Pompeii - Beautifully haunting real event & a tragic,beautiful love story

There are film that really haunted me this is one of them, knowing that this really happen in history must of been so frightening to those poor people that are still in-cased in ash today in the ruin city of Pompeii still with the last look on there face starring death in the face God rest their soul's.

I find this film brilliant done as it set the tone of the film with these haunting word's along with haunting music "In the darkness you could hear the crying of woman,the wailing of infants & the shouting of men,Some prayed for help,others wished for death,still more imagined that there were no gods left & that the universe was plunged into eternal darkness.

• Ben-Hur - Spectacular special effects - full of action

Pompeii

Pliny the younger 79 A.D. I believe these words gives the haunting eye witness as they saw the city of Pompeii in gulf-ed in fire & ash,which was is apart of the darkest history."Pompeii" tells the story of the legendary natural disaster that covered the Italian city of Pompeii and its residents in ashes, preserving their bodies for eternity.

Like "Titanic," "Pompeii" mixes in a star-crossed lovers story into the disaster genre. Following the rich- girl-loves-poor-boy trope, a wealthy woman named Cassia (played by Emily Browning of "Sucker Punch") falls in love with an enslaved gladiator named Milo (played by Kit Harrington of "Game of Thrones"). Keith Sutherland acting in this film is good although i found his voice a bit weird but kid of suited the character but dam his character is an evil bastard.

Atticus (played by Adewale Akinnuoye - Agbaje of "Thor: The Dark World") is surprisingly well developed throughout the film. In the first act, Milo learns that he must face Atticus, a man who has been promised freedom after one more battle.

Several scenes of dialogue in a prison cell and action in the arena they are forced to fight in give the audience a good feel for who these characters are and give a good enough reason to root for them. 

Considering that this is a disaster movie made by Paul W.S. Anderson, both characters have a substantial amount of substance to them, and the actors give good enough performances to make their friendship believable.

Though most of this fim it's surprisingly entertaining it does feel slow & it plays at a steady pace with a bit action & scene where you get to know the character, i think Emily brown is coming of age to be a brilliant actress as she plays the cute love interest milo, also doing a fantastic performance also a little short screen time Jared Harris & Carrie Anne-Moss who play Pompeii major i believe who built Pompeii, Milo played by Kit Harrington does a brilliant job of making his character believe this is, playing gladiator on a revenge path of his mother& his people, a big step up from the small screen of TV to the big screen we can see more of him in the future.

The most frightening thing about this film is when the volcano blow's, because after that its complete chaos, the visual effect & C.G.I is amazing as you see the volcano throwing everything it has at the city, but you cant help to have tears in your eye's seeing all these people suffering.

I would hazard to say this is very close to history on what happen apart from the love story but this is no ordinary love story its more of a tragic but beautiful eternal love story with the way this film ended but its very though provoking when you think about Pompeii all those soul's lost in-cased forever.

This is a film i highly recommend as this isn't a mediocre film in fact this is a film that will leave you thinking way after the credits role.

Dislikes : Keith Sutherland voice seem a little forced to me but apart from that if you can see past that this film is good.

Ben-Hur - Spectacular special effects - full of action

The famous story of Ben-Hur has been done in film multiple times throughout the years, but none has reached this level of excitement and beautiful special effects. And none has ever been this action packed and intense. 

Ben-Hur will certainly appeal to action genre fans, but it has so much more to offer. Along with multiple dangerous adventures comes strong love story, drama and history, which keeps you excited but surprised by events that unfold in front of your eyes.

• Insurgent - Bigger, Louder, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's better

Ben-Hur

The film starts when Prince Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) is accused of attempting to assassinate a Roman Leader. His adopted brother convinces him and his family about the worst punishments available.

His family meets a mysterious fate that leaves him guessing about them for years. Judah is sentenced to life as a galley slave (a person that rows Roman ships). He barely survives this terrible punishment for six years before escaping. Back on land, he trains to take revenge on his brother in a place with no law - the dangerous, yet exciting sport of chariot racing! 

