A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extra-terrestrial warrior.
Director: John McTiernan
Writers: Jim Thomas, John Thomas
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Kevin Peter Hall | See full cast and crew »
Storyline
A team of special force ops, led by a tough but fair soldier, Major "Dutch" Schaefer, are ordered in to assist CIA man, George Dillon, on a rescue mission for potential survivors of a Helicopter downed over remote South American jungle. Not long after they land, Dutch and his team discover that they have been sent in under false pretenses. This deception turns out to be the least of their worries though, when they find themselves being methodically hunted by something not of this world. Written by Laygz
Movie Reviews
"Predator" is a genuine Classic. Action, Horror, Sci-Fi it's all there. Lets see for starters we have Arnold Schwarzenegger, on top form riding to the peak of his action status, leading a team of tough Commandos. Made up of a great cast including Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura and Bill Duke. They're on a mission to rescue Hostages from Gorilla forces but are double crossed by the C.I.A, stop there and you already have a great action movie.
But oh no, this film also has an Intergalactic Alien Big Game hunter equipped with plasma cannons, Stealth Invisibility and Thermal Vision. It would be so easy to imagine this film going nowhere if it where to have fallen into the wrong hands. You could really imagine a plot of an Alien hunting Commandos in the jungle coming off a bit lame but no, Fox thankfully had faith and McTierman had a vision. Fox's faith may have been down to there two previous unexpected big hits "Aliens" and "Commando" which you could possibly say this film is a hybrid of.
Film also benefits from being made in that 80s early 90s era where your action film could take its self seriously yet still not too seriously. One minute we see a fairly realistic use of of weapons and tactics the next Arnie throws a truck down a hill equipped with C4 and Jesse Ventura pulls out his M-134 Mini Gun and shreds some Gorillas.
The Predator it's self is a classic design, thanks to the genius Stan Winston, and in my opinion never looked better than in this movie. It looked slightly fake in Pred 2(Not a bad film too) and don't get me started on the travesty that is AvP. It could have been a different story if they had stuck to the big rubber turtle they had shot scenes with thank god Arnold himself suggested Winston.
EDGE OF TOMORROW
A military officer is brought into an alien war against an extraterrestrial enemy who can reset the day and know the future. When this officer is enabled with the same power, he teams up with a Special Forces warrior to try and end the war.
An alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop-forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again...and again. But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt). And, as Cage and Vrataski take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy!Written by Warner Bros. Pictures
User Reviews
There are multiple plot strands from other films gathered into a union. I won't give you any hint but you'll get it when you see it. Nowadays, movies are short on originality. But, in this case, you won't give a thing about it.
Premise: An inexperience military officer was sent to war to fight an alien race invading the earth. In the middle of the battlefield, he got into an accident which causes him to go into time- loop that repeats each moment when he dies.
The basis of the plot looks familiar... That could be a big problem. On the contrary, it succeeded to provide a big summer blockbuster satisfaction. The pacing is perfect, the acting is perfect. Oh, and did i mention the effects? It was ragin'!
See this movie with low expectations (2D or 3D doesn't matter)...
The Wolverine
When Wolverine is summoned to Japan by an old acquaintance, he is embroiled in a conflict that forces him to confront his own demons.
In modern day Japan, Wolverine is out of his depth in an unknown world as he faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-death battle that will leave him forever changed. Vulnerable for the first time and pushed to his physical and emotional limits, he confronts not only lethal samurai steel but also his inner struggle against his own immortality, emerging more powerful than we have ever seen him before. Written by Twentieth Century Fox
James Mangold directed this sixth "X-Men" entry, though the second to focus primarily on Wolverine(Hugh Jackman) which is set after the events of 'The Last Stand', as Wolverine, now living a nomadic existence in the wilderness, is located by a Japanese woman who tells him that a (now) wealthy Japanese man whose life he had saved in WWII(when the two atom bombs were dropped) is now dying, and wants to repay his life debt by offering him a chance to relinquish his immortality by transferring it to him through a new process. Wolverine respectfully refuses, but events spiral out-of-control as someone wants the man's daughter and heir dead, and also wants Wolverine's healing power, which threatens his indestructibility... Hugh Jackman is more than capable of carrying this interesting picture alone with nice Japan locations and story, which will push him in a new direction, and(if you stay through the end credits) into his next "X-Men" adventure.
Terminator 2
A cyborg, identical to the one who failed to kill Sarah Connor, must now protect her young son, John Connor, from a more advanced cyborg, made out of liquid metal.
