Star Trek Into Darkness

Let's put it this way. As if I wasn't already stoked for SW: Episode 7 (Strange opener, I know) with JJ at the helm, now I feel I must seclude my life to living in a bubble so as not to die prematurely before it arrives. Trek to me is an awesome precursor into our future of the "other" Sci Fi series JJ will take over. It gives us a very good peak into what this man can do with an epic scale of space and time proportions. I know to you "Trekkies" I have just blastphemed on high, but I don't care. I am not the one who hired JJ to cross into a galaxy far far away, so I feel I can mention the 2 movies in the same paragraph. Let me also say this. Into Darkness is no Iron Man 3. I actually liked it better. Maybe it's the fact I am not as versed in Trek's theology, or maybe it is because we have had a steady dose of Marvel for years now, but had to wait 4 LONG years on this sequel. Either way, Into Darkness starts off strong and with a run time right at 2 hours, it never really slows down. It is intense, dramatic, nail biting inducing, and quite comedic. I went in knowing I would enjoy it, but not really knowing the premise, or the villain it felt like a brand new thing in my life that has been missing.  It is smart, well thought out, and visually stimulating. 
The film may be one of the best I have seen to combine this smart of a plot, perfectly placed comedic one liners, and action parallel with anything Marvel puts out. Now I know I am comparing this film to other franchises, but I want you all to understand how worthy of your time it is. To me, Trek has always been sub par with everything else I loved. Now, it is turning into a series I can get behind. Spock and Kirk have their great chemistry once again, but Benedict Cumberbatch steals the show as the villain, John Harrison. He aims to turn the star fleet on it's ear, and does a pretty good job at it, but his plans are way bigger and at this point in the film, it gets very fun and interesting. It twists and turns, but it very fluid in it's delivery. As good as the first one? Absolutely. I believe I like this one a little better. It's just so AWESOME. Along with the fantastic leads in the film, stand out performances are delivered by the brilliant Simon Pegg as Scotty, Karl Urban as Bones, and Zoe Saldana as Uhura. I cannot think of any part of this film that I didn't enjoy. JJ even did a good job of not throwing promiscuous 3D shots in the film that would have no bearing on the non 3D viewer. I saw a couple but they were not exaggerated, and they were quick. If you liked the first one, you will like this one. If this looks good to you, go watch it. It is all around outstanding.

NBM rates Star Trek Into Darkness - Phenomenal

A Good Day to Die Hard

Of the 5 Die Hard films, this one is easily my least favorite. Will I buy it on DVD? Yes. I have a series to complete. However, as much as everyone hated the 4th installment, at least it was smart. This one has very little going for it. It does have John McClane though, and that is always good enough for me. This is the Epitome of a popcorn movie. Thin plot, not to hard to follow, and it is a film solely based on the action. Action does not fill the gaps between extremely smart nuances and plot points, but instead it serves as the fruit of the entire film. What the film does well, it actually does great...and that makes sense. For example, Bruce Willis is getting older, and that comes into quite a few punch lines. Brilliant. The car chase scene through the streets of Russia, though very unbelievable, is awesome and the fact it took over 30 days to film it, makes me love it even more. Why was a NY city cop in Russia? To find his son who is on trial for murder. Ok, makes sense. The plot unfolds from here in just a few minutes and then we get to see McClane and son kick ass on an international level like McClane's do. This way, that way, then like a flash in the pan, it's all wrapped up in a nice neat little package. As far as the whole film goes, it is rather enjoyable. With that said, if it had been any other film, say, a film not directed related to such a prominent franchise, I may have respected it more. It did fall a little flat for me being the return of John McClane and all, but still worth a watch and worth buying to complete the series. Any other movie wouldn't get as graceful a rating, but John McClane alone boosts this film right to the middle of the road.

NBM rates A Good Day to Die Hard - Awesome

Premium Rush

The one and only reason I would ever consider watching a film about a "bike messenger in trouble" is JGL. I have a man crush on him and will watch him do absolutely anything. It has a lot to do with how he has crafted his career on his terms. Indie film star, writer, producer, and he chooses roles extremely wise. I don't know who gives him advice, if anyone, but he never misses. He will eventually, but for now, he is at the top of his game. On to the film. It is a VERY well directed film, and with me, that one aspect holds a lot of water. It really is reminiscent of Nick of Time with Johnny Depp. It starts in the middle, flashes back an hour, plays catch up, and then finishes strong. The title is a bit of a double entendre. The "Premium Rush" is the reason Wilee (JGL) is a NY City bike messenger, and it is also a delivery option a customer may choose from Wilee's company. When Wilee is given an envelope to deliver within 90 minutes he doesn't think twice.  He doesn't have to be told it's an important package, he treats every package the same. He is more prideful than stupid, and he is very stupid. He treats life like a ride, and if you slow down, you may as well die. Ironically, this is the situation he is unknowingly thrust into. He is given a package that comes with consequences. The film does a great job of keeping us guessing to the end game. What is the package, and why is it important? This does not concern Wilee....at first. He quickly realizes whatever it is could cost him his life. A fast paced action thriller that is extremely enjoyable, and Michael Shannon in the villain role was a perfect cast. This is the most I have enjoyed him ever, aside from Boardwalk Empire of course. Premium Rush never slows down, and the visuals, stunts, and foreshadowing by Wilee through the intersections are so much fun to watch. Especially when he gets hit by multiple cars and even a baby stroller in his visions. Please don't let my rating deter you from giving JGL a couple hours of your life. I don't want to undersell it, and I don't want my bias for JGL to give it unjust due. I know this film did really well on RT, however, I am not sure it is anything to write home about being the next BIG thing. Its biggest "It" factor is the direction, and that alone sets it well above mediocre. I am rating it on the High end of Awesome, and the Low end of Phenomenal, so...

