Archive for the 'Movie Reviews' Category

Terror strikes and the grieving crew of the Enterprise attempt to hunt down a master criminal while working through some serious trust issues. During this whirlwind hunt, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine, Unstoppable), Officer Uhura (Zoe Saldana, Avatar), and First Officer Spock (Zachary Quinto, American Horror Story) attempt to make amends after their last mission went wrong. This setting of distrust is a plot device that propels the film forward through it’s tumultuous plotline. I wasn’t even sure who the antagonist was for the first two thirds of the film, is it someone from Star Fleet? Is it a super human? IS IT THE ENTERPRISE ITSELF?!

Every character, old and new, gets a piece of the action. The elevated role of secondary characters from the first movie was refreshing, with Scotty (Simon Pegg, Hot Fuzz), Sulu (John Cho, Harold & Kumar), and Bones (Karl Urban, Lord Of The Rings) all having their own spotlight moments. The acting was superb; Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock) is AN ACTING GOD. I have never rotated so rapidly and so frequently between loving and loathing a character as I did with John Harrison.

The visual effects were also absolutely stunning. I actually cowered in my seat during several action scene. If you can spring for 3D, go for it, but I imagine the film would be just as aesthetically pleasing in the traditional viewing format.

I’m sorry this review is so nonspecific but this film is difficult to write a review about because any mention of a specific plotline will ruin the effect of going into the movie blind. Trust me. Go see this film. Don’t read the Wikipedia page, go straight to the theater. I brought my Trekkie grandmother who hasn’t seen a 3D movie since the 1950’s and she wouldn’t go see the first revival because William Shatner wasn’t in it.  BUT SHE ADORED STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS. SHE WAS ECSTATIC. She definitely was not the only one: AN ADULT MAN IN A STAR FLEET UNIFORM THAT WAS SITTING BEHIND ME IN THE THEATER STARTED SOBBING. EVERY TEN MINUTES EVERY PERSON IN THE THEATER BROKE INTO APPLAUSE. THERE WASN’T EVEN THAT MUCH CLAPPING IN THE FINAL HARRY POTTER FILM. ACTUALLY, MOST PLAYS THAT I’VE ATTENDED HAVEN’T RECEIVED THAT MUCH APPLAUSE.

Seriously, just go see this film.

Robert Downey Jr. and Marvel are back at it again!! Iron Man 3 is the must-see movie of the weekend, ONLY if you love action-packed movies, witty humor and a well put together plot. The movie, which picks up from Marvel’s The Avengers, is filled with more action than any of the previous movies in the series. The action is not reserved primarily to Iron Man, as we see in this installation that many of the other characters get in on the action.

The plot includes Tony Stark, the man behind the Iron Man suit, experiencing anxiety due to him almost dying towards the end of The Avengers. At the start of the movie, Tony Stark recalls a moment in his past where he unknowingly created an enemy. The enemy, a terrorist named Mandarin, stages a series of attacks while on a mission to control the war on terror. Mandarin is backed up by “super militants” that experience amazing physical abilities, due to a biotechnological alteration in their DNA.

Mandarin decides that Tony Stark must be destroyed after he declares, in his normal arrogant fashion, that he will seek revenge for his close friend and former body guard, Happy, being injured in an explosion. From this point on in the movie, the plot unfolds until a twist in is revealed. While the story unfolds, it becomes evident that Pepper Potts will play a larger role in helping Tony Stark foil his nemesis than she has in the past, while still being the proverbial damsel in distress.

Overall, the movie receives two thumbs up. This is not a movie to wait until it comes out on DVD to see. It will have you sitting on the edge of your seat, with your jaw dropped for a good portion of the movie.

I read the blurb for The Place Beyond The Pines and was apprehensive. I watched the trailer for this film and was psyched. I watched the film and am now emotionally exhausted. I can’t figure out how I feel about this three-part film. The first forty-five minutes are a borderline obscene whirlwind of Luke (Ryan Gosling, Drive), a motorcycle stunt driver, attempting to be a good dad to his newly discovered infant son with an old fling, Romina (Eva Mendes, We Own The Night). Heartwarming, right? Not really, since Luke’s response to his new found financial need is robbing banks. On his motorcycle (I’m still trying to get over the fact that Ryan Gosling may have the world’s least menacing robber voice. He sounds like a prepubescent boy while screeching orders at frightened bank tellers, which may have been an attempt to portray the desperate psyche of Luke.). The amount of adrenaline and hyper masculinity stuffed into this segment is almost too much, giving the impression that there was probably a specific market kept in mind over plot value.

