"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

"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

"You're here for a reason. Sometimes the connections aren't clear, but they're always there."

Epic was released in May and based on my previous post, I was looking forward to this movie. And it did not disappoint. The movie overall was pretty, action-filled, funny, and relatively inspiring. However, I would not say it was the best cartoon movie ever made but it was a pretty good movie not question about it. Overall this film would get a A - in my opinion, or at 92%.

Epic is definitely great for kids. It is a light heart and fun film. It's basic plot comes from two ideas. One is to believe in more than what you see, and that family is very important. Two good themes that children need to hear. So parents if your looking for a fun family night film, I recommend this one.

The reason this movie did not make a A+ is because it is predictable and kinda slow at points. Its still a good film but it is not a great cartoon film. The voices given to the film are good. I think the casting was well done, except I feel Pit Bull was a little random; but he wasn't bad. Also the slugs in this film are HILARIOUS!! They really make the film so much fun and provide a lot of laughs throughout. The love story in this film (yes of course there is a love story; its not a spoiler) is cute and fun. Some points in this film are a little surprising and other parts are rather intense. Not too intense for children but intense enough to keep me a little nervous. As for kids they will be on the edge of there seats that's for sure.

Overall, its a fun movie. I recommend seeing it but I don't know if I would pay $11.50 for it. But if it was a $6 movie or the dollar theater its definitely worth a trip to the movies. You will enjoy it and it does have its inspiring and touching moments. It stresses the importance of family and believing in your family and also yourself. And trust me after you watch this film you will see the forest in a completely different way. You will feel bad for stepping on a leaf for like a week; enjoy Epic! It's still in theaters today!

- Megan O'Neal

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

"Gatsby? What Gatsby?"
The Great Gatsby directed by the ever popular (or not so popular) Baz Luhrmann was released May 10th 2013. And it was pretty good; at least to me. However, I admit I am a little bias because I love Luhrmann. Many people don't understand that but, I do. I mean come on he directed Moulin Rouge and Australia (which are two of my favorite movies), so I can overlook the not so great Romeo + Juliet film that was released in 1996. Yet, even with that film he dared to be different, and sure it may have been a bit of a miss, but at least the man dared to add his own personal flare and originality to his work; can we really condemn him for that? Anyway back to Mr. Jay Gatsby....

This film is based on the very popular book " The Great Gatsby" written by  F. Scott Fitzgerald. I was assigned to read this book, along with many other children in high school. However, honestly I did not finish reading this book, but not because it wasn't a good, it was just not good timing... Anyway from what I remember from the book and what my friends told me who actually read the whole book, the movie does stay pretty true to the plot of the novel, which is always a plus. So for those who have read the book and are a little scared that the movie will stray to far from the book, rest assured the plot remains true and if you don't enjoy the film, that might not be the main reason.

Before we discuss the casting of this film, let's talk about the soundtrack. Now I know everyone either loves the soundtrack or hates it. Personally, I am indifferent about it. I think that this movie would have been great if it stuck to the originally type of music used in the 1920s. AKA: mostly jazz type music. However, I would only be okay with this if the movie was directed by any other man. But it was directed by Baz Luhrmann and I expect him to mix modernism with the past. It's his style and I believe he is good at it. If there is anyone who can get away with sticking modern-like music into a period piece, its Baz Luhrmann. Also please notice I said "modern-like" music! I think many people overreacted about the soundtrack saying "Ahhhh!!! It's not like the 1920s at all!" Truthfully, most of the music in this movie is rooted in the original jazz sound. It has the base of jazz and is modernized. I do agree that it is not the same music as the time period, but it is not so far off into left field that it doesn't make sense. When you go to see this film don't let the music make it or break it for you. Just let it flow in and out and accept it for the duration of the film, then when the film is over, decide if you hate the music. Later you might realize you didn't hate the music that much after all.

Alright... time to talk about casting!!!! I believe the casting of this film was pretty good.
     I think that the casting of Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway was a bit random to me. Maguire is not one of my favorite actors; he is just very awkward to me, especially when the camera focuses on his face for long periods of time. Yet, in this movie Maguire is not half bad. Granted, half the time he is drunk, crazy or  just confused so he didn't have to do any kind of acting that would require him to really strain himself. He isn't bad, but once again he is not one of my favorites; he does well though, for the most part.
     If I could describe Carey Mulligan's performance in one word it would be haunting. She was radiant and beautiful. She was perfect for the role of Daisy; she just fits so well into the 1920's era that she was the natural choice for this role. Her smooth voice and little smirk makes the whole audience fall in love with her. Mulligan's performance is good and she works well with DiCaprio making the relationship between them convincing and believable.  And that's all I can really say about her before giving away too much about the plot.
    Leonardo DiCaprio... what else can I say. The man can act! He is good at his job and nobody can deny that. He made Gatsby come to life on the screen. I could just feel his energy coming through the screen, helping me follow the story. In the movie, you must wait for a good 25 mins before Gatsby even comes on screen. We all know Leo is playing Gatsby so for those first 25 mins my mind was building with tension just waiting for Gatsby to come on screen. And when he finally reveals himself, your heart jumps because on the screen you don't see DiCaprio, you see Jay Gatsby. DiCaprio was perfect for the role because he can go from happy and calm to a crazy mad man in seconds. He also is good at working his mysterious eyes which is what you need to play Gatsby. I'm not saying that this was his best movie role, however, I am saying if he wasn't Jay Gatsby this movie would not have been as good or as successful. They picked Leo to play Gatsby but he really did bring the character to life.

