I Already Know What I'm Dressing Up As for Halloween

Just last week, the trailer for the new comedy Let's Be Cops was released revealing what looks to be one of the comedies of the summer.

The film tackles the lives of two pals (Damon Wayans Jr. and Jake Johnson) who seem to be going through an apparent mid-life crisis. But they're only 30.

Just when they're about to hit rock bottom, the two decide to go out for a little party. Jake Johnson (New Girl) mistakes a masquerade party for a costume party resulting in the two going as cops. But this little mistake turns out better than they expected. Every single person they run into thinks that the duo are cops.

The two take advantage of this and take it to a whole new level. They crash parties, do a fair share of drugs, and even get a cop car off the internet.

Let's just say that they realize they might have taken it a little too far. Only, they're too deep to pull out. Who knows? They might even do some police work themselves.

Being that this is a Damon Wayans Jr. movie, it could go both ways. His previous films contained humorless and cheesy lines that just ruined each movie as a whole. However, with a star-packed film such as Let's Be Cops, it might be enough to put Wayans's name back out there. Personally, I believe the trailer does a really good job of executing hilarious scenes with great timing.  It captured not only my attention, but the attention of all the people I showed it to. I will definitely be purchasing a ticket for this comedy.

Check out the red band trailer below!

Yay for Democracy!

I am normally not the type of guy that spends most of his time watching documentaries. So when my history teacher informed us that we were going to watch a documentary on the Arab Spring, I was not excited. At all.

Little did I know, two minutes in and I would already be hooked. A Whisper to a Roar starts out with an animated segment that symbolizes the fight for democracy and how it isn't the job of one person to stand up for others, but job of a nation united. The film documents the series of events that have taken place in the countries of Malaysia, Egypt, Ukraine, and Zimbabwe that have led to the fight for freedom from an authoritarian government.

From a Facebook page in Egypt, to a student-led protest in Venezuela, A Whisper to a Roar demonstrates  just how powerful the people of a country can be. It's a story of citizens discovering the true power they hold and how much influence they have in the shaping of their country. And honestly, it's pretty awesome.

This movie is a great example of how much a government is afraid of their people. They do all they can to stop the opposition forces. Time after time the government oppresses their people through murders, "non-functional" polling stations, and even chemical warfare. But no matter how hard they try, the people fight back and keep defending the human rights they deserve.

Overall, A Whisper to a Roar is an excellent documentary that will inform you of the struggles going on in the world. I did not know that Malaysia was going through such great change; nor did I know Zimbabwe had such a malevolent President. Frankly, I didn't know any of these things were going on! But I'm glad I watched it. The only thing that denotes this film is the way it ends.

Most of these uprisings are current events (especially Ukraine). But that doesn't mean the film has to end as a cliff hanger. The overall goal of executing an overall sum to the documentary was done poorly. I sat there saying to myself, "That's it?"

I highly recommend you see A Whisper to a Roar. It may not be at the top of your list, but it should definitely be on the list of films to watch. If it weren't for that crappy ending, I'd give it a higher score; but for now, it's a 7.8/10.

Worth. Every. Minute.

You have no idea how long I have heard the phrase, "Run, Forrest, run!" Frankly, I didn't know why people said it. I knew it was from Forrest Gump, but I didn't know what all the hype was about. Well, last night, I finally got around to watching what was probably one of the most captivating movies of all time; Forrest Gump.

It all started with a man named Forrest (Tom Hanks). Born with an IQ of 75, Forrest isn't necessarily the smartest guy on earth; but he sure is the most talented one. The film is told from the perspective of Gump while sitting at a bus stop. From becoming a nationally recognized football player, to receiving the Medal of Honor after fighting in Vietnam, Forrest Gump sure has had one hell of a life.

Yet, even though his life is pretty amazing, his heart cannot be completed without the love of his life, Jenny Curan (Robin Wright). Throughout the whole movie, Forrest refers back to Jenny multiple times. But Jenny doesn't necessarily feel the same way about him. Time after time, Jenny breaks poor Forrest's heart; and time after time, Forrest continues to love the girl that made him feel special.

