Green Zone (2010)

Release Date:

March 12, 2010

Director: Paul Greengrass
Writer(s): Brian Helgeland
Genre: Action, Drama
Language: English
Runtime: 115 mins

Cast

General Al Rawi: Yigal Naor
Seyyed Hamza: Said Faraj
Al Rawi Bodygard: Faycal Attougui
Ayad Hamza: Aymen Hamdouchi
Roy Miller: Matt Damon

Review



During the invasion of Iraq Chief Warrant Officer Roy Miller and his men are in search of weapons of mass destruction (WMD). Their search locations are tipped off by an Iraqi informant, codenamed "Magellan". If Murphy's Law stated "Anything that can go right will go right" this movie would be its poster child. Everything worked out way too easy throughout the film. For those game-heads out there, you will like the COD effect (Call of Duty for you non-gamers) in Green Zone. I wouldn't consider this film patriotic as the audience's subliminal conclusion is why are we in Iraq now? On the other hand, this film does not seem true-to-life despite what the media chooses to show. Nevertheless, Matt Damon is awesome. I don't know why Jason Bourne is in Iraq but he certainly kicks ass. 

Favorite Quote
Roy Miller: Was it the same source we been using on? Every site we've hit on the way up here we rolled a donut.

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence (2004)

Release Date:

March 6, 2004

Director: Mamoru Oshii
Writer(s): Mamoru Oshii (screenplay), Masamune Shirow (comic)
Genre: Animation, Action
Language: Japanese
Runtime: 100 mins

Cast

Batô (voice): Akio Ôtsuka
Major Motoko Kusanagi (voice): Atsuko Tanaka
Togusa (voice): Kôichi Yamadera
Section 9 Dept Chief Aramaki (voice): Tamio Ôki
Ishikawa (voice): Yutaka Nakano

Review


Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence follows Batô, a living cyborg detective. As he investigates a case of a female robot that murdered her owner, he never forgets his past partner Major and looks to her for help. The subtle references to Ghost in the Shell was very cool. Other than these subtleties, Ghost in the Shell 2 is quite different from its predecessor. This movie is trippy but in a very intelligent way. There are a few instances of confusion which adds to the concern of artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence. Besides the smart stuff, the dog is one of the cutest animated pets in a film. I don't know how this film slipped past me for so long.

Favorite Quote
Major Motoko Kusanagi: We weep for a bird's cry, but not for a fish's blood. Blessed are those with a voice. If the dolls also had voices, they would have screamed, "I didn't want to become human."

Repo Men (2010)

Release Date:

March 19, 2010

Director: Miguel Sapochnik
Writer(s): Eric Garcia, Garrett Lerner (screenplay)
Genre: Action, Thriller
Language: English
Runtime: 111 mins

Cast

Remy: Jude Law

Frank: Liev Schreiber

Jake Freivald: Forest Whitaker

Beth: Alice Braga

Carol: Canice van Houten

Alva: Liza Lapira

Review


In the future organs are now a common commodity like a blender. However, this "blender-of-a-body-part" is ridiculously expensive so many people fall behind on their monthly payments. When this happens, the Repo Men find you and take their product back whether you like it or not. Remy, a repo man, is unfortunately injured, receives one of the company's body parts, falls behind on payment and becomes a rogue repo man. Not only was Repo Men a disappointment, it was hardly believable. There is no way the world will become so money hungry that murder becomes okay. Human rights anyone? Remember that? The plot was very shallow, which led to no emotional connection with the characters in the film. I did not care what happened to anyone. There were a couple twists, however one was pretty dumb and the other had a few inconsistencies which made it unsuccessful. On a positive note, the sound track was pretty great. There were a few jokes, although I don’t think they were intended to be funny. If you are interested in blood, guts and self mutilation turns you on, Repo Men is calling your name. Overall, Jude Law and Forest Whitaker's star power was not enough to carry Repo Men.

Favorite Quote
Beth: Ask me about my lips.

Alice in Wonderland (2010)

Release Date:
March 5, 2010

Director: Tim Burton
Writer(s): Linda Woolverton (screenplay), Lewis Carroll (novels)
Genre: Adventure, Fantasy
Language: English
Runtime: 108 mins

Cast
Mad Hatter: Johnny Depp
Alice: Mia Wasikowska
Red Queen: Helena Bonham Carter
White Queen: Anne Hathaway
Cheshire Cat: Stephen Fry


Review


If you were expecting this film to be like the novel "Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There" by Lewis Carroll you're in for a surprise. Alice in Wonderland is as trippy as you weedheads would expect and for those who aren't under the influence, not to worry, you will love the trippiness as well. This is the first 3D movie that should be in 3D. This technological aspect of the film lets you marvel in Wonderland in a way that could not be done in 2D; exceptional. There was definitely no mystery to this film, which could have easily been fixed, however it is very imaginative. The target audience isn't really a group of kids but come on, it's Tim Burton. The "madness" of Alice in Wonderland is on a different level and is the main reason for its constant amusement. (Cheshire Cat is awesome).

Favorite Quote
Mad Hatter: You used to be much more..... "muchier." You've lost your muchness.

Shutter Island (2010)

Release Date:
February 19, 2010

Director: Martin Scorsese
Writer(s): Laeta Kalogridis (screenplay), Dennis Lehane (novel)
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Language: English
Runtime: 138 mins

Cast
Teddy Daniels: Leonardo DiCaprio
Chuck Aule: Mark Ruffalo
Dr. Cawley: Ben Kingsley
Dr. Naehring: Max von Sydow
Dolores: Michelle Williams

Review


Teddy is a US Marshal assigned to investigate the disappearance of a patient from Shutter Island Ashecliffe Hospital set in the 1950's. As his investigation progresses suspicions and doubt arises; was he brought to the island as part of the hospitals sinister experimental treatments? The eerie images of dead children and tortured souls are just enough to give you the chills without freaking you out. A slew of questions run through your mind while you watch and attempt to solve the mystery of Shutter Island. The twist at the end was executed exceptionally well as I left the movie saying "wow, they got me."

Favorite Quote
George Noyce: Don't you get it? You're a rat in a maze

Up (2009)

Release Date:
May 29, 2009

Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson (co-director)
Writer(s): Pete Docter, Bob Peterson, Thomas McCarthy (story)
Genre: Animation, Adventure
Language: English
Runtime: 96 mins

Cast
Carl Fredricksen (voice): Edward Asner
Charles Muntz (voice): Christopher Plummer
Russell (voice): Jordan Nagai
Dug/ Alpha (voice): Bob Peterson

Review



Carl Fredrickson meets his future bride Ellie at a young age. They bonded over their love for adventure and dreamed of visiting Paradise Falls in South America. Ellie dies 70 years later and Mr Fredricksen decides to fulfill his promise to Ellie and make it to Paradise Falls, along with their house. Up has to be the most depressing cartoon I have ever seen since Bambi and The Lion King. Nevertheless, there were some funny moments: Russell, hilarious; Dug, funny as hell; Mr Fredricksen; grumpy old men crack me up. This movie made me dread growing old, however kids will love it and despite the utter depression that comes afterward adults will like it too.

Favorite Quote
Dug: My master made me this collar. He is a good and smart master and he made me this collar so that I may speak. Squirrel!
[looks to distance for a few seconds]
Dug: My master is good and smart.