LA Movie Review- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

After emerging victorious in the 74th Hunger Games,  Katnis Everdeen must now deal with the repercussions of her defiance. This includes her love triangle, President Snow, the 75th Hunger Games, & more importantly the future of the districts & the capital.
  Director Francis Lawrence is a step up from the first installment's director, Gary Ross. He was able to create a better film than the first by making it bigger, as any sequel should do, injecting chemistry between Jennifer Lawrence & Josh Hutcherson, & a great collaboration with the cinematographer. Together Francis Lawrence & Jo Willems accomplished spectacular shots that were aided by the beautiful scenery & tremendous visual effects. The Hunger Games here was far & away better than the first. It was more entertaining, exciting, & suspenseful. The screenplay is a mixed bag for me. While it has great ideas about politics & revolution, it also underdevlops characters & contains cheesy lines.  While the movie is an improvement on the first it does have a new set of problems.
  Staying true to the book is not always a good thing. Film & books are two very different forms of entertainment. Just because something works in a book does not mean it will work in the movie. If something is not essential to the plot then it has no place in the film.  I could have cut at least 20 minutes out of the movie. For example, some of the costumes in the movie are just ridiculous. You get sucked into the movie & then you see Elizabeth Banks walk in with clown make up & the movie loses you. I know it is to further show a separation of the lifestyle between the rich & the poor, but their environments already accomplish that. It is a shame considering what a great concept the movie has & it allows moments like those to disconnect you from the situation. Hopefully the rebooted version of this franchise will go for a grittier,  more realistic touch. The pacing is also an issue. Sometimes you are waiting for the movie to just pick up already.
  The acting is good all around. Jennifer Lawrence was able to do more with the character of Katnis Everdeen than the first. Not only is she one of the best actresses working today, she also does a great job carrying this franchise on her back. Josh Hutcherson steps up this film.  He is given much more to do & his relationship with Katnis becomes believable. Woody Harrelson is great as always. He adds humor to situations while also conveying a sense of mentorship. Sam Claflin as Finnick is a great addition to the cast. He was great, bringing in danger & like ability. Phillip Seymour Hoffman & Donald Sutherland are fantastic actors who are great in the film.
  While this is better than the first, it is still far from perfect. I wanted to love this movie but I only ended up liking it.  Nevertheless the film is an entertaining time at the movies.
3.9/5

LA Movie Review- Dallas Buyers Club

A homophobic man gets diagnosed with AIDS in the mid-eighties. After being denied admission into a testing group for a drug that could possibly cure the disease, he decides to sell membership to a club that provides prescription medication that could help fight the disease to others who are also infected. This is a great, great movie. Matthew McConaughey, who is unrecognizable in the role, delivers an absolutely fantastic performance that should merit him an Academy Award nomination. He gets better in every movie and this might be his best performance so far. The film's screenplay does a great job of giving him a story arc that really allows him to grow as a character. Jared Leto was terrific in his supporting role, as a cross dressing man who also has the disease. Leto should also receive a nomination as a supporting actor. Jennifer Garner was also good in her supporting role as a doctor who tries to play by he rules but also empathizes with McConaughey and Leto's situation. Director Jean-Marc Vallee does a commendable job with this film. The screenplay is very good, raising interesting ideas through its exploration of  themes, such as homophobia, politics, and death. Dallas Buyer's Club is a great film with two standout performances.
4.5/5

LA Movie Review- About Time

A man discovers that every male in his family has the ability to travel backwards in time. He uses this new found power to find the love of his life and make every moment perfect. Through his journey he must deal with the consequences of time travel and tampering with life, love, and family. This is a very well made movie that will make you laugh and admittedly, cry. Richard Curtis does a fine job directing this movie, guiding you through the film. This is a mostly light film but Curtis's direction allows the darker moments to never seem out of place, and always relevant to the story. This is not Rachel McAdams's movie as much as it is Domnhall Gleeson's. He gives a very good performance as a a shy, yet charming man. Rachel McAdams is does her part and she's quite good at it. You will never hear someone saying she is bad in a romantic comedy. Bill Nighy gives a fantastic, show stealing performance as a very caring father. This movie was better than I had expected it to be, as the film goes above and beyond what it needed to do. The movie does lose a step towards the end. It breaks a rule that it had previously had established in an attempt to further tug at the heart strings. It pulled me out of the movie and cost it a higher rating. Still, About Time is an enjoyable romantic comedy that is smart and has heart.
3.8/5