This is one of those romantic comedies that will have you glued to the TV until the very end. Tom Hanks's performance is captivating and emotionally moving throughout the whole film. He delivers his role with such innocence that it makes the movie seem even more realistic. You get attached to his character and even feel every bit of emotion Forrest Gump goes through: the heartbreaks, the sorrow, the warm love.

But one of the things that frustrated me the most as a viewer was how poorly Jenny Curan treated him. I mean yeah the guy isn't the most intelligent, but that doesn't mean you ditch him whenever you feel like it. I later realized that's all part of the big picture. The movie is filled with symbolism.

I happened to watch the AMC run of the film which showed story notes throughout the film. Otherwise I never would've known that the change in hairstyles represents the emotional growth of certain characters. It's actually pretty interesting. Take a look here.

I definitely recommend Forrest Gump to all of you. It won't disappoint. It's a great mixture of comedy, tragedy, a bit of action, and romance. It'll make you think twice when complaining about your life. This movie gets a highly deserved 9/10.

A Hangover With No Alcohol?

Finally, the trilogy has come to an end. The crazy adventure of four guys is now done forever.

In this finale to the classic movies, Phil, Doug, Stu, and the rest of Alan's family decide Alan should get treated for his mental problems. On their way to Arizona, the wolfpack is kidnapped and taken to a gangster named Marshall (John Goodman). Marshall is looking for the one and only Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong). As collateral, Marshall takes Doug until Phil, Stu, and Alan find the escaped convict that is Chow. Oh, and did I mention Chow stole $21 million in gold?

The Hangover Part III  was a disappointment in all aspects. I expected a hilarious film with great actors. All I got was dry-humorless comedy. I have to give credit to the writers though. The plot overall was clever. Having it all tie back to the first first movie was a smart move. However, even though the story line proved swift, it didn't incorporate certain traits of humor that the previous movies contained. I mean, why call it a 'hangover' if they don't even get drunk?

The producers should have known from previous experience how much they needed to improve. The Hangover Part II barely delivered with critics and that was because it resembled the first movie. I can understand why the writers created a whole different story instead of the traditional "three guys get drunk and one disappears" plot. But for Pete's sake at least make it a bit funny!

Zach Galifianakis's role of Alan was just lame. In fact, Alan seemed "a few screws short" throughout the movie. Nothing like his performance in the previous films. There were some hilarious scenes such as the clip where Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms), and Alan go to a "Gold for Pawn" shop in Vegas where Alan meets the love of his life, Cassie (Melissa McCarthy). Let's just say is an awkward-gross kind of chemistry going on.

I expected a lot more from the end to such an epic trilogy but they left me hanging. I laughed maybe four times throughout the whole movie. But, if you are a strong Hangover fan, I suggest you watch it because you might get a laugh out of it. I know I couldn't. The Hangover Part III gets a 5/10.

''Cowboys & Aliens.'" "What?" "Exactly."

What do you get when you throw aliens into the old west? Boredom. You get nothing but boredom.

In 2011, the sci-fi thriller-attempted action film hit theaters starring some of Hollywood's biggest stars such as Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde. The result, a poorly developed plot with emotionless protagonists.

The film opens up with a beat up cowboy who just woke up in the middle of the desert with no recognition of who he is. Strangely, he has a metal bracelet on his wrist that turns into a gigantic gun. He stumbles upon the town of Absolution, Arizona where people aren't too friendly. As always, there is the gunslinger in the western story, and in Cowboys & Aliens, it happens to be Woodrow Dolarhyde (Harrison Ford).

When Dolarhyde gallops into town to get his son out of jail, he meets the lone cowboy with a weird shackle on his wrist (Daniel Craig). As they are about to get into a heated gunfight, out of nowhere, alien spaceships swoop down and completely destroy the town. They don't leave empty handed though, they take hostages. One of those hostages happens to be Dolarhyde's son. Woodrow teams up with Jake Lonergan (Daniel Craig), and Ella Swenson (Olivia Wilde) to stand up for the small town of Absolution. Little do they know, it could mean the end of the world.