NBM rates Premium Rush - Awesonomenal

Savages

A film that I was DYING to see, quickly turned into an "eh" moment, that then transformed into little desire. I should have gone with my first instinct. While not perfect by any means, it was FUN. A great development of character by a man I tend to hate. Oliver Stone has never made a great film. You start film dropping and I will argue to the death. I do not enjoy his work, and while this film had Stone nuances, it was actually great. To be honest, it is filled with great performances, but Aaron Johnson stole the show. He was even better than Taylor Kitsch, who I tend to like, even though 90% of his films have been considered flops. Savages follows 2 drug dealers on the top of their profession. They sell the best product, and they move tons of it. When they are "Offered" a deal to go into a distributorship partnership, it seems to good to be true. Hmmm, that usually means it is. When the dealing boys deny their Mexican buyers and "spit" on the them to boot. This gets very, very ugly for these guys. Then it gets worse. What is worse than the threat of death? Threatening to kill their girlfriend. That's right. Singular, as in they have the same Girlfriend? Exactly. O (Blake Lively) is their joint girlfriend. Weird, right? Either way, the dynamic delivered works really well. When threats come down, it is better to be on the same page with your cohorts than be divided. She is the catalyst that gives both these Men a no holds barred, balls to the wall, no care for themselves mentality. Now, I know why people hated it. All anyone has to do is read 5 reviews, and 4 of them will mention the ending. I get it, but the ending did not ruin anything for me. A movie that is truly enjoyable can't really be ruined by the ending. It may be tarnished, but not ruined. The entire film keeps us guessing and it is extremely interesting. I would have liked at least one more really good action scene, but there is very little wrong with this film from beginning to end. Don't let all of the wishy washy, mixed reviews deter you. If you wanna see, by all means, watch it. It is worth it.

NBM rates Savages - Awesome

Jack Reacher

Talk about a smack in the face. A good, adrenaline fueled kick to the proverbial nuts if you will. In today's day and age of CG action and green screen blasphemy, Tom Cruise gives us an extremely welcome Christmas gift with his new actioner, Jack Reacher. I never read the books, but I am well aware of the huffing going on about Cruise placing himself in the lead role. Sure Cruise is good and can be great, but the Reacher character is a 6 foot 5 inch, 250 pound behemoth of a man, who uses those particular physical traits to instill fear and intimidation into anyone who sees him. At 5'7", Cruise is hardly intimidating. However, after seeing how he acts in certain situations, I did become intimidated by him. Let me also say a little something about what I expected through trailers, and what was delivered. I expected a hard nosed action film about a vagabond who paved his own path and nothing more. I had no idea this film would lie smack dab in the heart of my favorite genre, Thriller. It is a great thriller. Instead of a whodunnit?, we get more of a Why do it? It kicks off pretty quickly and has you wanting more in a hurry. It had absolutely no CG, and one of the best car chase scenes in the last 10 years, and maybe a top 10 chase scene of all time in that Chevelle. It was a standard chase that was anything but ordinary according to how Hollywood usually does things these days. It all goes to the Director. The Direction of this scene was Masterful. The Direction of the entire film was insanely great, but this chase scene sets this film apart from other similar films. I didn't want it to end, and neither did my companions. Except for maybe Melissa F., who was more interested in digging into that cracky, crinkly plastic bag of Goobers (I think they were Goobers) than watching Jack destroy other men on screen in a very tactical way, I think they were as enthralled as I was. I also want to commend Tom Cruise on his impeccable timing and delivery of hilarious one liners that, for all intents and purposes, was able to eliminate any need for a crappy comic relief character. He did both jobs to perfection, and I already want to watch it again. The film was pretty flawless, and then who shows up? Robert Duvall. A man among men. Cole Trickle's crew chief of yesteryear. Those two have a chemistry unmatched by many, and though it was a bit role, maybe 20 minutes, it was very memorable, and really put the icing on the cake. I cannot wait for a sequel and I hope they go with my Brother's idea for a title. "Jack Reacher Round 2. Read it fast and out loud. You'll get it.

NBM rates Jack Reacher - Phenomenal

The Raid : Redemption

You can read and assess all you want about any given film, but there is no certainty it will deliver what you may have expected. When I heard "Indonesian task force (Cops) raid a building for 90 minutes trying to take down bad guy" I was skeptical. I was not skeptical after watching the trailer if the film was to be less than 30 minutes long. However, at 90 minutes I wondered how they could spend that much time in one building? I am going to throw out a comparison, and I doubt you will agree with me right out of the gate. Scott Pilgrim vs The World. Films that rely solely on choreography had better be PERFECT, and entertaining without becoming stagnate in the delivery. This subtitled film was easy to follow along. The plot is not that in depth. Director Gareth Evans set out to make a modern martial arts film for pure entertainment purposes and he succeeded. It reminded me of Scott Pilgrim because he did things in his film I had never seen before, much like Edgar Wright did in SP. New and inventive ways to kill people, non stop fighting involving at least 2 people and up to 30 at a time. Guns, machetes, hammers, chairs, axes, fridges, and fists are all used as weapons. It really is non stop action with a body count around 100 I'd say. It is one of the bloodiest, most brutal films I have ever seen, but very beautifully done. The direction is flawless, but like I said, the choreography is second to none. Immensely entertaining. Makes me wish Indonesia had more movies come to the states. Of course that could more harm than good. This is probably one of those diamond in the rough, 1000:1 odd type of deals, and as far as I'm concerned, lightning doesn't strike twice when dealing with third world countries making great cinema.