Although the plot seems confusing, it actually is easy to follow. Towards the beginning it may be a bit confusing, but by ten minutes into the film pieces snap into place. This film not only packs a lot of action, but it is also very historical and truly makes it look as if we are watching these scenes take place in ancient Rome and Jerusalem from the boats, to warfare, to their attire.

Throughout the film, I felt transported back 2000 years to the large Roman Empire. Most of the special effects portray the chariot racing and the outcome is nothing short of spectacular, detailed and very realistic. It is exciting and intense, but also easy to follow.

The acting in this film exceeded my expectations with many known actors such as Jack Huston and Morgan Freeman (Ilderim), but the entire cast delivers spectacular performances and really make their characters come to life and shine, as well as make the viewer think they actually are seeing life 2000 years ago. 

My favorite scene is the galley slave scenes. In a way, these are also my least favorite scenes because it shows how terrible Romans treated these slaves. In one scene, you see Judah changing over the six years from a handsome and healthy prince to a depressed, skinny and beaten slave.

Another factor of these scenes that impressed me were the visual effects. Judah escapes when the ship sinks in a battle. The scene is very dramatic, scary and intense. It is full of action and everything from soundtrack to acting makes it a heart- thumping moment.

Ben-Hur is intense with many adult references, but the mature aspect that concerns me most is the gore. Since this takes place in Ancient Rome, there are many violent acts that are unsuitable for young children.

I recommend it for ages 14 to 18 and give it 4.5 out of 5 stars. The acting, special effects and soundtrack are all fantastic but the story is slightly confusing at the beginning which makes it a bit annoying for the viewer.

Insurgent - Bigger, Louder, but it doesn't necessarily mean it's better

"You are living proof that the divergent problem has grown beyond all control." Director Robert Schwentke (RED, RIPD) replaced Neil Burger for the Divergent sequel which is much bigger, louder, and action packed.

I actually ended up mildly recommending the first film which I found engaging enough thanks to Shailene Woodley's lead performance. Unfortunately, Insurgent is a step down for the franchise because bigger doesn't necessarily mean better.

• Robin Hood - Surprisingly good and effective

Insurgent

The action scenes look great and the film is very pretty to look at, but the main issue I have here is with the story which I felt was so convoluted that I wasn't able to engage with any of the characters. I honestly couldn't remember much of what had happened in Divergent (which means it didn't really make an impact on me the first time around), but we get enough flashbacks and exposition here to recall some of the important events.

We are also introduced to the two other factions that the first one left out (amity and candid) so we get new characters that mostly appear on screen for a couple of minutes. Octavia Spencer is the leader of amity and Daniel Dae Kim of candid. Insurgent also introduces us to the factualness who are led by Naomi Watt's Evelyn.

So Insurgent basically ha the same flaws most sequels do, which is try to make everything bigger and it ends up crowding the screenplay and leaving little room for character development. Sure, some of the action scenes are great (mostly the first couple of scenes) but I simply lost interest in the story and found it incredibly tedious and boring.

By the end I didn't really care what could happen to any of the characters. I haven't had much luck with Schwentke's films recently and would've preferred Burger continued directing the franchise instead. If you are a fan of Veronica Roth's YA novels you probably will enjoy this, but I'm not familiar with her work and didn't enjoy this film at all. 

Insurgent takes place right after the events of Divergent so if you haven't watched the first film you might feel lost. Basically, the story is set in a dystopian future where society is divided into five factions based on people's virtues.

Jeanine (Kate Winslet) is the head of the erudite (the intelligent faction) who basically has control over this wrecked city surrounded by giant walls which separate them from the vast outdoor wasteland. The heroine of the franchise is Tris (Shailene Woodley) who discovers she's divergent because she doesn't fit into one faction, but decides however she wants to be Dauntless (the more adventurous and fearless members of society who become the protectors of the city).

