Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Bond 24 & 25 to Build Off Of Skyfall

          The James Bond franchise is arguably the best/biggest franchise ever to be seen on the silver screen. Ever since the Sean Connery era, each generation has lead itself with a new actor and a new direction to take the Bond franchise. The current actor to portray  James Bond is Daniel Craig. His first outing was in the 2006 reboot/origin story Casino Royale which was praised be fans and critics. Then for the first time in Bond history it was followed by a direct sequel, Quantum of Solace which came out in 2008. Quantum of Solace was a financial success but was a disappointment to many fans and critics (including me.)
    Skyfall on the other hand was a huge success. It was critically acclaimed by practically everyone. With it being the 50 year anniversary, everyone was glad to see the references they put in to reflect off the original films in the 1960s. With the direction of Sam Mendes and the writing of John Logan (who are both on to direct and write Bond 24 for a 2015 release date) Skyfall is the best Bond ever. 
    Like I said above, Quantum of Solace was a disappointment and that was a sequel. Are the Skyfall sequels going to be a disappointment? I doubt it.
    While speaking to IGN promoting his new Showtime Horror Series Penny Dreadful, Logan offered just a little bit of insight on the progress of Bond saying "All I can say about Bond is that I'm happily writing it." According to Logan the next 2 Bond films will continue to develop the stories and characters of Skyfall. Logan's goal along with the Bond's creative team had this to say, "My goal is to write a movie that is appropriate, to build on what we did on Skyfall, but make it its own unique animal." 
    The ending of Skyfall restored the classic elements of a James Bond movie. Espically the introduction of Moneypenny and Q who were left out of Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace. I'll be glad to see Naomie Harris and Ben Whishaw reprise there roles. They bring a unique feel to their characters that make the younger audience connect to them.
    While the events of Quantum of Solace were dependent on Casino Royale, Skyfall's influence may be indirectly felt on the next two films. Logan said "The themes, ideas and the characters from Skyfall can obviously continue on, because it is a franchise, and it is an ongoing story. So I think there’s resonance from Skyfall in the new movie." 
    Logan said "I grew up on the Bond franchise." With that being said don't be surprised if a popular Sean Connery/Roger Moore era villain is coming back. Ernst Stavro Blofed is his name. He has appeared in 7 Bond films. With Logan frequently going back to Ian Fleming's source material, I predict you that the next Bond will be the best ever.

Monday, January 13, 2014

The Ledgend of Hercules Review

          I'm telling you right now, if you choose to go see this movie go into it with low expectations.  Because if you do you will think this movie is at least ok. You won't think it's a good movie at all. You might but it's very unlikely.  This cliche filled piece of crap is not enjoyable enough to qualify as an action film and can not holds one attention to count as a drama.
          When I say it's a piece of crap I don't really mean that. It's below ok but above crap. Nothing in it is good quality, it was cheap looking. There is this one part where the princess is riding on a horse and when she looks back, the scenery looks like it's from a 60s Bond film. It looked like a painted back round. It works in the 60s but not today when we have better technology then we did 50 years ago.
          If you want a perfect example of melodramatic, go see The Ledgend of Hercules. The acting was terrible. It seems like all the actors could do is cry where it doesn't look genuine, or yell at the gods. They over dramatized their roles so much, it didn't even look like acting anymore. I would at least give a molecule sized piece of credit to Kellan Lutz who tried his best. He probably delivered at least 3 good lines. This is another example of how the actors in the Twilight franchise just can't act. It was painful watching these actors try to act.
          The fight scenes. Don't even get me started on the fight scenes. Every 5 seconds there was a slow motion punch, a slow motion fall, a dramatic slow motion roll over a table. Anything that makes a fight scene cool was in slow motion. It was cool for about the first 20 minutes of the film. I liked seeing how the punches were delivered, how people used their swords. It just got annoying really quickly. They used slow motion when not necessary.  You don't need to use slow motion to see people's reactions. It didn't bother me as much as other people, but it still really annoyed me.
          When you hear the word "legend" do you think of a wimp? No. You think of a strong man who has no fear. This movie did not make it look like Hercules was a legend. There was nothing special to change his character from an ordinary person,  to a legend. That part was poorly written along with the other character development. 
          Like any movie there are some redeeming qualities. This one just doesn't have that many. Let's give credit to the music. It added very little to the experience.
          The story was fantastic. I'm not joking. It was a very intriguing story. The plot was great (besides the massive plot holes that appear so often) and fun. This movie probably exists just to make other people look forward to the other Hercules film The Rock is doing titled "Hercules: The Thracian Wars."
          What a crappy way to start of the year. A movie that almost reached ok, but did not quite get there. I will give The Legend of Hercules a 4.7/10. 