NBM rates The Raid: Redemption - Phenomenal

Safe House

Denzel is definitely at the height of his powers as a Hollywood leading man. He produces nearly everything he stars in, which shows he picks what he wants to do, and he rarely chooses poorly. Though not all his reach critical acclaim, each and every one of them (even when they involve a runaway train) are very good films that seem to be made for everyone. They never seem to go toward one specific group or another. They seem to appeal to everyone. Safe House is no different. I'm sure he had some say in the casting of Ryan Reynolds to play opposite him in this international conspiracy thriller, and he knew what he wanted and Ryan delivered. At what point I was surprised that the kids who started out on the TV show "Two guys, a girl, and a pizza place" could go toe to toe with Denzel, but at times he stole the scene. He is a CIA rookie who never sees any action, or any one for that matter. He babysits an always empty structure used as a Safe House/ Interrogation quarters when such a place is needed. Then the one day he gets a prisoner it happens to be Tobin Frost (Denzel). He is the baddest of the bad. He defected from the CIA some 10 years earlier and is wanted for the highest form of treason possible. He sells secrets about his government and operatives to the highest bidder which is why the government wants him back so badly. The way he is caught raises some suspicion, but the real problem are the people who want him dead more than the US government. Lots of bad people come a callin', and it turns into Reynolds job to keep him alive. This task turns out to be near impossible, but the longer they find themselves with each other, the more tidbits Reynolds collects as to why Frost disappeared to begin with. Great action, a smart plot, and fantastic acting make Safe House a must see for anyone who wants a bang bang shoot em up with heart.


NBM rates Safe House - Phenomenal

Sherlock Holmes : A Game of Shadows

I missed the first one in the theater, and loved it on DVD. I tried to get to this one in theater after seeing how good it looked as well, but failed again. In my opinion, the first one is more enjoyable. Game of Shadows is good, don't get me wrong, but it's the same movie with new characters. Not necessarily the same plot, but Guy Richie (Who I love) used the exact same blue print for this one that he did for number 1. I was hoping for something new. He was so visionary with the first one, and I expected some new tricks, techniques, and slight of hand from this one, but it was played out exactly the same. The only difference was it was released in 3D, so there were scenes to prostitute that technology. The scenes would have stood alone without that aspect, but other than that, it's a bunch of foreshadowing by Holmes to know what his moves will be against assailants, friends....everything really. The villain this time around is Moriarty played superbly by the "Great at be creepy, Evil, Odd" Jared Harris. He is Holmes arch Nemesis, and this story delivers a rather unusual form of trickery on Moriarty's part. That aspect I really liked. Basically it's another one of those, "figure out how to stop the bad guy from total world annihilation and not die" film. It's definitely a popcorn movie. It also did what the first film did with explanations. At the end the whole thing is recapped by Holmes in a narrative/speech about how he figured it all out. I know it is supposed to throw us, but to explain everything we just watched seems silly. Like I said Good not fantastic like it's predecessor, but worth a look.


NBM rates Sherlock Holmes : A Game of a Shadows - Awesome

The Dark Knight Rises

I've been saying it for months that this would be the movie to see this Summer and I was right. There is absolutely nothing not to like with Christopher Nolan's third and final Batman film. It could not have been better in my opinion and that all goes back to story. Without a good story, action can only carry a film so long. Rises gave us months of teasers and posters and hoopla about what was going to happen, but to be honest, we never actual have a clue of what Bane's end game is. We know he wants to tear down Gotham, but why? That is how well the movie was made. We already determined we were going to see because it is to be the end of an era, and The Dark Knight was so brilliant we wanted to see Nolan outdo himself, and he does. At 2 hours 45 minutes it was actually perfect. You may get some saying it was long while others want even more, but with absolutely no loose ends, one of the smartest plots of any film, let alone a Batman film, and total closure, I could not ask for more. There is only one thing I would have changes, but will not add spoilers in my review as I try never to. I did know it was special, but when it was over I was almost relieved. Not that it was over, but that it was as good as I had hoped, which historically speaking, third films in a franchise never live up. I did a lot of reading while avoiding spoilers, but I remember reading about some Batman Begins callbacks. I watched the night before and though I would not have been lost, it really refreshed my memory and I recommend that be the route you take before watching Rises. The mystery surrounding Bane is really the heart of this film, and Tom Hardy with his intimidating eyes, his glares, and his attitude is a complete scene stealer...MOVIE STEALER. Once it was all over I thought back to 3 hours prior and realized I had no idea what this film was going to be about. It begins with one of the coolest scenes ever. Full on action right out of the opening gates and I was in awe. It does take place 8 years after Harvey Dent dies, and The Batman hasn't been seen since. Neither has Bruce Wayne for that fact. He has become a shut in, a recluse if you will. He has no desire to get back in the suit, but Bane makes it pretty hard not to, and from here the plot get smart. It's a bit of a financial thriller to be honest, and we don't know why. It's very clear what is transpiring, but like I said, why? The slew of characters is brilliant. Gary Oldman back as Commissioner Gordon is brilliant as usual, but the new comers are even better than I could have imagined. I love Joseph Gordon Levitt, and he is a mere beat cop. The only difference is, he asks questions and he is intuitive. Honestly I didn't see him getting much screen time, but he is an intricate part of the entire film. Morgan Freeman returns as Lucius Fox, but Michael Cane as Alfred once again shows why he is one of the best actors of all time. His emotion on the big screen will make you emotional. Now we come to Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. Dare I say it? I think I like the Anne Hathaway version better than Michelle Pfeiffer...GASP. I do, but I think it is more of a writing thing. I like where Nolan took her better than where Burton took her. She is beautiful, elegant, but can kick your ass in a hurry. She was a great addition. We could not ask for any better action than we got, and I also am glad I made this my first IMAX movie. It was Epic and I want to watch it again. I don't feel I need to tell you any more than I have, because you are already set whether you want to see it or not. It is one of those big screen movies that should be scene in that scale. I liked it better than The Avengers and I loved that movie, but I also like it better than The Dark Knight because Rises is very smart. Christopher Nolan claimed "Rises" will encompass "Finality" but I will let you decide. 


