Teminator Salvation by Jake

Terminator Salvation, Rated PG-13; Starring: Christian Bale and Sam Worthington.

Directed by: McG

Written by: John D. Brancato, and Michael Ferris

Rating: Movie Quality: 9.5, Entertainment: 10, Overall 10

I'm a huge fan of the Terminator franchise and was ecstatic when I first saw this movie was going to be made. Months of waiting and anticipation led up to me sitting in the theater next to my compadre, Chris, and we weren't disappointed at all. This movie was amazing, despite all the critics and halfwits that say that this movie "destroyed" the Terminator franchise. The writers are pure genius and should receive awards for what they did here. They tied all the Terminator movies together to help the overall Terminator story make sense. Using lines from previous movies and eluding to things that happen in the past/future. This is probably why people didn't like it. I had a Terminator marathon a week before the movie came out, and that helped so much. If you haven't seen the other movies in a while then all the nuances of the writing won't make much sense to you. I suspect all the negative critics didn't pick up much on the old lines and the foreshadowing. I was worried how they were going to incorporate the classic Terminator lines of "I'll be back." and "Come with me if you want to live." into the movie without being cliche or tacky, but they did not disappoint there either. I was impressed with the way the roles of Kyle Reese and Marcus Wright were played. The movie had great acting and the action scenes were superb. Sam Worthington, in his first major role, proved to be a great action hero and has a big future in this genre. The action was great and kept everyone in the theater on the edge of their seats. Watching the two terminators fight each other was especially awesome. This movie had some of the greatest cinematography I've seen in a movie to date, the scene when Bale is piloting a crashing helicopter and there is one camera angle for the entire scene is one example. I am usually not a fan of having a "shaky" camera, a la The Bourne Supremacy, but if it is done correctly it can be very effective. The "shaky" camera was very effective in making you feel you were a part of the action without making you "sea-sick." The scene progression made the story easy to follow. McG is a highly controversial director, he doesn't have much talent and tries to be taken seriously. In this case, though, he did an amazing job. The directing in the movie was good and fit well for an action thriller. The only stains on this film are those left by Helena Bonham Carter and Moon Bloodgood. Two of the worst actresses to ruin a movie screen. I did not like the little psychic girl, it was just kind of random and didn't do much for the story. I hate when there are characters that are not needed but are forced into the movie. I was disappointed when I got the DVD and saw that they showed Moon Bloodgood topless in it as well. If there are two things that ruin a movie for me it is excessive swearing, and nudity. Those two things are examples of lazy ways to either fill seats in a theater or to fill time in a movie, I'd rather it be 30 minutes shorter than have to sit through your depraved mind (that was to the director). The movie ended with the crowd cheering and I still give the movie two thumbs way way up. Overall this is one of the greatest films of 2009.

Movie Quality: Great acting, cinematography, storyline (especially), and the action made the movie incredible. The female actors of the cast took half a point away from the movie. It is a solid 9.5

Entertainment: WOW! That is all I really can say about how entertaining this movie is. Prefect 10

Overall: If it weren't for Ms. Carter and Bloodgood this movie would be a sloid 10. I am going to give a 10 anyways, any more detailed than a .5 is going to far.

Inglorious Basterds or No Country for Old Men: Which movie was worse

Jake: No Country for Old Men

Neither of these movies were great, but No Country for Old Men was much worse. It had the hardest story to follow, disconnected characters, horrid cinematography/scene progression, and most of all it was BORING!!! The scene progression is what bothered me the most about the movie, it is what made the story difficult to follow. It reminded me a lot of the movie Flags of our Fathers, there is no logical progression that made the story flow. Kinda like random bits put together, to make confusing fodder (I finally used fodder in a sentence and it made sense :). There is no established "good" guy and "bad" guy, which is interesting, but it adds to the confusion. When the main character dies it is very anti-climatic. It gives no background on the people that kill him, or how they found his wife. I never got connected to any character, I couldn't care less if any of them were killed or if they lived. This is all a sign of poor film making. I have been told how awesome the creepy guys silenced shotgun and air-gun were, but him an his weapons both let me down. Overall this movie was a snoozer. It is a great example of a bad movie that got far more praise than it was worth, and it is a black mark on the Academy that it won any awards at all.