LA Movie Review- All Is Lost

A man struggles for survival after being stranded at sea.  Writer- director J.C  Chandor has a unique vision for this film & given the extremely tough task of creating an entertaining film with only one actor & a handful of dialogue. Imagine Cast Away without Wilson. Life Of Pi without the Tiger.  Gravity without George Clooney. That's this movie.  Robert Redford stars as the crafty sailor who slowly losses hope after his ship begins to sink in the Indian Ocean. Redford isn't given a back story & on top of the fact that he only says a few words, it becomes hard for the audience to connect with his character. Right from the start the film has an uphill battle to fight. It must keep itself from breaking the rule of film; never be boring. The film is boring many times. It has a very slow tone throughout.  You are essentially watching a man at sea trying to survive.  The problem is he has no one to go back and forth with. The film does have some very beautiful cinematography. The film does do what it sets out to do, creating an unique story. The best way to describe the film is as a very unique pieces of art. Either it will speak to you or it won't. This film just didn't speak to me.
3/5

LA Movie Review- Thor: The Dark World

The discovery of an ancient weapon awakens a threat predating the universe, the dark elves. They are after the ancient weapon and it is up to our favorite hammer wielding- Asgardian to stop him. Joining Thor's quest is Jane Foster, Thor's love interest, and the untrustworthy Loki. Alan Taylor directs the latest installment in the Marvel cinematic universe. Alan Taylor provides a somewhat inconsistent tone throughout the film. It is not entirely his fault as the film switches back and forth between space and Earth. As for the movie itself, it is a good film with great moments within it. These moments show the true potential that this movie has, but the overall film contains side plots which detract from the overall story which never allows the film to reach its true potential. The movie also doesn't really pick up until the second half. Chris Hemsworth returns returns as Thor and is great in the role. Natalie Portman also returns but there isn't much she has to do in the film as most of the female characters in the film are a bit underwritten. Tom Hiddelston steals the movie as the mischievous demigod, Loki. He is funny, cunning, dangerous, and extremely fun to watch. The interactions between Thor and Loki were the best scenes of the film because of Hiddelston and Hemsworth's amazing chemistry. Christopher Eccleston plays the leader of the dark elves, Malekith. He is tucked away under so much make up and CGI that it is hard to make a connection to his character. The film does have a large amount of CGI, making it distracting at times. At the end of the day the movie is enjoyable, it is entertaining, but it is not without its faults. I can't give the movie a 4 but I can give it the next best thing.
3.9/5

LA Movie Review- End Of Watch

Two Los Angles police officers make a bust causing them to be placed on the Cartel's list I have finally have returned to review movies & I picked a great one. This is the most emotional, realistic movie I've seen all year. There are a few convenient moments like bad guys randomly carrying cameras but, I got over because everyone played their part. Jake Gyllenhal & Michael Pena both deserve nominations because they each gave the best performance they could have possibly given & The director had you in his back pocket 9 times out if 10 in this gritty story. 
4.5/5

LA Movie Review- Looper

In the future Joseph Gordon Levitt has to find & kill the older him (seems like a conflict of interests) played by Bruce Willis. That in itself is interesting & it delivers everything thing it promises & more. The directing is VERY good, as is the cast. Emily Blunt is good, but JGL & Bruce Willis own this movie. Willis is proving he can act again & JGL just gets better in every single movie. This is one of the coolest movies of the year & deserves to be seen in theaters.

