Kim Jong-un + James Franco + Margaritas + Katy Perry + Daddy issues = How to Bond with a Dictator.

Who would have guessed that the North Korean supreme leader would be into late night entertainment shows such as Skylark Tonight? Well, turns out Kim Jung-un loves all the celebrity gossip such as Eminem's hidden homosexual lyrics, Rob Lowe's fake hair, or the rumor that Matthew McConaughey was seen having sex with a goat.

These stories are what fuel the talk show Skylark Tonight, hosted by Dave Skylark (James Franco) and produced by his best friend Aaron Rapaport (Seth Rogen).  Shortly after celebrating their 1000th episode, Aaron is confronted by an old school friend of his who works on 60 minutes who mocks him for producing "fake news." After a small montage of Rapaport contemplating his life, Dave comes up with the grand idea of interviewing the ruthless Kim Jong-un.

The two give it a shot and just before all hope is gone, Skylark Tonight gets a confirmation for a scripted meeting with the North Korean Supreme Leader. Before Aaron and Dave embark on their quest overseas, they are visited by the C.I.A. and are presented with the mission to assassinate Kim Jong-un; knowing James Franco and Seth Rogen, we all know where it goes from there.

The Interview caused quite the conversation with the hacking of Sony and the threats made to any screenings of the film. Economically, little to nothing was spent on marketing due to the fact that it was on pretty much every news channel across the world. So, considering the movie has been out for a while, it was about time I found out what all the hype was about.

First of all, Seth Rogen is Seth Rogen. He played Seth Rogen in Knocked-Up, he played Seth Rogen in This is The End, and he plays Seth Rogen in The Interview. Therefore, not much can be expected out of him considering he has a universal role he utilizes for every film he stars in. James Franco on the other-hand, can really play his part no matter what genre of movies he stars in allowing him to perfectly execute his character Dave Skylark.

The plot-line itself it was a bit cliché. It had the typical "I told you so" plot twist. But being a comedy movie, you can't expect a well developed story-line. The jokes at times were dry and redundant at times. Luckily, James Franco was there to keep the viewer laughing with his careless character Dave Skylark. Out of the whole movie, what stood out the most was the day of adventure and partying Dave had with Kim Jong-un where they drove a tank and bonded together to Katy Perry's "Firework," played basketball, and of course, partied their asses off.

The Interview also has it fair share of symbolical value to it. Kim Jong-un's manipulative ability to portray who he wants Dave Skylark to see reflects what his regime has done to the country of North Korea. Color also plays a key part in this film. Throughout all North Korea, all we see as a viewers are shades of grey. This includes Kim Jong-un's fortress as well. It is constructed with dark grey brick with the only other color noticeable being the red on the North Korean Flag; a classic representation of power. This all changes when Dave and Aaron arrive. Their bedrooms are beautifully decorated and filled with all sorts of colors representing the rest of society or the United States itself.

Despite all the subtle symbolism presented in The Interview, it managed to keep me laughing throughout its entire run. Although its a movie that can easily get tiring, it's a good flick to watch with a couple of bros on a Friday night. The Interview has earned itself a 6.2/10.

Skylark Tonight:

Mother Nature at 29,000 Feet

There' s nothing like the true power of mother nature than the roaring winds and blizzard conditions found on the tallest mountain on Earth. And as Rob Hall, along with the other climbers that attempted to descend in 1996 discovered, the mountain shows no mercy.

Everest is a film adaptation of the book "Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster," by Jon Krakauer. The film follows Rob Hall as he guided a group of climbers under his agency Adventure Consultants up 29,029 feet in an effort to summit the mountain by May 10, 1996. Unfortunately, things took a turn for the worst when Rob and his climbers were hit by one of the biggest storms while descending Everest. Battling low levels of oxygen, ice-shattering winds, and their deteriorating bodies, the group fought against the conditions set upon them.

 As Ingvar Eggert Sigurðsson's character Anatoli Boukreev states, "The mountain has the last word." The expedition claimed the lives of eight climbers with a few of their bodies remaining frozen in time on Mt. Everest.The film documented their path to their deaths.

Everest has a great and healthy balance within its story-line allowing us as an audience to connect with each and every individual's personality. The film features Jason Clarke as Rob Hall whose performance I applaud (considering his terrible participation in the most recent installment of the Terminator saga). The movie also stars Josh Brolin, Sam Worthington, Kiera Knightly, Jake Gyllenhaal, and many more. Needless to say, the roles were casted well.

