"Tonight we are cancelling the apocalypse!"

Pacific Rim, released July 2013, is a whole new spin on the alien apocalypse. The story follows the idea that an alien species called the Kaiju, are trying to take over our world. The movie does have some good action scenes and some intense moments. However, the writing, in my opinion is not the best. This movie is predictable in many cases and the acting was decent at best. Overall I would give this film a C. The action was good and I would probably see it again but I wouldn't actually buy it.

The special effects in this film were the best part of this movie. The Kaiju look real and are designed in a cool way. They are neon sea creatures that are actually pretty frightening. This film does present a new way to look at aliens and that is refreshing considering all the apocalyptic films that have been coming out lately. The robots in this film are cool as well. The robots, which are called Jaegers, are the soul of this film. They way they operate is that two pilots are connected in one robot and together, with their minds linked, they control the Jaegers. With the mix of the Jaegers and giant sea aliens, some pretty awesome fight scenes are created.

To me this movie was just okay because I was not very impressed with the writing. It was easy for me to figure out exactly what was going to happen. I prefer when movies have some twist and turns that catch me off guard. Or the film at least has really good writing that help the actors shine, so that even if I can figure out whats going to happen next, I am still impressed with the performance. The acting was okay, nobody was a bad actor but the script didn't really give many opportunities for them to shine. I must say though, I do like Charlie Hunnam. I do see some potential in his acting skills. I have never watched Sons of Anarchy but I hear he is pretty good, plus, he isn't bad to look at either. Also there is some romance in this movie, so guys if you thought you could escape that, well you're wrong. Honestly, I kinda wish there was no love interest in this film because I don't think the movie really needed it. I think that the character Marko, played by Rinko Kikuchi, should still be in the movie, but she didn't necessarily need to be a love interest.

This movie did have some funny moments, however. I found myself laughing more then I expected. Granted, sometimes I was laughing because some of it was so cheesy, and I love cheesy things. Most of the funny moments were due to Charlie Day, one of the stars from It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. He is just a really funny guy so most of the time when he was on screen, he was cracking me up, even if he wasn't trying to. I actually really enjoyed the funny moments because I wasn't expecting them.

Overall, this movie is a total "Dude Flick". And I love action and "guy" movies as much as the next person, but this one was not one of my favorites. But that being said, I know that many guys will enjoy this movie. I mean robots fighting aliens; those are two of guys favorite things. Honestly, if it were me I would wait for this movie to hit the dollar theater or rent it. But if you want to have an action movie night, this movie isn't a total waste. Enjoy the movies, until next time...

 - Megan O'Neal

"Most people don't believe something can happen until it already has. That's not stupidity or weakness, that's just human nature."

Zombies!! Zombies!!! Zombies!!! Honestly, what's better than zombies? World War Z, released June 21, 2013 starring Brad Pitt is a film all about, well the Zombie Apocalypse of course! It's safe to say that the idea of this movie is appealing in its own right. The movie is based on the critically acclaimed book written by Max Brooks, in which an Ex-Untied Nations worker has to help save his family and the planet during a "zombie" outbreak. This film is intense, fast moving, and takes several different turns. Overall I would give it an A for amazing!! No plus or minus, just a solid A.

Brad Pitt played Gerry Lane in the film and was excellent, as usual. But instead of playing the sexy stud that fights the bad guy and saves the girl, he plays a stay-home-dad (who just happens to be ex-military for the United Nations) that would do anything to protect his family. This isn't necessarily a new role for Brad but it is a little different and refreshing! Karin Lane played by Mireille Enos is the mother and wife in this film and she was great. Why? Because she played a wife and mother the way a real wife/mother would act in a high pressure/danger situation. AKA: She protected her kids!!! I'm so sick of movies where women, especially mothers, are so terrified by fear they can’t even protect their own children. That's just dumb and disrespectful to good moms everywhere. If your child is in danger, you protect them at all cost. In the film Gerry did everything to protect his family, but Karin did everything to save her children, even if that meant running ahead with the kids, leaving Gerry to fight off the zombies alone. That doesn’t mean she didn’t love Gerry, she just trusted him to get his job done so she could get her job done.