LA Movie Review- Hotel Transylvania

 
There are a couple laughs in this movie but it isn't the most mature humor. You won't regret watching it like the more recent Adam Sandler movies because it does have heart. All in all it's a good fast paced movie that mostly kids will enjoy.
2.4/5

LA Movie Review- Taken 2

If this movie had any action then I didn't see it because it had the worst shaky cam I have ever seen. The camera work in general was awful as was the editing. The entire thing felt rushed. The directing was Michael Bay bad. ( That's very bad) The villains are idiots & not even Liam Neeson's particular set of skills can save this movie.
2/5

LA Movie Review - Sinister

Not everyone will enjoy this movie because they have been over exposed to "Slasher" movies. Movies like SAW, Friday The 13th. & Halloween. This is in no way a "Slasher" movie, this is a TRUE horror movie that is truly scary. It sets itself apart from "Slasher" movies because it's smart, creepy, & actually has good acting. That being said Sinister is the scariest movie of the year with nothing close to it. However if you enjoy sleep then I suggest you stay away from it.
4.4/5

LA Movie Review- Here Comes The Boom

In this movie Kevin James has to save the Fonz's job by becoming an MMA fighter. Kevin James is fine in this movie & a some points even a little believable. While it's not one of the funnier movies I've seen all year, it has some humor & a lot of feel good moments. I can't say that you have to see this movie, but you wouldn't regret it if you did.
3.1/5

LA Movie Review- Flight

This movie really isn't about the plane & that's not a bad thing. It focuses on the pilot's struggle with his alcoholism & problems with God. Denzel Washington gives a good performance as the pilot struggling with the prison of addiction he has put himself in. John Goodman provides the comical relief & really is a scene stealer. This is one of the better movies of 2012, Flight gets a
4.3/5

LA Movie Review- Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 2

First & foremost I am not a Twilight hater. I hate the idea that surrounds it, the idea that they are good movies. Quite simply they aren't & this one is no exception. The leading performances suck. They suck! I never once believed that Bella loved her CGI baby.(if you have a 100+ million dollar budget then why a fake baby?) The only good performances are Bella's bounty paper towel man dad & the Loki-esque leader of the voulturi. Oh & why is everyone OK with Jacob being a pedophile?!? Everything before the fight was agonizingly boring. ( I mean REALLY boring, I love movies & I wanted to walk out 30 minutes into it) The fight itself was like the 5th best one all year so that's something. Until the fight becomes total BS.
If you enjoy these movies then you will enjoy it regardless of what I say. Just know that this ISN'T a good saga nor "an epic conclusion that will live forever". In fact Summit Entertainment is already planning to reboot this crap.
1.8/5

LA Movie Review-Red Dawn

Under the right direction this movie could have been so much better. Alot of these actors are miscast. Josh Hutcherson's character could have been played by anyone & was very cliche with him not really adding anything to the role. Josh Peck wasn't very good or believable at all. Chris Hemsworth was a good lead but couldn't save it. The entire situation is completely unrealistic & it is way too easy for the Wolverines to do what they do. If you go in not expecting much & throw reality out of the window then you might enjoy it more than I did.
2.7/5

LA Movie Review- Skyfall

James Bond is up against a hacker-terrorist with a personal vendetta against M. This is not only the best Bond movie I have ever seen, but one of the best movies I've seen all year. While no performance is bad, I was a bit let down by Javier Bardem, who's performance as villain, while not bad, isn't on the same level as the villain he played in No Country For Old Men. Either way as good as the cast is the thing that elevates the film to greatness is it's true star, the cinematographer. He does his job perfectly with each shot being truly stunning. This movie is action packed & one of year's best. Skyfall needs to be seen in theaters.
4.7/5

LA Movie Review- Wreck-It-Ralph

This is the best animated movie of the year so far. It has a huge heart, the dialogue is very funny & it includes a plethora of well thought out inside jokes that are very clever. The story is much more complex than it appears on the surface as game villain, Ralph, jumps from one game to another as he looks for acceptance among his peers. Something very special about this movie is that the characters all have deep back stories & fulfilling story arcs as they try to make decisions for the greater good of their home no matter the risk to their friends or themselves while learning who they are within. This movie's animation is fantastic, voice work is great, with the plot having enough twists to keep this movie from ever having a dull moment. Wreck-It-Ralph surpassed my expectations greatly & receives my highest rating.
5/5

LA Movie Review- Lincoln

Steven Spielberg has somehow resurrected Abraham Lincoln because I didn't see Daniel Day Lewis once in this movie. Tommy Lee Jones is good & James Spader does his job well as the comic relief. While the movie is very interesting, I didn't get fully on board until Joseph Gordon Levitt's story line causes tension between honest Abe & his wife. Never the less your experience with this film would be much better if you know the history of the passing of the 13th amendment. I have no doubt in my mind that Daniel Day Lewis will nab the Oscar for best actor & It is my opinion that this movie will win Best Picture at the Oscars despite the fact that it isn't the best of the year.
4/5

