Oblivion - movie review

Tom Cruise is Oblivion. Oblivion was one of those movies that the trailers had intrigued and therefore you wanted to see what it was about.  As my friend Trish (my often movie goer companion) and I sat there watching Oblivion unfold, I found myself thinking, this has to move faster, then in later reflection I realized that it did not have too much emotion in it, so therefore for me, something was missing. My friend thought it was great! People respond to movies in different way. For me, I thought the movie moved slowly.
You have to give Oblivion credit for the surprise within the movie. In fact I blurted out the  awareness, as soon as it was obvious, I was that enthralled at that moment. The storyline is interesting. Future earth has been demolished as we would know it, and Tom Cruise's character Jack Harper is one of the last few drone repairman stationed on Earth, and is due to go to Titan where supposedly everyone has gone. He keeps having dreams about another woman, other than the one he is with in his overseeing station. Then an event occurs with the arrival of an older spaceship with some human bodies in it, one of them being the woman he keeps dreaming about. This changes everything, as he begins to question who she is and how she got there, he gets to meet the Scavs, which the drones he repairs go after. Once the second girl is introduced and he meets the Scavs, the movie then begins to move quickly and I enjoyed that part. The ending leaves one with a 'good' feeling that 'alls well that ends well' and once again Humans survive and replenish Earth.
Noting that the director, Joseph Kosinski, was also the director of Tron: Legacy, another movie that I thought lacked emotional content, makes sense. I don't think he has the ability as a director to bring out that subtle emotional content, many of us want. Mind you he is redeemed in that he produced the Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which was a phenomenal emotional movie.  He was thoughtful in that he did not direct.
Oblivion is a movie you may like to see if you like sci-fi movies and/or interesting twists, and especially both.
I give it 3 out of 5.  It would have gotten more if there was a bit more emotional content especially in the first half - although I realize why, due to the story content it did not have.

42 - Movie Review

It is not often you sit in a movie and feel you have been entertained, learned some history and feel satisfied with the performance and story when you leave. This is what 42 does.  The true life story of baseball player Jackie Robinson played aptly by Chadwick Boseman who was the first player to break Major League baseball's color barrier when he was signed to play for the Brooklyn Dodgers. He eventually went on to play in six world series. 
The person who I think will be given an academy nod is Harrison Ford.  He is brilliant as the man who orchestrated Jackie Robinson's admission into the major league. Words cannot say how well he plays the role. He is not the Harrison Ford we know.  He is the character he is playing. I also enjoyed seeing TR Knight (George from Grey's Anatomy) doing well in his role. In fact there are many T.V. stars in this movie in different roles. You will recognize them as the movie unfolds.
This movie totally worth seeing, not only for the historical content, but for how we have evolved and how important people are who play a part in this evolution.  There is one scene when people are shouting abuse at Jackie Robertson, and all of a sudden a young man (about 14) begins yelling what his father was saying. In that scene alone you can see how racism is perpetrated. The young following the old without thought of what they are saying.  One powerful scene.
Well worth seeing for the various levels it portrays besides the baseball.
I give this movie 5 out of 5

G.I. Joe: Retaliation Movie Review

When G.I. Joe; Retaliation came I was once more looking forward to the over the top action and enjoyment and I was not disappointed.  The sad thing within the movie was Channing Tatum gets killed early. What a shame he will no longer be part of the G.I. Joe franchise, but I presume his career is such he doesn't do support roles any more. Sadly.  Regardless, Dwayne Johnson, Bruce Willis, Adrianne Palicki and Arnold Vosloo keep the audience entertained. Some of the stunts I thought were spectacular, especially when they were running along the cliffs on wires, and the tanks near the end. Definitely great entertainment and can't wait for the next one to come along.
Really what can you say, if you want to see things being blown up, and everyone doing their part to take down the enemy, you can't beat G.I. Joe: Retaliation.
3 1/2 out of 5.

After seeing Olympus has Fallen (see previous review) I was glad to sit and watch a regular action, blow 'em up, movie.  I'm still upset about Olympus - and now there is another movie coming out relating to the White House. I'm almost scared to go see it, but I will.  Watch how I write about that one - oh yes Chaning Tatum is in it with Jamie Fox.

The Host - movie review

While I was in Toronto I took the opportunity to see The Host.  I had read the book and I was curious as to how they would be able to film this story effectively.  Then I had seen some previews in which everything looked very sterile and white and I was even more concerned. The story itself has so many levels to it and I wanted it to work.  It did!  It was brilliant. The story unfolded and how they handled the two beings inside one body was extremely believable and workable.
Saoirse Ronan (pronounced Seersha who is from Ireland) was great/wonderful and did the job extremely well.  She was able to convey the conflict as when the alien's come into the body they human personality is supposed to be suppressed.  Supposed to be is the question.  The story is the struggle between these two within one body, while the human Melanie will not stop being a presence and the Wanderer who becomes Wanda, when they rejoin the resistance.
Then the fun begins as Melanie's love Jared played by Max Ions and Wenda's new love Ian played by Jake Abel creates even more tension. William Hurt plays Melanie's Uncle and is the leader of the resistance. Everyone carries their roles really well. Naturally, the ending makes everything work out. The book goes much more into details than the movie.  If you want to see a well done sci-fi movie, which is quite believable, then this is one which you will enjoy. If you can, read the book. The Host is definitely a movie to see.
I left the theatre with the feeling of "good job, well done".
4 out of 5.