As for the film itself, the cinematography did a great job capturing the enormous and breathtaking landscape that the mountain has to offer. Although, it would've been nice to see the view from the summit for those of us who could never achieve such feat.  Everest portrayed the strong love Rob Hall had for his wife marvelously making me tear up at one point. There was not one moment where I was not biting my nails as the dramatic irony resonated in my head.

However, there were moments where the plot's sense of time didn't exactly play out well on the big screen. Towards the end, its a little hard to keep track of the time they are on the mountain. Such as the scene where Rob Hall is on the brink of death with frostbitten hands and feet and he attempts to get over the south summit with sherpas making their way up to aid in the descent. Just before they can reach Hall, the two sherpas have to turn around because a second storm is about to hit. They tell Rob they will try again when the storms passes.Yet, the movie never shows the storm directly nor a second attempt in a rescue. It just shows Rob Hall blanketed in snow and ice. Thus, creating a break in the timeline for the audience.

Everest provides us with an inside look at the terrors lived spring of 1996. It also sheds light on how small we are compared to the wonders of this planet; and how conquering these wonders entitles us to accepting Mother Nature's challenges and her merciless acts. The movie earns a 7.6/10.

For those of you who read the book, take a look at Jon Krakauer's recent comments regarding the film adaptation Everest by clicking here.

One More for the Mutants.

Comic and non-comic book fans all across the world waited for almost three dreadful longing years for the release of the next X-men film. Ladies and gentlemen, X-Men: Days of Future Past has arrived.

Making close to $300 million this weekend, X-Men: Days of Future Past completely destroyed the box-office knocking all films down a spot on the charts. And after seeing the action superhero thriller Sunday night, it's easy to see why it's such a success.

The film takes place a couple years after the X-Men: First Class movie; well, sorta. The story-line is set over two simultaneous time periods. In other words, they're going on at the same time. The opening scene reveals a dark future for all of mankind. New York, Moscow, and other big cities are no longer the glamorous places they once were. In this dark future, the world is pretty much run by mutant-hunting Sentinels. They are designed to eliminate the mutant population and its trace. Yet, not all hope is lost.

Those who remain try their best to stay hidden from the outside world. As seen in the previews, the remaining mutants are the famous X-Men: Professor X, Wolverine, Kitty Pryde, Storm, Iceman, Bishop, Colossus, Blink, and Magneto as well as a few more. But no matter how hard they try, it is almost impossible to defeat a Sentinel given the fact that they can adapt and mutate to have any power. This proves to be a downfall for the mutant population.

Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and Magneto (Ian McKellen) come to realize that maybe this horrid future can be prevented. The key point in history was in 1973 when Mystique or Raven, played by the sexy Jennifer Lawrence, murders Dr. Bolivar Trask (Peter Dinklage), the founder of the Sentinel program. Now, someone must travel back in time to prevent Mystique from making this mistake. Since time travel is so painful, only Logan/Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) can bear the journey.

But Wolverine can't do it alone. He must team up with the young Charles Xavier (James McAvoy) and the egotistical Eric Lehnsherr/Magneto (Michael Fassbender) with the help of some newly introduced mutants like Quicksilver (Evan Peters). Together they will alter the course of time and hopefully save their lives.

X-Men: Days of Future Past has to be hands down the best X-Men movie to date. The casting is just perfect, and the action sequences are amazing. The special effects are visually mesmerizing and adrenaline filled. But be warned, a fresh review on the previous X-Men films such as X-Men 1-3 and X-Men: First Class is highly recommended.

In this movie, all the mutants are pushed to their absolute highest exposing their true powers. There's a scene in particular where Magneto and Storm team up to destroy an incoming wave of pissed off Sentinels and boy do those Sentinels get wrecked! Not only is the old Magneto a total B.A., but the young Magneto has his own tricks up his sleeve. His self-centered personality fuels his hatred towards humans which is clearly shown in this movie.

The plot is perfect. The adaptations made from the original comic book make X-Men: Days of Future Past a captivating film. Each scene makes the audience think deeply on what is really going on. But the fun doesn't stop there. Nowadays, superhero films are becoming famous for the small little details in the movie which test a viewer's true attention. If you already saw the movie, click here to see a few things you might have missed in X-Men: Days of Future Past. 