Director: James Cameron
Writers: James Cameron, William Wisher Jr. (as William Wisher)
Stars: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Edward Furlong | See full cast and crew »
Storyline
Almost 10 years have passed since the first cyborg called The Terminator tried to kill Sarah Connor and her unborn son, John Connor. John Connor, the future leader of the human resistance, is now a healthy young boy. However another Terminator is sent back through time called the T-1000, which is more advanced and more powerful than its predecessor. The Mission: to kill John Connor when he's still a child. However, Sarah and John do not have to face this threat of a Terminator alone. Another Terminator is also sent back through time. The mission: to protect John and Sarah Connor at all costs. The battle for tomorrow has begun... Written by Eric ggg
Movie Reviews
What can I say about "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" that hasn't been better said already? All I can say is that when I first saw the movie (at only 9 years of age) it had an effect on me. It blew me away! It opened up my eyes, and even at the tender age of 9, made me realize what I wanted to do with my life: I wanted to make movies, and I wanted to make movies like "T2".
As I'm watching the film, I glance over at another patron and this woman, her eyes wide, was gripping the arms of her chair so tightly I thought they were going to break. When I saw that reaction, that mind-numbing, adrenaline rush of pure excitement, knowing that that movie had them completely, that is when I knew I wanted to make movies and give people that same reaction.
And now, over 10 years later, "T2" is still my favorite film of all time and I watch it religiously. I have written several scripts and treatments all because of "T2" and I have tried to match that exquisite balance of wonderful story/interesting characters/jaw-dropping effects/non-stop action.
"T2" was the sole-guiding factor in my life - because of it, I KNEW I wanted to make movies in any way, shape or form.
If you'll excuse me, I seem to be running out of air. Gotta watch "T2" a little bit more...
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Transformers: Dark of the Moon
The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and to learn its secrets.
Director: Michael Bay
Writer: Ehren Kruger
Stars: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Tyrese Gibson | See full cast and crew »
Storyline
Autobots Bumblebee, Ratchet, Ironhide, Mirage (aka Dino), Wheeljack (aka Que) and Sideswipe led by Optimus Prime, are back in action taking on the evil Decepticons, who are eager to avenge their recent defeat. The Autobots and Decepticons become involved in a perilous space race between the United States and Russia, to reach a hidden Cybertronian spacecraft on the moon and learn its secrets, and once again Sam Witwicky has to come to the aid of his robot friends. The new villain Shockwave is on the scene while the Autobots and Decepticons continue to battle it out on Earth. Written by Kris S.
Movie Reviews
I have to say I enjoyed watching Transformers 3. If you take it for what it is, a Michael Bay movie with awesome, epic visuals, an over-the- top weak plot, not very deep characters, and classic 'Bay' humor, then it's great. Not as good as the first, but easily better than the 2nd one.
First off, the visual effects are amazing. One of the best, if not the best, that I've seen, both in details on the transformers, in action/fighting sequences, and in more general landscape shots - the views of Chicago when it was being attacked by decepticons were great. I watched it in 3D in the theater, and it was arguably the best 3D effects I've seen, and best use of 3D cameras, and that is including Avatar which i also saw in 3D. This is what Michael Bay is really good at, and this movie shows he is arguably the expert in visual effects and composition.
visual effects and presentation - 10/10
The plot isn't great. When it starts out, it seems like it might develop nicely into a moderately complex story rooted in some historical events that happened very differently than how we thought (kind of like the hoover dam part in the first transformers), but in the end not much is made of that and the plot is relatively direct and over-the-top. However, it does have a few good moments that offer a bit more complexity or emotion, and anyways I didn't watch the movie hoping for a subtle, complex, and nuanced plot.
Plot - 6/10
The characters and acting aren't Oscar-worthy either, to say the least. Rosie Huntington-Whitely is not a great actress, in fact she isn't really an actress, and it shows, but, to be honest, I have seen worse performances. Shia Labeouf is decent in his role as usual. and again there are some new characters, including some for Michael Bay- esque comic relief (which in my opinion is actually funnier than much of the humor in revenge of the fallen, which felt a little too forced to me).
Characters/acting - 6/10
Fun - 8/10
If you're expecting a layered, nuanced movie with deep characterization and a complex and well-written plot, well, then, don't watch this. If, though, you want a fun blockbuster with truly amazing visual effects, a decent (but forgettable) storyline and characterization, and an easy to follow dynamic, well you'll probably like Transformers 3.
Black Hawk Down
123 elite U.S. soldiers drop into Somalia to capture two top lieutenants of a renegade warlord and find themselves in a desperate battle with a large force of heavily-armed Somalis.