Chris: Inglorious basterds

Now this is what were all about. Two critically acclaimed movies, that neither of us thought was very good. Now this topic right here is based off of an actual conversation that Jake and I had were we compared to two filmed and got into a heated argument of which movie SUCKED more! I picked Inglorious Basterds, and here is my reason why. Now i am not some action movie junkie who is easily pleased by explosions, hot women, and slow motion sequences ( that was a stab at you Michael bay you loser!) but when i had saw the previews for inglorious basterds i was expecting a fun fast paced movie. But as we all know by now its not anywhere near that description. the dialogue in this film is lengthy, monotonous, and down right unnecessary. I will never get the time back in my life when i had to watch a Nazi party and drinking games. that took FORTY FIVE MINUTES!! only to have them all die. The action is few and far between. and the characters are all unlikeable. Even the movies strong point, the very well played villain Col. Hans Lander portrayed by Christoph Waltz. In an almost Hannibal Lecter like fashion. Ends up betraying his own Nazi's for money. Now lets a look back at the great villains in cinema history, All are very dedicated to there cause, and develop and almost intimate relationship with the movies protagonist. This movie did not have that. I wish i had four hands so i could give this movie 4 thumbs down!

Zombieland by Jake

Zombieland, Rated-R; Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone.
Directed by: Ruben Fleischer.
Written by: Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick

Rating: Movie Quality-8.5, Entertainment-9.5, Overall-9

When the previews first started for this film my first thought was "Oh man, not another 'zombie-comedy'. They're going to kill this genre if they play it to death." I was dead wrong though. This movie, although the plot has been done before, was innovative, creative, and fresh. From the beginning of the movie I was thoroughly entertained. The slow-motion attack sequences made for both huge laughs and for intense action. The cinematography made it easy for the viewers to get fully engrossed into the movie. Reese and Wernick's story telling abilities far outweigh the tired plot. Ruben Fleischer did a great job. He is mainly known for his work in television, but what he did here was no less than artwork. I was fully able to understand the characters different life stories and care about them. The acting was superb by all the actors. They were funny and serious and deep and shallow and everything in between. Most of the comedy came from Harrelson, Tallahassee. He was quick with a joke and always ready to bust a skull. He has come a long way from "Cheers", eh? He's always been funny but going from a wise-cracking bartender opposite Ted Danson to being a wise-cracking BA trying to get the "Zombie Kill of the Week" is impressive. Jesse Eisenberg, Columbus, played the classic, Michael Cera-esque, nerdy, clumsy, but eventually-pull-it-together-in-the-end role. His "Rules for Surviving Zombieland" provided more laughs and entertainment. The zombies, as usual, make you jump at some of the most random parts of the movie. Plus a hilarious cameo by Bill Murray, made this movie one of the must see movies of the year. I have to admit the thought of a zombie-comedy getting a 9 in my book, surprises me. For all you guys that like movies out there this is a good one.

Movie Quality: Great acting, beautiful cinematography, well told story, and star power make it a great movie. Fleischer did a great job and has a huge future. Tired plot, and excessive swearing is what gives the movie an 8.5.

Entertainment: Zombie Kill of the Week, slow-motion attack sequences, and the "wow" factor (it's what makes you sit on the edge of your seat), are nearly perfect and give the rating a 9.5.

Overall: With good movie quality and great entertainment I can confidently say that I would be happy to get back in the theater and see it again. I give this movie a solid 9 and encourage anyone to go see it.

District 9 by Chris

DISTRICT 9

Directed be Neil Blokamp and Produced by Peter Jackson

-Knowing next to nothing about this movie save for seeing the name "Peter Jackson presents" plastered on the poster, i find it safe too say i was extremely optimistic about this movie. Not only was the marketing of the movie genius but the story it self was phenomenal. not since The Dark Knight has a movie managed to completely captivate me in its world.

Coming into this movie and having the Audience not sure what to expect, was the best thing District 9 had going for it. i only wish i could re-watch it again with that same feeling of optimism and unsureity. The opening cinematics manages to pull you in and genuinely makes you care about whats happening.

The Protagonist of District 9, perfectly played by "Sharlito Copley" is Wikus van de Merwe. Not exactly what you would expect the main character of a Sci-fi movie to be, A sniveling coward that you really could care less for. District 9 Progresses its characters and story wonderfully. with so many heart pounding scenes you fear for the characters outcome all to much. I can think of 5 or 6 different times when things looked so bleak for the characters you just knew they were not going to make it. Needless to say i was on the edge of my seat without ever realizing it. The pulse stopping climax of the movie pitting Wikus (Copley) against the movies Antagonist koobus Venter (played by David James) had me cheering out of my seat. Maybe it was the right mixture of being at a midnight premiere and surrounded by die hard movie fans district 9 will always be regarded by me as a Masterpiece!

Now mind you, to me the movie was flawless and i just had one complaint. the Language is terrible and not needed. So keep the little ones away

story 10/10

cinematography 8/10 ( could of used a little less shaky camera)

music 10/10

acting 9/10

entertainment value 10/10

over all 10/10