that is showcased in the game.  To be released on September 15, 2015, just before the holiday rush.

From Bandai/Namco comes a world exclusive for Xbox shown in a well-crafted movie showing off Dark Souls III to be released in Early 2016.

Tom Clancy's The Division was shown in a movie, but I will go into that more when I cover the Ubisoft Press Conference later this weekend.

ID@Xbox - The idea behind this is to have Xbox exclusive games created by people for the people with independent game creators.  Games shown included Tacoma, Ashen, Beyond Eyes, Cuphead.

Finally Crystal Dynamics was there to show exclusive gameplay for "Rise of the Tomb Raider", which is exclusive to Xbox One and is to be released for Christmas of this year.  Keeping up with the last Tomb Raider game, the graphics is still beautiful along with the playability and control of previous Tomb Raiders and previous Uncharted Games.  During the gameplay, they showed off Lara and her partner trying to climb up some ice cliffs during a snow storm to find ruins of a lost civilization.  During the climb all hell breaks loose and you have to outrun an avalanche, as well as the mountain itself collapsing from an explosion.




Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Best of E3 2015

In case you have missed it, E3 was happening out in California from June 16 - June 18.  E3 is the world's premier trade show for computer, video and mobile games, and related products.  At E3, the industry's top talent pack into the Los Angeles Convention Center for three fun-packed days, showcasing groundbreaking new technologies, leading-edge companies and never before seen products.  One of the main things that happens at E3 is the release of information for the upcoming games for the major video game companies; Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo.  Generally for most of the day there are conferences being handled on the two main stages at the convention center.  The main conferences for this year were being held by:  Bethesda, Microsoft, EA, Ubisoft, Sony, Nintendo, and Square Enix.

Below I'll talk about the major information releases that came out during E3 this year, and maybe some not so major, but I still think that is important.

Bethesda - Below is the actual press conference taken off of YouTube.  The whole conference if you want to watch it is over an hour long, but the main releases that they talked about for the upcoming year, included:

DOOM - in the video they show off a beautiful gameplay demo, showing off some of the many       ways to kill all of the enemies in the game.  You can see how the graphics have definitely increased since the original Doom was released so many years ago.  Bethesda, along with iD software has definitely pulled off an amazing FPS this year.

Battlecry - A new IP from Bethesda being released on the PC, which combines elements of a third-person action game with fast-paced shooting.  Battlecry offers a new experience with team-based combat, intense tactical warfare and competitive multiplayer action.  Based on the video shown during the press conference, it seems that Battlecry is set-up like Dynasty Warriors of old, in which the main character basically hack-and-slashes there way through the enemies using different types of characters that have their own special abilities.

Dishonored II - This begins with a wonderful preview video of what we assume is the beginning of the game, introducing a new playable character, Emily.  The movie just like the original game is beautifully done and shows off some of the new character abilities that are introduced in the game with the new character.  Dishonored II will be released on PS4, XBox One, and PC in the upcoming future.

Elder Scrolls Online -  There is a brief video showing some of the new game that was just launched to massive applause, but no one was present to show off anything new.

Elder Scrolls Legends - They introduced a new strategy card game to be released that encompasses all of the Elder Scrolls history.

Fallout 4 - Game was introduced byTodd Howard, Game Director at Bethesda Game Studios, creators of Fallout 3, Skyrim, and Oblivion.  The beginning of the video shows concept pictures for the game and then introduces the new ability to design your main character, male or female.  This game shows what the world looks like before the nuclear war occurs and when everyone has to enter the Vaults.  The game shows what true freedom in video gaming has become and what an open world game actually looks like.