My next review will be Jack Ryan:Shadow Recruit so look out for that.  

         
         
         

Sunday, January 12, 2014

The Top 13 Movies You Should Be Looking Forward to in 2014

          The year of 2014 is now upon us. You know what that means. It's time for the Top 13 Movies of 2014 you should be looking forward to. Why am I doing a top 13? Because people never do a top 13 list. These 13 movies are a must see. 
    I'm going to start listing some Honorable Mentions. These movies you still should go see but the 13 should take your top priority. They are The Hobbit: There and Back Again, Welcome to Yesterday, Need for Speed, Million Dollar Arm, and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and Godzilla.
    13.The Muppets:Most Wanted
The latest Muppet movie was awesome. It is not the best Muppet movie but it was certainly not a disappointment. Most Wanted seems like it will be the funniest Muppet movie ever. There are so many comedic masterminds in it. Tiny Fey, Ricky Gervais, and the person I'm most excited to see Ty Burrell. The trailer alone makes me laugh the whole time. It opens on March 21st. Here is a link to the trailer.
12.Mr.Peabody and Sherman
This is another movie Ty Burrell stars in. He is doing the voice of Mr.Peabody, a dog who has adopted a human. Something happens so they have to go back in time. They experience world-changing events first hand. They are meeting some of the worlds greatest people of all time. They suddenly find them selves in a race against time to repair history and save the future. It does sound a little stereotypical for a time traveling movie, but I don't care. This is another case where the trailer makes you laugh the whole time. I just hope it didn't show us the funniest parts. It opens March 7th.
Here is a link to the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rao_aZTO17Q
11.Dumb and Dumber To
No, I did not spell two wrong. That's how it is supposed to be spelled. Just from that you can tell how great this is going to be. Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels are returning as Harry and Lloyd. I'm glad they got them to return. The best part is when they released a picture from the first day of shooting, Carrey and Daniels look exactly the same as the did in 1994. It's going to be great getting back the one of the, if not the best comedy duo. Dumb and Dumber To comes out on November 14th. There has been no trailer yet.
10.Maleficent
At D23 (the Disney Expo) Angelina Jolie told a story about how a little girl came up to her while she was in costume and started to cry because Jolie was to scary for her. When I heard that, I got so excited for it. Jolie just seems like she will rock the role. It's nice seeing a movie from a villains perspective. Maleficent seems like the perfect villain to do that with.  It comes out on May 30th. Here is a link to the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=704EXbJ-b5k
9.Transcendence
It's about time Johnny Depp does not play the clown character who has about 5 pounds of makeup on. This is a movie where he looks normal. Transcendence is about an ill scientist (played by Depp) who downloaded his mind to a computer. By doing so, it grants him powers that no one thought was possible. He becomes unstoppable. The directer is a new director by the name of Wally Pfister. Don't worry, he is not completely new to the film industry. He was the "apprentice" to Christopher Nolan, and did some cinematography work with him to. When you have been around one of the greatest directors working today for a long time, you learn what he does. I'm curious to see how much he takes from Nolan, and how much is his own original touch. It comes out on April 18th. Here is a link to the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCTen3-B8GU
8.Transformers 4:Age of Extinction
The first Transformers was awesome. The second was ok. It took a giant step down from the 1st one. And I didn't see the 3rd, nor did I want to. I just have a good feeling inside of me that this one is going to rock. When you have the dinobots in a movie, there is no possible way you could stay away. Mark Whalberg stars. Which makes me have a lot of faith in it because someone who can actually act is playing the main part. Maybe a trailer will change my idea, but as of right now, this feels like it will be just pure awesome. There has been no trailer yet. It comes out on June 27th. 
7.Interstellar
I'm going to tell you 7 names that are involved with this film. Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway,Jessica Chastain, Wes Bently,and  Casey Affleck all are in this movie. It's directed by the director that everyone wants right now, Christopher Nolan. If that doesn't intrigue you, I don't what will. It's a Sci-Fi film about a group of people who decide to take use of a newly discovered worm whole to surpass the limitation of human space travel. Little is known about it. It comes out November 7th. Here is a link to the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WzHXI5HizQ 