Family is the core dynamic of this film and that's what makes this film good, in my opinion. This movie contains a good strong family. The kids listened to their parents. Even when they were scared and didn't know what to do, they ran when their parents told them to run. And they all loved each other. It was so nice to see an on screen family that was happy and tried to stay positive, despite the circumstances (I mean it’s the end of the world and these people try to keep their heads up. They deserve some props). It actually helped me connect to the characters more because, though all characters have their flaws, none of them were particularly selfish and their motives were pure. They did things to protect the people they love and that is great to see.

Now let’s get to the good part... ZOMBIES!!! The zombies in this film are crazy cool. The whole idea of the film is not the classic "zombies are the undead, gross, and need human brains to survive.” Instead, it goes more of the direction that the zombies came from some sort of unknown virus. Obviously, this movie isn't the first thing to put that twist on a zombie movie, but it still works. The zombies themselves look awesome. They are haunting and creepy but they are not gross looking, necessarily. The way the zombies move is what makes them sooooo crazy looking. It's one of those things you will just have to see for yourself. And as always, the zombies do provide some funny moments. For example, when they randomly bang their head into a wall, you cant help but laugh.

This movie is a high tension film. You will be at the edge of your seat for sure. I got so worked up when I first saw it that I gasp so loud, I scared a lady one row down from me (mission accomplished). Everyone in the theater will be on edge until the credits start to roll. Speaking of credits, the end is not what you would expect out of a movie like this, but it is a great ending to the story. I like the way it ended because it leaves you feeling like all your questions are answered, but at the same time you are still pondering certain things. It’s a good film that shows how a good family core relates to human nature, and how human nature reacts to Mother Nature: a true serial killer. Have a good night at the movies folks!

- Megan O'Neal

"My Father believed that if people knew who I really was, they would reject me. What do you think?"

Superman! One of the coolest and most iconic superheroes to every hit comic book stands. I mean even if you hate comic books you cant hate Superman. He is just a genuine good guy, and lets not forget he is incredibly suave and sexy (even as the nerdy Clark Kent). But in recent cinematic history, they have stained the name of Superman. After the epic failure of the last Superman movie, Superman Returns, released in 2006, I lost all hope in any Superman movie that could meet my expectations. But in June 2013 my expectations were met! Man of Steel release June 14, 2013, directed by Zack Snyder, was a movie I had been looking forward to since 2012, and it didn't disappoint. However, it is not what I expected. But hey, it was co-written by Christopher Nolan, so nothing ever goes how you expect when Nolan is involved.

So what did I mean by saying this movie isn't what you expect? Well its not like oh here is Clark as a kid, now a teenager, now a grown up. It's actually not a chronological period piece, which is part of the reason I liked it. Granted they do show Clark as a child and a teen but they do it in a cool and innovated way that I really enjoyed (when you see it you will know what I mean). Another thing about this movie that was unexpected was the fact that they focus a lot on Jor-El (played by Russel Crowe) and why/how he sent his son to earth. I just thought Clark would be on Earth and we would just accept the fact that his parent sent him away.

Russel Crowe, well he's Russel Crowe. He did a decent job as always. He performance wasn't Oscar worthy by any means, but it was a solid performance that helped move the movie along.  The villain of this film was General Zod, played by  Michael Shannon, who did a good job. I was just really happy this movie didn't have Lex Luthor as the villain. It was refreshing to have a new spin on an old story. Michael Shannon made a good bad guy, partly because he has these crazy eyes and veins popping out of his head, that he kinda gave me the creeps. But I'm pretty sure that was the reaction he wanted his audience to have.

Now, Amy Adams, I love her so much, and she was an adorable Lois Lane. She is a spark-plug to be sure, so she brought sass to the character of Lois, which is perfect. I always loved Lois in the comics because she was a strong female. She didn't necessarily want to be saved; she just got herself into trouble, so she had to be saved. Adams makes a good Lois, and I was glad she was the one who brought that character to life. Also her and Henry Cavill have amazing chemistry!! They look at each other and BAM!! Instant love connection .... it's fantastic! 