LA Movie Review- Life Of Pi

This is the most visually impressive movie I've ever seen. The story itself is very original as a boy is stranded in the ocean with a very terrifying Tiger. About 30 minutes could have been taken out in the beginning as it takes to long to get to the boy being stranded. We all knew it was headed there & director Ang Lee should have driven the movie there faster. All that time could have been spent into more time with the tiger & boy. Thats where the movie was strongest. All in all this movie has a good message & should be seen in 3D or IMAX if possible.
4.3/5

LA Movie Review- Killing Them Softly

Brad Pitt gets hired to take out guys who robbed a mob card game. Not everyone will enjoy this movie because while it is a Mafia movie it's a Different Type of Mafia movie. That was the director's vision for this movie & it's not the best vision he could have had for it. It seemed like he had focused more to say about America than the story itself. This is a dialogue movie with very little, but very realistic, action. Also it would help if the dialogue was a bit more interesting. The acting was fine but not good enough to earn anybody a statute, including Brad Pitt 
3/5

LA Movie Review- The Hobbit

A hobbit joins a team of dwarves and a wizard to take back the dwarves' home after a dragon has taken it. I wasn't a Lord Of The Rings fan going into this movie & after seeing this I can't figure out why anyone Isn't a Lord Of The Rings fan. This movie was all kinds of awesome & is one of my favorites of the year. It is a very long movie & I see how some people could have problems with that, however the score is fantastic & can carry you through those long moments. Aside from those long moments this movie was action packed with fantastic special effects. Martin freeman is perfectly cast, & the rest of the cast brings their A game. The amazing Andy Serkis has only one scene & that's all it took for him to steal the movie as Gollum. The Hobbit is a great movie & I gladly recommend it.
4.6/5

LA Movie Review- Jack Reacher

Tom Cruise is very enjoyable in this as an anti-hero who only cares for justice. Due to tragic recent events this movie will make people uncomfortable because it starts off with a shooting on civilians in a public place. It also isn't the action/comedy it looked to be. While there are a few comedic moments this movie is best described as a mystery. It would have been much better if it stayed with the serious tone it had throughout the first half. After the first half there are some silly moments that take away from the seriousness. Still this movie pleasantly surprised me on how hard they worked to make it good, while it easily could have been crap.
3.5/5

LA Movie Review- Parental Guidance

An icee falling on my lap during the screening was funnier than anything that happened in this stupid movie. This is a cliche, overacted, & unrelatable story about Billy Crystal & his wife babysitting for those annoying type parents(the coddling kind) in their Iron Man home. The only reason it doesn't get a zero is because Billy Crystal made me chuckle a few times.
0.5/5

LA Movie Review- Les Miserables

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This film is about singing, God, tragedy, singing, love, a revolution, & even more singing. The cinematography, the score, and set design are incredible. I know Daniel Day Lewis will win best actor for Lincoln but I believe Hugh Jackman deserves it even more as I found the latter's performance to be moving. Anne Hathaway delivers a powerful performance & the best of her career but, I'm not so sure she wasn't out done by Samantha Barks, also in a supporting role. Russel Crowe, while not a great singer compared to the others, is awesome as a villain. Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat) is the comic relief & is very funny. Now this movie is not for everyone & is very long but, those who are still interested will love it.
4.5/5

LA Movie Review- Zero Dark Thirty

This film is about the hardships that a CIA Agent faced while trying to find Osama Bin Laden & Seal Team 6's mission to execute him. Kathyrn Bigelow was snubbed big time for this. She did a great job as director and was able to make the ending very tense even though you already knew the ending. The last 25 minutes are what you're waiting for the entire time & that's the Seal Team 6 part. That means Jessica Chastain's performance has to carry the other 2 hours of the movie. I thought she did a great job & was rightfully nominated for this. Something that held her back from being better is the fact that we only see her work side & never really her personal side & as an audience that means we can't really fully connect to her character. That isn't her fault, it's the scripts'. Still, the first 2 hours is her being in meetings & dealing with characters that come and go while trying to find Osama's location. This is a good movie & is probably more accurate than the CIA would want you to believe about their usage of torture. The truth is sometimes you have to break the law in order to save it.
4.4/5

