Jay's Top Ten Movies of 2014

2014 was a great year for movies. There were many great movies, and it was difficult to narrow it down to just ten. But here it is: my top 10 favorite movies of the year.

I should also let you know, I have not seen every movie from this year. I have only seen a few major Oscar contenders this year so far. So if you're wondering why Birdman was not on the list, it's because I haven't seen it yet.  Now that that's out of the way, let's start the list.

10. The Raid 2
This is a film that most people in my home country of America have probably never heard of. But it is an action film from Indonesia, that I rented after hearing great praise for it. I have never seen the first The Raid movie, but I enjoyed this sequel. It has great action sequences, an interesting plot, and I would recommend it to anybody who can get past the subtitles, or dubbing (if you change the language in the Audio Setting section of the DVD, as I did)

9 The Lego Movie
This film could have easily been a shameless promotion of Lego. However, with a charming style, a talented cast, and plenty of great humor, it rises above that level.

8. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
This is one of the few sequels which I thought was better than the original. It takes a more serious tone than other Marvel movies, and becomes as much of a spy thriller as a superhero movie. And it was a good spy thriller.

7. X-men: Days of Future Past
An exciting and intriguing sequel/prequel to the X-men franchise. Bryan Singer, the director of the first two movies, returns to direct this one, and he is great at this franchise. This is one of my favorite X-men movies.

6. Guardians of the Galaxy
It seems as if films that take place in the Marvel universe can do no wrong. They took a bizarre comic series that very few people have heard of, made it into a movie, and it became a sensation. The movie itself is the definition of fun at the movies. It's funny and action-packed, and the characters are charming and have great chemistry.

5. The Grand Budapest Hotel
This was the first Wes Anderson movie I have seen, and I liked it. It was an interesting and unique movie.

4. Edge of Tomorrow (or Live Die Repeat, as it is apparently called now)
I previously did not expect this movie to be that good, but after hearing great reviews, I decided to rent it. And I'm glad that I did. This has everything I want out of a sci-fi action movie: an intriguing storyline, good action, and moments of good humor. This is a very underrated movie.

3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
This was one of my most anticipated movies of the summer, and it did not disappoint. Like its predecessor Rise of the Planet of the Apes, it is smarter than the average summer blockbuster and has more heart.

2. Gone Girl

This was a shocking movie. Even though some of the major plots seem ridiculous, (but not enough to be considered plot holes) the plot was an unpredictable wild ride. Whenever I thought I knew where the movie was going, it went in a completely different direction. It is also helped by great direction by David Fincher, and great acting performances. I think it would be best to watch it while knowing as little about it as possible.

1. Whiplash
I hope that this gets nominated for the Best Picture Oscar, because this film needs more attention. When I wrote my review for this movie, I gave it a perfect five star rating. It features great acting, great writing, and an unpredictable story. Until now, I never thought that a student getting yelled at by a teacher could be so intense.

And those are my top ten movies of the year 2014. Surely there are many of you who disagree with my picks, so let me know what your favorites were in the comment section.

The Interview Review

These past two days have been the most pervasive for my reviews. In this short time, I have seen three movies that are in theaters (the reviews for these movies are below). I was sure that The Hobbit was going to be the last movie I was going to see this week, but tonight my family decided to stream the highly controversial film, The Interview.

This movie has gone through a lot. First, it angered North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. Then there was the hacking scandal, then the threats, then it was pulled from release, then it was only for streaming, then some theaters released it, etc, etc, etc. I have written about my anger at this movie's release being cancelled, and am glad it was finally released. But is the actual movie any good?

The story revolves around a celebrity news show host played by James Franco, and his assistant played by Seth Rogen. After finding out that Kim Jong-un is a fan of their show, they schedule an interview with him to boost their ratings. However, they are recruited by the CIA in an attempt to assassinate him.

First of all, the fact that this movie is getting so much controversy is ridiculous. Sure it takes a pretty anti-Kim Jong-un attitude, but at its core it's just a silly Seth Rogen comedy.

However, it's satire was pretty well done, and it had some good humor. This movie had plenty of potential. Unfortunately, this gets weighted down by other moments, where it resorts to juvenile humor which substitutes raunchiness for actual humor.

Which is a shame, because this film's less crude humor is actually pretty funny. It parodies the dictator, and at times, western culture. But it has enough humor that works for me to give it a passing grade, despite all the jokes that fall flat. However, this is my least favorite movie that I reviewed this week. This movie will be remembered for the controversy for a long time, the rest of it, not so much.

3 out of 5 stars

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Review

The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies is the third and final film in The Hobbit trilogy. The Hobbit, like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, is based on a book that is being unnecessarily split into multiple movies. However, out of all the books that are being made like this, The Hobbit is probably the most difficult to make well. It takes a lot to make a 300 page children's book into three movies, each around three hours long. Not to mention the fact that it will be compared to it's predecessor: one of the most influential fantasy movies of all time.

I've thought the previous two movies (An Unexpected Journey and The Desolation of Smaug) were OK, but they could have been better. However, I have just recently read the book, and this is the first Hobbit movie I have seen afterwards, I can see how much they have added.

This movie takes place almost immediately after the events of the second movie, and mainly describes  the climax of the book. The problem with this is that there is not enough material in this section to make into a movie this long. If the section was made into the movie word-for-word, it probably wouldn't be long enough to make any movie at all.

However, I guess it's still OK. Most of the things that were added don't seem too forced, and it moves at a quicker speed than the other movies. However, there are some things that were added that I didn't like. Although, that is probably expected from a movie that has needed to make this much extra footage.

Overall, this movie is no better or worse than the other two movies. I would personally place it between the two movies in terms of quality. In my opinion, The Desolation of Smaug is the best movie in the series, but this is second place, in front of An Unexpected Journey. All of these movies were passable, but it's a shame they couldn't all just be one movie, because then it would be so much better.

3 out of 5 stars

Whiplash Review

Whiplash was snubbed for the Golden Globes.

I'm just going to start out the review with that statement. Though the movie was universally praised, and managed to get a nomination for JK Simmons for Best Supporting Actor, this movie deserves so much more. It has Oscar Material written all over it.

It tells the story of a young jazz student (Miles Teller), with dreams of becoming the next great drummer. He gets into the best music school in the country, but finds out that his instructor (Simmons) is incredibly strict the biggest d**k in the world. He's a perfectionist, verbally abusive, and yells often. So the drummer sacrifices a lot to please him, and the film highlights the highs and lows of their relationship.