Just when I was about to brush off this Derek Cianfrance (Blue Valentine) helmed flick, enter Bradley Cooper (Silver Linings Playbook) as ‘rookie’ cop Avery Cross, the saving grace for this slightly contrived plot line. Avery effectively ends Luke’s robbery spree but must deal with the ripple effect it has on his life at work and especially at home with his wife (Rose Byrne, Bridesmaids) and infant son. There’s police corruption, drug abuse, and father son bonding shoved before awkwardly segueing into the final segment, which takes place fifteen years later with Avery running for Attorney General and family drama stirring up.

I admire the ambition of the three-part story arc attempted in this film. The cinematography is lovely; the acting is excellent (especially on Cooper’s part), but the script just does not click. This may be attributed to the constant rotation from emotionally charged and fired up to almost softly dull and monotonous. Regardless of my qualms with the script and my exhaustion from the experience, this film is stimulating in an emotional way and movies that are successful in evoking this sort of poignant reaction and having cool theatrics are hard to come by as of late. I would recommend that viewers give The Place Beyond The Pines a try.

The Superbowl. A nation wide sporting event pitting two football teams against each other to determine who will be the ultimate victor…..and the expectaion of fantastic new advertisments. Many of the most anticpated films of the year took advantage of this opportunity to capture the nation’s attention and aired promos…with more come on the internet. We at SLU-TV going to bring you all the extras to these exciting promos.

First off, Iron Man 3. This continuation of the Marvel superhero’s journey continues on May 3 so Marvel found the superbowl the perfect chance to wet our appatites promising an extended look to thier partial promo online. We have that cheeky extended look below.

I must say, with every new piece of footage this movie looks more and more interesting, and intense.

Next comes another action flick. Fast & Furious 6 is roaring into theaters at full throttle on May 24. If you missed the new fast-paced teaser, never fear! We’ve got that one too.

Not only did Universal release a teaser, they also released this beauty:

Pretty snazzy graphics, eh?

Last but certaintly not least, Star Trek Into Darkness. J.J. Abrams and crew have finally put the finishing touches on the next enstalment of the Star Trek saga and audiences will once again be able to travel where no man has gone before on May 17. Paramount released not only a new teaser trailer, but also an app. More on the app in a minute, first, the teaser:

Now, the app. Paramount, in partnership with Qualcomm, have realeased a Star Trek Into Darkness app that will “enable fans to partake in real-world scavenger hunt missions, interact directly with material from the film and earn rewards.” Now what exactly does that mean? Essentially, if you download the app and scan the audio, or picture for a print ad, of any all Star Trek promos you see, you can unlock exclusive content and rewards, plus each user gets the chance to win a ticket to the movie’s U.S. premire. The app is now availible to download free from iTunes and the Android store.

So, what was your favorite movie promotion from the Super Bowl? What movies are you looking forward to in 2013?

Written by Christian Lees

Lincoln

Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” is a historical film that focuses on the later life of one of America’s most beloved presidents, Abraham Lincoln. It is 1864, and President Lincoln, played by Daniel Day-Lewis, is attempting to end the Civil War and abolish slavery by passing the 13th Amendment. This is not a Lincoln at his highest, but him at the most critical point of his presidency. Calculating the number of votes he
will need for the Amendment to pass through the House, Lincoln has a lot of convincing to do if he wants to reach his goal. In the midst of political disputes, Robert Todd Lincoln, played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt, tries to convince his mother and father to let him join the Union Army.

Day-Lewis’s Lincoln looks and sounds like the Lincoln we know from history. From his seriousness in the Cabinet’s war room to his anecdotes used as comic relief, the viewer is taken back to the place and time period of one of the most important moments of American history. While I cannot verify that everything is one hundred percent historically accurate, the movie’s events match up with my little knowledge of our sixteenth president. The orchestral score and slow-moving camera pans set the tone for this film. Spielberg immerses the viewer in the time period, no frills attached.

“Lincoln” doesn’t try to soften up the Civil War; it shows a true representation of the character of Abraham Lincoln, both the struggles and the humor. A lot is expected from a Spielberg film, and “Lincoln” lives up to those expectations. The combination of fantastic actors, director, and
screenplay makes “Lincoln” a must-see for history buffs and Spielberg fans alike. 4 out of 5 stars.