LA Movie Review- The Last Stand

A dangerous fugitive escapes FBI custody and the only one that can stop his path to the border is Arnold Schwarzenegger. As for the acting, Forest Whitaker is awful but hey, it's Forest Whitaker. I forgive him. Arnold is fun to watch as always & I'm glad he's back because I enjoyed this. Is it a great movie? No, it has many flaws. Like the screenplay, it sucks. Negatives aside , this it is a fun, ridiculous, and I do mean ridiculous, bloody, action movie. What more did you expect? 
3.3/5

LA Movie Review- Broken City

The mayor of New York suspects his wife to be cheating on him so he hires Mark Walhberg to find out. I saw this movie with 5 other people & halfway through 3 were asleep & I don't blame them. This is a very boring & unnecessarily long movie. The plot is very uninteresting & the screenplay is lazy. Marky Mark is completely wasted one minute & the next he's fine. Characters disappear for no apparent reason! Mark Walhberg plays the same character he always plays, Catherine Zeta-Jones is underused, & Russell Crowe is tan for the sake of being tan. There is absolutely no sense of these actors being given any direction what so ever. All in all this is a boring movie.
2.3/5

LA Movie Review- Mama

... Mama

Jessica Chastain stars as a hot topic goth girl who takes care of two girls that come from the woods. The acting itself is fine & the two girls are a bit creepy. This movie has a lot of loud moments(joey reference) & jump scares but that doesn't mean it's scary. It shows CGI Mama too much & she becomes unscary. The whole movie isn't scary or original. You've seen this type of movie before. 
2.4/5

LA Movie Review- Bullet To The Head

Sylvester Stallone plays a hitman who teams up with a cop to take down the people who killed Sly's friend. This movie isn't a typical buddy cop movie because neither protagonist is very likeable. I don't blame the actors because the script they were handed was poorly written. It made Sly's character was a bit racist with a few one liners. It also gave the audience no reason to care for the cop. The acting is just bland. There is action but it's poorly filmed which makes it hard to see what's happening. This movie is based on a French comic book & it should have stayed a French comic book.
2.7/5

LA Movie Review- Identity Thief

Jason Bateman attempts to bring Melissa McCarthy to justice after she steals his identify. Melissa McCarthy should do more dramas because I believe that's where she shines as an actress. It's not that she isn't funny, it's that these jokes that she's being given just aren't landing. Even while playing a scumbag, the amount of heart that she brings to roles is really something special. Bateman is fine & Eric Stonestreet & Robert Patrick are nice surprises in this flick. It's not a great comedy but it's not a bad time either.
3.1/5

LA Movie Review- Warm Bodies

A zombie Romeo meets a human Juliet . I'll be honest, this was one of the better movies I've seen in a while. There was something very charming about the chemistry that both lead actors had. They just worked off of each other very well. I thought the director & screenplay did a great job furthering the story by gradually showing the zombie's transformations. My only big problem is the over usage of CGI. All in all this is a fun, zombie romance film.
3.7/5

LA Movie Review- A Good Day To Die Hard

I hate this piece of crap movie so much. John Moore never direct a movie again you talentless excuse for a filmmaker. John Moore pissed away a 92 million dollar budget on action scenes that are as poorly filmed as the action scenes in Transformers 3, which brings me to my next point. The director of photography, Jonathan Sela, is absolutely atrocious at his job. I've seen home movies with better camera work than what he provided. Twentieth Century Fox made a horribly call allowing this to be advertised and shown in large format screens, when it wasn't FREAKING FILMED THAT WAY & Makes Jonathan Sela's work even WORSE! As for acting Bruce Willis is a caricature of himself in this movie. John McClane is a poorly written, invulnerable superhero at this point, as is his son. This is a CGI, action crapfest that even Michael Bay would despise.
0.3/5