I'll continue next time with an update on Microsoft's press conference.
E3 is the world's premier trade show for computer, video and mobile games and related products. At E3, the video game industry's top talent pack the Los Angeles Convention Center, connecting tens of thousands of the best, brightest, and most innovative professionals in the interactive entertainment industry. For three exciting days, leading-edge companies, groundbreaking new technologies and never-before-seen products will be showcased. E3 connects you with both new and existing partners and provides unprecedented exposure to emerging markets. E3 is where your evolution happens. - See more at: https://www.e3expo.com/show-info/2541/about-e3/#sthash.XFcyOqPM.dpuf
E3 is the world's premier trade show for computer, video and mobile games and related products. At E3, the video game industry's top talent pack the Los Angeles Convention Center, connecting tens of thousands of the best, brightest, and most innovative professionals in the interactive entertainment industry. For three exciting days, leading-edge companies, groundbreaking new technologies and never-before-seen products will be showcased. E3 connects you with both new and existing partners and provides unprecedented exposure to emerging markets. E3 is where your evolution happens. - See more at: https://www.e3expo.com/show-info/2541/about-e3/#sthash.XFcyOqPM.dpuf
E3 is the world's premier trade show for computer, video and mobile games and related products. At E3, the video game industry's top talent pack the Los Angeles Convention Center, connecting tens of thousands of the best, brightest, and most innovative professionals in the interactive entertainment industry. For three exciting days, leading-edge companies, groundbreaking new technologies and never-before-seen products will be showcased. E3 connects you with both new and existing partners and provides unprecedented exposure to emerging markets. E3 is where your evolution happens. - See more at: https://www.e3expo.com/show-info/2541/about-e3/#sthash.XFcyOqPM.dpuf

New Movies for June 26, 2015

Continuing with my weekly review of movies coming out to theaters in both limited theaters and theaters everywhere.  For the week of June 26, 2015, the following movies will be released into theaters.

1.  "Ted 2" - As a sequel from the original Ted, released in 2012.  Newlywed couple Ted and Tami-Lynn want to have a baby, but in order to qualify to be a parent, Ted will have to prove he's a person in a court of law.  This movie stars Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane(voice of Ted), and Amanda Seyfried.


2.  "Max" - A dog that helped US Marines in Afghanistan returns to the U.S. and is adopted by his handler's family after suffering a traumatic experience.  This movie stars Thomas Haden Church, Josh Wiggins and Lauren Graham.


3.  "Big Game" - When Air Force One is shot down by terrorists leaving the President of the United States stranded in the wilderness, there is only one person around who can save him - a 13-year old boy called Oskari. In the forest on a hunting mission to prove his maturity to his kinsfolk, Oskari had been planning to track down a deer, but instead discovers the most powerful man on the planet in an escape pod. With the terrorists closing in to capture their own "Big Game" prize, the unlikely duo must team up to escape their hunters. As anxious Pentagon officials observe the action via satellite feed, it is up to the President and his new side-kick to prove themselves and survive the most extraordinary 24 hours of their lives.  The movie stars Samuel L. Jackson and Onni Tommila.



4.  "Batkid Begins" - On November 15, 2013, the world came together to grant one 5-year-old leukemia patient his wish to be Batman for a day. "Batkid Begins" looks at why and how this phenomenon took place, becoming one of the biggest "good news" stories of all time.  The movie stars Miles Scott(Batkid), his family, and the city of San Francisco.


5.  "The Little Death" - The Little Death is an original comedy about sex, love, relationships and taboo. In a multi-story narrative, we peer behind the closed doors of a seemingly normal suburban street. A woman with a dangerous fantasy and her partners struggle to please her. A man who begins an affair with his own wife without her knowing anything about it. A couple struggling to keep things together after a sexual experiment spins out of control. A woman who can only find pleasure in her husband's pain. A call center operator caught in the middle of a dirty and chaotic phone call. And the distractingly charming new neighbor who connects them all. The Little Death explores why do we want what we want?  How far will we go to get it?  What are the consequences of that fleeting moment of sexual ecstasy?
 