NBM rates The Dark Knight Rises - A Cinematic Work of Art

Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides

I don't know why it took me so long to see this. It was kind of a mental enigma in which my brain told me one thing, but did not take its own advice. I was excited to see a 4th film in a franchise that has faltered in recent films. Mostly because it was a new story. The writers had wrapped up the trilogy involving Jack Sparrow, Borbosa, Will Turner, and Elizabeth Swann and their twisted story. This film was going to be a completely unrelated tale continuing Jack Sparrow's travels and that prospect sounded fun. All the while, I feared it would be as mind numbingly awful as the critics said it would be and I will say it took a while to develop into, well, anything. The first 25 minutes is drivel. Nothing happens except the standard "Jack Sparrow escaping dire situations using brain powers and logic his character's speech and mannerisms would never suggest he possesses, while blaring the POTC score we have all come to love." Literally, we were like, what is the point? Luckily Depp delivers once again and makes it all tolerable while the waiting game continues for us, the audience. Once it does pick up, I still don't feel it was as strong as any of its predecessors. It just seemed thrown together. It did still have the wonderful fight scenes and choreography we have come to expect from the franchise, but the jokes were fewer. Depp delivers the majority of the moments that get us to exclaim a verbal HAHA, but that only happens 3 to 4 times. Keith Richards shows back up which I didn't expect, but essential with the addition of a few new characters it really is just another Pirates film, left open ended for a 5th installment. Black Beard (Ian McShane) and Angelica (Penelope Cruz) join Sparrow on the search for the fountain of youth. With a few new surprises along the way (Mermaids were cool) the film definitely wraps up better than it began and when it was over it was erased from my DVR never to be watched again. What On Stranger Tides lacked, compared to the previous films, are those moments great films have that we can watch over and over and over again. I have seen the other 3 films numerous times, but I don't think I'll watch this one again. It doesn't have that hook to get me to stop channel surfing to watch it for 20 or 30 minutes. That is what disappointed me the most, but overall it is very enjoyable and only because Depp is perfect at that character. Also I would have LOVED to see a cameo from Orlando Bloom as Will Turner as he is now Captain of Davy Jones' ship after the 3rd film. That would have been a welcomed call back for me.


NBM rates Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides - Awesome

Contraband

Yet another enjoyable time killer popcorn movie. You kind of have to know what to expect with movies released in the months before May, and when they hit the rental shelves 4 months later, we just hope it will be good entertainment for the hard earned dollar we spend on it. I did not know a lot about this film, but what I did know made it an easy decision to watch. The cast alone. Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale, Giovanni Ribisi, and Ben Foster. We get a lot of info quickly about Chris' (Wahlberg) past. This  type of plot development lends itself to a movie like this, so they can fill their time with action and plots, rather than back story. Chris was a smuggler. Actually, he was the best, but he put that behind him. He is married with kids and a legitimate business. No need to fret on the past. His brother in law however is not that smart and when he dumps his load, much like Han Solo did to Jabba the Hut, things turn very badly. Carbonite doesn't exist yet, so death is the consequence for not delivery the goods to the dealer. Unfortunately in an ass backwards world of thuggery and drugs, the debt he owes will not die with him. It is absorbed by next of kin which is Chris and his family. Ribisi plays said Dealer and with his high pitched voice, greased back hair, grisley beard, and neck tattoos he is scary as hell, but the twist is what brings it full circle. I liked the twist, because it made it way more intense. Chris must go on a tanker to Panama and smuggler enough Contraband back into the states to cover the debt. What's the saying? anything that can go wrong, will go wrong. This turns an hour long film into an hour and forty very enjoyable minutes. Chris must protect his family at all costs, but also not get caught, which would land him in jail for life. Very fun, and sometimes extremely intense, I recommend this to any fans of Wahlberg's catalog of films. This falls in line with the style of movies he does, so enjoy.