LA Movie Review- Side Effects

A psychiatrist & a mentally depressed woman's lives change after a mysterious new drug hits the public. Director Steven Soderberg says this is his final film & he went out on a high note. He creates this uber smart mysterious crime filled with multiple layers & twists. Rooney Mara is a great actress & delivers a strong performance in this film. Jude law is the same character in every movie and fortunately here it works. Channing Tatum keeps getting better & Catherine Zeta-Jones actually acts in this movie unlike in Broken City. This movie definitely isn't for everyone but it is worth the trip to the theater.
4.1/5

LA Movie Review- Snitch

A father helps the DEA take on drug cartels in order to reduce his son's prison sentence. Don't be fooled by the trailers, this isn't an action movie. This is a drama and surprisingly a good one. Speaking of surprises, Dwayne Johnson shatters any stereotypes of wrestlers turned actors & gives a performance I didn't think he was capable of. Jon Berthnal of Walking Dead fame is perfectly cast as an exconvict trying to keep his family safe. Every other actor in this really does a great job playing their roles. The story is well written & well directed making Snitch a pleasant surprise. This is easily Dwayne's best film & the first great film of 2013.
4/5

LA Movie Review- Bless Me, Ultima

A little boy's life changes as a witch moves in with his family. This is a very uneventful movie. It has a message in the plot but the plot does nothing to get you, the audience member, involved, so you don't even care what's happening on screen. That's actually my attitude towards this movie; simply uncaring. 
1/5

LA Movie Review- Dark Skies

A family struggles to keep each other safe due to alien harassment. The acting is fine for the most part but there are instances of ridiculousness due to the script. This has the tone of Insidious, the plot of Signs, and plot devices of Paranormal Activity. All of those were scary, but this one doesn't quite make the cut. It doesn't have anything to call it's own because this type movie has been made many times before & therefore this isn't special. It's a mixed bag & somethings do work & others just fail to be scary. This isn't terrible but it's nothing to run out & see.
2.8/5

LA Movie Review- Oz The Great And Powerful

We get to see how Oz became a great wizard in this prequel to The Wizard of Oz. I will say that director Sam Rami does a good job of taking you into this CGI world & offers new twists to the Wicked Witch making her a tragic villain. It also seems like Sam Rami is holding back & encouraged the actors to do so for the sake of the kid friendly tone. As for acting James Franco is always either hit or miss for me & in this he was barely a hit. Zack Braff is brings the laughs, but underused as the monkey. It seems bad, but there is fun to be had in the first half of this film, but the second half drags & really makes it feel like the 2 hour running time.
2.8/5

LA Movie Review- Olympus Has Fallen

Terrorists invading the white house + Gerald Butler with a gun = Best Die Hard movie this year. This a very entertaining popcorn flick with very strong action throughout. On the acting side, Gerald Butler is entertaining & should stick to action, where he thrives. Aaron Eckart goes from Gotham district attorney to US president & is underused in his role. Morgan Freeman plays Morgan Freeman in this, but since he's Morgan Freeman it's still entertaining because he's Morgan Freeman. While this movie is cheesy at times, it still delivers what it promises, a violent good time.
3.5/5

LA Movie Review- Jurassic Park

A group of people struggle to survive on an island as newly resurrected dinosaurs wreak havoc on it. Steven Spielberg is easily one of the greatest filmmakers to ever live. He has cemented his legacy by creating pure movie magic such as Jaws, Indiana Jones, E.T, & this. He works like a master with this terrific screenplay. The dialogue is strong & the story is smart. The screenplay is constantly complemented by John William's classic score. As for the acting, it is entertaining as is the 3D. This is one of the greatest movies of all time & it should come as no surprise to anyone that Jurassic Park is a
5/5

LA Movie Review- The Evil Dead

Five friends are trapped in a cabin in the woods as a demon possess one of them. This is the most grotesque & disturbing movie I have ever had the misfortune of seeing. It sounds like a negative but being grotesque & disturbing is what the movie set out to do, so it passes on that level. It does fail on other levels however. There are clichés throughout, it's too long, & there are too many unbelievable moments. Also I'm 99% sure they stole the score from Insidious. The acting is what you expect from a horror movie. On the positive side the movie does have good cinematography & the director does a good job of never giving you s moment of peace. All in all, while this movie delivers what it promises, I wish this movie was scarier. I just can't recommend this to anyone.
1.5/5
0.5 for the directing, 0.5. For the cinematography, & 0.5 for it doing what it set out to do.
P.S. A better version of this movie exists. It's called The Cabin In The Woods

