Review R.I.P.D. (2013)
genre
cience fiction,fantasy,action

After having seen the trailer of R.I.P.D. I had this strong sense of deja vu. It reminded me a lot of Men in Black. Which was one of the reasons why I was hesitant to watch it since I wasn't really waiting to see a rehash of something I already had seen three times before. Plus I very much disliked the last entry in that franchise. And while it has more in common the experience was quite satisfying and fun to be honest. R.I.P.D. manages to combine drama with comedy effortlessly without it distracting from the main plot. In fact it manages to be interwoven into the story to an extent that it makes a lot of sense. The best comedy revolves about one character named Roy Pulsipher portrayed by none other than the brilliant Jeff Bridges. His comedic timing was right on the money and he definitely brought that something extra that only actors of his calibre can bring. Ryan Reynolds stood his own and for once not playing the goof ball but was very believable in a more serious role. The action and special effects were nicely done. The minutes flew by. And since I wasn't expecting much I was pleasantly surprised. There is a lot of charm to this comic book adaptation and frankly deserves much better recognition. R.I.P.D. is how Men in Black 3 should have been. Unpretentious and fun and still add more depth without it bringing down the overall experience. Watch it!
Review Now You See Me (2013)
genre:crime (heist),mystery,thriller

Now You See Me has a very interesting premise. Heists are being done by using magic. While the concept is incredibly exciting and the whole film promises to blow your mind it simply lacks to do so. It starts out pretty well where several mysteries are presented which will be on your mind until some character in the movie will give you the explanation. And I do love it when they do it if it challenges you where you go: " No,really. The answer was right there,how could I have missed that. Brilliant that is,truly". In stead it was: " Really,really,you are using the most obvious and predictable solution to this problem even when it is very improbable. The thing is,the questions that might get raised and the solutions to it so far fetched that it will have you scratch your head. Not because the solution itself was that difficult to find but because of how they got there. The film makers want to be clever for their own good and use some twists and turns that are so unlikely and far from clever that you can't but feel if they could not have thought of something better. Still maybe I just was disappointed that this was not that high tension thriller or suspenseful heist movie I had been craving for. In stead there are more than enough elements to keep people entertained. Most of the actors are competent with a Woody Harrelson undoubtedly the funniest character around. Morgan Freeman as Michael Caine are severely underused. I can't stress enough how stupid it is to have these talents available and not make use of them. On the other hand you can see both Freeman and Caine laughing because it is the easiest money ever. Freeman is not even trying to act in this one. Then there is the flash and action. Visually a lot is happening on the screen and combined with the fast pace you might not even pick up the huge number of plot holes. That is if you are capable (like with the majority of blockbuster movies) to shut off your brain. Lower your expectations to a minimum and don't think too much and you will be able to enjoy it much more. If you are looking for a movie that truly makes you feel the magic displayed on the screen then I suggest The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. But overall this is a movie that is very enjoyable if you don't expect too much.
Review Star Trek:Into Darkness (2013)
genre
cience fiction,action/adventure

Let there be no confusion about it I really liked this movie. But what on Earth did I just see? This was Star Trek? Sure the references are there and just enough there to give it it's authenticity. Only I could swear I was watching a Star Wars like movie. Don't get me wrong. I love Star Wars. Only Star Trek always was quite the opposite of Star Wars. J.J. Abrams is proving himself more and more not to know the first thing of what Star Trek was about. I may have forgiven him for his first expedition. For the second one I feel very conflicted. Star Trek: Into Darkness is all about the action and less about the science or story. Which for the most part works because it is one adrenalin pumping scene after another. And that creates a problem after a while. Exhaustion. There is only so much adrenalin us humans can handle. Abrams needs to learn to back off. Give the audience chance to breathe a little or at least try a different way to hold interest. As I see it Abrams just isn't skilled enough as a director to do what he is supposed to do. Of course he makes the whole viewing experience very dramatic and thrilling as possible. But he is destroying a lot of concepts and aspects of the Star Trek Universe that some hold very dear. It is one thing to reference or pay tribute. If not for the fact that Abrams kinda disrespects a lot of established mythologies and characters. I can see now why fans of the franchise have a lot of trouble accepting this course. Again this is a very thrilling and action packed movie that is extremely entertaining. Only not for the fans of the first hour. That is all I am going to say for now.
Review Genji: Dawn of the Samuarai (PS2)
genre:action/adventure,hack and slash
year: 2005