Cowboys & Aliens is one of those movies that doesn't make sense. The two concepts just don't connect. The plot doesn't make it any better. This movie had a lot of potential to do well. But nope. All that was flushed down the drain leaving a dry-dumbed-down story line. It started out with some great classic action sequences; but once those aliens dropped by, it went downhill.

Daniel Craig also didn't express enough emotion. He seemed "too cool" for the role. Olivia Wilde seemed to weave in and out of scenes, and the alien invasion made no sense.

The few battle scenes kept me going. But to be honest, I fell asleep before I got to the ending. I really had high hopes for this movie. Sadly, it was a disappointment. Cowboys & Aliens gets a 5.5/10.

A Trip Back to the 80's.

As I was digging through my dad's box of old VHS cassettes, I stumbled upon Beverly Hills Cop. I had never heard of this movie but being an Eddie Murphy fan, I decided to sit down and watch it. Truth is, I really enjoyed it.

Beverly Hills Cop is the story of Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy), a Detroit police officer who gets into a lot of trouble when solving cases. But when his old friend comes to visit him and gets murdered, Foley embarks on an investigation to find the stone-hearted man that killed his best friend.

Axel Foley travels to Beverly hills and teams up with his high school friend Jenny Summers (Lisa Eilbacher) to hunt down the murderer. Along the way, he gets into some trouble and has to deal with two detectives following him around (Judge Reinhold and John Ashton). Let's just say Eddie Murphy gets more than he bargained for when he learns that there's more to the whole story.

Beverly Hills Cop is a great action comedy with Eddie Murphy's foul-mouth making it even better. The whole plot and action sequences make this '84 film stand out. Axel Foley is a hilarious character that cracks jokes almost every scene making me almost choke on my popcorn because I was laughing so hard. Sure the film is a bit centered on Eddie Murphy, but that saves the movie from being boring. The film wouldn't be as great if it were not for his persona. Other famous film critics weren't too fond of the film. But I leave it up to you. I'm positive you'll get a kick out of it. I give it an 8/10.

For a different perspective on the movie, take a look at Roger Ebert's view on the movie.

"Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November."

"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."

Every time I attempt to watch V for Vendetta I happen to leave and never finish the movie. Well now, I can happily say, I have watched all 130 minutes of it. And man was it a great film!

The first time around I didn't understand what exactly was going on. But now that I sat through it, it all makes sense.

The movie takes place in an alternate future where England is one of the supreme powers of the world governed by a totalitarian government that has created a "perfect" society. Here's the catch. In this alternate future, Germany won WWII and America is basically going through hell. England has gained power and seized all riots in its country to create "peace."

V for Vendetta has two general plots; one encompasses the other. The first plot addresses "V." V is a victim of a secret experiment done by the government of England only to go wrong. Everyone basically dies in a crazy fire. V then seeks revenge against those who put him through all that suffering. Since V was in the fire, his entire body was burnt. Which is why he wears a Guy Fawkes mask and a body suit.

The second encompassing plot concerns the revolution of the people of England led by none other than V himself. In this version of England, everything is religious based. No homosexuality, no sins, etc.. V then meets Evey. Together they lead the revolution in what is one of the most thrilling movies made.

I absolutely enjoyed V for Vendetta. It contains some of the most symbolic quotes and ideas that gives the film its own impact. The story line is great, Natalie Portman and Hugo Weaving do an amazing job with their roles, and the effect of the film is powerful. I highly recommend this movie to all of you. Sure there are some scenes that are slow, and you never find out the identity of V, but that's the idea.

"Beneath this mask there is more than flesh. Beneath this mask there is an idea, Mr. Creedy, and ideas are bulletproof."

V for Vendetta receives an 8.9/10.

Fairy Tale Takes a Turn Down Epic Lane.

