The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) Movie Review

Director: David Fincher

Writer: Steven Zaillian (screenplay); Stieg Larsson (novel)

In Theaters: December 20, 2011 (USA)

Running Time: 158 minutes

Cast: Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, Christopher Plummer, Stellan Skarsgård, Robin Wright, Steven Berkoff

Synopsis:

Henrik Vanger (Christopher Plummer) commissions a scorned journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) to investigate the disappearance of his niece, Harriet. Vanger believes that Harriet was murdered forty years ago. He wants to find out who the murderer was. Blomkvist is then assisted by Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara), a troubled woman but quite brilliant at computer hacking. Together, they would discover the dark secrets of the Vanger family which involves corruption, Nazism and more brutal murders. All these would lead them to the disappearance of Harriet Vanger.

Reaction:

It is hard not to compare this American film version of Larsson's novel to that of the Swedish version. First of all, the two film adaptations are equally great in their own right. They have different approaches to make the viewers glued on every scene. I can say that the Swedish version is more intense with some vivid graphics on those brutal murders. On the other hand, the English version has more conversations to it and depth. Either ways, both films are quite entertaining which leave a remarkable mark to the movie viewers.

Moving on, I admire how the characters in this American version film are developed. Viewers can make a good connection with the characters. Lisbeth Salander's character is indeed a very tough job to portray but Rooney Mara was able to pull it off just like what Noomi Rapace did. She is completely a big revelation in this film. This is her best role so far. I can say that Rooney Mara is a star in the making. For Daniel Craig, I used to watch him in big action films and is always in control. However this time, he was able to play the role brilliantly. He is more subdued and has given Rooney Mara the limelight.

There will always be some shortcomings on both versions especially on the characters, the plot and more. However, this great story of Stieg Larsson was just brilliantly done by both films. I recommend you guys to read the Millennium Trilogy books, the Swedish film version of those trilogies and of course, the American version. You will see the differences and can make up your own opinions. All in all, two thumbs up for this film!

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The Double Movie Review

Director: Michael Brandt

In Theaters: October 28, 2011

On DVD: January 31, 2012

Running Time: 98 minutes

Cast: Richard Gere, Martin Sheen, Topher Grace, Stephen Moyer, Tamer Hassan, Chris Marquette

Synopsis:

The Double is a story of a retired CIA operative, Paul Shepherdson (Richard Gere) who is forced to solve the mysterious murder of a senator. Sheperdson is paired with a rookie FBI agent, Ben Geary (Topher Grace). The murder has a distinctive attribute to that of the infamous Soviet assassin, Cassius. However, Sheperdson is convinced that the legendary Soviet assassin has long been dead. It was Tom Highland (Martin Sheen) who convinced Sheperdson to take the case. Ben Geary is quite certain that the most feared Cassius has resurfaced. The two agents work on together to uncover the real Cassius and bring him to justice.

Reaction:

The first few scenes of the film were quite promising though I have to say that the scene in which Gere was watching a children's baseball game was kinda bit lost there. I thought this film would be a great action thriller with a lot of twists making it more exciting. However, I should say that I was disappointed. It never exceeds nor at least level up my expectations. First of all, the big twist was already revealed during the early parts of the film leaving the audience's excitement short lived. In addition, the characters were not developed thoroughly. The writer could have explored more on that part. Towards the end of the film, a final twist was revealed. Instead of making it surprising, it leaves the audience confused. There were too many loopholes that sometimes I find it comical. All in all, my impression is that it could have been a great film with a powerhouse cast if not for the poorly written script. My rating for this film is 3/10.

War Horse Movie Review

Director: Steve Spielberg

Cast: Jeremy Irvine, Emily Watson, Peter Mullan, David Thewlis, Benedict Cumberbatch

Theater Release: December 25, 2011 (US); January 13, 2012 (UK)

Running Time: 146 minutes

Synopsis:

War Horse is based on a children's novel with the same title, War Horse, written by Michael Morpurgo. The story is set before and during World War 1. It is a story of a teenage boy who formed a special bond with a horse named Joey. Albert (Jeremy Irvine) trained Joey for quite some time before World War 1 broke out. The two were separated due to war. Several things happened along the way before the two finally got together.

Reaction:

The film has a great musical score. It really captures every scene. Kudos to John Williams who is always brilliant in his craft. The cinematography is great! The countryside scenery is just perfect. The cast are brilliant though I should say that some were not given the chance to showcase their talent. But then again, this story is centered on a single fantastic horse named Joey. Jeremy Irvine in the lead role is not really convincing. He lacks some facial expressions that could have bought a lot of tear jerking scenes between him and Joey. If given more time and experience, he would be another good actor in the future. I should say that Joey got the entire limelight. The scene in which he was trapped with barbed wires while the armies were still at war was dramatic and just perfect.

All in all, the movie is great. It is not really the best of Steven Spielberg's film. I saw his other films like E.T., Saving Private Ryan and Schindler's List. Those were great films. War Horse is a feel good film that would inspire us. The whole 146 minutes of the film is entertaining complete with drama, humor and some actions. I would recommend this to everyone. My rating would be 7 out of 10.