NBM rates Contraband - Awesome

The Avengers

To say that The Avengers has been anticipated for a while now is under selling it. Think about it. We first heard about "The Avengers Initiative" in 2007 after the credits in Iron Man. That's half a decade ago, and worth the wait. Way to not rush through Marvel. Patience is key when dealing with this many parameters. At 2 hours 22 minutes, I believe it is the longest Marvel film to date, and I did not want it to end. The reason I feel it worked so well at that run time is the fact we need little to no character development. We know the players through years of individual releases from Thor to Captain America and Iron Man we get all the info we need, so the story can get right down to it. I had heard there some comedy, no doubt from group smart ass Tony Stark, but a lot of times the entire theater was rolling. It really is 30% pure comedy. We all know the gist of the film from hours of promotion, TV ads, internet clips, Interviews, Spoilers, and common knowledge of the series, but it is so much fun to see it on the BIG screen. I wanna see it again already. There is really not a lot to say about it, except it is perfect in every way. As a film it is like Captain America in the sense that it was birthed out of Love to be the absolute best it could be. When Loki (Thor's evil brother) comes to Earth to take over, Nick Fury takes issue with this. This is when The Avengers are brought together for the first time. The Avengers looks good on paper as a resort to thwart terrorism, but too many egos is nothing but a bad combination. The whole first half of the film is them getting to know each other and realizing they don't like each other. Captain America is technically a senior citizen, so those jokes are slow pitches, and some of the team get along, but like High School, there will always be divided groups. Tony and Banner get along because they speak the same language. Tech and Science. Thor feels he is above everyone, demigod and all. Hawkeye and Black Widow are on the same page, but it is still a disaster. Loki is a force not of this world and other than Thor, no one knows how to deal with him. He is bringing an alien army, and he feels The Avengers are no match, but little does he know. The ultimate battle between the two worlds is very reminiscent of Transformers 3, but it doesn't matter. It is pure awesomeness. The action and direction is top notch and in a CG world, it is very easy to make it look like crap. Not the case here. It is perfect. I also want to discuss the character with the most controversy. Bruce Banner/Hulk. Mark Ruffalo is the third actor to take on Banner, and he is my favorite as the character. I love Ruffalo anyway, but I actually thought Eric Bana was a good cast for the part, unfortunately it was a HORRID script. Then Edward Norton was brilliant, but Ruffalo carries a brooding, dark attitude better than Norton did or could in my opinion. Now on to The Hulk. This is the biggest love it/ hate it character due to the difficulty of portrayal. He is 100% computer generated and until now he never looked real. This is the first Hulk, where we believe he is part of this team. He doesn't look disconnected or cartoony. He is everyone's favorite because of the shear force and destruction he is capable of. SPOILER - When Hulk and Thor beat the crap out of each other, it is AWESOME - Mind Blowing even. I so wanted Hulk to have a lot of screen time and be a viable character, and boy was he. He also provides one of the biggest laughs of the film. When The Avengers finally figure it out, they are somewhat on the same page. Luckily Captain takes over as the only one with military training and strategic battle planning knowledge, and he gets his ducks in a row. I honestly cannot determine what I liked more. The Avengers beating the snot out of each other at the beginning of the film, or fighting the enemy at the end. It has to be the end, because we love to see the good guys win. The last thing I will say is to PAY ATTENTION to the greatest cross movie reference in this film. Listen closely when Iron Man is gonna fly Hawkeye to the skyline. Literally LMAO at the joke. Oh ya and stay through the credits....all the way through. Trust me, It is a brilliantly, silently, hilarious 60 seconds that you will appreciate.


NBM Rates The Avengers - A Cinematic Work of Art

The Hunger Games

It's like The Truman Show meets Surviving the Game and they have a baby, and those babies must eliminate each other in front of a live audience a la The Running Man. This film has everything and I do mean everything. Action, romance, Intense moments, kids killing kids for sport, and engineered elements. I hope to not SPOILER anything, but I am assuming everyone has read the book or at least paid 10% of their attention to one percent of all the TV and Magazine ads that have littered our line of sight for the past 9 months. If so, you know the  basic premise behind The Hunger Games.  I did not read the books. Many of you know it is due to the fact that I can't won't read. I also feel that makes me the largest hypocrite known to man. I Love Love Love to write and expect people to read my words and enjoy them for the entertainment they are here to supply, however, if you were to ask me read anything longer than a magazine article I may very well de-friend you. The world Suzanne Collins created is very similar to the many world's of Tim Burton. The colors, the outfits, the strangeness. It is all so beautifully creepy, and Director Gary Ross should be extremely proud of himself. He gave us a movie with such a content that it is quite appalling, yet he did it in such a classy way. I commend him. His direction overall is superb. The story and the acting on the other hand is indescribable. Let me take a minute to describe it. Imagine the raw emotion when faced with the task of kill or be killed, but you are only 12-18 years old. That's tough, but The Hunger Games stand for so much to the world. Each district must choose one male and one female to represent the district. 12 in all = 24 participants and the last one standing will be wealthy the rest of their life with The Fame and Glory that accompany the title of Hunger Games Champion. My biggest issue of the rules is, if the other person from your district, who you probably know, are the last ones left, you would have to kill that person. That's a bit rough. At 2 hours 22 minutes, it seemed short to me. It flowed very well, and you may think that 23 deaths on that short amount of time would be hard to pull off, just wait till the opening "mad dash" if you will. Our hero is Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and she is the next Bella Swan if you catch my drift. The Hunger Games is a trilogy and it made 155 million this weekend alone. Lucky for us, she can display a range of emotion, and be very warm one minute, and very jaded the next. I expect she portrayed 19 emotions in this film which is a full 18 more than Kristen Stewart can at any given moment. Katniss has a very unique skill set, but she doesn't know how to play the game. Haymitch is there to help her learn the rules and strategies and he is played brilliantly by the always appreciated Woody Harrelson. Essentially that is all it is. A Game. Much like TV's Survivor, the audience will have favorites and least favorites, and this can play heavily in one's favor. It is an intense ride that I didn't want to end. I wanted it to go right into books 2 and 3. This is one of the best films I have ever seen, and I have seen a great many. I think it rightly deserves every last iota of praise it receives and am giddily anticipating the next film which is due November 2013. Anyone who can handle 12 year olds playing real life Gladiator, then don't miss this film.
**On a side note, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to the 65 year old woman leaving the theater explaining the entire film to her husband as if he wasn't beside her the whole time which he was. I didn't feel it was hard to follow, but I may just be a CINE-SAVANT.
NBM rates The Hunger Games - A Work of Cinematic Art, and that was not even a question when it got over.