Ever since the re-imagined Tim Burton film Alice in Wonderland, a wave of new approaches to acclaimed fairy tales has taken place. Next up on Disney's movie list is the new and improved Maleficent. Angelina Jolie stars as the sinister and malevolent Maleficent in the new movie about the classic fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty."

 Now, instead of making just another movie about Princess Aurora (Lord knows how many there has been), director Robert Stromberg is diving into the back story of one of the villainous antagonists to hit fairy tales; Maleficent. Believe it or not, the wicked witch didn't always have a heart of stone. This upcoming film aims to explain what exactly created the monster that cursed a princess into an infinite sleep.

There have been a few trailers released; each of which goes more in depth of the other. But from what I've seen, it looks amazing. Angelina Jolie looks as evil as she can be, the king seems to spark a war with one of the most powerful witches in all the land along with an army of woodland monsters, and Maleficent transforms into a gigantic, merciless, deadly dragon. I'm surprised it's only PG. The action sequences are pretty intense. Either way, the previews have won me over. I am guaranteed to go watch it opening night. Elle Fanning plays Princess Aurora and Brenton Thwaites (The Giver) plays Prince Phillip along with a extensive list of great actors. Hopefully it'll hit home with critics.

Let's hope Maleficent holds up to everyone's expectations. If you haven't checked out the trailer, watch it right now! It is set to release May 30 of this year.

The Giant Returns!

It was announced last year that filmmakers were bringing back the infamous Godzilla to the big screen. It wasn't until recently that the first look at Godzilla was released. And man does it look cool!

The last Godzilla movie that hit theaters was in 1998 and starred Matthew Broderick, Jean Reno, Maria Pitillo, and many more. Although it didn't hit home with the critics, it did receive kudos for its amazing special effects.

The 2014 movie Godzilla, stars a different version of the monster than the one in the '98 rendition. It has the same design as the 1950's monster that starred in the Japanese films that terrorized audiences for the longest time. It also stars some of the biggest names in Hollywood today: Elizabeth Olson, Aaron Tyler-Johnson (Kick-Ass), Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), the list goes on.

From what is seen in the trailers, I am excited to see the classic monster destroy cities and practically bring about the apocalypse. The scenes look awesome and suspenseful, Godzilla looks pissed off, and naturally, everyone is freaking out. I can't wait to see this movie when it comes out in May. I hope you'll share the same feeling. For more information, click here to visit the IMDb page to view stills and clips. Check out the trailer below!

Dang It Ron Burgundy!

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues has recently been released on DVD and Blu-Ray containing both the theatrical and unrated version. I happened to pick up the rated-R version of the film which was ten times better than the theater released PG-13 version.

The film continues on the story of San Diego news anchorman Ron Burgundy as he battles his daily life. He is married to the co-host Veronica Corningstone (Christina Applegate) and has a seven-year old boy named Walter. Ron's life is destroyed when he is fired from the news station and the head anchor spot is given to his wife. Naturally, he leaves his wife and kid to live a life of misery.

A Sea World job and a suicide attempt later, Ron Burgundy is offered a position at Global News Network; a 24 hour news station that claims to revolutionize the realm of news. Ron and the news team get back together and move to New York to once again deliver comedic news.

To be honest, I expected more from the sequel. I thought Anchorman:The Legend of Ron Burgundy was a hilarious movie and hoped the sequel would be just as funny. It started out slow and contained dumb jokes that couldn't get a laugh out of me. But it did get better as the movie progressed. The lines of each actor made up for the pointless story line. There is also a star-packed cast that make a surprise appearance towards the end.

I recommend you watch the R-rated or unrated version because the PG-13 version is horrible and caused all those negative reviews. Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues gets a 7/10.

Sign Me Up!

Pacific Rim is one of the coolest, action-packed films I've seen so far. It's no Michael Bay, but it does deliver some of the best visuals the movie industry. I wasn't totally convinced when the trailer was first released, but it proved me wrong.