   6.Guardians of the Galaxy
An 8ft tall walking talking tree and a raccoon that shoots guns. That is Guardians of the Galaxy for you. Its bizarre. It's based of the MARVEL comic with the same name. This will be part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I don't know how it will fit in. *SPOILER FOR THOR 2 AFTER CREDIT SCENE* The 1st after credit scene in Thor 2 was getting you ready for Guardians. That guy with the weird make up and big hair, he will be in Guardians of the Galaxy. That is the tone it will be. It is a fantastic comic. If you have the chance you need to read it. I'll be curious to see how this does at the box office because hardly any people know them. It has some starts with Zoe Saldana, Chris Pratt, Bradley Cooper (voicing the raccoon), and Vin Diesel (voicing Groot, the talking.) I have so much faith in this one. I think it will be one of the best comic book movies ever. There is no trailer yet. It comes out August 1st.
5.Captain America:The Winter Soldier
The first Captain America was good but it still could have improved on certain things. It seemed boring at parts and slow paced. From what we've seen and heard it looks like it will be an espionage thriller. I'm a sucker for spy movies. It seems like it will never be boring. Cap was my favorite part about the Avengers. Every MARVEL film just keeps improving. With Robert Redford in this one, I have no doubt it will be in my top 20 films of the year. It comes out on April 4th. Here is a link to the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLWsK1ZFunA
4.The Lego Movie
When I heard about this movie I thought it was a stupid idea. An idea that would fail and be stupid. Some pictures came out for advertisement. My interest went up a little. Some more picture came out. The same thing happened. Then the trailer came out and it completely changed my view of the whole thing. This movie actually looks like one where the kid humor will not take away from the movie and actually be quite enjoyable and funny. The best part is Morgan Freeman is voicing a wizard. How cool is that. The Lego Movie comes out on February 7th. Here is a link to the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ_JOBCLF-I 
3.The Amazing Spider-Man 2
The first Amazing Spider-Man was in my top 5 favorite films of 2012. It is my favorite Spider-Man film besides Spiderman 2 which Sam Rammi directed. Spiderman is my favorite comic book franchise/character. His villains gallery is one of the best in all of comics. It is nice to see so many of those villains coming to the big screen. In this one we will have Electro, Rhino, and the Green Goblin. With the other 3 later to come to form the Sinister Six! How great is that! Academy Award nominated Paul Giamatti is playing the Rhino, Academy Award winner Jamie Foxx is playing Electro, and Dane DeHaan is playing Harry Osbourne (which people are speculating that he will turn into the Green Goblin.) If you have not seen Chronicle yet, your missing out. He was fantastic in it. Andrew Garfield portrays the perfect Peter Parker for this modern day. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 comes out on May 2nd. Here is a link to the trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbp3Ra3Yp74 
2.The Monuments Men
This movie was supposed to come out on December 18th of last year. George Clooney who directed the film felt like the post production/visual effects were not ready. So he delayed it until 2014. It's a bummer. It was in talks for Best Picture at the Oscars. I'm really proud Clooney decided to take more time because he felt like it needed it. You know this film be the best quality ever. It has an amazing cast. Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon, George Clooney, Bill Murray, John Goodman, and Hugh Bonneville. The Monuments Men comes out on February 7th.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czYqP1jbPTk 
1.X-Men:Days of Future Past
My favorite comic book movie franchise is coming back. It's coming back with one of my favorite comic book story lines. The cast of X-Men First Class and X-Men 1,2,and 3 are combining. Bryan Singer is returning to where he belongs. If it wasn't for the after credit scene in The Wolverine, this wouldn't be my #1. This films gets me really excited from a comic book view point and a common movie goer view point. X-Men Days of Future Past comes out on May 23rd. Here is a link to the AMAZING trailer http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pK2zYHWDZKo