This movie was pretty intense. You start to feel for the drummer, as he struggles to become the best, practicing until his hands bleed, and being constantly rejected. You start to care whether he fails or succeeds.  The story is very moving and even disturbing at times. The movies plot is unpredictable, and it even got the audience to gasp at one point near the climax.

The movie's also worth seeing for it's acting. JK Simmons' nominated performance as the instructor was very good. Having previously played J Jonah Jameson in the original Spider-man trilogy, he does a good job of playing an unpleasant person, spraying vulgar insults and criticisms at his students. However, he seems human at some times when we see his motives. There's also some great acting from Miles Teller as the drummer. He is a very sympathetic and believable character.

In summary, Whiplash is an amazing movie. Even though it hasn't gotten the attention from audience that it deserves, it is worth your time. If you like intense drama, emotionally charged performances, or jazz music, I would recommend this movie. I don't want to over-hype this movie, but I think it is actually worth 5 stars.

5.0 out of 5 stars

Also, I am going to see The Hobbit: Battle of Five Armies tomorrow, and will write a review on that as soon as I can. So you can come back and check on that tomorrow if you want.

Jay on Sony's Cancellation of The Interview

As most of you reading this probably already know, Sony Pictures has cancelled the release of their upcoming Seth Rogen/ James Franco driven comedy The Interview. This was decided after Sony's computers were hacked by what is believed to be a North Korean group called the Guardians of Peace. They leaked some embarrassing documents and claimed that they would attack theaters showing the movie, which focused on an attempted assassination of Kim Jong-un. As a result, many theater owners refused to show the movie, and Sony cancelled the release of the film altogether.

While I can definitely understand why Sony would do this, I can not support it. I am glad that they care about the lives of theater staff and moviegoers, I do not think that this is the smart thing to do.

These terrorists should not have this much control over corporations like Sony. If a group of people can control an American company by threatening violence, what message does that send to our enemies. It could lead to more people using threats to control corporations that do things that they don't like. And not only movie companies, but any business. And these people should not control our freedom of speech.

Fortunately, after receiving criticism from many people, including actors such as George Clooney, and even President Barack Obama, Sony is now looking for other ways to release the movie. It may receive a straight-to-DVD release, or an online release. Hopefully, they follow through with this, as this will help to send the message that businesses do not negotiate with terrorists.

Source for checking background information:
http://www.cnet.com/news/fbi-blames-north-korea-for-sony-hack/

Star Wars: The Force Awakens Trailer Review

After writing the post on the Peanuts trailer, I have decided that from then on, I was only going to write about news that I feel is important enough to take time out of my schedule and write about. So, now I think I should say something about the teaser trailer for the Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.

I thought that this was a good teaser trailer. It didn't reveal a lot about the movie, but it showed enough to make it look exciting. I liked the use of practical effects. I am hoping that this movie is better than the prequels.

And that's really all I have to say about it. I apologize for the short review.

4.0 out of 5 stars

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 Movie Review

Mockingjay is the third and final book in The Hunger Games series, and is often considered to be the weakest. However, like certain other books, it is being split into two movies to make more money. Because of all this, I think that the movie was far from the standards of the previous two movies.

In The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, the nation of Panem is on the verge of revolution. Katniss is appointed as a symbol for the rebellion, and works to create propaganda for the soldiers.

First of all, this movie definitely didn't need to be in two parts. This annoying trend of splitting movies into multiple parts was started when Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows was split into two parts. This was a good move, because the last third of the book had so much action it needed an entire movie to display all of it. As a result, that second half is considered a high point for the series. However, other books like Twilight and The Hobbit have taken similar approaches, even though their books didn't need more than one movie. And The Hunger Games is taking the same ill-advised route.

As a result, the movie feels incomplete. Also, this is a pretty slow-moving film, as the first half of the book was not particularly exciting. Though there are a few major plot points presented here, most of it is Katniss shooting propaganda commercials, with little else exciting happening. And there was not enough material in that half to make a two hour movie.

Which is a shame, because there are some pretty good performances and good direction, and it could have been an intriguing movie. Unfortunately, it's downfall was that it was made in two parts. If they had made the entire book into one movie, it could have been so much better. But instead it just feels like they're preparing us for Part 2.

I don't even think that the decision to split the book in two will even help the second part. Even though there was plenty of action in the rest of the book, I don't think it could be easily stretched into a full movie.

So in conclusion, this could have been a good movie if it wasn't split in two. But since it was, it is very disappointing.

2.5 out of 5 stars

Peanuts Movie Trailer Revealed

Last night, the second trailer for the upcoming Peanuts reboot was revealed online.

So far, this movie is looking better than I was expecting when I first heard about it. I was skeptical the CGI animated recreation of the classic cartoon. First of all, I am not a fan of putting characters who were originally traditionally animated, and making them CGI. Second, I was afraid that they would try to modernize it, and make it another crappy kid's movie that just happens to have well-known characters.

But my faith in this was helped when the first trailer was revealed. It showed the animation style, which was surprisingly not as bad as I or a lot of other people thought it would be. And this second trailer, pop tune aside, captures the same spirit of the original specials. This may not be so bad after all.

However, I am still not sure if I can get over the new animation style. Maybe I'm too old-fashioned, but it still doesn't feel the same as the specials. It has most of what made them great down, but I still can't see them in the same way.

Normally, I would give this a rating, but I do not know what to give it without putting my old-fashioned-ness into play. I'll just say it looks better than it sounds on paper, and it could be enough to satisfy fans.

Interstellar Movie Review

It was difficult to decide what to rate this movie. This is the type of movie that people will either love or hate, and I didn't find myself enjoying it.

Interstellar takes place in the future, where Earth has lost most of its resources and mankind is dying. A group of scientists have left Earth in an attempt to find new worlds for the species to live, so that they may survive.

I was very excited to see this film, because it was directed by Christopher Nolan, who I think is a very talented director. However, while it is not a bad film, it just seemed like, to put it simply, I didn't get it.

On one hand, this has some great acting and special effects. The cast includes several big stars like Matthew McConaughey, Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, and Michael Caine, and they all give amazing performances.The special effects are also incredible, as they take you to new worlds.

However, I feel like the film just went over my head. The story is very complex, and near the end becomes confusing. In addition to that, it is almost three hours long, and slow at times.

However, once again this is not a bad film, it's just not my type of movie. If you love thought-provoking sci-fi, and don't mind complex mythology, then this is the perfect film for you. It has incredible special effects, good acting, and is very well directed by Nolan. So because I know how many people will love it, (I have read great reviews from some people) I am going to give it a passing grade.

3.0 out of 5 stars

Star Wars Episode 7 Gets a Title

Today, the title for the upcoming Star Wars film has been announced. It will be called The Force Awakens.