Genji at first seems to be one of many Japanese hack 'n slash games. Maybe it isn't as challenging as Devil May Cry 3 or one of the Onimusha games. It does however provide fun game play with the most beautiful eye and ear candy that can be created on the Playstation 2. Stunning graphics are combined with wonderful and atmospheric music. The story and the cut scenes aren't that special. It is a simple story about good and evil set in a historic Japan. The main characters encounter many foes and have to endure some tests. One of these tests is to train in the Golden Temple. Here they have to prove themselves to the God of Weaponry. In this level you will meet several creatures and gods that seem to be borrowed from Hindu mythology. For example, you'll meet monkeys and Shiva (I know that Japan has been influenced by many religions and cultures,but I do not know the finer points of this influence. The Shiva that is depicted in this game is similar to the one of the Final Fantasy series and is female. Very different from the the original Shiva (highest being depicted as male) from Hindu mythology) Also when one of the monkeys die their spirit immediately transfers to the one who is still alive (A fine example of reincarnation,one of the main believes in Hindu religion!) To me this was one of the nicest events to see and experience. One of the other main reasons to play Genji is the Kamui system! This is the ability to finish of enemies on the screen with minimal strikes in slow motion! (And for people who don't know yet I love slow motion in video games and movies.) When you get the hang of it you will use it as often as you can since this is one of the coolest,fastest and most satisfying way to get rid of the enemies. The only complaint I have about this game is the length. It is a bit short. Don't get discouraged though. After finishing the game you will unlock several modes and trials that offer more game play. I personally think "Genji" has to be played at least once since it has that extra something that makes it worth while.
This is just one of many titles this developer has made that in my opinion are worth playing. One other I need to mention is Knights Contract.
Review Knights Contract (xbox360)
genre:action/adventure,hack and slash
year: 2011

Chances are that like me you forgot about it or even never heard of it before. Imagine my reaction when I came across this title and saw some of the images on the cover. It reminded me of a genre I very much liked, the hack and slash. And it was quite cheap also. I thought it through. (Which is a funny sight because I will pace up and down and look around and even ask around if anyone can tell me something useful about the title. Then I addressed the sales clerk and he told me enough to go for it.) And bought it. Was this a bad decision? No,not at all. While this game is heavily flawed and annoying at times it is one of those games that does remain fun for the most part. The few reviews and articles that have been written about this game have been brutal. Name every bad thing you can think of and they have named it. After just having finished and played the game I can honestly say that most of them haven't gotten far into the game..They probably played some of the earlier levels and left it at that. And while game play wise the changes might not be significant. It does help to get familiar with the controls and the special powers.
Here is the thing. From the start Knights Contract starts very generic. You really don't get to know the characters and the story is told with the help of cut scenes that do take their sweet time to unfold it. When sometimes it is perfectly understandable already which direction it is heading. However the story although somewhat simplistic does become very interesting.
But it is the game play elements that will win the most over (if they prepared to take the chance that is), Only most of the instructions are minimal at best and it will take you some time to know what to do exactly. But when you do,you will start to love the game if you did not do before. When used correctly the combos between Heinrich and Gretchen are quite powerful that look amazing and relatively easy to pull off. Now that being said the game can be cheap at times. Most of that is the case in the boss battles. Where one boss uses a spell that makes you control the character the opposite of how you normally would control him. Or that some enemies need to damaged by magic first before you can strike with the scythe. Since you are required to keep an eye on Gretchen because she is not that strong and can die on you very quickly you are forced to be more strategic when you fight and actually take your time to heal up which you can do by picking Gretchen up. And believe me you will be picking her up quite often. On top of that Heinrich who can't be killed technically can be stopped or cut into pieces to which you have to put him together again by pressing the A button repeatedly. Which you will get used to eventually but can be a tad annoying especially when you aren't aware because of camera problems that you were struck in the first place. Still you are given a shot to recover and continue the fight which brings a fun dynamic to the table that you can abuse if you know how to.
But I shall be honest it also can be very aggravating. For me it was the boss battles that won me over. For a budget title (assuming that it is) this game is packed with the most interesting and intense boss battles you can imagine. Sadly some of them are extremely cheap but how satisfying it is to beat them. Ok,there are QTE's (half of my readers just stopped reading) that aren't very forgiving. Mess up and you will have to fight the boss again from the start with his energy bar replenished. But you can change the difficulty (which will make it easier) to do them. As for beating the enemies or bosses it will be very challenging from the start. Although the first part might let you think the game will be a cake walk. No it will not. The difficulty spikes in this games are enormous. Which for this game worked in it's favour.
Maybe this game lacks the style or flair of a Devil May Cry title. Still it is so very much Japanese that there is more than enough to like it as not to like it. After having read some devastating reviews I simply have to disagree with them because I had fun playing this game and even think about replaying it because of the challenge it will offer. And I rarely replay games. Also it made me interested in other titles the developer has made like Majin and The Forsaken Kingdom or Genji Days of the Blade. (The original Genji Dawn of the Samurai was an excellent title and had I known this before I purchased the game I would have no doubts at all). So what can I say more. Ignore the bad ratings and the awful reviews. And try out the game since it has more to offer than you would think. People who love the genre certainly will have to check this out.
Review Rise of the Guardians (2012)
genre:animation,action,adventure,comedy,drama