Director: Ridley Scott
Writers: Mark Bowden (book), Ken Nolan (screenplay)
Stars: Josh Hartnett, Ewan McGregor, Tom Sizemore | See full cast and crew »
Storyline
Action/war drama based on the best-selling book detailing a near-disastrous mission in Somalia on October 3, 1993. On this date nearly 100 U.S. Army Rangers, commanded by Capt. Mike Steele, were dropped by helicopter deep into the capital city of Mogadishu to capture two top lieutenants of a Somali warlord. This lead to a large and drawn-out firefight between the Rangers and hundreds of Somali gunmen, leading to the destruction of two U.S. Black Hawk helicopters. This film focuses on the heroic efforts of various Rangers to get to the downed black hawks, centering on Sgt. Eversmann, leading the Ranger unit Chalk Four to the first black hawk crash site, Warrant Officer Durant who was captured after being the only survivor of the second black hawk crash, as well as many others who were involved.Written by Matthew Patay: revised by Brady Schloz
Movie Reviews
When you break it down and look at it both honestly and cynically (assuming that that is possible for a minute), there are really only two kinds of war movie: pro and con. The underlying theme of virtually every war movie - particularly since APOCALYPSE NOW - generally comes down to an analysis of the 'value' of war, of its worth. It's pointlessness, or its need. Is the action of battle warranted because of the attempt to find peace, or is war never justifiable, no matter what the intention?
Pro or con?
What is interesting is that since the Second World War, this underlying message that is found in nearly all war pictures has slowly changed from the former to the latter. This again is generally shaped in two ways. Either we see the play-by-play results following the issuance of what appears to be a bizarre and foolhardy set of orders from high command (i.e., APOCALYPSE NOW or SAVING PRIVATE RYAN). Or we get a glimpse of being right in the action as it all falls apart: hearing the bullets whizzing past our noses, reeling from the impact of RPG's and gazing blankly as the bodies begin to mount (PLATOON, say). BLACK HAWK DOWN, directed by Ridley Scott and accurately following the true story of the best-selling book by Mark Bowden, very much adopts the latter perspective.
On October 3, 1993, a small unit of U.S. Army Rangers and Delta Force troops were dropped by helicopter into hostile territory in Mogadishu, Somalia, with what is perceived to be a straightforward mission: the capture of two lieutenants of the Somali warlord, General Aidid. The unit is under command from Major William Garrison (Sam Shepard), and headed by Staff Sergeant Matt Eversmann (Josh Hartnett) in his first direct experience of frontline leadership. He also has a personal goal - to ensure everyone comes back alive.
Yet, these things are never as easy as they appear - hence the development of the book and the film - and when 18-year old frontline rookie Todd Blackbird is injured early on, the entire mission begins to fall apart. More U.S. troops are injured, and when Somalis down two Black Hawk helicopters, the mission changes completely: it's now a rescue operation.
And for about ninety minutes, you are subjected to some of the most intense, disturbing, graphic, violent and chilling pieces of conflict representation that you will ever see. Remember the Omaha Beach scene in SAVING PRIVATE RYAN? That was about half an hour long. Think of something three times that length, yet more 'realistic' and with (thankfully) no flag-waving. That is the gist of BLACK HAWK DOWN.
Ultimately, one hundred-and-twenty-three U.S. troops were involved in the Mogadishu conflict. Nineteen were killed, and one thousand Somalis also perished.
Unlike RYAN, BLACK HAWK DOWN doesn't build up a core group of characters, focusing on their emotional makeup and depth. No. Instead, we barely know our 'heroes', with very little time devoted to each characters motivation or purpose. And this is a good thing. At first, you find yourself a little bewildered by the sizeable cast, and this isn't helped by the many distant POV scenes that found this reviewer wondering just who he was seeing living and dying. But surely that is an important and crucial element of war - you're involved in these suicidal missions with men you barely know. You don't have time to share your life-stories. You may have only met that week, that day, or within the last hour. And then it's full on.
We get snippets of character data: Eversmann's entire focus is on not letting the team down; Specialist Danny Grimes (Ewan McGregor), for so long tied to his desk simply because he excelled at typing; and Delta Sergeant 'Hoot' Hooten (Tom Sizemore, soon to be playing Bruce Banner in THE HULK), wise despite his years, somehow making more sense of the nonsense than anyone else.
But any characterisation is underplayed and to the point, which is how it should be. The fresh-facedness and naivety of the troops is key to the success of the film, and of the emotional impact therein. As the errors and bodies mount, we get to see the horror of the conflict - the carnage and devastation, relentlessness and never-ending waves of Somali forces - directly through the eyes of the U.S. Rangers and Delta Force squad. I was somewhat stunned by the impact of the movie, both in the way the action grips you and shakes you violently until you want to let go, and in the occasional and very touching soft moments. Indeed, the action is so intense that I found myself at times glazing over, thinking of something else, and with hindsight I put this down to some kind of need for an emotional release; certainly, I cannot fault the film in that sense. It was simply a case of 'too much.'
