" I've been waiting for this my whole life! I'm gonna be a scarer!"

The classic Disney Pixar movie, Monster's Inc., was released in 2001 and it brought so much joy to adults and children alike. I mean honestly how could a movie involving Disney,  Billy Crystal, and John Goodman not be an instant success. So its safe to say that the prequel, Monsters University, is also an instant success and classic. Monsters University is hilarious, heartfelt, and overall one of the best prequels I've ever seen.

Monsters University released June 24th is a fun movie for the whole family. One of the reasons this movie is such a success is because it is still an original idea, even though it is a prequel. Many things about this movie were very unexpected. For example, like the trailer shows, Mike and Sully do not start off as friends. But they way they meet, the way they become friends, and most of the plot is very surprising. Which is why it is so awesome.

This movie is filled with tons of humor as well. It still contains the same fun, slightly sarcastic, humor that Monster's Inc. had.You will laugh the whole time, guaranteed. But this movie is very heartfelt. It's about a kid with a dream; which is classic Disney! I think the plot of this movie is so good because its about a kid who does his best and works hard for his dream. It's also really fun to see a movie about college. I guess there are movies about college but Disney did a great job of showing what college would be like for monsters. If monsters were real and went to college this would be the way I would imagine Monster College. The movie really has the feel of what college feels like freshman year, minus the scaring little children.

This movie is about not letting other people stop you from doing what you want, no matter what. It is very heartfelt movie about friendships and working hard. It was a terrific  film that everyone will enjoy. I think this is a great prequel as well. Everything fits with Monsters Inc. but not necessarily in the way you would expect. So obviously this movie is an A+!! I love Disney guys so go to the theaters and bring your family and friends with you. And if you have never seen Monsters Inc. go buy it and watch it after you see Monsters University! Enjoy the laughs everyone, Happy Scaring!

- 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

"I have no idea what I'm suppose to do. I only know what I can do."

Star Trek: Into Darkness was released in early May was one of the best movies released this summer. I saw the first Star Trek and was sort of  impressed, but the sequel was amazing!! I felt every emotion in one 2 hour period. I left in awe and pleasantly surprised. If you haven't seen this movie in theaters yet you need to get a move on before it leaves theaters. You don't want to wait for this movie to come out on DVD because it will feel like an eternity.

To start off, the cast of this movie is simply fantastic. Zoe Saldana is simply breath taking and kicks some butt which is always great. And Zachary Quinto was simply fantastic in this film. The first movie he was pretty good, but this one he crossed a new level. He is so funny in this movie, which took me by surprise. He is sarcastic and witty and really helps make the movie better. Everyone in the cast is great and you get attached to every single character. But let's not forget Captain Kirk, played by the sexy and talented Chris Pine. Chris is exceptional in this movie. He is a good actor and I'm enjoying watching him grow as an actor. You root for him the entire time, even when he is being stupid and prideful, you cant help but love him. But even though Kirk can act stupid sometimes he redeems himself in the film. He is an amazing leader and loves his crew like family. It's nice to see a movie with a leader who puts his team before himself and his desires.

Now let's not look over Benedict Cumberbatch playing Khan! He was a great and that's all I can tell you. You will love to hate him, that's pretty much all I can say about him. On a random side note, I heard Cumberbatch is going to play Smaug in the new upcoming Hobbit movie, and I am sooooo excited about that. Even though we wont see Cumberbatch's face, he is still a major part of Smaug character and I just know he will make the character come to life. Speaking of the characters, Cumberbatch and Pine do a great job of using their facial expressions to convey their emotions. Both have such powerful facial expressions that one stare in the camera can make the audience feel so many emotions. When you see this movie, pay attention to what these actors do what their stories and their script.

This movie takes many unexpected turns. They threw me for a loop 20 times. I was curled up in a ball for most of the film, wondering how everything was going to turn out. This movie is fun, upbeat, intense, heartfelt, and just an overall good movie. The writing is very good. The plot is solid and keeps you guessing. And J.J. Abrams is a great director. He is smart and a beautiful director. He makes space look so vast but at the same time he makes us relate to the characters and their environments. ( I cant wait for J.J. to do Star Wars, I'm sure he will make them fantastic)

Do Not Miss one of the best films released this summer. Get to a theater and prepare to be amazed. Every one of my friends I've talked to all love this movie. I cant wait til it comes out on DVD cause I really want to buy it. So if you have a boring day or a rainy day, hit your local theater and see a movie you know will be good, and honestly how often does that happen. Enjoy!!

- Megan O'Neal

"Danger is very real. But fear is a choice"

After Earth was released this May and it actually wasn't a bad film. It was pretty easy to figure out, and the acting performance by Jaden Smith wasn't overly impressive, but the movie wasn't that bad. Overall I would give it a solid C.

Now I love Will Smith. He is an exceptional actor and he is just a good guy. He was pretty good in this movie. I think it is hard for Will to completely fail at any role. He played a non-expressive and distant father. Based on what I know about Will, he is not like that at all and he played the part very convincing so I think he played the role well. His son, however, still has a lot of work to do. I believe he could be a decent actor but he is in that awkward middle school stage, or his voice sounds like it. Basically whenever he gets mad he screams; then comes his squeaky voice . His weird puberty voice causes the audience to laugh taking us out of the moment. I'm still holding out hope for Jaden, I think he has a bright future, I just hope his acting skills catch up to the huge expectations that lie in front of him.

The movie was unpredictable at times. I caught myself short of breath wondering what was going to happen next. Yet, the overall plot and the ending itself is very predicable. Somehow this movie is very predictable with very few moments of unpredictability. I will say that there is one monologue in this film that is very good. The monologue focused on the idea of fear and how it is a choice. I fully believe in this idea. The rest of the speech discusses how fear is not real, instead it is something we form in our heads. It's a great speech. Honestly, if you don't wanna watch the movie, at least look up the speech on Youtube or something, its really good.

This movie is a B. I would not see it in theaters unless it was dollar theater. Definitely save it for RedBox. But if you wanna see it on the big screen it won't be a complete waste. But lastly I will say again, look up the speech because it is very true. We need to stop letting fear stop us from accomplishing things and becoming the people we want to be. After Earth will be in theaters a little while longer, until it hits dollar theaters and then the DVD racks.

- 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