Rise of the Guardians is a title I was very doubtful about and while watching completely changed my mind about it. It is actually one of the most sincere cgi animation films that is made this year. Is it reusing older themes concerning Santa Claus and all those other mythical figures? Yes it is. Only it is done in the way that the old myths are combined with dark themes and hard hitting action resulting in a thrilling fast paced family movie that is quite rare. Tooth fairy,Easter Bunny,Santa Clause and more kicking butt surely I must be joking. I am not. The notion of this concept might be hard to swallow and yet it works. While there is a lot of focus on the decreasing spirit of believing in something or losing innocence. There is actually made an effort to go beyond the usual themes. It was a blast from start till finish and I can't stress enough how much fun it is. The excellent voice acting only add to the wonderful viewing experience. Don't wait until Christmas to watch this. It's always good for all ages,what more do you want. BELIEVE!
Here a list of some of the Sexiest Werewolves in random order that have graced the big and small screen. When compiling lists as these it is unavoidable to include characters that might be part of a twist or revelation. I do apologize for that. Please feel free to suggest characters that need to be in the list and I might have overlooked.
Taylor Lautner as Jacob Black in Twilight Saga (2008-2012).
Agnes Bruckner as Vivian in Blood and Chocolate (2007)
Tyler Hoechlin as Derek Hale in Teen Wolf (2011-)
Elisabeth Brooks as Marsha Quist in The Howling (1981)
Benicio Del Toro as Lawrence Talbot in Wolfman (2010)
Natassia Malthe as Sonja in Skinwalkers (2006)
Joe Manganiello as Alcide Herveaux in True Blood (2010-2013)
Anna Paquin as Laura in Trick 'r Treat (2007)
Jason Behr as Varek in Skinwalkers (2006)
Katharina Isabelle as Ginger in Ginger Snaps (2000)
Michael Landon as Tony Rivers in I Was a Teenage Werewolf (1957)
July Delpy as Serafine Pigot in An American Werewolf in Paris (1997)
Jason Bateman as Todd Howard in Teen Wolf Too (1987)
Sybil Danning as Stirba in Howling II
tirba-Werewolf Bitch (1985)
Olivier Martinez as Gabriel in Blood and Chocolate (2007)
Christina Ricci as Ellie in Cursed (2005)
Joshua Jackson as Jake in Cursed (2005)
Dee Wallace as Karen White in The Howling (1981)
Michael J. Fox as Scott Howard in Teen Wolf (1985)
Michael Sheen as Lucian in Underworld Saga (2003 - 2009)
Sam Huntington as Josh Levison in Being Human (2011-)
Michael Trevino as Tyler Lockwood in The Vampire Diaries (2009-2013)
Taylor Kinney as Mason Lockwood in The Vampire Diaries (2010-2011)
Scott Speedman as Michael in Underworld Saga
Seth Green as Oz in Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1997-2000)
Tyler Posey as Scott McCall in Teen Wolf (2011-2013)
Danielle Dax as Wolfgirl in The Company of Wolves (1984)
Also check out: Sexiest Vampires in Cinema and TV Shows
Review The Conjuring (2013)
genre:horror