21 Jump Street

I was more skeptical about this film than any other in recent memory. To re-boot a TV show into a comedy/action film starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill was just the tip of the iceberg for me. Then the first trailer came out and I was left almost horrified. Then another trailer and my demeanor started a long u-turn, that with enough read articles and watched TV spots, along with the totally unexpected R rating, it landed my butt in the theater on opening day. It also didn't hurt how well this film is being reviewed. This is the type of film critics love to hate, yet they just love it. I can almost guarantee all critics had a single turning point during the film, much like my journey. It would be when Parks and Rec's Ron Swanson uses his 3 minutes of screen time to deliver a great speech about rehashing ideas due to the impoverished think tank of today's generation. Up until that point every second of the film I had just watched, I and you, had already seen in every trailer. I'm not saying that is a bad thing. Actually it was quite refreshing and this is why. In the first 15 minutes basically witness all the trailer footage, so anything after that is just icing on the cake. I was excited about seeing a film where they don't give away all the good parts in 2.5 minute TV spots. It also helped with the flow. Being a buddy cop comedy, we didn't need to spend a lot of time watching these goofs train and build a relationship up from nothing. It is the classic tale of two guys who bring way different attributes to the table to form a supercop...sort of. When Jenko (Tatum) and Schmidt (Hill) are out in the undercover program called "Jump Street", they had no idea what they were in for. They get to go back to high school to uncover a drug ring. The story line is very strong and the jokes are equally strong. Plus the writing is brilliant. Here we have a guy who was awesome at High School, and another guy, well, not so much. What a difference 7 years can make.Much like Bill Madison, High School is not what it used to be and this vexes our heroes. One is all for the changes and the other is just confused about everything. We do get to see Holly Robinson Peete pretty early on, and though I am not versed with the TV show, It was pretty easy to detect the other cameos. The dialog just sarcastically suggested these "characters" had been here before. Now, I know the big question is, was Johnny Depp in it? That I cannot divulge. Not because I don't want to spoil the fun for any of you, but because I have no Earthly clue who the Hell that is. This film is cliche to the 10th degree, but that does not matter at all. The directors, in my opinion, must be HUGE Edgar Wright fans. He did Shaun of the Dead and Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. They put together a great film with good visuals and some out of the ordinary visual effects that played a lot like a video game. HMMMM? Now, these buffoons must infiltrate some drug dealers and find the supplier before this new drug gets beyond the high school walls. It turns into a harsh lesson of everyone involved taking a step back and seeing themselves for how they are or were in their lives. Like I said, Cliche. I would definitely watch this again, and if a Blu Ray with loads of extras and alternate ending and what not comes out, I may just buy it. It is already set up for a sequel, which sight unseen, I would watch. And one last thing, this film further solidifies my current man crush on Tatum. he is a funny guy who can also be dramatic and pack the action. 2012 is the year of Channing. I have only seen 5 movies in the theater this year and he has been in 3 of them. Now, on to GI JOE.
NBM rates 21 Jump Street - A Very Strong Phenomenal

Twilight Saga : Breaking Dawn Part 1

I did not rush out to the theater to see this 4th installment that has only one more film to complete the saga. It just didn't look that appealing to me compared to the previous 3. I will say the only one I saw in the theater was New Moon and it was everything I thought it could be. I boo'd, I cried, and I was surprised at the ending of New Moon. Talk about a cliffhanger. This one didn't give me any of those emotions. I felt flat the whole time I was watching it. It wasn't bad, it just was underwhelming. I mean, I am easy overwhelmed, but hardly underwhelmed, and I don't recall anything that has just made me feel whelmed. To the future. As for Edward and Bella, they finally get married...YAY. Now Bella can finally give Eddie her virginity and they can live for the rest of their lives, aka ETERNITY, in misery. I will say that I was excited for this one to come out before I saw any of the trailers. From what I hear, the 4th book is a bit off the chain. They (The readers of books) tell me Stephanie Meyer sort of threw all sense out the window and wrote whatever she wanted, and though it wrapped the series, it didn't necessarily fit with the other 3. That is what had me antsy for it. Unfortunately it seemed right in line with the tween reputation it earned for itself. Breaking Dawn has way less action and way more pregnancy. Oops..I should typed "Spoiler" before that last sentence. So we are to believe Bella conceives on the honeymoon, when in fact there is no way that can be accurate. The baby is way too big for a 1 day old in the womb. I think she lost her virginity before the vows were said, she still wore white (Liar), and they "HAD" to get married. Just my opinion. Either way, Bella is still Human and Ed thought he was sterile. Now she is carrying a Vamphetus. She cannot survive this pregnancy and the majority of the film shows her in labor pains, or something of that nature. I guess I just didn't care about them jet setting around the globe for an hour of the film. The wolves, which are the best, are almost absent entirely, but don't worry, we do get to see Jacob pout in every scene he is in. I don't know what I wanted out of this film. All I know is Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse all left me very satisfied. Even to the point that I do not mind watching them when they are on, even if my wife is not around. This one, however, I don't see myself watching anytime in the near or distant future. I will also say this, what Part 1 is leading into should be very good and when I see part 2 maybe my opinion of the flow of story in Part 1 may be realized. I hope Part 2 really overwhelms me and retires the series on a great positive note . I'd like to see The Volturi come in and destroy some stuff too. They are cool and mean.