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Headhunters (Hodejegerne) Movie Review

Director: Morten Tyldum

Cast: Aksel Hennie,Nikolaj Coster-Waldau,Synnove Macody Lund, Joachim Rafaelsen, Julie R. Olgaard, Baard Owe

Rated: R

Theater Release: April 27, 2012

Synopsis: 

This film is an adaptation of the novel written by Norwegian best selling author, Jo Nesbo. Headhunters (Hodejegerne) is a story of a successful corporate headhunter, Roger Brown (Aksel Hennie) who got involved into a series of problems after he stole a high profile painting. The table will turn against him. Instead of being the headhunter, he would later be headhunted by Clas Greve (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau). More actions and twists will be unraveled as you watch the film. You would never want to blink an eye less you might miss some important details.

Reaction:

This film is really well executed, from its great cast, excellent plot, good musical score and more. I was hooked up on every scene from the beginning until the end. Two thumbs up for the cast especially the lead characters. They were able to live up to their roles. It is not just pure actions and thriller scenes that one will look forward to the film. There are also some funny scenes and even a light drama. You would be looking forward to the twists. When you think you know who deceives whom, you need to think again...That is how exciting and thrilling this film is. I would highly recommend, Headhunters. You will surely be entertained for almost two hours. I have only high praises for the staff and the cast who made this wonderful and highly commendable film. I guess Hollywood would be making another remake of this film just like what they did to "The Girl with A Dragon Tattoo", another great European film. Let us just wait and see.

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Transit Movie Review

Jim Caviezel plays the lead role in this film. A father who has just been out from the prison after involving himself from a real state fraud. He wants to make up for the loss times with his wife and two kids by going on a camping trip. The film started when he and his family are on their road trip to a camping site. Little did they know that their family outing would turn into a disaster as they came face to face with 4 lawless criminals. Unbeknown to them, these criminals hid a stacked of stolen cash in one of their bags. They needed to do this in order to avoid getting caught during police road blocks. After eluding the policemen, these criminals are determined to get their cash back.

Directed by Antonio Negret and written by Michael Gilvary, this film has a lot of car chasing and action packed scenes from the beginning towards the end. The plot of the film is quite familiar since I have seen almost similar plot from another film. However, I can say that I never had boring moments during the entire time I watched the film. There are just some parts though that are quite predictable. There are even scenes in which I have to pause a little and think, "how the hell did they do that?" Yes, there were several scenes that have some loopholes in it. It left you wondering how foolish those criminals can be that even an ordinary family can outwit them.

This is not really one of the best films of Jim Caviezel but he was able to pull off his character. I saw Caviezel in Count of Montecristo, Passion of Christ and even in a cameo role in Deja Vu. He was great in all those films. All in all, I can say that this is not really a remarkable film but it is decent and entertaining enough to watch together with your family and friends. Out of ten, as ten being the highest, I would rate this film as 6/10.

Movie Trailer:  

The Innkeepers Movie Review

One of the films that I watched during the first day of 2012 was The Innkeepers. I was able to watch the trailer of the film around two months ago. The trailer was pretty promising. The Innkeepers is written and directed by Ti West. He also directed "The House of the Devil". Anyway, the film revolved around two employees, Claire (Sara Paxton) and Luke (Pat Healy), who are both eager to uncover the mystery behind The Yankee Pedlar Inn. They have a few remaining days to set their plans into actions before The Yankee Pedlar Inn will be shut down for good. During the remaining days at the Inn, strange things begin to surface. There were odd guests who check in and the two employees start to experience strange sounds from the piano room and in the basement. Instead of staying away from these creepy events, the two are determined to investigate further. What they would discover at the end is more than just what they bargained for.

Claire and Luke, at the basement of The Yankee Pedlar Inn

Reaction:

Well, I am a fan of suspense thriller films complete with tense and creepy scenes. I cannot say that the film is boring but it does not appeal to me at all. I have nothing against the actors, they were able to deliver their parts well especially, Sara Paxton. Anyway, I appreciate the funny scenes between Claire and Luke. However, there were several scenes in the film that could have been interestingly scary but it led to frustration for some of the viewers. There were scenes that were quite predictable. The only scary part was towards the end of the film which only lasted around five minutes or more. The ending was quite of a surprise. It just came out of nowhere. All in all, I would not really recommend this film for viewers who love scary and fast pacing thriller scenes.

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Most Anticipated Movies of 2012

A new year marks the beginning of great things to look forward to. This year, those well-loved superheroes will be making a major comeback on the big screen. Aside from that, sequels will be staging a comeback as well. So, the following are considered among the top list of the most anticipated movies of 2012.

1. Underworld: Awakening - This is the fourth sequel of Underworld with the return of it's main character Selene (Kate Beckinsale) directed by Mans Marlind and Bjorn Stein. The story centers on Selene who is able to escape imprisonment. She has to face a world in which humans are raging war against the Vampire and Lycans clan. This will be shown in theaters on third week of January.