Did you think I missed anything? What are you looking forward to? Leave it down in the comments.

      
     

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Favorite Films of 2013

     Well 2013 has been over for some time now. And that means it's time for my Top 20 films of the Year!
     I'm going to start off by listing some honorable mentions because I at least want to give some notice to them.
     Pacific Rim was a fun time at the movies. Blackfish was an excellent documentary that changed my view on Sea World. Despicable Me 2 was not as good as the first.  It appreciate for what it was. The minions made the movie.
     Now it's time, for the Top 20
 20.World War Z
The only reason this is not higher on my list is because the films above it are better. It's a good zombie movie for what it's worth.  It's not one of Pitt's strongest films but he was still good in it. There were some parts that made you jump, and some parts that really got your adrenaline going.
                     19.Oblivion
My first initial reactions were this is a terrible film. I watched it again recently and I really loved it. It's probably because the pacing didn't bother me as much because I knew what was coming, I knew what to expect. It's a really good Sci Fi that will keep you thinking.
                     18.Now You See Me
When a film is a mixture between Robin Hood, Ocean's 11, and a magician flick, you know your in for a good time. This is another movie that makes you think twice.  Not all of the acting was great but it was worth my while.
                     17.Warm Bodies
I never thought a movie that is a zombie comedy would work. That is probably one of the reasons I liked it. My expectations were low. I thought it was going to be lame. I though it was going to be my least favorite film of the year. Look where it is now. It's in my top 20 of 2013. It is my biggest surprise year.
  16.Saving Mr.Banks
I know I probably didn't like this as much as other people who had it in their top 10. I still thought it was a good movie. I wont go in depth about this one because I just did a review on it. Go check it out.
15.Monsters University
This was the right way to bring our favorite animated monsters back to the big screen. It was really nice to see how Mike and Sully got to where they are in Monsters Inc. We all knew what was going to happen to them, but we didn't know how. PIXAR did a good job at making a story that didn't feel forced and that was really enjoyable.
14.Lee Daniels' The Butler
This is a movie I will probably not see twice. That is not a bad thing. It was emotionally draining. I cried so many times during it. When a film is about a key essential part to the Civil Rights Movement, you know it will be emotional. It's a bummer this will get very little or even no Oscar recognition because of the films that have come out in the past 3 months.
13.Anchorman 2:The Legend Continues
This movie is so funny. I guarantee you will laugh about 60% of the time. I don't think it's as funny as the first, but that is not a bad thing. Sequels are rarely as good as the 1st. This movie was still great. It was hysterical seeing the news team get back together. It was a great way to continue the series. I really hope there is a 3rd. You could get a serious ab workout because you will be laughing so hard. You could watch this movie over and over again and the jokes will make you laugh just the same amount as it did your very first time watching it.
12.Iron Man 3
This is a similar situation to what I had with Oblivion. I was disappointed by it. Especially with it being a part of a the Marvel Cinematic Universe. I decided to watch it again. I found out it was a worthy addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Robert Downey Jr. keeps making us proud. There is nothing to hate about it. It has good comedy like every MARVEL movie should. The first Iron Man is just a tiny bit better. Still a fantastic film.
11.The Wolverine
Hugh Jackman is by far the best actor to portray a superhero. With playing Wolverine for almost 14 years and making 5 appearances(If you count the cameo in X-Men First Class) coming up on 6 with X-Men: Days of Future past, this is the best he has ever been. Hugh said that and I totally agree with that. The last 15 minutes of the film were terrible. It didn't take away from the rest of the film. That is what caused it not to be in my top 10. 