LA Movie Review- Tyler Perry's Temptation

A woman starts to doubt her marriage when a black Mark Zuckerberg enters her life. This is basically a lifetime, made for TV movie. There's no need to see it in theaters. Tyler Perry is a preacher disguised as a director who uses his movies to spread his same old sermon to the masses. Somethings that are awful are the lack of a composer,the editing, & Tyler Perry's directing, which has become very stale. He leaves in alot of long shots for no reason & suddenly switches camera work for no apparent reason, randomly in a scene. His story is predictable & alot of the actors aren't good. This is a very typical Tyler Perry movie & isn't worth a theater screen. However if you're flipping through channels & this comes on, it's watchable.
2/5

LA Movie Review- The Place Beyond The Pines

A motorcyclist turns to robbing banks in order to provide for his girlfriend & their child. In turn a cop's morality is tested when facing corruption. The decisions these men make affect their future generations in the third act of the film. This is an incredibly gripping story that sucked me right in. I have never, in any review, called any film a masterpiece. This film is a masterpiece. It's tone is dark, gritty & realistic. The director and writer have created a powerfully strong art house film, unlike anything I have ever seen. This is also the best ensemble acting cast on screen this year. As great as Ryan Goslin is he is still out shined by Bradley Cooper. Bradley Cooper delivers his best performance to date as a cop battling corruption. Deen Dehan from Chronicle fame, plays Goslin's son & gets better with every role. I can't state that enough, this kid was put on this planet to act. Thats just scratching the surface of the actors in this film. Ray Liotta, Ben Medelhson & Eva Mendes are also very good. This is a masterfully crafted three arc film that blows every other movie out of the water. This is The Best Film Of The Year so far.
5/5

LA Movie Review- 42

42 tells the underdog story of Jackie Robinson, the first black player in the major leagues. This movie has plenty of feel good moments throughout to make you clap at the end, but by no means is it perfect. Some of the scenes feel repetitive & there are problems with the pacing. Those are script issues as is the fact that there is alot of cheesy drama in here. I don't mean the drama that the racism evokes because that is necessary. That drama is enough but the writer/director felt the need to add more melodrama & that's my biggest problem with it. On the acting side the lead actor does a good job conveying Jackie Robinson's strength not to fight back. Legend, Harrison Ford is fine in this. It's a feel good movie that'll leave you with a smile on your face at the end & if that isn't reason enough to see it, then I don't know what is.
3.3/5

LA Movie Review- Oblivion

Earth has been attacked by aliens, we defeat them but by doing so left the planet in ruins. Tom Cruise stars as a repair man who starts asking questions about possible survivors of the attack. Sounds interesting but this movie is pretty bland and incredibly boring. The visual aspect of the movie was the best as it was shot by the same cinematographer from Life Of Pi. Story wise, this movie is like a really cool car that you want to watch go from point A to point B, but so much crap is hitting the car on it's way to point B that you don't really care when it gets to point B. The movie also rips off many plot points of Duncan Jones's "Moon". On the acting side Tom Cruise plays Tom Cruise & Melissa Leo is incredibly underused. The movie fails to be anything other than lackluster
2.1/5

LA Movie Review- Gangs Of New York

Gangs Of New York is the story of man who bides his time for years, waiting to get revenge on the man who killed his father. Martin Scorsese does a very stylized job directing his vision of a 1800s New York City. Because of that a lot of the Five Points look like sets. Scorsese also brings a lot of brooding tension in the first half & delivers an entertaining second half while telling his tale of morals, corruption, love, & heritage. Acting wise Leonardo DiCaprio is good as usual but Daniel Day Lewis is just awesome as Bill the Butcher. He brings such an entertaining aspect to each scene he's in. This is a long movie but it's second is so good that it deserves multiple viewings.
3.8/5

LA Movie Review- Pain & Gain

There was only Pain. So much pain. This is the worst movie I have ever seen in my life. Two hours of my life are gone now thanks to the worst excuse for a filmmaker in the history of film, Michael Bay. This made me contemplated leaving the theater multiple times. Please don't see this. I BEG YOU, don't see this movie. Pain & Gain is a
0/5