Speaking of Henry Cavill... Now I know I'm a girl and I'm bias but he is soooooo HOT!! And honestly Superman is suppose to be hot! He was so ripped in this movie it was crazy. Even some of my guy friends had to comment on how good looking Cavill was. But the movie did a classy job of showing how hot he was all the time. He only really has his shirt off for one scene, because the movie isn't about that, though it is a plus. Now I think Cavill is the perfect Superman. He has that classic look about him that makes him the right actor for the role. And he is has that whole "farm boy" thing going for him. And I realize that he doesn't have a lot of lines in the film, but hes Superman. Superman has always been a man of few words, unless he is telling you what to do (in the nicest way possible, of course). The thing about Superman is he is a leader and a protector. He has to be presence; I think Henry Cavill captured the essence of Superman (and its not all about his looks, though those helped, he is a good actor)

Another reason this movie is worth a look is because the special effects were very good. The flying sequences in this film are real looking and believable. They are pretty sweet honestly. I was impressed because some flying scenes can look really lame. But these looked cool. Somehow, it seems, they composite the faces of the actors during some of the flying scenes, so you can see their faces while they are flying and fighting in the air. That makes it look real because you are seeing a face, not just blurry characters flying around on screen.

Overall, this movie would be an A-. It's not an A + because it still left you wanting a little more. But it is a great start and it does Superman justice. He is a solid character. He has morals and stands for something. They kept him humble and they made sure he stayed true to who Superman is. They didn't corrupt him like some movies try to do with heroes. He was a true hero and that's the main thing I want out of my superhero movies. A good character that people look up to. So this movie is definitely worth checking out ASAP. You wont want to miss it! Hoping you have a happy day spent at the movies,

- Megan O'Neal

"One Night a year, All crime is legal"

The Purge, release in early July, tells the story of what America would look like when crime is only allowed one night a year. It's an interesting concept that is pretty morbid and doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Let's just say that this movie proves that there should be no stupid law that says all crime is allowed one night a year. I would rate this movie with a solid 78%, aka: a C. It wasn't a bad film but it wasn't great by any means. I think I had fun with it because I had a great experience with my fellow audience members at the theater; which is why I say going to the movies is an experience.

I honestly did not want to see this film, but my best friend dragged me to see it, plus I guess its good to spread my wings and see a variety of movies. I usually don't like horror or scary movies, but technically this can be classified as a jumpy thriller. Personally, if there was a kinda creepy yet funny genre, I would place this movie in that category. I do have to give this movie props for being original and coming up with a different concept for a movie. Though the theme of allowing murder, robbery, and rape to be legal for one night freaks me out, its nice to see something new and fresh. The concept itself is interesting and is part of what makes the film endearing. I believe the film was trying to show how evil and corrupt people can be when you release them from the "normal" contrast of society. That was the best part of this movie, seeing how people might react to a situation like this.

Ethan Hawke stars in this movie as a dad doing the best he can. As usual he has a beautiful wife and two children. One is a disgruntled teenage girl filled with angst, and the other is a strange but sweet middle school boy. His wife is played by Lena Headey, whom I know from 300 and Game of Thrones. Though she really annoys me in Game of Thrones she is still a pretty strong women. So in this movie I accepted her to kick some butt, however, that is not the case. In fact she is kinda a wuss until the last 5 mins, when it doens't even really matter. What bothers me most about the mom in this film is that she is so taken by fear she doesnt even really protect her children. And I'm sorry I don't care how scared you are, a mother protects her children with her last breath no matter what. Hawke's character at least tries to protect his family, which makes him one of the best characters in the film (and if you see this movie thats not saying much). Now I do believe that Rhys Wakefield gives a great performance in this movie. Just look at a picture of him and you would think 'he's kinda adorable'. See this film and you will be freaked out by him for months. His smile alone gave me the chills when he first came on the screen. I don't wanna give away too much, but everyone knows that a happy, smiling, psycho is way creepier than an angry, mad psycho.

This movie is very original and does have some jumpy moments. I found myself shocked one or two times. However, overall it is just a decent film. I feel like more could have been done with such an new idea. I vote that if you do want too see this film it is definitely a dollar theater or a Redbox kinda movie. But, if you do decide to rent it or go see it at a cheap theater, take some friends with you, because I think this movie is better when you experience it with other people. I mean it's always nice to have someone to be scared with or laugh with. :)

- Megan O'Neal