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Saving Mr. Banks is one of those films that take you to a time and place where things were different, less complicate. Well, not for Walt Disney (Tom Hanks) who tried to convince Pamela Travers (Emma Thomson) to give him the film rights to Travers's masterpiece,  Mary Poppins.   To Disney's surprise, Travers was always reluctant to grant the rights and he didn't understand why. The movie tells us that precisely: why Mary Poppins stories and the characters were so important to her author and the lengths Disney and his collaborators had to go in order to finally convince Ms. Travers that Mary Poppins was in good hands. There are many things about this film that stand out but especially Hanks, Thomson and Collin Farrell as Ms. Travers's father; they all deliver great performances, and even the secondary characters look great. Also the recreation of the diverse settings of this story (California, London and Australia) is perfect with a great attention to detail. Fina...

"Nooo, I forgot my parachute!" If you like movies that are somewhat different then probably you will enjoy this film. I don´t know much about the first version (the one I saw is a remake ) which was in its turn based on a book by James Thurber. This character Walter Mitty  is played by Ben Stiller who does not really disappoint. His presence in the screen is always fresh and genuine and whenever he appeared he was always believable in a setting that is anything but that. Walter is an employee of LIFE magazine who is constant daydreamer. He mixes reality with his own dreams whenever things turn sour. At the same time LIFE is about to finish printing in paper and start publication in digital form only. for the last edition he is entrusted to use a photo taken by a legendary photographer Sean O' Connell (Sean Penn). O' Connell seems to have forgotten to send that photo in particular and Walter in despair decides to go looking for him. This decision will change Wa...

This is a movie that should not be taken lightly because there is a lot of philosophical background behind it. The reason for that is that it is based on a novel of the same title by American writer, Orson Scott Card. It won both the Nebula and the Hugo awards in 1985 and 1986 respectively and those are the two most prestigious prizes awarded to only the best Science Fiction stories and though a story about the future Ender's Game is also a reflection of the time when it was written, the mid eighties. It has finally been adapted to the big screen and the result is really consistent. This is a future where Earth has been invaded already by aliens that mindlessly killed millions of people. The invasion was averted but only barely and for fifty years those same aliens have not come back. In all that time mankind has been preparing for a new attack and the authorities have decided that to prevent a new attack Earth will attack first. In view of that they have re imagined their mi...

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug is the second installment of the story telling the events that occurred sixty years before the Lord of the Rings trilogy.  A hobbit called Bilbo (Martin Freeman) has been convinced by Gandalf the Grey (Ian Mac Kellen) to aid him and a group of thirteen dwarves to go to Lonely Mountain, the place where there used to be the greatest, and richest, of all dwarve kingdoms  before it was taken over by the power of the mighty dragon called Smaug. Bilbo's qualities, his determination and small size will be necessary to recover the Arkenstone from Smaug since a frontal attack is impossible. The Arkenstone is the symbol that can convince all the Dwarves to unite against Smaug's present threat and the one that Gandalf feels is approaching. There are other events transpiring in nearby regions: the rise of the evil Orcs is a bad sign and Gandalf learns that the dark lord, Sauron, is somehow back from the Dead and gathering his forces for a new atta...

Sebastián Cordero has proven in the past that having a small budget is no obstacle to make great movies and with Europa Report he did it again. Europa Report is that only: a report. As the movie begins the tone and the general mood let us know in advance that all the crew members of the Europa One are dead already and what we are going to view is just a recontruction of what happened. The Europa One is a manned starship designed as part of a private-funded effort to continue the exploration of space and in this case send people to explore Europa, one of the Jovian moons, to find if in that world there is water and perhaps life. Everything goes well until the moment they can no longer communicate with Earth due to an unforeseeable event: a solar storm that renderLittle by little we see the crew members give up their lives in a selfless effort to fulfill their mission. By the end of the film we see the last one of them send the images of what had been happening thanks to a last minut...