6.  "A Murder in the Park" - In 1999, just hours before his scheduled execution, convicted killer Anthony Porter's life was saved by a journalism class from Northwestern University, led by renowned Innocence Project pioneer, Professor David Protess. The class seemingly found the real killer, Alstory Simon. Porter was released, becoming the poster boy of the anti-death penalty movement. Because of his case, Illinois eventually abolished the death penalty. The filmmakers present strong evidence that Northwestern's investigation led to the release of the real killer, and imprisoned an innocent man. In October 2013, due in part to this film's investigation, the Cook County State's Attorney's office reopened this case.


7.  "Escobar:  Paradise Lost" - For Pablo Escobar, family is everything. When young surfer Nick falls for Escobar's niece, he finds his life on the line when he's pulled into the dangerous world of the family business.  The movie stars Benicio Del Toro, Josh Hutcherson, and Brady Corbett, and is only set for limited release.

8.  "A Little Chaos" - A romantic drama following Sabine, a talented landscape designer, who is building a garden at Versailles for King Louis XIV. Sabine struggles with class barriers as she becomes romantically entangled with the court’s renowned landscape artist.  The movie stars Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet and Stanley Tucci, and is only set for limited release.

9.  "Felt" - Amy is hanging on by a thread. Struggling to cope with past sexual trauma and the daily aggressions of a male-dominated society, she creates grotesquely costumed alter egos that re-appropriate the male form. While giving her the sense of power she craves, acting as these characters pushes her further into a world of her own making. When she begins a new relationship with a seemingly good guy, she opens herself up to him - but that vulnerability comes at a dangerous cost, and her alter egos threaten to lash out in explosive violence. Based on the real experiences and art of co-writer/star Amy Everson, "Felt" doesn’t just point a finger at rape culture; it takes a full on swing at it, creating a feminist psychological thriller that audiences will be hard-pressed to shake off.  The movie stars Amy Everson, Kentucker Audley and Ryan Creighton, and is set for limited release.

10.  "Into the Grizzly Maze" - Two estranged brothers reunite at their childhood home in the Alaskan wild. They set out on a two-day hike and are stalked by an unrelenting grizzly bear.  The movie stars Thomas Jane, James Marsden, Billy Bob Thornton, and Piper Perabo, and is set for limited release.

11.  "Glass Chin" - After going down in the fifth round, boxer Bud Gordon (Corey Stoll) bowed out of the limelight. Now residing in a fixer-upper apartment in New Jersey with his girlfriend, Bud longs for his former Manhattan glory. In an effort to get back in the game, he makes a deal with a crooked restauranteur (Billy Crudup). But quick schemes rarely bring easy pay-offs and as the consequences of his business negotiations unfold, Bud has to make a choice between his integrity and his ambitions.  The movie stars Corey Stoll and Billy Crudup and is set for limited release.

12.  "7 Minutes" - In this fast-paced thriller, three desperate men (Jason Ritter, Luke Mitchell, & Zane Holtz) are forced by circumstance to commit a brazen robbery. As each minute unfolds, true motives are revealed and stakes intensify. What begins as a simple plan — “in and out in 7 minutes” — quickly escalates into a dangerous game of life and death.  The movie stars Jason Ritter and Leven Rambin.

13.  "Fresh Dressed" - With funky, fat-laced Adidas, Kangol hats, and Cazal shades, a totally original look was born—Fresh—and it came from the black and brown side of town where another cultural force was revving up in the streets to take the world by storm. Hip-hop, and its aspirational relationship to fashion, would become such a force on the market that Tommy Hilfiger, in an effort to associate their brand with the cultural swell, would drive through the streets and hand out free clothing to kids on the corner.

FRESH DRESSED is a fascinating, fun-to-watch chronicle of hip-hop, urban fashion, and the hustle that brought oversized pants and graffiti-drenched jackets from Orchard Street to high fashion's catwalks and Middle America shopping malls.  The movie stars Pharrell Williams, Damon Dash, Karl Kani and Kanye West.