I think that this title is interesting. While it has not been revealed what this movie is about, this title makes it seem intriguing. It gives it an air of significance to the Star Wars universe.

The movie is directed by JJ Abrams, and will take place after all of the other movies in the saga. It is set for release next year, and I, like so many other people, will be eagerly awaiting the Force to awaken.

Source: http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/11/06/star-wars-episode-vii-breaking/

Toy Story 4 Announced

I may have said that I was no longer going to talk about film news, but now I think that I should get back to that.

So, it was announced today that Pixar is set to make a fourth movie in the Toy Story franchise. This would be directed by John Lasseter, director of the first and second Toy Story movies, but not the third. It is set for release on June 16, 2014.

This is surprising, because years earlier, the creators said that they would not make another one. But apparently they changed their mind.

Now my feelings for this are mixed. On one hand, I really liked all of the Toy Story movies, and would love to see another, if it is as good as the others. However, I think that Toy Story 3 was the perfect ending to the franchise. There is a chance that they could make an ending that is as good as it, but I doubt it.

If they're going to make this movie, they better make it a good one. Otherwise, this could be something that could ruin a great trilogy.

Source: http://deadline.com/2014/11/toy-story-4-john-lassiter-directing-disney-pixar-1201276224/

Horns Movie Review

I did not have any plans for Halloween this year, so I decided the best way to celebrate was to see a movie that seemed to be Halloween-ish.

The movie I saw was Horns. Horns is a dark fantasy movie starring Daniel Radcliffe which was put into limited release on the day of Halloween, but was at the theater near me. I saw the trailer for it, before another movie I saw recently (I think it was Annabelle but I'm not sure), and thought it would be intriguing and appropriate for the season.

Radcliffe plays a man who is accused of murdering his girlfriend, and has had everybody in his town turn against him. One morning, he has mysteriously grown horns, and finds that because of them, anybody near him confesses their darkest thoughts and past crimes. He uses this new-found power to help find the killer, but he may lose his humanity to the satanic horns.

This is a more adult role for Radcliffe than Harry Potter. There is more sex, violence and he is portrayed more demonically.

This was a very interesting movie. It was suspenseful at times, funny at others, and even some romance. There is plenty of disturbing images, and also plenty of humorous parts. It is all tied together by an intriguing story.

However, there were parts of the movie that seemed unlikely. Also, some of the flashbacks of the main characters relationship with the victim seemed to drag on. I understand that these are necessary for character development, but I felt that there were parts that didn't necessarily need to be in there, or that they could have been divided throughout the movie.

But in spite of this, I still enjoyed Horns, and think it is an intriguing thriller.

4.0 out of 5 stars

John Dies at the End Movie Review

Um... spoiler?

In continuing my weekly October reviews of movies from the Halloween Favorites section of Netflix, I decided to do something obscure. I came across a film called John Dies at the End. It had a fairly high rating, and one of the top reviews said that it was "destined to be a cult classic." So, I'm reviewing it.

The movie is an independent horror comedy, which is probably one of the most bizarre I have seen in recent memory. I'll try to sum up the concept to the best of my abilities. It centers around a man whose friend John, and a few others, die from taking a new drug called Soy Sauce. He then accidentally injects himself with it, and finds that he has gained psychic abilities, and can communicate with John from beyond the grave. Over the course of the movie, he slowly figures out that Soy Sauce is at the forefront of an invasion of inter-dimensional beings, and he has to stop it. Yeah, it's as weird as it sounds. The cast is made up mainly of unknown actors, but Paul Giamati plays a small role.

The weirdness of this movie will either make it great for you or ruin it. This will really only attract only a certain kind of people.

If you are one of the people this was made for, I think you may enjoy it. It is at times funny, at times scary, and often intriguing. Although I am still confused on certain scenes at the beginning and the end, it is still a very entertaining cult-y film. I think that it has the potential to be a cult classic.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Avengers: Age of Ultron Trailer Review

The first trailer for Avengers: Age of Ultron, the upcoming sequel to The Avengers, has been released, and it looks great.

The creators of this movie said that it would be going in a darker direction than its predecessor, and it shows in the trailer. The creepy rendition of the "I've got no strings" song from Pinocchio was an interesting touch. Overall, there is a feeling that they are up against a bigger and more difficult threat than in the last one. The shot at the end with Captain America's broken shield seems to drive that in. I think that they will have moments of humor like in the last movie, but they weren't in this dark trailer.

But the darkness makes this trailer all the more entertaining. It hints toward more drama, and shows some very intense action sequences.

One of the things that sticks out is James Spader's performance as the villain Ultron. He seems very threatening in this role. I like his performance in the show The Blacklist, and he seems to be taking the same energy to this role.

So in conclusion, though the sense of humor of the last movie is not in this trailer, it still looks very good. This trailer has gotten me excited, and I can hardly wait for this movies release next summer.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978) Movie Review

It's October, so I've decided that for the rest of the month, my blog will get into the Halloween spirit. Until November begins, I will be reviewing horror films and other Halloween-ish movies, probably mainly from the Halloween Favorites section on Netflix. My first review is of the 1978 version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a remake of a 1950s black and white sci-fi horror film of the same name. It is considered one of the greatest remakes of all time, as well as one of the rare remakes that are considered as good as the original.

It stars Donald Sutherland as a San Francisco health inspector who begins to notice the people acting differently. He and a group of other people then out alien pods has landed on Earth, and is replacing the humanity with emotionless creatures with the same appearance. Soon, they are fighting for their lives after the entire city is taken over.

This movie had a very creepy atmosphere throughout, and some pretty effective scares. Once the heroes completely find out about the body snatchers, there is a feeling of dread for these characters. There are some practical effects, and they look pretty good for the most part. The acting is also pretty good for a horror movie, with a cast including Donald Sutherland and Leonard Nimoy.

I could see why it would be considered as good as the original. It maintains that movie's feel, and creates some good scares. I would recommend this movie if you are a fan of science fiction or horror.

4 out of 5 stars

Top Ten Best Scenes From Blockbuster Films Since the Late Nineties

Two weeks ago, I wrote an article called Top Ten Worst Scenes From Blockbuster Films Since the Late Nineties. It currently has one view, which is popular for this pretty much unknown blog. However, since then, I thought about making a Best Scenes list to even things out, and so I did. This list was more difficult for me to write, because I guess, for some reason, it's easier for me to think of scenes I didn't like than movies that I liked in particular. But here it is.

This is my list of what are my personal favorite scenes from big recent films. I am not able to go as in depth as I did with the Worst Scenes list, but I'll do my best. There are some spoilers, but I'll warn people of them before. If you're interested in the Worst Scenes list, its under September.