Here she falls in love with Four (Theo James), befriends Christina (Zoe Kravitz), and is bullied by Peter (Miles Teller) and Eric (Jai Courtney) who are all returning characters in the sequel. In Divergent, Tris discovers that her kind isn't accepted in society believing they are a threat for not fitting in. She also discovers that Jeanine is planning on taking over the rest of the factions beginning with Abnegation which is where her parents (Tony Goldwyn and Ashley Judd) reside.

Her parents are killed in the attack but she eventually stops Jeanine's plan. Insurgent picks up right after the attack as we follow the surviving fugitives hiding out with the Amity faction. Tris's brother, Caleb (Ansel Elgort) is also with them. Jeanine will stop at nothing to capture Tris discovering she's a valuable asset. 

The plot in insurgent felt much weaker and the film focuses mainly on the action sequences. There are way too many characters introduced, which is a shame because it diverts the attention at times from the main ones.

Shailene Woodley gives a solid performance but she didn't carry the film this time around. I found her character a bit less charismatic since she spends most of the film feeling guilty and unable to forgive herself for the loss of her parents and friends.

Theo James isn't any better either and the romantic chemistry that existed in the first film grows weak this time around. Ansel Elgort is devoid of all the charm he brought to the table in The Fault of Our Stars (it is weird seeing him play Woodley's sister in this film after being her love interest).

My favorite performance in this sequel surprisingly came from Miles Teller who doesn't get much screen time but shines in the few scenes he's in.

The villains aren't actually very menacing and everything about this sequel felt more boring and tedious to me. Even the simulation and dream sequences are a bit of a letdown and took me away from the film completely. 

Robin Hood - Surprisingly good and effective

There are only few things which I can tell about Robin Hood . We all know his life and legend but through movies he was shown in many different visions.

Looks like he is old story in movies and that he will enter in classic but then we got new and really different Robin Hood . This movies are one of the most adventurous movies in history . Maybe it was big risk to take this theme but Ridley Scott knows how to make spectacle of the movie .

There are many exciting things about this movie . In waiting for movie premiere we could hear a lot of things like this Robin Hood is trash and it isn't following history of Robin Hood . But people were naive and before watching this movie they believed in this fake facts . I think that this movie deserved better critics . Actually,what happened to a critics ?

• Into the Woods - Great production and solid performances from everyone

Robin Hood

Ridley Scott as director is known by Gladiator and his sense for this kind of movies and his fighting scenes really have sense . I think that his decision was very good and he wanted to show one really known story . As the result he could realize that people don't know how story really is . His smart directing made this movie .

Maybe movie is missing a few adventurous parts and sometimes he desperately put some parts . I don't think that his showing of history was the best . Maybe Merry Men were sometimes without real spirit from other movies . Ridley showed that he knows how to show already seen theme on one modern,great and effective way .

Russel Crowe as Robin Hood was great . Whole cast played very well . Russel Crowe really knows how to mix different roles and he is master for it . His sense for these fighting scenes and for love scenes is impressive . I don't think that he was bad . He was very disciplined during whole movie and I can't see some problems.

He was very inspired and he was serious and his strong performance is really stunning . I couldn't believe when I saw him in fight scenes because his wildness and great action acting were great fact . I don't know why he was attacked because of this movie and accent . I think that he doesn't look like some British hero but he doesn't look ridiculous like former movies .

Cate Blanchett as Lady Marion wasn't maybe the best because of her demanding role . Her role was maybe different and she wasn't like Audrey Hepburn but her appearance was really good . Maybe director wanted too much from her role but she showed how this difference can be positive .

He improved vision of her role with one convincing role . I think that I am surprised because I didn't think that she will do this so well and that she could act one female hero or better to say one example of good female character .