10.Thor:The Dark World 
This was a worthy addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. My first impressions were this is a darn good comic book film. I like it better than the 1st not by a long shot or by the skin of your teeth, but at a medium length. Once again, Loki steels the show. He outshines every one. The villain who was supposed to be the main villain "Malekith" was underused. I was disappointed by it because he was played by Christopher Eccleston. A good movie with a big twist at the end.
9.Star Trek:Into Darkness
When this was voted the worst Star Trek film at the most recent Star Trek convention, I was outraged. The hardcore Trekkies didn't like it because it didn't stay true to the original Star Trek lore. I'm an above average Star Trek fan and it didn't bother me at all. I think it's one of the best. Benedict Cumberbatch is always great. J.J. Abrams did an excellent job at making a movie that is fun and pleases the Star Trek fans that don't care if its not like what we imagined.
8.Mud
Matthew McConaughey is in talks for best Supporting Actor in this one. He better get nominated. Why is he in talks for Supporting Actor? Because there are teen actors in it. Most people might be worried when ever "teen actor" is in a discussion. Don't be afraid for this film. The teen actors were phenomenal. This was a great art house film.
7.42
I'm not a big fan of bio pics, I'm a sucker for sports movies. When I heard that 42 was coming out, I was worried. I didn't think they would execute it right, the trailers didn't intrigue me. The movie was fantastic. I really enjoy bio pics of people who actually change the world, and Jackie Robinson did. Harrison Ford deserves a Academy Award nomination, but he probably wont get one.
6.Gravity
From the first shot you feel like your in space. The whole film you feel like your in space. The dialogue wasn't great, luckily this movie didn't have a whole lot of talking. This is a monumental piece for film. It will change film very much like Avatar did when it came out. 
5.Frozen
The best Disney animation sense the Lion King. The music was fantastic. When you step out of the theater you will be singing the songs for weeks. You will want to download the soundtrack. I didn't know a animated movie could have a such a good, semi-original story. It is a Disney animation so you could basically predict the whole thing. It was still entertaining.
4.Man of Steel
The more times I watch this, the more I fall in love with it. Warner Brothers (the studio that owns the film rights to DC) did an excellent job at starting out a new franchise. Henry Cavill was an excellent Clark. He was the right choice if you wanted to make a franchise. He will just keep getting better and better. This by far is the best comic book film of 2013.
3.Captain Phillips
There is a lot of controversy about how this film inaccurately shows the story. I didn't care. I don't go to the movies for a history lesson. I just go for a good time. That's exactly what I got. Tom Hanks is awesome as always great. It was suspenseful not scary, but suspenseful. You will definitely feel the fear and emotions of the crew. Tom Hanks in the last 15 minutes of it, by far the best on screen acting I have seen all year.
2.The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
This was my number 1 most anticipated film of the year. I'm so glad it ended in my top 5. The story was great, the visuals were great, the acting was great, and even the music was fantastic. If you want a more in depth look go look at my review.
1.The Hobbit:The Desolation of Smaug
This was a great addition to the Middle Earth series. I loved this movie. I had such a great experience in the theater. This film was long like it should have been. Peter Jackson keeps on impressing every one with his work. If you want to hear more, go look on my review.

There you go. My top 20 of 2013. Whats on your list? Did you feel like I missed anything? Do you think something should have been higher on my list? Or even lower? Comment down below. 
 