10. Iron Man- First Flight

The scene that will begin my list is the scene in which Tony Stark tests out his second Iron Man suit in his first movie. This scene is very entertaining, and contains some amazing visuals. It also ends in a humorous scene of him crashing through the roof of his house.

9. Spider-man 2- Train Scene

This scene in which Spider-man saves a train full of people is also a pretty entertaining action sequence.

8. X-men: Days of Future Past- Slow Motion

This is a more recent film than most of the others on this list, but I think it should be here. In it, one of the X-men, Quicksilver, needs to dispatch some guards. His power is super-speed, and he uses that to his advantage. This scene is done in slow motion, and with soft music playing, giving it a comic tone to go with its great visuals.

7. Pacific Rim - Hong Kong Battle

This scene from last year's giant robots vs monsters movie Pacific Rim is also a pretty good action sequence. This battle contains some of the more intense sequences of the movie.

6. Godzilla (2014)- Final Battle
Some spoilers

A very similar scene to the earlier one. Many people have criticized this movie for not having enough Godzilla in it, until the very end. However, most people agree that when he does show up, it is a great scene. This battle is very intense, and the resolution is very satisfying.

5. The Matrix- Climax

 The Matrix is a classic in the sci-fi action genre, and contains some revolutionary visuals. My personal favorite scene is the climax, which contains some of the best shots of the movie, including the iconic scene of Neo dodging a bullet.

4. Toy Story 3- Andy's Goodbye
Spoilers Ahead

Finally, a much needed change in pace for this list. At the end of this movie, Andy, the owner of the toys in the movie, gives them away to a younger child, before he goes off to college. This is a very heartfelt moment that surprisingly brought me and many others close to tears. This scene is a sad but beautiful testament to growing up.

3. Up- Opening Montage

Moving from one tragic Pixar moment to the next, next is the opening montage from Up. While Toy Story 3 made us cry for characters we've known for over a decade, this movie made us feel the same way for a woman we've known for only a few minutes. And that is not an easy thing to do. This montage shows the main character's life up until the events of this movie, mainly his relationship with his wife. It shows their lives in detail, ending with the wife's death. This scene stirs up more emotion in just a few minutes than some movies can in their entire run-time

2. The Avengers- Hulk vs Loki
Spoilers Ahead

The title of this spot would probably imply that we were getting back to action sequences, but that is not the case. Instead, the final showdown between the Hulk, and the villain, Loki is a shorter, more humorous sequence.  In it, the Hulk charges Loki, but Loki stops him to talk about how he is a god, and therefore stronger than him. The Hulk then picks him up in mid-sentence, throws him on the floor a few times, and walks away muttering "Puny god." And that was it. Loki never got back up again. For the entire movie. When I saw this in the theater, the entire audience erupted in a mixture of laughter and applause. In addition to the unexpected humor in this scene, it is also fun to watch Loki get tossed around like a rag doll even out of context.

1. The Dark Knight- Joker in the Boardroom

This is my favorite scene from one of my favorite blockbuster movies in some time. In it, the Joker interrupts a meeting to propose that they try to kill Batman. The Joker is played by Heath Ledger, a role which won him a posthumous Oscar. His performance carries this scene, and does so very well. He does a good job of seeming like an insane, evil madman.

And that concludes my list of my favorite scenes from blockbuster films since the late nineties. If you are interested in my least favorite scenes, (a list where I think I'm more able to get deeper into describing the scenes) that is under September. Thank you for reading.

Annabelle Movie Review

I have heard many bad reviews for this movie. However, because I was a fan of The Conjuring, I went to see it anyway. The doll looks very creepy, so how bad could it be? And sure enough, I was surprised to find that while it was not nearly as good as The Conjuring, it was still a decent movie in my opinion.

Annabelle is a prequel/spin-off to last year's hit horror film, The Conjuring. It is about the origins of the evil doll from some of the movie's best scenes. It tells the story of its possession and how it haunted the owners.

I was initially excited for this movie, but my expectations were lowered when I found out that it was not, as I previously expected, based on a true story like The Conjuring was. They were lowered even further when I found out who was directing. The director's name is John R Leonetti, and he was the director of photography for The Conjuring and much of director James Wan's other work, but his only other two directing credits, (Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, and The Butterfly Effect 2) were poorly received.

However, this film wasn't really that bad. However, it was definitely flawed. The characters at times make stupid decisions, and it does not have the same effect as The Conjuring. But there are some good jump-scares, and the same creepy atmosphere as its predecessor.

This may not be the best horror movie, but if you want to see a horror movie this October, you could do worse than see Annabelle.

3 out of 5 stars

Gone Girl Review

Gone Girl is the new David Fincher movie, which also has a wide array of talented actors including Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tyler Perry. In it, Affleck's wife, played by Pike, goes missing. As the investigation continues, the police begin to suspect Affleck more and more.

I really enjoyed this movie. The acting was great, and it was very well directed. It is the type of movie that leaves you shocked at every turn. Its story is built on twists that aren't mentioned in any of the previews. While some of these plot points may seem ridiculous, they way that they are executed left the audience stunned. For the first half hour or so, I thought I had a pretty good idea of where the film was going, but then it took me by surprise, and it became very different.

I saw this movie with a crowd, and throughout the theater, I could feel the tension in the audience. People were muttering in shock at some of the turns this film took. It was so effective that at the end, I was expecting people to applaud the movie. But instead there was dead silence. It takes a lot to leave an audience speechless.

If you are a fan of Fincher's earlier work like Se7en , I would recommend this film. It is twisted, often unsettling, unpredictable, and very intriguing. I am going to give it only 4.5 stars instead of five, because, like I said, it does get kind of ridiculous. But it makes that ridiculousness to be believable, and I think it may be my favorite movie of the year so far.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Tetris Movie in Production

If you scroll down for some time, you may find a post saying that I will no longer report movie news. However, this story is so bizarre that I feel like I have to comment on it.

It has been announced this week that the the classic video game Tetris will be made into a movie. For anybody unfamiliar with the game, it involves tiles of different shapes falling to the bottom of the screen. The player must move the tiles before they reach the bottom in a way in which they stack up without getting too tall. And that's the whole game. There is no story, no characters, just tiles that don't resemble anything.

I'm confused. How do you make a movie about that?

So far, there are no details about the plot of the movie, but it is supposed to be a live action sci-fi movie. Because an animated Tetris movie wasn't stupid enough, apparently.