I highly, highly. recommend you see the newest addition to the X-Men saga. If you need a little refresher, click here. But otherwise, many of you will remember the big events from previous films. The ending is both emotional as well as a great cliffhanger. Not only that, but by now you should all know that sticking around until after the end credits is a good thing to do. After the end-credits, a small clip is shown which foreshadows the villain of the next X-Men movie which has been officially titled, X-Men: Apocalypse and is set to release spring 2016. I for one, will be going to see X-Men: Days of Future Past again since I was a little rough on my mutant knowledge. This, unfortunately, made the movie a little confusing. Yet, otherwise, it fulfilled my expectations as far as epicness goes.

One of the most satisfying movies I've seen so far. It will not let down. X-Men: Days of Future Past is one of most thrilling, action-packed, adrenaline-pumping joyride released this year. It receives a well deserved 9/10.

Cop Comedy Season Has Begun.

It seems that 2014 will be the season of cop comedies. With Ride Along being the first and Lets Be Cops coming out soon, there's a lot of pressure to be the comedy of the year.

Kevin Hart has managed to make his way into the movie scene starring in a variety of comedies this past year and is continuing to enroll himself with more parts. So this isn't the last we'll see of him.

Ride Along premiered at the start of this year. It's promising trailers excited audiences all over the country. The film follows Ben Barber (Hart) and his beau Angela Payton (Tika Sumpter) as they live on their daily love life. The only problem is Angela's brother James (Ice Cube) isn't too fond of Ben. When Ben is ready to take the next step in his relationship, Angela tells him she wants her brother's blessing.

Feeling intimidated by detective James Payton, Ben decides to enroll into the police academy hoping it will impress him. James's reaction is very skeptical. I mean, come on, Kevin Hart is 5'2". Who wouldn't be skeptical? James decides to take Ben on a ride along to see if he can handle the heat. The duo embark on a bonding journey filled with hilarious scenes and lines.

I was part of that excited audience. But I never had the chance to see it in theaters. I rented it last night and was really stoked to see Kevin Hart. He is hilarious. But when analyzing the movie as a whole, it really isn't that great. The plot is super underdeveloped making every single scene highly predictable.

The story line was too linear and did not expand beyond its boundaries. The action sequences were actually pretty good. But the whole movie wasn't terrible. It was actually pretty funny. Kevin Hart is such an energetic actor which factors into his humor. Well done Kev. As for Ice Cube, what can I say? He doesn't change. Picture his role in 21 Jump Street and place into Ride Along. They are almost identical.

I recommend this movie if you're looking for a good laugh with your friends and family. Trust me you'll find it hilarious. I looked crazy laughing at the movie while watching it during the night. The humor is golden. Maybe don't pay too much attention to the story line and pay attention to what they're actually saying. That's the key in enjoying this comedy. I rate Ride Along with a 6/10.

Take a Trip With the Millers!

Don't think two metric tons of marijuana can be smuggled across the border? Well think again. Jason Sudeikis, Jennifer Aniston, Emma Roberts, and Will Poulter managed to do it in their new film We're the Millers.

The comedy follows David Clark (Sudeikis), a middle-aged drug-dealer, as he is given the mission of smuggling a "smidge" of marijuana across the border after going into debt with drug-lord Brad Gurdlinger. Realizing that it would be extremely difficult for him to accomplish the mission on his own, he decides to pose as a family. In comes stripper Rose O'Reilly (Aniston), Casey Mathis (Roberts), and Kenny Rossmore (Poulter) to help David as they travel across the border in an RV.

Throughout the film, the "family" starts to grow on each other even though they may not want it. They realize that if they're going to survive, they will have to work together to keep each other safe.

I was really excited to watch this movie after I saw the trailer for it. It looked hilarious! After several months, I finally got around to seeing this comedy. Honestly, I'm glad I did!

The movie is really funny. The actors are amazing in playing each of their roles. Jennifer Aniston is sexier than ever considering she's 45! Look at her!

The overall plot is very predictable. Which is kind of a let down. But, the story line's predictability allows room for more comedic lines giving the film the humorous support it needs. Jason Sudeikis plays his role in the same way he plays other characters in previous movies. So there is nothing huge to expect out of him. The rising star, Will Poulter, does a great job of executing an awkward, low self-esteem teenager. Not only that, but I am extremely jealous of him. He is probably the only guy out there that can say he made out with Jennifer Aniston and Emma Roberts! You are one luck guy Poulter.  Click here to watch the clip. 

We're the Millers has its fair share of heartwarming scenes that makes the film connect to the audience more effectively. Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn are also hilarious in representing the typical cheery-road trip family. I highly recommend you see this movie. I'm sure you'll get a kick out of it. 

W'e're the Millers is now one of my favorite comedies to date. It earns a 8/10.