Throughout the movie both the acting and direction are superb; Ridley Scott has an eye for detail and filmography that is probably unmatched. Even his lesser efforts like HANNIBAL are beautifully shot. And BLACK HAWK DOWN is one of his best efforts to date.
The musical score is also superb, and I was encouraged to hear the Stone Temple Pilot's CREEP near the beginning of the flick. I believe this is the first time I have heard a STP song in any movie.
What is also very welcome is the lack of U.S. nationalism in this picture. Of America saving the day. Unlike, say, brother Tony Scott's TOP GUN - which yes, was making a different point entirely (i.e., let's make some money and recruit some boys to the Navy at the same time) - this isn't about the might of the U.S. There is no wake-leaving in BLACK HAWK DOWN. Real people made mistakes, and real people died.
Speaking of Tony Scott, however, my only minor quibble was Sam Shepard's performance. He was probably in the wrong movie, as all his mannerisms (especially the way he took off his sunglasses in that quick-draw kind of way that stereotypical military types always seem to do) appeared to me to come straight out of TOP GUN. He was a little too 'bleh' for my tastes. For all I know William Garrison could have been exactly like that, but it still seemed a little Hollywood.
I also wasn't completely comfortable as to how the Somalis were portrayed; this movie wasn't really about good versus bad in my opinion, but on the face of it the U.S. are the bad guys here. At least inasmuch as they were at fault. Comparisons are made with Vietnam both in the unnecessary involvement of the U.S. in the Somali civil war, and in the end credits of the film where we learn that the Medal of Honour was awarded to two U.S. soldiers for the first time since the Vietnam conflict. Yet, throughout the film the Somali are seen in only two ways - either a relentless force of bloodthirsty killers, or a simple people trying to stay out of the way. Now yes, this may be what it really was like - I cannot say because I wasn't there - but the overall message didn't fit well with me. They seemed too one-dimensional, a bit TOO bloodthirsty, and that left a bitter taste.
Also as mentioned above the film is often confusing during the extended battle scene, and warrants more than one view. As the blood and dirt begins to pile, you will find yourself wondering who you are looking at, particularly when the perspective is on several soldiers from a distance. But that can be forgiven. This isn't PREDATOR, and while that film is outstanding as a piece of science fiction, it made a great effort to separate the marines so that the viewer would have an easy time following each one.
That, of course, isn't real life, and BLACK HAWK DOWN is, perhaps, as close as we've come yet to an accurate capture of the true feel of war.
Rambo
In Thailand, John Rambo joins a group of mercenaries to venture into war-torn Burma, and rescue a group of Christian aid workers who were kidnapped by the ruthless local infantry unit.
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Writers: Art Monterastelli, Sylvester Stallone, 1 more credit »
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Matthew Marsden | See full cast and crew »
Storyline
Vietnam veteran John Rambo has survived many harrowing ordeals in his lifetime and has since withdrawn into a simple and secluded existence in Thailand, where he spends his time capturing snakes for local entertainers, and chauffeuring locals in his old PT boat. Even though he is looking to avoid trouble, trouble has a way of finding him: a group of Christian human rights missionaries, led by Michael Burnett and Sarah Miller, approach Rambo with the desire to rent his boat to travel up the river to Burma. For over fifty years, Burma has been a war zone. The Karen people of the region, who consist of peasants and farmers, have endured brutally oppressive rule from the murderous Burmese military and have been struggling for survival every single day. After some inner contemplation, Rambo accepts the offer and takes Michael, Sarah, and the rest of the missionaries up the river. When the missionaries finally arrive at the Karen village, they find themselves part of a raid by the sadistic ... Written by stallonezone.com / Drew Lahat
Movie Reviews
Rambo is an 80s-style action movie with modern sensibilities. Stallone is not a one-man army as in previous movies but rather a dogged old soldier that comes to terms with what he actually is while racking up a body count that would make Tarintino proud. In many ways, this movie parallels Rocky Balboa as a mature ending to a series of sometimes over-the-top but fun action movies. John Rambo in this movie is an aging but potent killing machine that for the first time since First Blood accomplishes his mission in a very believable manner. The action is visceral and downright gory at times surpassing the hard-core scenes of Omaha Beach in Saving Private Ryan. The film pulls no punches when showing exactly what a Barret .50 caliber sniper rifle can do to a human body. Stallone mutters only a very few lines of dialog in this movie... there's no speeches or patriotic flag waving going on here but there is a clear lesson on how well liberal idealism holds up under barbaric realities amid genocide and war.
A team of commandos on a mission in a Central American jungle find themselves hunted by an extra-terrestrial warrior.