14.  "The Midnight Swim" - Spirit Lake is unusually deep. No diver has ever managed to find the bottom, though many have tried. When Dr. Amelia Brooks disappears during a deep-water dive, her three daughters travel home to settle her affairs. They find themselves unable to let go of their mother and become drawn into the mysteries of the lake.  The movie stars Lindsay Burdge and Aleksa Palladino.

15.  "A Borrowed Identity" - A coming-of-age drama set in the 1980s about an Arab teenager trying to find his place in Israeli society. Written and adapted from two autobiographical novels by renowned Arab-Israeli author and journalist Sayed Kashua. Gifted Eyad, a Palestinian Israeli boy, is given the chance to go to a prestigious Jewish boarding school in Jerusalem. As he desperately tries to fit in with his Jewish schoolmates and within Israeli society, Eyad develops a friendship with another outsider, Jonathan (Michael Moshonov) a boy suffering from muscular dystrophy, and gradually becomes part of the home Jonathan shares with his mother, Edna (Yael Abecassis). After falling in love with Naomi (Daniel Kitsis), a Jewish girl, he leaves school when their relationship is uncovered, and he discovers that he will have to sacrifice his identity in order to be accepted. Faced with a choice, Eyad will have to make a decision that will change his life forever.

16.  "Elimination Game" - A high-octane action movie based on the cult classic exploitation film "Turkey Shoot" (aka "Escape 2000"). Packed with mayhem, stunts, and special effects, the film is a warped reflection of the global fascination with increasingly brutal reality-television competition game shows.

17.  "A Fool" - Based on renowned author Hu Xuewen’s novella "Running Moonlight," "A Fool" stars Chen as a Northern Chinese shepherd fighting to get his son released from prison. As he attempts bribery to secure the release, a wanderer enters his life, completely upending his strategy and leading to confusion and disaster.

18.  "Bound to Vengeance" - A gritty revenge thriller about a young woman, Eve, who fights back and manages to escape a malicious abductor. However, after discovering she may not be the only victim, Eve unravels a darker truth and decides to turn the tables on her captor.

Thursday, June 18, 2015

New Movies for June 19,2015

On Friday June 19, some more blockbusters are coming out into your local movie theaters.  This weekend, 8 movies are coming out into theaters, whether all around the United States, or in private theaters.

1.  "Inside Out" - A child, Riley, is uprooted from her lovely Midwest life because her father starts a brand new job in San Francisco.  Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions, or inner thoughts - Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness.  These emotions live in Headquarters, the control center inside of Riley's mind, where they help her through everyday life.  As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters.  Although Joy, Riley's main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how to navigate a new city, house and school.  The story is written by Pixar and stars Amy Poehler, Jack Black, and Bill Hader.  Here is one of the official trailers that was shown on TV.

2.  "Dope" - A coming of age comedy/drama for the post hip hop generation. Malcolm is a geek, carefully surviving life in The Bottoms, a tough neighborhood in Inglewood, CA filled with gangsters and drugs dealers, while juggling his senior year of college applications, interviews and the SAT. His dream is to attend Harvard. A chance invitation to a big underground party leads Malcolm and his friends into a gritty adventure filled with offbeat characters and bad choices. If Malcolm can persevere, he'll go from being a geek, to being dope, to ultimately being himself.   The movie stars Shameik Moore, Tony Revolori, and Kiersey Clemons.


3.  "Infinitely Polar Bear" - A manic-depressive mess of a father tries to win back his wife by attempting to take full responsibility of their two young, spirited daughters, who don't make the overwhelming task any easier.  The movie stars Mark Ruffalo and Zoe Saldana.


4.  "Manglehorn" - A.J. Manglehorn is a reclusive Texas key-maker who spends his days caring for his cat, finding comfort in his work and lamenting a long lost love. Enter kind-hearted bank teller Dawn whose interest in the eccentric Manglehorn may just be able to draw him out of his shellThe movie stars Al Pacino and Holly Hunter.