Red Band Trailer 2:

Spider-Man Steps It Up

This past Friday, the highly anticipated sequel to The Amazing Spider-Man hit theaters creating a wave of reactions.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 continues the story of Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) as he lives on his life saving innocent civilians and maintaining a relationship with his belle, Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Yet, Gwen proves to be his weakness. Throughout the film, Gwen's father, Captain Stacy (Denis Leary), appears  in Peter's visions reminding him of the promise Peter made: whatever Peter does, Gwen must stay out of it.

While Peter is struggling with his relationship, the rich prep boy Harry Osborn (Dane DeHaan) comes back to the city to visit his father on his deathbed. After Norman Osborn dies, Harry inherits the multi-billion dollar corporation, Oscorp, along with its handy perks.

Now, where does Electro come into play you ask? Well, Electro is just another employee at Oscorp who idolizes Spider-Man every second he breathes. He has no friends and no apparent family. Everyone is basically disrespectful to him to the point where no one knows his name. When Max Dillon (Jamie Foxx) is the result of an electrifying accident, he emerges as the infamous Electro. Now Spider-Man must face one of the most powerful villains exposed to the superhero to date. But wait, Green Goblin wants some of the action too.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2 wasn't necessarily at the top of my list of movies to watch this month. Mostly because I've never been a huge fan of Spider-Man. But the first released trailer for the movie drew me into the superhero's universe. In the trailers, three villains are shown. This made me really excited about the amount of action there would be. Man was I right!

The action sequences between Spider-Man and Electro are wonderfully done. A little respect is returned to the denoted superhero when Spider-Man demonstrates his powerful capabilities and wits when it comes to battle. The dubstep being played in synchronization with Electro's zaps add to the epic theme of action. Although the confrontation between vigilante and villain were pretty awesome, it turned out to be a flaw.

With the amount of work and time put into the battles of Electro and Spider-Man, a high expectation was set for the next action scene with the following villain. So when Spider-Man met the Green Goblin, I was a bit disappointed. They fought for maybe two and a half minutes. It exposed the difficulty of having too many villains.

If you can't decide if you want to go see the movie or not, just watch the trailers. They are such spoilers that it doesn't make the premiere any exciting. You only miss a few details (I won't spoil it for you). If it weren't for the under-developed action sequences, the movie would be a lot better. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 receives a 7.8/10.

80's High School Musical

Musical movies are always a rough business to go into. Not only does the producer have to take into account the musical numbers, but he also has to incorporate a good story line. Rock of Ages is a good example why the clash of these two concepts doesn't always work.

The film takes place during the late 80's and early 90's in LA. The story follows Sherrie Christian (Julianne Hough); a typical small-town girl with a dream of making it in the music business. After getting her suitcase stolen, Drew Boley (Diego Boneta) approaches her and offers to help get her a job at The Bourbon. The club is run by Dennis Dupree (Alec Baldwin) and is known to host the biggest Rock n' Roll stars of the decade. But now, the club will go bankrupt if it doesn't pull out enough money to preserve the "Holy Grail of Rock."

Dennis decides to book none other than the most famous group of the 80's. Arsenal is led by rock star Stacee Jaxx (Tom Cruise). A concert and a scam artist later, The Bourbon is still in a hole. Meanwhile, Sherrie is still struggling to hit it big and Drew may have gotten the career he hoped for. Oh but wait, there's more. A puritan driven group is threatening to shut down The Bourbon.

Since I have sisters, it was painful for me to sit and watch all three High School Musicals in a row. So naturally, I dove into Rock of Ages with a little skepticism. And guess what? I was right! The plot isn't developed far enough making everything seem rushed and out of place. The actors played really cheesy roles expect for a few. Such as the strip club owner Justice (Mary J. Blige) or rocker assistant manager Lonny (Russell Brand) who did a good job executing their roles. Lonny was actually pretty funny.

The only thing that saved this movie was the amazing soundtrack that tagged along throughout the movie. I do have to applaud Tom Cruise for doing a pretty good job of playing a drugged up horny rocker. Kudos to you man. Alec Baldwin had a terrible performance. It just didn't fit him. I recommend you stick to your Capital One commercials cause your acting days are over.

When looking at the film as whole, the movie isn't all that bad. But when playing close attention to the dialogue in each scene, it ruins it. It's just another lame musical that fails to deliver a well thought out story line. If you're into musical movies, I say you watch it. It might play well for you. But for me, Rock of Ages is going to have to be a 6/10.

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.