If the first one was good the sequel was even better. THG: Catching Fire revisits the bleak world of Panem a nation divided in twelve poor districts that tribute to a parasitic capital called The Capitol. One of those tributes is to to send young people to a survivalist mortal competition called the Hunger Games, the only form of entertainment in that sad country. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) the winner of the last Hunger Games and her friend and also survivor of the competition, Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) are forced to return to a special edition of THG in which they will compete against the winner of previous editions of THG. Unbeknowst to Katniss is that secret forces are using her to instill rebellion in the population and use her for an upcoming revolution against the brutal power of the Capitol. I just don't like this movie, I like the story that is behind all of the series. In my opinion the film itself is pretty well done which is difficult since it has s...

Really, I had greater expectations about this movie than actually were fulfilled. Thor, the Dark World tells you what happened after Thor (Chris Hemsworth) returns to Asgard. Because of Bifrost (the bridge that connects Asgard with the other eight realms) being broken after the events told in the first movie there have been unrest in some of the other realms and Thor and his friends have been sent by Odin to restore order. Thor is busy but his heart cannot forget the human Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) who she met two years ago in Midgard (Earth). In the meantime, a cosmic event that takes place after a very long cycle is happening again: the Nine Realms are aligning and random portals between dimensions are opening which has attracted Jane Foster's attention. Accidentally, she accesses one of the portals and immediately she is taken to a place where a doomsday weapon called the Aether is kept in secret. The weapon is highly advanced and soon invades Jane's body. See...

The sequel to Kick Ass (2010) is a bit inferior when compared to its predecessor. The ironic humor blended with the silly violence all happening in "the real world" is all there but definitely there is this feeling that they have lost some steam, though still it is an enjoyable production if you are one who enjoys this type of violent films which are yet another sign of our times. Dave Lizewski (Aaron Taylor-Johnson)  who years ago put on a costume he himself designed to be the hero called Kick Ass   has now retired from fighting crime but his actions have inspired other people to become heroes themselves. Feeling directionless and bored, he begins training with  Mindy Macready  ( Chloë Grace Moretz) who is still Hit-Girl  to become the hero he wants to be. In the meantime, Chris D'Amico ( Christopher Mintz-Plasse) the boy whose gangster father was killed by Kick Ass, and was first the hero then criminal Red Mist lives a forced, quiet and dull life i...

"Ok, that is a big weapon..." Captain Phillips (2013) is one of those stories that make you think: "Why did they have to make a movie out of this?" Based on real facts, the premise could not be simpler- the captain of a cargo ship saw his vessel being invaded by a group of Somali pirates in 2009. His determination helped preserve his ship and the crew but not himself. As a result of his brave defense he got kidnapped by the pirates who threatened to kill him unless they were paid a ransom. Really the production was done with great care, seeing to every detail so it looks quite realistic in some points. Mostly the action is based on the interaction between Captain Phillips (Tom Hanks) and the pirates, especially their leader called Muse (Barkhad Abdi), and it goes that way to the very end. One of the high points is how the pirates are depicted. They are cruel, even merciless, but not without reason. They are actually fishermen who are forced by local gangst...

Gravity shows up at the end. One of the best Sci-fi movies ever made hands down. If you have heard any praise given to this picture before you actually watch it then pay attention because this Alfonso Cuarón movie (he directs and produces) does deserve it. The story is simple and yet mind-boggling. A U.S. mission is making important modifications in the Hubble telescope, and two of the crew members are veteran Matt Kowalsky (George Clooney) and Dr. Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) a specialist who is there more because she is essential to the project than for skills as an astronaut (she is actually terrified to be there). Things start to go wrong when they are informed that the Russians, in an attempt to destroy one of their own old satellites, have accidentally begun a chain reaction and a destructive cloud of debris is about to strike them so they must abort the mission. When they are trying to go back into their shuttle the cloud hits them proving so deadly it destroys the shuttle...

