By: Addison Wylie By definition, Paul W.S. Anderson is a filmmaker. In my eyes, he’s not a very good filmmaker, but he’s been able to create brainless successes. His latest blunder Pompeii is by definition “mindless entertainment”. The film follows similar conventions that were used in his Resident Evil adaptations, and he crosses his fingers hoping people will eat it up all the same. It’s expected people will walk out of Pompeii passively shrugging off…
By: Addison Wylie It was nice to see a young adult book series stick to its gritty tone and not feel the need to make it lighter for a mainstream audience. That’s exactly what The Hunger Games did with its first venture to the big screen. It did, however, succumb to attributes that felt reminiscent to other franchises with a widespread teen audience. One of these beats being complications with affection between two strapping young…
By: Addison Wylie Odd Thomas is certainly an odd case indeed. Stephen Sommers’ adaptation of Dean Koontz’s novel has good things about it, yet it has difficulty coming together as a whole. Anton Yelchin stars as Odd Thomas, a sweetly distraught hero with an ability to avenge the deaths of others. He’s approached by silent spirits who then lead him on paths, and it’s his duty to right whatever wrongs he faces. The local police…
By: Addison Wylie Need for Speed is an awesome movie. And, not in the way you call Patrick Swayze’s Road House “awesome” after a couple of beers. It’s a film that legitimately has so many exhilarating moments, you’ll want to watch it again as soon as the credits start rolling. Don’t get me wrong though. The film has plenty of corn and cheese to go around. Luckily, it all happens within the first 30 minutes….
By: Addison Wylie Much like After Earth, this review is going to be a bit of a confounding thing to endure since the substance behind it is puzzled itself. Will Smith seems like a levelheaded guy outside of movies. I’m sure there was concise logic behind his story to which he’s credited for in After Earth. If so, there’s been a severe case of “Broken Telephone” during the film’s production that eventually led to M….
By: Addison Wylie This past Summer, R.I.P.D. received poisonous word-of-mouth and was considered a box office bomb. But, it wasn’t enough to push me away from seeing it. Call me a fool, but R.I.P.D. looked like it was up my alley. It looked like something I would want to see during some sunny doldrums. It looked like the right type of escapism that could be compared to the likes of Mystery Men. Now, having watched R.I.P.D., I understand…
By: Addison Wylie Your preconceived notions that Gravity will make your heart leap out of your chest and your stomach lurch are right on the money. The disorienting sci-fi separates the weak from the willing with its prolonged, wandering introduction to the team aboard the Explorer. We see mission specialist Dr. Ryan Stone (played by Sandra Bullock) hard at work while astronaut/commander Matt Kowalski (played by George Clooney) supervises. The operation is going as planned…
By: Addison Wylie It’s always a bad sign while watching a movie when you realize the first three minutes are probably going to be the best moments the film can offer. Machete Kills kicks off with a trashy trailer for a third Machete film – appropriately titled Machete Kills Again…In Space. The insane trailer shows audiences which characters have returned and what battles ensue, essentially giving away spoilers about the film you’re about to watch….
By: Addison Wylie A catastrophic zombie outbreak occurs and its up to a former member of the UN to protect his family, re-team with past coworkers and zealous fighters, and travel to different destinations in order to figure out the origin of this deadly attack and figure out a way to an end to the madness. Somewhere in there he takes a nap. Brad Pitt plays the good doing husband in World War Z and…
By: Addison Wylie If you told me Parker was directed by someone who has directed more than one movie, I’d be fairly skeptical. If you told me that Parker was directed by an Oscar winner, I would seriously question the accuracy behind that statement about a film that plays its cards as vapidly as possible. But, regrettably, it’s a fact. The latest action caper featuring Jason Statham is not only directed by someone who has…