 

  


    

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Saving Mr.Banks Review

           Saving Mr.Banks was a marvelous film that will be remembered for the decades. It will for sure be put in that category where few films ever end up "The Classics." I have no doubt about it. The acting was superb. I do recommend you see Marry Poppins first. It will make you appreciate Saving Mr.Banks more. One more thing you need to know is it's a real tear jerk-er. If you don't shed a tear at least once, you probably don't have a soul. 
     I said you need to see Marry Poppins first because this movie is about the making of Marry Poppins. The process was much more complicated then you might have expected. Marry Poppins started out as a book written by P.L. Travers. The book sales of Marry Poppins were steadily decreasing so Travers finally decided to go meet with Disney to start discussing the movie. Travers does not like what the team making Marry Poppins is showing her. Walt Disney is so dedicated to fulfilling a 20 year promise to his daughters that he will make the beloved Marry Poppins into a movie, that he will do anything it takes.
     One of the few things to appreciate in this is the acting. With 2 Academy Award winners, and 1 Screen Actors Guild Winner who also has an Academy Award nomination, you know you will have a good time.
     Tom Hanks a Academy Award winner. He portrays the mastermind behind it all, Walt Disney. He is fantastic in this role. He brings the creative, humble side of Disney to life. At the same time he also brought that secret hatred he had of Travers to life. Its a bummer this year is so stacked, that Hanks will probably not receive an Academy Award nomination. 
     Emma Thompson is another one of those Oscar winners in Saving Mr.Banks. There is no mistake for hiring talent. I never knew the history or who even P.L. Travers even was before I saw Saving Mr.Banks. Now I feel like I have a complete understanding of who she was. Thompson did a fantastic job of bringing a person not many are not familiar with and making her someone that people will be tricked to appreciate.  John Lee Hancock directed this film. Why did I bring that up? Well, because he directed Sandra Bullock towards here Oscar for The Blind Side. I guarantee Emma Thompson will be at least nominated for Best Actress in a Leading Role at the Oscars. 
     Paul Giamatti is the Screen Actors Guild winner and the academy award nominee.  He does not play a big part in the film but at the same time he does. He is not in it a lot but his character as Traver's driver helps move the character along. There is one really precious scene between Giamatti and Travers that will do something key in the story. I don't want to spoil anything but you probably already know the outcome.
     But the star, who stole the show was.........Colin Farrel. There are flashbacks in this movie. And in those flashback Farrel plays P.L. Travers dad when she was about 7 or 8. He outshines the great Tom Hanks, the great Emma Thompson, the great Paul Giamatti. I can't go in depth of describing  his character with out giving away too. You just need to take my word from it.
     You might be sick of me praising the acting, but that's really the only thing when I look back on it. The rest of the film was not memorable. The acting, and the story/screenplay were the only noteworthy or mentionable things in this. I can't give any credit to the music because it's been around for 50 years. I can't give any credit to the cinematography (maybe just a little). 
     That is the reason why it is just my 16th film of the year. It was not a disappointment but a let down. It just made it into my top 20 because the acting and story/screenplay made it worth my while. I will give this film a 7/10.    
    
       