LA Movie Review- Iron Man 3

Tony Stark is forced to combat his own personal demons following the events of The Avengers while at the same facing attacks by the terrorist known only as the Mandrain. This directed by Shane Black, a new director to the franchise. You can tell someone else has the reigns because this is a very different type of Iron Man movie, tonally. It switches between drama & comedy throughout. That's not always a bad thing because a lot of the jokes do work. At a certain part this movie really divides you and either you accept it or don't & it will cause mixed feelings. Still there are a few fantastic action scenes, but they feel lost through this silly movie. Acting wise, Ben Kingsley does a great job but his story arc is very disappointing. Robert Downey Jr is great as Tony Stark but at times Iron Man feels like a side character in his own movie. Guy Pearce is your typical villain & has plenty of cliches as a villain throughout. Jon Faverau is surprisingly entertaining & Gweneth Paltrow is alright. This isn't The Avengers 2 & isn't as epic but it does stand alone as an Iron Man movie. If you want to compare it then this is better than Iron Man 2 but it isn't as good as the original Iron Man.
3/5

LA Movie Review- The Great Gatsby

Nick Carraway's life changes forever after he meets his (Great) neighbor, Jay Gatsby. My biggest problem with this film is the direction it took under Baz Luhrman. He made the first half feel like a rushed, special effects filled, music video. The second half is the dramatic film I wanted to see & it takes way too long to get there. There's a lot if actors in this so bare with me. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the ever, optimistic Jay Gatsby & while this isn't his best performance, he still is very good in it. Joel Edgerton really inhabits the role of Tom Buchanan, a cheating man who has a grudge against Gatsby & because of that his performance was my favorite. Carrey Mulligan does a great job portraying the love & fear that her character, Daisy Buchanan lives with. I also learned that if Tobey Maguire isn't wearing a Spiderman suit then I don't care for him as an actor. At the end of the day The Great Gatsby's disappointing first half & better second half makes it a mixed bag. Still, the second half just isn't enough to save it.
2.8/5

LA Movie Review- Cinco De Mayo, La Batalla

An impending French invasion forces the Mexican army to prepare for a war that they have no chance of winning. This feels like a war movie meeting a horror film and the outcome is incredibly gruesome, violent & entertaining. This makes for a patriotic underdog story that's way too long & has dizzying shaky cam. Overall the acting was good. Some of the extra story lines distract from the battles. The battles are the selling point of this movie & for what they were, they were done well. There's also a bit of unnecessary comedy. This movie also runs way too long. It could have wrapped up 25 minutes earlier than it did. Overall despite all it's faults, this is an entertaining war movie.
3.2/5

LA Movie Review- Star Trek Into Darkness

Captain Kirk, Spock, & the rest of the crew venture out into space to find a terrorist responsible for the deaths of many innocent men & women. This film is an epic space adventure that sucks you straight into its story & leaves you amazed. The acting is top notch as Chris Pine returns as Captain Kirk & Zachary Quinto as Spock... Zachary Quinto is just beyond an actor at this point. He is a force to reckoned with on any level. Yet, Benedict Cumberbatch, who plays the villain, steals scene after scene. He is an intense, cold, & dangerous fugitive who wants nothing more than revenge & will do anything to get it. Behind the camera, J.J Abrams creates his "Dark Knight" within the Star Trek universe. That is about as huge a compliment as I can possibly give. Star Trek Into Darkness is the movie to beat this year, & quite frankly I don't think anything can.
5/5

LA Movie Review- Fast & Furious 6

Dom Toretto's team battles a gang of thieves in the sixth installment of this never ending franchise. This is the most ridiculously unrealistic movie in the entire franchise. Old characters return with twists as new characters emerge, adding to the clutter. While there is action throughout most of it isn't memorable. That is until the third act which contains a very entertaining attack on a plane. Other than that sequence the rest is pretty forgettable as its filled with bad comedy distracting from the main story. This franchise has been around for a while now & a nice tease at the end suggests that Fast & Furious 7 is around the corner. There is some fun to be had with this but Fast Five is still the best of the series.
3.4/5