With James Wan at the helm I just knew I would enjoy the Conjuring because he is very old school minded when it comes to horror. He likes to build up tension and dread and not replace it by gore or something else something you see more and more done in contemporary horror films. The Conjuring does not waste time to bring the creepiness to the screen because from the first scenes we get a taste of what is to come. And for the most part it never lets up. Especially in the first half hour you feel this sense of dread that is so tense and compelling that anything is possible.It's so captivating that glues you to the screen even if you don't really want to see what is going to happen. Then the dread is let go of for quite a while and the focus is on the Ghost Hunters played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga. We learn enough about them to know what they are about but there is a lot behind their story that does not get discussed properly only adding to one of the mysterious events. And undoubtedly will be a huge story line in the sequel that already is in the works. This may be a little too much because quite a lot is happening already and might be a little distracting but is not bothersome. However when the couple make their entrance in the house the level of tension is not the same as it was as in the first thirty minutes. Still enough going on to keep it effectively scary but not until the final that again puts back the dread. I wished they would have put in more of the back story because for me that just adds to the experience. Here it is mentioned and then sort of ignored. But James Wan is skilled enough to keep a certain level of suspense through other means. I have to admit sometimes a little too obvious and loud but even then he manages to make it eerie. Is The Conjuring the perfect horror movie. No,it is flawed but extremely effective. I would take this over rubbish like Paranormal Activity or Cloverfield any day. A lot of thought is put in the build up of tension and atmosphere. And to me that is most essential for these kinds of horror films. So overall without a doubt one of the best horror movies made this year and makes me really anxious about the sequel to Insidious.*
* Miss Chofas screamed like hell. She kinda lost faith in a lot of contemporary horror films but this one she liked. So you just know it has to be good.
Review Trance (2013)
genre:thriller
"Danny Boyle Light"
Even with some nice twists and turns I can't but help feel that Trance simply does not have the same energy from his previous movies. You get a little taste of it in some scenes but mostly it is a tame and a lighter viewing experience that mostly is saved by the performances by James McAvoy and Vincent Cassel. Rosario Dawson's role was adequate but somehow did not add that something extra that was needed for her role. The first half hour is excellent. It gives you time to be introduced to some key characters and you know what is at stake. Then after the thirty minutes the way the story unfolds itself is messy. It even drags in scenes that detract from some powerful visuals. And what is up with the choice of music. I can't remember any tune or theme while Danny Boyle always made sure the scenes became more memorable because of the music. Then the last half hour though Trance picks up speed and it is twist after twist. Some really good ones I have to say. So good that they do make it worth to finish watching it. Then there is the lack of humour. Danny Boyle no stranger to the darkest of themes always injected some humour into his projects to prevent the experience getting too heavy for the viewer. It does not make sense for this film to be this serious as it was. Because most of the concept is so far fetched that a little humour could have elevated some lacklustre scenes. Maybe I am being too harsh here. For the record I did enjoy most of Trance. But I am so used to Danny Boyle always delivering the goods that in this case I did feel a little disappointed. Absolutely worth the watch but dial down on the expectations and you will be fine.
Review 1724 Gibangnandongsageon
a.k.a. The Accidental Gangster (2008)
genre:comedy,action,romance,drama

Already from the first scene you will notice that this isn't your typical historic piece. A fighting match (a la Fight Night 3) with Matrix like effects accompanied by a modern hip hop beat. There is no doubt whatsoever this movie is meant as a comedy. But the surprise lies in the fact that "1724 Hero" has room for much more serious drama. The romance scenes for once aren't annoying and gives the movie it's edge. Although a bit melodramatic it can be perceived as sincere. The emotions that are depicted by the main characters are universal and can be felt. Something that certainly will appeal to a larger audience. I must admit that glancing through some scenes that this movie seemed very goofy to me. Only after truly watching the movie I discovered that it was a lot fun. I enjoyed every minute of it. You can see that the actors had a lot of fun making this movie. Action fans also won't be disappointed since there is just enough. Only don't expect too much since it is limited to some brawling. These brawling scenes however are beautifully filmed with some cgi in it. It's like watching a live action anime.