The movie is being made by Threshold Entertainment. This company is the same that bought us the movie versions of Mortal Kombat. They also made a film called Foodfight, which was about the adventures of many food mascots, was sent straight to DVD despite it's large production value, and received very negative reviews. Larry Kasanoff, the CEO of Threshold, when talking about the movie said that "brands are the new stars of Hollywood." That is such a cynical statement.

I have seen people online compare this to the Battleship movie we've had a few years back, but I don't think that is an appropriate comparison. This make even less sense than Battleship. While there was no story or characters behind the Battleship game, it at least allowed for a movie about battleships. But Tetris is about simply a bunch of tiles that fall to the ground. How are you going to make a movie about that? Like any movie at all?

This is the most ridiculous attempt at Hollywood trying to cash in on a brand I think I have ever seen. I don't see any way that they can make this movie any good. It's almost insulting to fans of other games who want to see movie versions of them. You wanted to see that game with the deep story get a movie adaptation? Well they aren't making it, but their making a film out of a game with no story or theme! What has the world come to?

Source: http://www.newyorker.com/culture/culture-desk/tetris-movie

Taken 3 Trailer Review

The trailer for the new action sequel Taken 3  (or, apparently, Tak3n, as the trailer and IMDB page call it) has been released, and the movie looks like a dumb Hollywood cash grab.

The original Taken, which was about a retired CIA agent searching for his kidnapped daughter, was a good movie. It was also a surprise hit, which established leading man, Liam Neeson, as an action star. The movie's highlight scene, Neeson's threatening phone call to the police, has been imitated, parodied, and started internet memes. In short, it was big. However, it didn't really leave itself open to sequel opportunities. But that didn't stop them from trying.

A few years later, they made Taken 2, in which relatives of the kidnapper, out of revenge, take Neeson and his ex-wife, and come after his daughter. So, kidnappers come after his family again? The result was a critical disappointment, but it made a lot of money.

And so now we get to Taken 3 (I'm going to use that instead of Tak3n, because Tak3n looks kind of dumb). In it, it Neeson's ex-wife is murdered, and he is the prime suspect. He must now find the killer, and clear his name.

So, nobody gets taken? I realize that at the time of the sequel, people were joking about how his family keeps getting taken, so I can understand why they went down this road. But then why would you still call the movie Taken?

Actually, why make it at all? Taken should have been a standalone film. It's kind of dumb how many times this family gets attacked. However, Liam Neeson says that this movie will be the last in the franchise.

In conclusion, I don't think that Taken 3 will be very good. I personally didn't like the second movie, and I don't have faith that this will be much better. However, I will give it two stars, because Liam Neeson is still good in his role.

2 out of 5 stars.

Top 10 Worst Scenes from Blockbuster Films Since the Late '90s

These days Hollywood's biggest films are either reboots, sequels, or comic book adaptations. These movies are often shelled out as a more certain way to make money. I don't have a problem with this, even though I want more original ideas to become big, but if these movies are bad, then that could ruin a franchise.

In this post, I've decided to take a break from my original movie reviews to rank what I think are the worst scenes from these types of movies. These are all my personal opinion. I realize that not everyone may agree with everything I write about, but I think that most people could agree with at least one thing on the list.

10. Godzilla (1998)- Velociraptors
I was going to post a video of parts of this scene here, but I couldn't find anything on YouTube.
Anyway, the 1998 reboot of the Godzilla franchise was not very well received by critics or fans. People complained that it changed the monster too much, and many saw it as a way to cash in on the success of the success of Jurassic Park. But those reasons are not more evident than in the climax of the movie. In it, Godzilla (if he could even be called that, since he was changed so much) lays eggs in Madison Square Garden, which hatch into his offspring, which look very much like velociraptors, which chase the heroes around the stadium. Not only do I not think that has ever happened in the original movies, but it seemed to be a complete rip-off of the climax from Jurassic Park. To be fair, this scene is still entertaining, but its just difficult to watch it without thinking of velociraptors in the kitchen.

9. The Amazing Spider-man- Uncle Ben's Death

To avoid any confusion, I would like to say that unlike every other movie on this list, I found The Amazing Spider-man to be an OK movie, despite it being an unnecessary reboot of a franchise that wasn't even very old. However, I do not think that they handled the death of Uncle Ben very well. In the original Spider-man, Uncle Ben dies because Peter Parker doesn't stop somebody who robbed a man who ripped him off of 3,000 dollars. The robber than shoots Uncle Ben, and Peter learns a lesson about responsibility. In this version, Uncle Ben dies, because Peter doesn't stop a convenience store robbery because the clerk refused to sell him a milk carton, because he didn't have enough money. I mean it's not like it's the clerks fault.
And isn't it a coincidence that Uncle Ben came at the right moment for him to get shot right in front of Peter.

8. X-Men Origins: Wolverine- Deadpool?

Now, I do not read a lot of comic books, but recently I have heard a lot about a character named Deadpool, who sounds like an interesting character. So I was angered when I saw his poorly done appearance in X-Men Origins: Wolverine. His cameo drains him of everything that made him interesting; he isn't even wearing his outfit. It just shows him wordlessly fighting Wolverine in a battle sequence ripe with poor special effects.

7. Iron Man 3- Spoilers Ahead (Don't read if you are planning to see this movie.)

When it was announced that the Mandarin, one of the most beloved villains in the Marvel Universe was going to be in Iron Man 3, comic book fans were excited. However, there was a loud outcry from fans after seeing the end of the movie. In the end, it is revealed that the Mandarin was not a real person, but a propaganda symbol, played by a ridiculously non-threatening actor. I remember being in the movie theater when this happened, and I thought to myself "Is that really how he is in the comics? This can't be right."
And sure enough that wasn't in the comics.
What makes this scene awful is how beloved the real Mandarin is. Since I saw the movie, I've heard a lot about him, and he sounds like there could be a really good movie with him as a villain. But sadly, we can't see it.

6. The Last Airbender- The Earthbenders 

The film adaptation of the popular cartoon series Avatar: The Last Airbender was met with universally negative opinions from critics and especially fans of the show. The disrespect to the show is evident in this one scene. In the series, people can use the elements to their advantage and it is very powerful. But in this version it apparently takes around seven men to throw a boulder that isn't even that big. I think it would be quicker and require less men if they threw actually threw it with their hands.

5. Spider-Man 3- Anything with Emo Peter Parker

In the third installment of the original trilogy, there are many plot-lines happening at the same time, and for the most part, I didn't think they worked well together. But the story that I felt could have been the best part of the movie is when an alien force takes over Peter Parker. His Spider-man suit turns black, and his actions become more sinister. This is an interesting plot-line, and the black-suit Spider-man is entertaining to watch. However, when he's Peter Parker, he is borderline unbearable. He develops an emo fashion, starts random dance numbers, and seems very full of himself. I'm pretty sure he was supposed to be a jerk for these parts, but they took it too far and made him annoying.