Saturday, January 4, 2014

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Review

     The latest installment in the middle earth saga The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is an amazing film worth your money. The film is pure and perfects everything.It succeeds at everything it was going for.  Everything that makes a great movie was present. Music, cinematography, a good  story, and even amazing visuals.
     The negatives were easily spotted.  At some parts the visual effects were sloppy. It didn't look perfessional. It didn't look real which at moments which took my enjoyment away. Maybe that would be fixed if I saw it in 48 FPS (frames per second).That only happend for about 10 minutes of the near 3 hour film, so it was really not that big of deal. There is a random love story/interest in it that made absolutely no sense and the movie could do with out. I guess Peter Jackson (the director) just wanted to make the longest film possible so, he decided to add things to make that happen. It didn't take my enjoyment away from the film, but it was not necessary and they easily could have done something else to fill that time. The movie does not fallow the book (which I'm not mad about) so they could have had another side story to occupy the time. 
     There are so many positives that when I'm done with this review I'm sure I will remember something that I did not include. I will try my best to include everything which will be very hard. 
     The Hobbit movie series focuses more around Thorin Okenshield then Bilbo.  In fact, Bilbo is hardly in it. The story focuses about Thorin trying to reclaim his (and the other dwarfs) home and become king. I'm totally fine with that. It leaves a lot of room for character development which it succeeds at. All the dwarfs have their time to shine. Everything that happend in the movie moved the story a long and it built character. 
     I was not a big fan of the first Hobbit as most people were.  It had problems. Espically with the pacing. The first one felt like 3 hours. Those 3 hours were boaring and didn't make me want to know what will happen.  This one totally does everything better than the first one. The pacing was quick and never boaring. The movie felt like a 2 hour movie instead of a 3 hour movie. It flew by which is always a good thing.
     I was worried when I figured out that Legolas and Thoral (a character they just made up) were going to be in it. I really don't know why I was worried. They fit in perfectly. The story didn't stagger with the addition of them, it swiftly moved along and didn't bother me. Evagine Lilly did an awesome job of playing a character that does not exist in the Middle Earth lore.She brought her own uniqness. She was one of the strongest characters in the film.
     Benedict Cumberbatch.  What more do I have to say? When most actors do voice overs for something they go into a studio then leave after 2 hours or how ever long it takes them, but not Cumberbatch. He was dedicated to his part.You could tell that. He also did the motion capture for the dragon Smaug.  No other actor could portray or do the voice like he did. He was in the top 3 for the best things in the movie. The scene where Bilbo first encountered Smaug was only about 15 minutes. I would be totally fine if it was an hour. The chemistry between the 2 might just have been the reason why this might be my favorite movie scene for the whole year.
     There are more scenes that are some of the best ever. The barrel scene was awesome in every way. The way the water was shown was awesome. The camera shots and cinematography are some of if not the best I've ever seen.
     And just stay after the credits so you can hear the fantastic song.
     Like I mentioned before,  I probably did not mention every positive because there are so many. You need to see it for your self. It's my favorite film of the year. I give it a 9.8/10
    

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Review

     Ben Stiller's most recent directorial debut is The Secret Life of Walter Mitty. A movie I would like to call the biggest surprise of the year. A pleasant, sweet surprise. I was really looking forward to this film, but it far exceeded my expectations. 
     Stiller also starts in the film as the title character Walter Mitty. A day dreamer who often escapes reality. He feels like he has done nothing "Noteworthy or Mentionable." When he realizes that, it comes up at a time where his job at Time magazine is at jeopardy. He decides to go out into the real world and embark on an adventure to defy who Walter Mitty really is. 
     Stiller was able to create a character that was fun, loveable, and able to skateboard away from an exploding volcano. As ridiculous as that might sound, it worked. This film felt a lot like Forrest Gump in the sense that the story is so creative and never takes a break. The scenes are so diverse and distinct from each other, but at the same time they are related with each other. Which makes it be able to avoid plot holes. Pretend the whole movie/story is one whole puzzle. Each individual scene is a piece of that puzzle. They fit together perfectly with no space in between. 
     This movie is also like Forrest Gump in the way that there are so many characters that are critical to the story and the actors/actresses that portray them don't seem like they were last minute casting decisions. It actually looked like they put time and effort in to casting each and every person to make it a phenomenal ensemble cast. One of the best if not the best all year. Lets now praise the incredible acting of Kristen Wiig. Is it an Oscar worth performance? Of course not. The little parts she was in brought a whole different tone into it. She made the character have so much depth. I can say the same about Stiller's portrayal of Walter. Maybe it helps that he was also the director. Stiller always puts 100% of his effort into his characters. There is something new Ben brings to the table in this film. I don't know what it is, but he does.  This has been a passion project for Stiller for at least 8 years. And he did everything but disappoint.   
     Lets talk about the minor things that people really should pay more attention to. The score and cinematography. The little things can do a lot for you. Those things completely immerse you and make your moving going experience ten times better with out you even knowing it. The camera shots play perfectly to where this movie is partly filmed. Greenland and Iceland. I never thought I'd say this, but I want to go to Greenland and Iceland know. 
     This is my second favorite film of the year. It was a pleasant delight and I enjoyed every moment of it. I am really proud of giving this one a 9/10.