5.  "Eden" - Paul, a teenager in the underground scene of early-nineties Paris, forms a DJ collective with his friends and together they plunge into the nightlife of sex, drugs, and endless music.


6.  "The Overnight" - Alex, Emily, and their son, RJ, are new to Los Angeles. A chance meeting at the park introduces them to the mysterious Kurt, Charlotte, and Max. A family "playdate" becomes increasingly interesting as the night goes on.


7.  "The Tribe" - A deaf teenager enters a specialized boarding school where, to survive, he becomes part of a wild organization - the tribe. His love for one of the concubines will unwillingly lead him to break all the unwritten rules within the Tribe's hierarchy.  


8.  "Gabriel" - A troubled young man searches obsessively for his first love, risking everything in an increasingly desperate pursuit.


Depending what everyone thinks of this, I'm thinking of continuing this in the future, just so everyone knows what is coming out in the movie theaters, in case a date night comes around and you can check something that is not from the mainstream.

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Jurassic World

This past weekend, the long awaited sequel that had been rumored for many years and had been passed from director to director finally came out.  This movie was the fourth installment in a franchise that, in my opinion had also stalled out in quality with the last movie.  If you haven't figured it out yet, the movie I'm talking about is Jurassic World, also known as, Jurassic Park IV.




Here is a trailer for the movie, if you haven't seen much about it over the past couple of weeks.

The basic synopsis of the movie is that after 22 years from the original Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar is now inhabited by a fully functioning theme park, as originally envisioned by John Hammond.  After 10 years of operation, visitor rates have been seen declining and in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is "created" to re-spark visitors' interest, which as always backfires horribly.

The movie stars Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy, The Lego Movie), Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village), Ty Simpkins (Iron Man 3), and many others.

Jurassic World was very well done in the idea that most theme parks get boring if they stagnate and do not improve with new rides and attractions.  Unfortunately for the people at this park, the company decided to create their own genetically modified "Dinosaur".  It was a very well done movie, but there are a lot of predictable scenes and outcomes that you can figure out yourself what is going to happen in the near future.  The dinosaur effects are put together really well, but what can you expect from the wonderful people at Industrial Light & Magic.  You can see that they use mostly CGI with a lot of the newer dinosaurs, but for some of the scenes you can see an homage to the puppets that they used from the first Jurassic Park.  I don't want to give away any spoiler so I'm not delving too much into the movie, but just giving a generalized overview of the movie itself.

Overall my wife and I would give the movie 4.5 stars out of 5 and that is only because of the predictability in the storyline.

Monday, June 15, 2015

R.I.P Christopher Lee

On June 7, 2015 America lost one of its most prolific Horror/Fantasy actors of all time.  Christophe Lee had just celebrated his 93rd birthday with family in London, England.  This post is in memory of his life and his many movies through his lifetime.

First, lets start with a little of his biography.  Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee was born in 1922 in London, England, where he was raised by his parents, Contess Estelle Marie (Carandini di Sarzano) and Geoffrey Trollope Lee, with his older sister Xandra.

After attending Wellington College from the ages of 14-17, he worked as an office clerk in a couple of London shipping companies until 1941, when he enlisted into the Royal Air Force during World War II.  After being released from the military, he joined the Rank Organisation in 1947 to train as an actor in their "Charm School".  This is where his acting career got his start getting bit parts in such films as "Corridor of Mirrors"(1948), "Laurence Olivier's Hamlet" (1948), "Moulin Rouge" (1952).

Lee landed numerous parts in film and television throughout the 50s, but he struggled because he was discriminated as being taller than any of the other leading male actors during his time, at 6'5", as well as being too foreign-looking.  Luckily for him though, this foreign-looking downfall became a blessing in disguise by playing the monster in the Hammer film "The Curse of Frankenstein"(1957), which was successful and led him to being signed for future roles in Hammer Film Productions.  This followed with Lee being in contact with Peter Cushing in "Horror of Dracula"(1958) and "The Mummy"(1959).  These two became real good friends and often played contrasting roles to each other in Hammer films.