4. Batman and Robin- Bat Credit Card

There are a lot of scenes from this infamously bad film that I could have used. However, I decided to pick the scene where Batman takes out a credit card with a bat symbol on it. Not only is this stupid, but it also raises the question of why he would feel the need to get a bat credit card anyway.

3. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull- Nuking the Fridge, Literally

This scene is the king of stupid stunts. Recently, the phrase "nuking the fridge" has been adopted to describe when a movie does something so bad, it ruins the rest of the film. Kind of like "jumping the shark" for movies. And it was started by this scene from the disappointing, unnecessary fourth movie in the Indiana Jones franchise. In it, Indiana Jones finds himself in a nuclear bomb testing facility, and hides in a refrigerator, which somehow fully protects him from the blast. Um...what? And yes, he also survives the radiation afterward. The average viewer can only suspend his or her disbelief so much. You would think that a scene that actually started an expression for bad movie scenes would be number one, but I think that there are two more scenes that are actually worse. Like...

2. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen- Too Much Information!!!

I personally don't hate the first and third Transformers movies as much as a lot of other people do (I haven't seen the fourth one, so I can't say whether I liked it or not). But the second movie, Revenge of the Fallen... yeah that was terrible. However, no part in the movie, even with the two annoying sidekick Transformers, could match the uncomfortableness contained within these few seconds. It starts out with one of the characters below one of the Decepticons, and there are two balls hanging around the crotch area of the Decepticon. At first, I didn't think much of this, (it was less subtle than how I described it) until only a few seconds later, the human said "I'm directly below enemy scrotum". Um... (throws up). This scene was obviously meant to be a joke, but it evoked more disgust than laughter (except for maybe uncomfortable laughter). If you've ever played with Transformers, and you imagined them with genitals, than you probably need help. There's a reason why even Michael Bay admitted this movie was bad.

1. Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace- Anything With Jar-Jar Binks

I could not imagine putting anything else as number one here. Star Wars Episode I probably disappointed more people than any movie that I've heard of, and the worst parts come from this side character. Jar-Jar Binks was meant to be a comic relief character, and he turned into probably the most annoying character in movie. He has an incredibly annoying voice, and he acts like an idiot the whole movie. Therefore, he ruined every scene he was in. The name Jar-Jar will live in infamy among Star Wars fans forever.
This concludes my list of what I think are the worst scenes in blockbuster films since the late '90s. Hopefully, we see less of these scenes in the future.

Best Worst Movie Review

Today, I was on Netflix, and found a documentary which I thought would be interesting, and decided to review it. It was called Best Worst Movie (I realize that the title of the review may be confusing, but the word "Movie" does belong to the title), and I found it to be very entertaining though also very flawed.

This documentary is about the cult favorite so-bad-it's-good movie Troll 2. Troll 2 was an Italian horror film. It was written in English, despite the fact that neither the writer nor director spoke fluent English, and it  was filmed in Utah with American actors who had little to no acting experience. So as you would expect it was initially panned by critics and audiences. However, it had still gained a cult following as one of the worst movies of all time.

The documentary is directed by Michael Stephenson, who was a child actor in that film.

Going into this movie, I was expecting a movie about the production of Troll 2 and how it grew to be so famous. The description of it read "Most people don't set out to produce a horrible film, so how exactly does it happen? This documentary attempts to answer that question." However, it discusses the history of the movie very little, and does not attempt to answer the question in the description. It mainly shows where many of the stars of the movie are, and how big of a following it has.

It follows one of the Troll 2's stars, George Hardy, as he goes on tour showing up at screening of his movie, along with other people who were involved in the production, including the director. Though I have never seen the movie, it was intriguing to see these people who have become so popular for being in such a bad movie. It was also very interesting to see the fan-base, which is larger than I anticipated.

However, I feel like it should have focused more on the history of the movie in question. It would have been interesting to hear more stories of what happened behind the scenes, or, like the misleading Netflix description might suggest, an analysis of what went wrong.

However, what I did get was pretty entertaining. It is funny at times, and mainly intriguing. If you have Netflix, I would recommend Best Worst Movie if this sounds interesting to you.

3.5 out of 5 stars

Divergent Movie Review

This is my first review of a film that was not in theaters at the time. The people at my college were having a screening downstairs from my dorm, and I decided to join in. Since I haven't written anything since I said I'll focus on reviews, I decided that I would review this. So here are my thoughts on Divergent

This movie is based on the first book in a young adult series, and fits into the stream of adaptations of young adult novels that have been released since The Hunger Games. It seems to fit a certain formula used in many of these movies, and while it isn't a bad film, it is a pretty forgettable one.

The movie is about a future in which everybody is sorted into factions based on their personalities, and must live and work in those factions. The plot centers around a girl who figures out that she doesn't fit into any of the factions, and is thereby viewed as a threat to society.

This movie has a feel that is very similar to The Hunger Games. It has teenagers in a dystopian future trying to change the system, a strong heroine, and a budding romance. There isn't really much, at least in the film version, that feels fresh, and it seems to be spending too much time imitating The Hunger Games. Maybe the book is better (I don't know because I haven't read it), but I found the film to be kind of dull.

However, Divergent does have an interesting concept, and a decent story. It's just that at times it just feels like I've seen it many times before. While I wouldn't consider it bad, I don't think it will stand out among other young adult adaptations released around this time. Which is kind of ironic for a film about standing out.

2.5 out of 5 stars

Changes to the Blog

Hello there. I'm here to announce some changes to the format of this blog.

For those of you who haven't seen this blog before, (which is everyone, according to its stats) I have been doing movie reviews and movie news. However, school is preventing me from doing the news at what I think is an appropriate time. Also, I'm not sure if I'm really interested in giving news. So, I have decided to simply focus on reviews from now on.

Also, I am expanding what I review. At first, I only reviewed movies that were in theaters, but now I will write on movies on Redbox and Netflix as well.

I am excited for the future of this blog, and I look forward to writing more reviews that probably nobody will read.

Jay the Movie Guy.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson to Play Black Adam

This news has actually been out for a few days now, but I have been to busy with schoolwork to write about it. So even though it's belated...

Last Wednesday, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has revealed on Twitter that he will be playing the role of the villain, Black Adam, in the upcoming superhero film, Shazam. He has been attached to the project for some time, but nobody knew whether he would play the hero, Shazam or the villain, Black Adam.

It is also believed that his character will be treated as an anti-hero instead of a villain. However, there is still not much known about this movie.