"So, is this why it took nine months to arrive?" One of the best Mexican movies ever made, literally. This 2013 film directed, produced and also co-written by Eugenio Derbéz was produced to stand out as a different product from what Derbéz has done in the past, considering his comedian roles for what he is famous for. I was somewhat curious about this film because it came preceded by good reviews which was for me unexpected considering that Derbéz is not really a movie actor and he is usually seen on several TV shows that he himself creates and produces. In that aspect, the creative aspect, it is understandable that this production of his has met great success because Mr. Derbéz is really a creative machine and a wonderful comedian. It is true that Instructions Not Included is essentially a comedy but has a lot of other elements that put it under other labels as well. For instance it is also a movie about human, in particular family, values. Valentín (Eugenio Derbéz),...

"Why you and not Charlie?" Another non-standard Hollywood production, this is really a nice film to be seen when you want to get away of the paraphernalia that Hollywood wants us to swallow every now and then. Martin Sheen stars in this 2010 film as Thomas Avery, an ophthalmologist that loses his son, Daniel (Emilio Estevez, his son in real life and also the writer, director and producer of this very personal project). Daniel dies during a storm in the Pyrenees in France while attempting to follow the route known as Camino de Santiago (Saint James' Way in English). After being informed, Tom travels to France to retrieve his son's body but instead he decides to cremate the body, takes the ashes in a metal box and begins to walk Camino de Santiago with the ashes and therefore complete his son's final adventure. The Camino de Santiago crosses the northern part of Spain. It's a pilgrimage route that is around 800 kilometers long and that has been used for...

Vegeta: "Stand aside, you fools. The remote is all mine today!" Well, now after all is said and done I can say this is not necessarily the movie I was waiting for, but still it is one that it's worth anybody's time.  Birus, the god of destruction of this reality, has been awakened by Uis, his apparent servant, who after Birus's awakening informs him that Freeza has been defeated by a Sayan called Son Goku. Birus has been prophesied that after his awakening he would fight a being called Super Sayan God. Wondering if Goku is that being he decides to travel along Uis to challenge Goku to a battle with the fate of the Earth pending on the outcome of this confrontation. It was good to see all those wonderful characters that we had not seen for quite a while . This is  a film that is not only based on violence but also has a lot of the humor the original series had and also that feeling of optimism that permeated the original series, in fact in this film no one...

Looks like they don't trust each other.  Side Effects is a psychological thriller that in some ways reminds me of another one: Basic Instinct.  The film stars Channing Tatum as Martin Taylor who prior the events of the movie had been sent to prison for inside trading. After being released he finds his wife, Emily (Rooney Mara) has developed psychological problems. To treat her her psychiatrist, Jonathan Banks (Jude Law), contacts Emily's previous doctor since Emily is not showing any recovery. That doctor, Victoria Siebert (Catherine Zeta-Jones), advises to administer Emily a new drug that apparently works with only sleepwalking episodes as side effects. One day, on arriving home Martin finds Emily sleepwalking again and when he tries to talk her out of that he stabs him. He dies as she quietly returns to bed.    Of course there is more going on in this movie than meets the eye. The plot is very consistent and the acting performances are not disappointing eit...

Don't they look like they lost something? Well, it seems that beyond G.I. Joe there is a future for Tatum Channing as an action figure, I mean, hero. And there is a future for Jamie Foxx as the next president of the U.S. (hey, you never know, look at Ronald Reagan). Tatum Channing is John Cale, a man a bit down in his luck who leads a bittersweet existence because he feels he has not gotten what he deserves and besides he cannot  get his daughter to love and respect him as a father. For all these reasons he wants to become part of the Security team that protects the president (Jamie Foxx), a pacifist who wants to withdraw all Americans thus improve his own self-esteem and his image before his daughter.  The day he goes to the White House with his daughter to attend a person there is an attack by a paramilitary group that is being aided by people from inside in this case by Martin Walker (James Woods) Head of the Presidential Security team. The attack was carefully pla...