Lee continued his role as "Dracula" throughout the 60s and into the early 70s.  During this time, he co-starred in "The Hound of the Baskervilles"(1959), and made numerous appearances as Fu Manchu, most notably in the first of the series "The Face of Fu Manchu"(1965).  With his own production company, Lee made "Nothing But the Night"(1973) and "To the Devil a Daughter"(1976).  By this point, Lee was tiring of his horror image and tried to widen his appeal by participating in several mainstream films, such as "The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes"(1970), "The Three Musketeers"(1973), "The Four Musketeers: Milady's Revenge"(1974), and the James Bond film "The Man with the Golden Gun"(1974).

After these successful films, it prompted him to move to Hollywood, where he remained busy, only made unremarkable film and television appearances.  The beginning of the new millennium relaunched his career, when he was cast as Count Dooku in "Star Wars:  Episode II - Attack of the Clones"(2002) and as Saruman the White in the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  He was then cast again as Count Dooku in the third installment of the Star Wars Prequel and as Johnny Depp's father in the Tim Burton film, "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory".

When the Hobbit Trilogy was announced, he would reprise his role as Saruman the White for the first and the third installments.  One quick fact linking Christopher to the Hobbit franchise, he was the only member of the entire movie staff that had actually met J.R.R. Tolkien, himself.

Unfortunately on June 6, 2015 Sir Christopher Lee passed away in London, England from heart failure at the ripe old age of 93.

Some interesting facts about Christopher Lee that I found are as follows:

-Classically trained singer.
-Is listed as the Center of the Hollywood Universe by the Oracle of Kevin Bacon website at the University of Virginia, because he can be linked to any one in Hollywood on average in 2.59 steps. That is less than either Charlton Heston or Kevin Bacon himself.
-One of Lee's maternal great-grandfathers was Italian. Through him, Lee is of noble Italian ancestry (from the Carandini family).
-A stunt double performed the stunts and lightsaber fights in Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). Lee's face was imposed on the double's body. Lee mentioned that in the last 40 years, he has done more swordfights than any other actor, but "not anymore".
-Both he and his fellow "Star Wars" Sith Lord, David Prowse, have played Frankenstein's Monster opposite Peter Cushing:  Lee in The Curse of Frankenstein (1957) and Prowse in Frankenstein and the Monster from Hell (1974).
-Was originally offered the role of Grand Moff Tarkin in Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope (1977). He turned down the role which eventually went to his good friend Peter Cushing.  
-Was upset about the deletion of his death scene in the theatrical version of The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003). However, the scene was put back into the Extended Edition which is seen as the definitive version.
-As Darth Tyranus, he plays the first Sith apprentice to act in both body and voice.
-His films have made more money than any other actor's in history. As of May 2006, five of his films (the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the two Star Wars films in which he played Count Dooku) had total grosses in excess of $4.4 billion. Even without considering Lee's other appearances dating back to 1948, his totals considerably surpass the figures of #3 billion and #3.8 billion claimed by Harrison Ford and Samuel L. Jackson, respectively.
-As a veritable J.R.R. Tolkien expert and the only member of the cast who had met Tolkien himself, he often visited the Production department on the sets of the various Lord of the Rings movies to give advice and tips on the various attributes of the films.
-Has said that his favorite director is Tim Burton, whom he frequently collaborated with on several of Burton's films.
-Has also done a few small roles that only require his voice, such as the priest in Corpse Bride (2005), and the Jabberwocky in Alice in Wonderland (2010).
-His mother was a contessa of the Italian Cardini family related through marriage across the centuries to the Borgias.
-In his autobiography, he relates his first meeting with Peter Cushing during production of The Curse of Frankenstein (1957), in which he played the monster. Lee stormed into a dressing room where Cushing was sitting and angrily yelled "I haven't got any lines!" Cushing replied, "You're lucky; I've read the script.".