The film takes place during the year 2020; aliens have been discovered. But these aren't you normal "E.T." aliens, these are five-story tall monsters called Kaiju that make Godzilla look like a puppy. In order to deal with the apocalypse, all nations of the world team together to build "Jaegers." The robots are piloted by pairs whom undergo a "Neural Handshake." The handshake bonds the minds of both pilots making them share each others' memories. This in return makes the pilots operate the machine equally (one controls the left side, the other the right).

But it seems the Jaegers weren't enough. As a result, the head of state of each nation agree to end the program and build walls too keep the Kaiju out. Well, it doesn't work. Jaegar pilots die by the hour in combat. Stacker Pentecost (Idris Elba) must bring together the best remaining pilots to combat the rise in Kaiju and possibly prevent the end of the world.

Pacific Rim is an amazing movie. The plot isn't the craziest, but it's enough to keep your eyes glued to the . The action sequences between the Jaegers and the Kaiju are awesome. And just as you think it's going to end, it extends even more.

I haven't heard of any of the actors in the movie, but they did a great job. I highly recommend Pacific Rim to all of you. Each scene is executed greatly. It does have some "iffy" parts but the the movie in general accounts for it. I give it an 8.3/10.

'Bout Time Western Comedies Made a Comeback

Seth MacFarlane is taking another hit at the movie business in his new comedy A Million Ways to Die in the West. The film to be released May 30, features some of the most popular stars such as Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, the smoking Charlize Theron, How I Met Your Mother Star Neil Patrick Harris, and many more.

It isn't too clear what the plot of the movie is. But from what is seen in the trailer, A Million Ways to Die in the West is set in a western town where everyone suffers from unfortunate and somewhat hilarious deaths. The town is terrorized by gunslinger Liam Neeson which makes everyone turn to MacFarlane to save everybody.This film can go both ways. Just because it has an amazing cast doesn't mean it'll do so well. Then again, it can turn out to be the classic comedy of the year. Seth MacFarlane's last movie Ted hit home with audiences everywhere. Let's just hope A Million Ways to Die in the West does so too.

The trailer below is the "Red Band" trailer which is the explicit version of movie trailers.

Time to Consider Joining a Fraternity

After confessing that he had a cocaine addiction and underwent rehab, Zac Efron has worked his way into the movie scene again. Although his latest movie, That Awkward Moment, didn't play so well with the critics, Efron has teamed up with Hollywood stars Seth Rogen (This is the End), Dave Franco (Now You See Me), and Rose Byrne (Insidious), for the new comedy Neighbors. 

Neighbors shows the happy life of the Radners (Rogen and Byrnes) as the move into their new home with their baby in what seems to be a peaceful neighborhood. Just when they start to settle in, a fraternity moves in across the street headed by non other than Teddy Sanders (Efron). The two houses then engage in a war to claim superiority over the other resulting in hilarious pranks and parties.

The trailers prove to be hilarious leaving you wanting for more. Of course it features Zac Efron shirtless which is already a given ticket for the drooling female audience. It has already followed through with the critics giving Neighbors an 8.1/10 on IMDb; which is really good for a comedy. I'll make sure to see this upcoming comedy and hope it holds up to what has been released.

Prequel Gone Right

I have to admit, Disney did a pretty good job mastering the prequel to the acclaimed Wizard of Oz. The film did an amazing job of creating captivating visuals and had a great plot.

Oz the Great and Powerful explains the back story of the famous Oz (James Franco) and the journey he took to gain control of the Land of Oz. The movie also shows the incentives for the wickedness of the witches. The witches are played by Mila Kunis, Rachel Weisz and Michelle Williams.

Overall, Oz the Great and Powerful was a decent movie. At times it seemed like it was lagging a bit and needed a little push. The casting wasn't the best. Mila Kunis isn't really the ideal actor to play a wicked witch. She doesn't have the furious look to her physique. The Wicked Witch of the West costume is really terrible. It's too plain and not evil looking enough.

This is a movie I recommend you see if there's nothing else to watch or if you happen to have two hours to spare. Oz the Great and Powerful is a one time movie. Once you've seen it, there's no point in watching it again. It isn't interesting enough. It gets a 5.9/10.