NBM rates Twilight Saga : Breaking Dawn Part 1 - Great
**Here are my reviews for the other 3 films**
Twilight
New Moon
Eclipse

Haywire

I really thought I missed my opportunity to watch this, but at the same time, I also originally planned Haywire for a DVD rental. Then a buddy of mine stated how much he loved it and I trust him, so less than 24 hours after he said that, I was watching the newest Hollywood butt kicker, Gina Carano, do exactly that. I also realized today that when a film is as hyped as this, sometimes I don't know anything about it. This is how I explained it to my Mother. It's an Action movie with Michael Douglas. Good reviews and a Great Director and that is good enough for me. I really enjoyed getting into this film not knowing where it was going, and where it took me was rather enjoyable. The one thing I really enjoyed was seeing Soderbergh's newest cast ensemble masterpiece form one scene at a time. As you know he assembled one of the best casts of all time with Ocean's 11,12, and 13. Haywire was just as astounding. Soderbergh is a master Director. The way he forms the story is awesome. The opening scene we meet two of the many players in a coffee shop. A coffee shop that doesn't sell beer...Thank you Channing Tatum. Tatum plays Aaron and as you know I have never met an Aaron I didn't like. This guy on the other hand is a little off. He sits across from Mallory (Gina) and within minutes it goes from great conversation to a brawl and we still don't know why. Then Soderbergh does what he does. He tells a story in flashback till we catch up live for the final half hour of what is to come. She is being set up, but by who and why are her questions. Kenneth (Ewan McGregor) is her boss and through him she meets mostly not nice people. I was thrown by the review board on RT. 81% of critics liked it and only 43% of users liked it. This is backwards by the way. I did figure out the split right quick though. Soderbergh essentially made an artistic action film. Great music to no music at all. Long, drawn out scenes that could have been shortened. Over explanation. Haywire has the longest foot chase in film history, which I enjoyed, but is very unusual in today's films. If Ronin has the longest car chase in history, then Haywire is it's equal, only with feet instead of wheels. I swear she chased that guy for 6 minutes, and it wasn't like a Bourne chase through buildings and breaking windows and rooftops. No, just chased him through the streets. The movie really picks up steam when Fassbender shows up as an MI6 operative and from this point on, it doesn't slow down. At only 90 minutes, it is quick and concise. Other power players include Antonio Banderas with a very nice beard, and Bill Paxton as Mallory's Father. If you can't tell by now, I loved Haywire. I wanna rate it a Work of Art, but I don't know if that is justified. I need to watch it again and really absorb all the artistic aspects of this film. On a side note, the fights and the choreography are the best I HAVE EVER SEEN! Maybe it's Carano's previous job that made me really get into it. I see Jolie fight in a lot of her films, but I always doubt a 100 pound femme fatale could really do that much damage to everyone she encounters. Gina on the other hand is built for it. The fight scenes themselves, which are many, are first class. The punches landed sound real, and the length of the fights are awesome. She doesn't just punch them out for the count. Oh no, she gets her ass handed to her in each fight, and like I said, I believe it. The fight scenes are a Work of Art, but the film as a whole...
NBM rates Haywire - Phenomenal

Rocky IV

"And the Russian is cut, and it's a Bad cut!!!" This may be the shortest review in NBM history. It only makes since that Rocky IV would be my first review in the franchise, because it is my favorite. That's right, I didn't say, "Was my favorite", I said "IS MY FAVORITE". A-Bomb and I had this discussion, and while his Favorite is III, we believe it all depends on which one you may have grown up with the most. I must have watched IV 40 times as a kid, and probably at least another 10 as an adult. Yes, technically IV is probably the fourth best behind I, II, and III, but to me and my memories, none stand higher. In a Franchise with 5 great films and one mediocre one (you know who you are 5), Rocky IV will always have that special place in my heart, and if you haven't seen it, I don't respect you as a human being. Sorry
NBM rates Rocky IV - Phenomenal

Attack the Block

I had an ultimate desire to see this film when I first watched the trailer, unfortunately it is British made and marketed, so that left me out in the rain. I'd say it's been over a year since I knew of this film and now on DVD, we watched it in all it's glory. It is exactly what you might expect from a Brit Action-Comedy. The only thing I didn't expect was how hard the dialogue would be to understand. For instance, Shaun of the Dead was spoken so methodically as if these guys knew they would have a shot as U.S. fame, whereas "Block" was such a rush from one scene to the next and these British kids all screaming at each other, as one would do during an invasion like this, it got very hard to understand. What makes this film great is that "the dialogue aspect" doesn't even take away from the film. You will still enjoy the Hell out of it, and you will want to watch it again to see hear what you may have missed. When we did catch the jokes or sarcasm it left us reeling at times, and at other times we were in awe of some of the brilliance being displayed. It is an easy watch at only 90 minutes, it gets in, does its business, and gets out. No lagging at all. Block has a lot of films that one can reference it reminds them of. First off is the obvious Shaun of the Dead. Same producers and the director is obviously a fan of Edgar Wright. Also, its one and only recognizable face is Nick Frost (SOTD's Ed). He has a minor role, but being a fan, I enjoyed his screen time. Then the other comparison in my head was that of Harry Brown. This is based in a poor community in South London. It is riddled with thugs and everyone is always afraid of the streets at night. The film starts off with a young lady, Sam, being accosted, and during the altercation, "It" crash lands on a Volvo. What "It" is is an Alien. (Not a spoiler, watch the trailer) Now these teenage thugs go from street thugs to Alien hunters. They take the initiative and kill the ones they see, but before they know it, they are being overrun by some of the coolest looking aliens I have ever seen. They must survive, and in the end, the people who have been afraid of these boys are now relying on them for protection. It also has very close similarities to one of the all time greats, Tremors. If you like British films, this one is a must. I do want to watch it again to catch some more great one liners.