Shazam is just one movie in a group of superhero films by DC comics, set for release over the next few years. The purpose of these films may be so that DC can create a cinematic universe similar to that of Marvel.

Source: http://www.forbes.com/sites/dorothypomerantz/2014/09/03/dwayne-johnson-cast-but-warner-bros-shazam-remains-shrouded-in-mystery/

Underworld Reboot Announced

Yes. You read that title correctly.

Recently, it was announced that the vampire action movie franchise Underworld will be rebooted.

Not much is known about who will be making this movie, but we do know that it will be written by Cory Goodman, whose most known work is a movie called Priest. There were four films in the original franchise; the first was in 2003, and the most recent was in 2012.

Is Hollywood really that desperate?

What is the point of rebooting a franchise only two years after the last one? Why can't they just make a sequel? Isn't it only the older movies that get rebooted? Well, The Amazing Spider-man came pretty quickly after the original Spider-man franchise, but a lot of people resent that fact.

I think that this film is unnecessary, and shouldn't be made.

Source: http://insidemovies.ew.com/2014/08/28/underworld-reboot-writer/

First Look at Paul Rudd as Ant-Man Revealed

Yesterday, Marvel Studios revealed the first picture of Paul Rudd in his role in the upcoming superhero film Ant-Man.

While it does not show him in costume, this is an interesting shot of his secret identity, Scott Lang. Lang is a thief who becomes a hero, after teaming up with a scientist played by Michael Douglas, who creates a suit which gives him powers. This is likely to be a scene from early in the movie, in which he is a thief in what may be a shady situation.

Ant-Man is expected to hit theaters on July 17, 2015.

Source: nydailynews.com

Magic in the Moonlight Movie Review

Since this is a blog that was started only this summer, I think that I have been talking mainly about summer blockbusters. So it's good that now I'm doing a movie like this.

Today, I went to see the new Woody Allen movie, Magic in the Moonlight. I went into this movie knowing absolutely nothing about it. And I was treated to a film that was very...decent, I guess.

In it Collin Firth plays a magician who attempts to debunk a psychic played by Emma Stone. However, after spending time with her, he begins to suspect that she may actually be psychic, though he does not want to believe it.

This movie has some good laughs and an interesting, uplifting story. It has a message of spirituality, but it doesn't seem preachy, or try to tell you what to believe. However, there isn't much to really make it stand out among other movies. It isn't very bad or very good, but somewhere in between. 

So this movie probably won't win any awards, or be considered among Woody Allen's best work, but it is good for an interesting funny romantic comedy-drama.

3.5 out of 5 stars.

Remembering Robin Williams

I have been sitting at my laptop trying to think of a way to begin this post for a long time, but I still can not think of anything that would truly express the tragedy that happened yesterday. So, I guess I'll just go right into it.

As you probably know by now, Robin Williams has been found dead in his house by an apparent suicide. This post will be to remember his life.

It is rare that we get an actor like Williams. Someone who is so good at making us laugh, but can also take on serious roles.

Over the course of his life, he had delivered many laughs. One of the most well-known of his comedic movies was Miss Doubtfire, in which he plays a divorced father who dresses as a nanny to see his children. In it, Williams played a character who could have come across as creepy and makes him seem sympathetic and likable. Another notable comedic character was the genie in the animated Disney film Aladdin. He was only a secondary character, but he was still the best part of the entire movie.

However, he was also known for serious roles. In Dead Poets Society, he plays an English teacher who teaches his students to think for themselves, a role which he plays very well. Another serious role he did was in the movie Good Will Hunting, which won him an Oscar.

He was also very charitable. He had offered his time, money, and endorsement to over fifty charities, including appearing in commercialism for St Jude's Children's Research Hospital. (source: cnn.com)

In conclusion, Robin Williams was a great actor and a great man and will be sorely missed. May he rest in peace.

Also, a YouTube critic named Jeremy Jahns made a video criticism of Aladdin, and claimed that all the money he makes from it will go to a charity to help stop depression, so that it doesn't take more people like Williams. So, I left the video below if you're interested in it.

RIP Robin Williams 1951-2014

Guardians of the Galaxy Review

This is my first real post since I came back from work. I think that it would only be appropriate that it also be my first review with a rating. So now I bring you my thoughts on Guardians of the Galaxy. Enjoy.

I have always been skeptical of this movie for the bizzareness of the premise. However, I went to see it because it was part of the Marvel cinematic universe, and it had received good reviews. And I actually really enjoyed it.

The movie is about a human, who calls himself Starlord, who is an intergalactic outlaw, who gets sent to prison. However, he breaks out along with a group of four aliens, including Gamora, a woman with green skin, Drax, a man with pinkish skin, Rocket, a talking racoon, and Groot, a tree-like alien who could only say his own name. This new team then discovers that Starlord is in possession of an orb that an evil force wants for great power, and that they have to stop them.

This film is different from many other superhero movies. Rather than the fighters for justice that we usually see, the heroes in this movie are escaped convicts, and are as much anti-heroes as heroes. It also feels more like Star Wars than a superhero movie.

The characters feel real, and are portrayed very well. The action sequences are intense, and the humor is for the most part pretty good. It even had some heart to it, which was very surprising to me. Overall, this was a very good film, and I would recommend it to anybody who likes Marvel or space movies.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

I'm Back!!!

I haven't posted anything in a long time. For the past three weeks, I have been working at a summer camp, and there was no WiFi so I couldn't make updates to the blog. I have missed plenty of movie news, and given off the appearance that I had given up on blogging.

Well, I'm back home now.

This post is just for anybody who happens to see this blog, so that they will know I haven't quit. I will continue to make updates once I figure out what to write about next.

I am also thinking of adding a rating system to my next reviews. It will be based on a scale that is out of five stars. This system will be used for my trailer reviews as well.

So Jay the Movie Guy is back, and there will be more posts coming up soon.

Annabelle Trailer Review

October is only a few months away, the month where movie theaters are filled with horror flicks to ring in Halloween. One of these is the prequel to last year's The Conjuring, entitled Annabelle.

This movie is about Annabelle, the demonic doll which had a couple short but memorable scenes in The Conjuring. It looks as if it will be the story how it became possessed and ended up with all the other supernatural relics, and I assume it will also be based on a true story.

First I would like to say that I really enjoyed The Conjuring. It scared me, and throughout the run-time it was evident that the rest of the audience was scared as well. True, it didn't present anything new to the standard horror movie formula, but that didn't stop it from being, in my opinion, one of the scariest movies in recent years.