Overall I would give this movie a A - . It was very good and worth a see in the theaters. It was beautifully shot because Luhrmann is really good at making movies look pretty! The plot is good and has a mystery factor to it which will keep you guessing and intrigued until the very end. There are some cons of course, I do think it was a little slow at some moments. For example, the party scenes are drawn out a little longer than they should be, in my opinion. Things like that slow the movie down and make you wanna just movie on to the next scene. There are some funny parts in this film so you will get a chuckle now and then, but don't expect a lot of cheery moments. One more thing about the movie is they do include a lot of text from the book, which makes the movie easily quotable. For example, the title of this post is a quote from the movie and the book. It sums up the movie well. Gatsby is a man who is constantly trying to relive his past, while he is wishing he could change things about his past. And like every good movie quote, it  reveals things about people in general. Our lives move on and we continue to move forward, yet there are some of us who continually look back, hurting their future's forever. Go see Jay Gatsby in theaters and prepare yourself for some wild parties and a crazy ride.

 - Megan O'Neal
 

"There's one thing you can never take away from me: I am Iron Man."

Iron Man was finally released into theaters on May 3 and I have seen it twice already. Its safe to say this movie lived up to my expectations. Where do I begin on breaking down the awesomeness of this movie?

Okay, lets start with the fact that the action in this movie is AMAZING!! I don't wanna give away too much to those people who haven't seen the film yet (speaking of, get your butt to a theater ASAP!), but the action scenes in this movie are intense. As seen in the trailer they blow up Tony Stark's house and I was at the edge of my seat. Things are blowing up,  people are flying backwards in slow motion, and the music cuts in, adding even more intensity to the sequence.  Tony is flying in and out of suits and even kicks butt when he is sometimes left with out the suit for a moment.

           - Spoiler Alert: Keep scrolling if you haven't seen the movie: However, Tony is not the only one who gets to take part in the action. Pepper Pots kills the action scene at the end of the film. Gwyneth Paltrow   looks great and the intensity in her face is perfect. And true to Pepper's character, after she kills the bad guy she looks around and says "Gee that was violent". It was awesome seeing Pepper fight in this movie cause honestly who doesn't love a strong female character kicking butt and saving her man every once and a while.

Moving away from action, poor Tony Stark just makes me sad with those puppy eyes. The film shows how he is having a hard time after New York and how his paranoia is overtaking his life. This effects his relationship with Pepper in some big ways. However, Pepper and Tony still are one of my favorite super hero couples. In this movie, they really show how much Tony needs and loves Pepper and its adorable. I'm a sucker for the lovey dovey stuff and I am not ashamed of it. So any women who is not a fan of action movies (for whatever strange reason) you will love the way Tony treats and talks about Pepper, its so cute.

I don't want to speak too much about the villain of this film because I don't want to give away too much of the plot. So for those who have not seen the film yet, LOOK AWAY...

         - Spoiler Alert: Okay, I know there are a lot of people who do not like the way The Mandarin was portrayed in this film, but I actually was okay with the fact that they made him a fake. I thought it was a funny touch that most of the audience appreciated.  This is the most intense of the 3 Iron Man films so I think, Trevor  is a nice touch to the film. As for Aldrich Killian... man.... he gives me the creeps. Guy Pearce is just the perfect villain. I mean come on Count of Monte Cristo, Prometheus, and countless other films, Pearce just makes a good bad guy. We love to hate him and that's the truth. He is a good actor though and I was impressed (once again) with his villainy in this film. 

Lastly, I don't want to talk about it too much, but a kid helps Tony in this film and he is amazing. The kid's name is Harley, played by Ty Simpkins, and he is just hilarious and cute. He is kinda witty and sarcastic just like Tony. He is basically a mini Tony Stark and he is so cute. Him and RDJ act well with each other; they flow and their interactions seem natural. So when you do go see the film, pay attention to Harley cause he is pretty great.

Overall, I really liked this Iron Man. It was funny and filled with action. The writers developed Tony Stark's character even more but even though he has been through a lot, he was still the same witty, cocky, billionaire that we love. And as usual, RDJ, is perfect in this film. He does Iron Man justice once again. And I believe we will see him again in The Avengers 2. So if you love action, Marvel, Superheroes, and good movies in general, Go see Iron Man 3.

-Megan O'Neal