Super is a 2010 film that was written and directed by the same person, James Gunn, which usually means that it is also a low-budget independent film. Nevertheless, it has some interesting names attached to it as Kevin Bacon (as Jacques, the antagonist), Liv Tyler (the protagonist's misguided wife) and Ellen Page (the over energetic sidekick). Rainn Wilson is Frank Darbo, a hard luck man who has had a life of constant rejection but still is in love with justice and believes in what is right. One day, Darbo's wife, who was a recovering drug addict, decides to leave Frank for Jacques a criminal  lord who keeps her constantly stoned. Unable to convince her to return to him, Frank asks God for a revelation and as a result he decides to become The Crimson Bolt, a vigilante with no powers and no more guns than a wrench.  This film is OK if you're looking for a dark esoteric angle to the superhero theme, though really there is a lot of a spiritual quest involved. It can be i...

Though the title is misleading this is really another love story made for the young adult audience. Of course there is a reason for the title and that is that the setting is again another hidden world right under our noses, full of demons, vampires, werewolves, warlocks, and well... you name it (there are no zombies though, phew!) MI: City of Bones is the first of a series of films based on a series of novels written by American writer, Cassandra Claire. It begins with Clary Fray (Lily Collins) a fifteen-year-old girl who ignores is the descendant of a demon-hunter race called the Shadowhunters. The day her powers manifest themselves renegade Shadowhunters attack Clary's home while she is out. These renegades want a precious object Clary's mother has, a magical cup of sorts but Clary's mother drinks a potion that induces her into a coma so the only other person that holds clues to the whereabouts of the cup is Clary though she herself does not remember anything about h...

This movie is apparently based on real events and there is also a lot of historical liberties included in the screenplay. It begins in the late 40s with Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn), a mobster who has become quite powerful and has made of Los Angeles his base of operations. Cohen's power is at his peak since almost everyone who can be bought is already in his payroll. One member of the police, John O´Mara (Josh Brolin) believes in what is right and despises Cohen. One day, O'Mara receives from one of his superiors one order that is his dream come true. Chief Parker (Nick Nolte) asks O'Mara to start a secret squad to stop Cohen`s operations and therefore free Los Angeles from all the criminal activity that had alreayd taken over other cities at the time. This secret group, of which there is no historical record, included Segeant Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling), Officer Kennard (Robert Patrick), Officer Ramírez (Michael Peña) among others. It is thanks to this squad that Los ...

This film looks a lot like an action movie but there is also some Chinese history in the mix. The result is ambiguous really but perhaps interesting. It all happens in the XVIII century when the emperor of China of that time who was also a despot and wants to eliminate all opposition by using an elite group of assassins only known a The Guillotines. They are unstoppable but fail to retrieve a rebel to the empire called Wolf who in turn takes away one of them, the only girl who happens to be the daughter of the man who trained them. Having failed a new emperor is now looking for a mistake to have The Guillotines and then have an excuse to get rid of them and replace them with fire guns. As said before it looks like an action movie which then shifts into something else. Wolf for example defends the Chinese Han and is actually trying to convince the Guillotine leader to join his cause because he is not part of the Manchu rulers but also a Chinese Han and thus his efforts are also a ...

This 2013 film is anything but exciting. Nevertheless if you love senseless violence, gore, senseless violence, wild west stories, senseless violence, dark fantasy, senseless violence, Wesley Snipes, and senseless violence-- Well, then this is the right film for you. (did I mention the senseless violence in this film?). Gallowwalkers tells you about Aman (Wesley Snipes), a gunner who got cursed when his mother, a nun at the time, renounced God. The curse allows those who Aman kills come back from the dead seeking revenge. Feeling that the final showdown is approaching Aman enlists the help of a young gunman with the unlikely name Fabulos to help him against his undead enemies. Honestly this is Blade meets The Good the Bad and the Ugly. Freed from his recent problems with U.S. law, this is one of the first films Snipes has starred after his return to the world of movies. If you are one of his fans then you should see it. Otherwise it is just a waste of time. Produced in 2009, th...