The trailer carries much of the same creepy atmosphere as the original. The doll is just as disturbing; the scene at the end with her in the rocking chair particularly sent chills up my spine. If the film can live up to its trailer, it could become more than just another dumb spin-off movie. I am confident that it could be almost as good as its predecessor, despite it not having the same director. All in all, this trailer was creepy, unsettling, and it intrigued me.

Annabelle will be released in theaters in the United States on October 3.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes Movie Review

This is my blogs first review of a full movie. It seems fitting that it would be for Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, since the first post on this blog was a review of its trailer.

I went into this movie with high expectations. I enjoyed Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and looked forward to the sequel when it was announced. The trailers looked intense and intriguing, and the reviews were great. I have decided that it was one of my most anticipated movies of this summer. And I think that my expectations were met.

The movie takes place many years after the events of the first movie. In it, humans and apes live separately, and are attempting to live in peace. However, friction between the two species is increasing, and war is drawing nearer. However, the humans are not as hostile as the trailers suggest that they are, and both sides could be sympathized with.

This film had amazing special effects, and an interesting story. The acting was very good. Andy Serkis, in a motion capture suit, delivers a great performance as Caesar the ape. Gary Oldman is very convincing as a leader trying to sustain the human race. Overall, this is a film that I would recommend to fans of the Planet of the Apes franchise.

Guardians of the Galaxy Extended Trailer Review

This week, Marvel Studios had released an extended trailer for their upcoming film, Guardians of the Galaxy, and it has taken the internet by storm.

When I first heard that they were making this movie, I was initially skeptical. I have not read any of the comics that this is based on, (it is based on a lesser known Marvel comic series) and the concept seemed weird to me. A superhero group made of a human, a pinkish man, a green woman, a talking raccoon, and a talking tree? Yeah, a lot of people were initially skeptical as well.

However, I have since gotten used to the bizarre concept. And now we are less than a month from its release. 

Now to review the trailer. The previous trailers had convinced me that this film may have potential, and this trailer looks similar to them. However, the main thing that it separates it from the rest is that shows a bit more of the characters and how they interact with each other. The most notable instance of this in a scene near the end, in which Starlord (the human) tells the group that he has "12 percent of a plan". 

Arguably the best part of the trailer is Rocket Raccoon. The raccoon is voiced by Bradley Cooper, and his attitude is very entertaining. I think it would be interesting to see him in a full movie.

Anyway this trailer continues to set up the mood for a fun movie. It's light, humorous, thrilling, and sure to please fans of the comics.

Should There Be A Sequel?

There have been a lot of sequels lately. This summer alone we have had, or are expecting, The Amazing Spiderman 2, 22 Jump Street, Transformers: Age of Extinction, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, and much more. Usually I like sequels; it's interesting to see movies expand their stories. But then again, there are sequels that are just unnecessary.

I understand that studios need to make money, and these sequels make more money than original ideas. But the people aren't just going to see any sequel to any movie that they liked. There are some great movies that should not have a sequel.

I think that there is a certain criteria that a movie should have for it to work. Here's a list of all the things that a sequel should have for it to even stand a chance of being good.

1. The movie before it should be recent. Recently there have been a few sequels to movies made decades ago. For example, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, the fourth movie in the series was released nineteen years after the third one. In addition to that, we are expecting a sequel to Dumb and Dumber this November, and an Independence Day sequel (without Will Smith) will be released in 2016. There is even a sequel to The Goonies in the works, even though the children in it have grown now. It is not a smart idea to make these so late, because it would seem like these movies are selling out. Also, since these movies have been beloved for some time, audiences would be even more disappointed that it doesn't have the same feeling as the original.

2. The movie before it should open itself to sequels. What I mean by this is that the end of the previous movie shouldn't solve all problems without any chance of them returning. I do not mean that only movies with open endings should have sequels, but the sequel should be able to bring up other conflicts that would be believable. For example, if the bad guy or hero dies at the end of the movie, and he or she needs to be alive for the sequel, there should be a completely believable reason as to why he or she would be alive. Also, movies that were previously supposed to be the last in their franchises should not have another sequel (ex: Indiana Jones and the so-called Last Crusade).

3. It should not be the same story as before. Doing that is just stupid. Making the same movie, but with slight differences in it does not make a sequel (ex: The Hangover Part II). Besides, nobody would believe that the same thing would happen to these people twice.

4. It should have enough characters from the original. Some movie sequels, like the Independence Day sequel mentioned above, could not get some of  their predecessor's greatest actors to return. This may be OK in some cases, but if someone whose performance was the highlight of the movie does not return, then you may want to scrap the sequel idea. Unless you can find something to make up for his or her absence, or you find someone who you are absolutely sure can replace him.

5. It should be something people want to see. This is the most important and obvious one of them all. Realize that just because a film made a lot of money doesn't mean that people liked it and want a sequel.

Of course, even if something passes this criteria, that still does not guarantee that this sequel will be good. However, unless I'm forgetting something, this criteria would make sure that it's not just selling out.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Trailer Review

I usually get annoyed when somebody says that a reboot ruins their childhood. Even if your childhood consisted entirely of watching TV, it's not going to change anything about the original shows you watched as a child. With that said, I really don't like the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles trailer that was released today.

I have never thought that a live action TMNT reboot would be a good idea. I remember when I first heard from a radio show that Michael Bay was making this film, and I thought "This movie is going to suck." This thought was confirmed only seconds later, when the stars said that Bay had already angered fans of the series by saying that the turtles would be aliens instead of mutant turtles (like it says in the damn title). From that point, as more details were revealed, the movie seemed to sink deeper into controversy, including the decision to cast Megan Fox as April O'Neil. This film, which Bay produced but did not direct, seemed doomed to fail.

The first trailer did not help, and neither did its very similar second trailer. Even though Bay said that they would no longer be aliens, movie fans, myself included, thought that this still looked stupid. The turtles' design was kind of disturbing, and Megan Fox was not a good enough actor to take on this role.

This third trailer also failed to make this look good.

I do not like the tone of this trailer. The original live action movies were better, because they were just fun, and didn't take themselves seriously. This one, while it's not gritty, I get the feeling that it's taking itself more seriously than a movie about talking ninja turtles should. Also, these CGI turtles do not look as good as the ones in costumes from the originals.

However, in spite of how much I hated this trailer, I have to admit it was still better than the first trailers. Simply because it appears to be more faithful to the turtles' characters. I also liked how at the end, when they admitted that having them be aliens was stupid. Even if the rest of the dialog in that scene was cheesy.

But honestly, this movie doesn't look like it's going to be very good. It might be better than it looks, but it is unlikely that it is going to be great. In the best case scenario, it'll just be a fun, stupid action movie with little plot. However, I think it will just suck.