NBM rates Attack the Block - Phenomenal

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Skeptical. That's the word I used to describe my ambitions of this film. The fourth in a franchise stemming back to the late 1960's, this version was going to tell us exactly how the apes came to power. The only reasons I watched this is because of James Franco, and the fact that everyone has been touting over it, which I had to see with my own eyes what all the fuss was about. The fuss was literally about "Awesomeness", in my opinion. Within 25 minutes this film will have it's hooks in you, or maybe just it's opposable thumbs, if you will. The film is an origin story following Caesar, who we all know was the first Evolved ape from the other films. He was the primate's god in a sense. The founding Father of their power and now we learn how that happened. Like everything bad that has happened in film, it all starts with a "Cure". Scientists really do screw up more than fix. A "Cure" for cancer created the Nightwalkers in I Am Legend, and a "Cure" usually always has ramifications beyond the creator's realm of forethought. The cure in this film is for Alzheimer's. It creates extreme brain function and allows damaged cells to heal themselves. It is tested on apes and one of those monkeys passed the trials onto her newborn. It will always be embedded in Caesar's DNA and he will never cease to learn. We watch as he learns and a big part of that knowledge stems from his Father, in a sense, Will (Franco). Will created the drug and he now has a hairy son. He teaches Caesar as much as he can, but Caesar is getting to smart for his own good, and he makes a costly mistake when trying to protect his own. This is really fun to watch and the CG is not bad at all. It is always scary when dealing with a film that uses CG in every scene, but this is good enough, it is not distracting from the film. It also boasts one of the very best visuals I have ever seen and it involves gun fire and a Gorilla jumping at a helicopter. Enjoy that scene and the little details that are present in the slow motion capture of it all. Smart and perfectly orchestrated by the writer's, Director, and Cast. I know several of you are probably thinking the same way I did, but I am a believer in this new film and it ended perfectly. PS. Damn Dirty Apes does make it into the dialogue at one point. This version is head and shoulders better than the Marky Mark version and I liked that version as well. Just good movie making.

NBM rates Rise of the Planet of the Apes - Phenomenal

Warrior

This is the one thing I didn't want to do. I did not want to watch another film that was released in 2011, because if I did, I knew I would have to amend my list (See where Warrior ranks) that took so long for me to perfect. Sure it is only one new entry which would only shift everything up one spot, but in fact I also watch another film last night after Warrior, so now it will be total chaos for me. Maybe it was my naive perception of Hollywood and their need to bring us "Based on a True Story" films that made me think this was based on something real. Maybe it was the Director that made me think that also. Gavin O'Connor directed this film and his other claim to fame is the Highly touted, not seen by as many people as it should have been, "Miracle". Warrior is one of those rare movies that gives lots of concepts, and some how makes them all work together in perfect harmony. It really is a Rocky-esque story multiplied by 2. Warrior gives us 2 underdog fighters in the fights of their lives. Motivated by completely different situations and fueled by different mentalities, "Irish" Brendan Conlon (Joel Edgerton) and Tommy Reardon (Tom Hardy) are men on a mission. Tommy shows back up in town at his Pop's house out of the blue some 14 years after he defected with his Mother. I only know it is 14 years because I read it on Rotten Tomatoes. Pop (Nolte) plays the 1000 day sober, ex drunk who drove his entire family away to perfection. Of course, they say, "write what you know". I think that mentality applies to his acting for Warrior. Brendan is a former UFC fighter who now teaches High School Physics. He and his wife have 3 daughters and they are struggling to pay the bills. When he is not teaching, he moonlights in no hold barred parking lot cage matches. He is the most well trained of any of the muscle heads that show up, so he does win, but he does take a beating as well. Tommy is bitter. To say he has a chip on his shoulder would be like saying an ice cube from the freezer sunk the Titanic. He is very intense and uses that to dismantle other fighters. He hates his Pop, but needs a trainer. I haven't mentioned it yet, but Tommy and Brendan are brothers. (Not a Spoiler- Watch the trailer). They are very estranged and there is a lot of animosity between them. When Tommy went with their Mother, Brendan stayed with Pop. Bad blood a brewing for 14 years. When a winner take all MMA tourney arises for the top 16 middle weights in the world arises, these two want in. Tommy needs to relieve some of his own grief from his time in the Marines, and Brendan needs to save his house from foreclosure. A 5 million dollar purse would solve everything, but only one person will win it. Neither one of these Cage newbs have a shot in hell, but that is why you play the game. Anything can happen. I mean, though unlikely, NBM writer Dean-O may be able to shave his "Bears Beard" this week. I doubt it, but you just never know what will happen. Like all Hollywood fiction, we know where this is going. Two unknowns, who are brothers, who hate each other, end up facing off in the title match. Brendan is very grounded, but Tommy seems unstable. He is a psychopath and after watching Hardy's performance, I am looking more forward to watching him unleash the true psycho Bane, in The Dark Knight Rises. The fight scenes are intense and brutal. Very well done. Brendan has some reservations against fighting his brother, but Tommy would be fine if he killed Brendan. What these two are fighting for are both noble, and no matter who wins, I would have been happy. I really enjoyed watching this play out, because I had no idea where it was going to lead. At 2 hours and 20 minutes long, it actually flows so well, it feels like 90 minutes tops. If this film had been based on real people Nolte would be a shoe-in for Supporting Actor Oscar in a Drama. He is superb. The way I rate this may surprise some of you, but allow me to explain. When dealing with a Biopic, the characters and stories are emblazoned in the text of history. The actors know who they are portraying and they need to be as similar, identical even, to those figures. Warrior was drafted on paper out of thin air as far as I know. The story came from a writer, and the characters were created by the actors cast to play them. It was all done to perfection. An engaging story about Family, good and bad, and the ties that bind. Great action that was not overdone. The fighting was not the center of the film, the characters were. With all that said...

NBM rates Warrior - A Cinematic Work of Art