Max Von Sydow as Walter Loaxley was very good and he had great spirit during the acting . I think that he was very good and with his experience this movie got one new division . His great acting showed how he has got sense for this roles.

Mark Strong as Godfrey was very good villain and I think that he has got great and provocative acting . Maybe he sometimes looked aloof but when we see how complicated is his role we can tell "Nicely done !" . William Hurt as William Marshall wasn't so good as others because his role was totally different .

He didn't find himself so well as others so he sometimes was out of pace . Oscar Isaac was maybe bad because of his constantly aloof acting and sometimes he looked very childish . I think that he didn't have so strong performance for this role . Danny Houston was pretty good and he had very strong performance and his wise acting was damn good .

When we look everything I think that Ridley Scott didn't miss theme . He showed how imagination can be powerful . Cast was great and fighting scenes absolutely stunning and great . All in one . Great movie .

Into the Woods - Great production and solid performances from everyone

This is going to be one of those instances where I like the movie, I think it's well made, well produced, very well acted and performed, but my enjoyment of it is hampered by the style of musical that it is.

I liked "Into the Woods", and I like musicals overall, but I'm also picky about the type of musicals that appeal to me. There are the ones where people talk and then burst into song, like "The Wizard of Oz" or "The Little Mermaid" and there are the ones where people "sing-talk" the whole way through, like "Les Miserables".

Into the Woods

I much prefer my singing and talking to be separated from each other, meaning I won't be revisiting "Into the Woods" anytime soon, but that doesn't mean that it's a bad movie. In fact, I think it's pretty good as far as Broadway-to-screen adaptations go.

I found the plot to be very ingenious. James Corden and Emily Blunt play The Baker and his wife, a childless couple who dream of having a baby. The reason they've been having so much trouble conceiving is because of a witch's curse (the Witch is played by Meryl Streep). She agrees to reverse the curse if they can gather some ingredients, all of which are key elements from four other fairy tales.

The film crosses this new story with four familiar ones: Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lila Crawford, particularly good), Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone) and Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy). The actions of each character ends up causing, influencing or altering the familiar elements that we have come to love about these timeless fairy tales.

I really like the concept of this film and I think it gets pulled off very well here. Seeing a live action Cinderella, that sounds alright I suppose, but we've had a good version of the story available readily since 1950. A twist on the story might have been interesting, but even "Snow White and the Huntsman" could only go so far with interesting visuals and changes to the story.

This though, this is something special. I like the idea of having all of these fairy tales packed together in the same universe, without turning it into a farce like "Hoodwinked" or "Shrek". Not that I dislike those movies, but fairy tales poking fun at each other, that's been done a lot. This movie feels fresh in that it also stays pretty close to the original Grimm's Fairy Tales.

I suppose a question to ask is "Is there a reason to watch this film instead of the Broadway production?" I would say that this is a good companion piece to it, but it doesn't replace the need for big fans to see a live show.

This picture does not include all of the songs originally composed, but it makes up for this with some very good performances and excellent production value. I thought the costumes and the sets were very impressive and I can easily see why this, of all the musicals out there was chosen to become a theatrically released film. Meryl Streep deserves praise of course, but I thought everyone was pretty good here.

I got a real kick out of seeing Daniel Huttlestone as Jack. I think there's just something about British children singing that is very amusing. I was actually surprised by how convincing the child actors were. I'm always weary of seeing children singing in movies, or in movies at all because often, they're just not on the same level as the other players but the two young performers really did a bang-up job.

Just because I'm not on my hands and knees praising the movie, doesn't that it isn't a satisfying experience. I have to admit that I did find it a bit long at times, but that's just me. Even then I attribute it to the mood I was in when I jumped in the theater because when I think back to "Into the Woods", I really do think it's quite good.

I might not have loved it, but as far as I'm concerned, that's my loss because if "Into the Woods" interests you, I think you'll have a great time with it. (Theatrical version on the big screen, February 2, 2015)