2. Star Wars: Episode 1 - The Phantom Menace - Qui-Gon JInn and Obi- Wan Kenobi are set to settle an issue after the Trade Federation starts an embargo in planet Naboo. However, things did not work accordingly. This one is another highly anticipated movie of 2012. It will hit the theaters by first week of February.

3. Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance - Nicholas Cage will soon be reprising his role as Johnny Blaze. Fans would expect much darker version compared to the first film according to co- director, Brian Taylor. This sequel will be in the theaters on February 17.

4. The Hunger Games - An action thriller film that will soon hit the theaters on March 23. This is a story of a girl who comes from a poor territory. She becomes a gladiator in a reality show in which teen contestants fight to the death.

5. Wrath of The Titans - Another film in its second sequel will make a comeback on the big screen on March 30. Sam Worthington reprises his role as the demigod Perseus. The story centers on Perseus' journey to the underworld to rescue Zeus after he was betrayed by Hades and Ares.

6. American Reunion - Who would ever forget the hilarious American Pie film? It was a big hit before and several sequels have been made. This first week of April, the gang (Jim, MIchelle and friends) will return for their high school reunion. Enjoy the hilarious antics of the gang.

7. Scary Movie 5 - This horror comedy film is said to stage a comeback on April 20. Plot of this film has not been announced yet.

8. The Avengers - This film brings out your favorite superheroes all together from Marvel Comics. The characters include Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow and more. Watch out for more actions and thrills from this all- star cast film. This will be due in theaters on the May 4.

9. Men in Black III - Agent Jay (Will Smith) and Agent Kay (Tommy Lee Jones) are back! Agent Jay needs to travel back in time to pair up with the younger Agent Kay. The pair should stop an evil alien that would set to destroy the world in the future. This film will be coming in the theaters on May 25.

10. Snow White and the Huntsman - Snow White is portrayed by Kristen Stewart while the evil queen is played by Charlize Theron. The story revolves around Snow White's escape from her evil stepmother. She finds solace in the arms of a brave huntsman. She is trained by the huntsman to fight back. Little did she know that the huntsman was supposed to kill her. This movie is available on the big screen on June 1st.

11. Rock of Ages - If you go for musical plot, check out this film. Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand, Mary J. Blige and more will surely rock the house down! This is just one of the films to watch out for on June 1st.

12. Prometheus - Distributed by 20th century Fox, this sci-fi film involves a group of explorers who made a discovery on the origin of mankind.on Earth. They need to fight evils that lurk in the darkest part of the universe in order to save mankind.

13. Madagascar 3 - This movie is perfect for the whole family. In its 3rd installment of the Madagascar animated film, Alex the Lion, Marty the zebra, Gloria the Hippo and Melman the Giraffe are still trying so hard to get back to New York. As they start their journey to the Big Apple, they found themselves in Europe. Expect more hilarious and adventurous scenes from this group. This will be shown on June 8.

14. G.I. Joe Retaliation - This film is set to release on June 29 with Channing Tatum as Duke Hauser. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be in the film as well.

15. The Amazing Spider-Man- Another series of Spiderman that would hit the theaters on July 3. This time minus Tobey Maguire. The lead role, Peter Parker, is played by Andrew Garfield. The film centers on Peter Parker back in his teenage days. It shows about dealing his problems on being a human and having the super- human power.

16. Ice Age: Continental Drift - Watch out for the fourth installment distributed by 20th Century Fox. Share the fun and adventure with Manny, Sid, Diego, Ellie and Scrat!

17. The Dark Knight Rises - This is coming into theaters on July 20 with Christian Bale still in the lead role as Bruce Wayne/ Batman. Anne Hathaway will play the much coveted role as Catwoman. The story is set eight years after the Dark Knight events. Batman faces his foes, the vicious Bane and the sneaky Catwoman.

18. The Bourne Legacy - The Bourne series comes with its fourth installment without Matt Damon. This is not another Jason Bourne reboot. This action pack story focuses on a newly trained assassin which is portrayed by Jeremy Renner. Bourne Legacy will be seen in cinemas on the first week of August.

19. Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days - Follow the life and adventures of Greg Heffley as he brings you more uproarious acts. This film is coming to the theaters on August 3.

20. The Expendables 2 - Sylvester Stallone and the gang is back on the big screen. You will be in for a big blast. This film is set to release on August 17.

21. Taken 2 - This is a sequel to the 2008 film. Check out Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) as he goes on a trip to Istanbul with his family. The trip becomes their worst nightmare when the father of one of the Albanian kidnappers seeks vengeance against Bryan.

22. Skyfall - James Bond is back ! This time to help track down the threat on MI6. This is the 23rd James Bond movie and the third for Daniel Craig which will be shown on November 9.

23. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II - Watch out for the second and final part of the Breaking Dawn. So, for those Twilight Fans, mark your calendar on November 16.

24. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey - This film is a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. It focuses on the adventurous journey of Bilbo Baggins as he reclaims the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.

25. The Great Gatsby - This film is set to be released on Christmas Day. This is an adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's novel. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the lead role as Jay Gatsby.