Best of 2013, According to Me!

 Greetings my fellow movie goers! I'm the girl behind the blog, you know me as TheCinemaChick and we all know I am obsessed with films. 2013 wasn't a great year in movies, since I tended to feel either apathetic towards or just meh. Very few films blew me away or made me excited so this list was a bit harder to make. Plus, I just didn't see that many films. My grand total, I think was forty five. And yes, I do keep a list of what movies I see and how many times I saw them. Instead of my usual “this was my top fave” thing, this list is just going to be in no particular order. It's just a bunch of movies I loved that I recommend to others.


With that said, lets jump right into it, shall we?

Honorable mentions:  Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs 2, The Fifth Estate (I have a love/hate relationship with it), Oz: The Great and Powerful


If you haven't seen any of these movies, I apologize. There be spoilers ahead.

• 1. The Wolverine.
  
• Overall, I did not care for it. The movie was long and it felt long. The things I absolutely loved about it were the sense of continuation. It doesn't skip the previous films and makes allusions to its predecessors. While it could be a standalone film, it's not because of the long history Logan has. Another amazing detail that made me happy was knowing they pretty much stuck to the comic book plot. There were elements that seemed to come straight from the pages but some of it was brand new. The newer content actually did not detract from the overall feel but for me, the lack of action and the length were a big drawback.
  
  
• Despicable Me 2
  
• Who doesn't like those minions? It also showed that different families (in this case, single parent with adopted children) can be happy and thrive. It also has great comedy that parents and children both can enjoy. Again, its the minions. The scene where they were all partying and having ice cream was adorable, then the one minion with the lights and kept saying “bee-do! Bee-do!” was memorable. My nieces and nephews love it which makes it even better in my eyes because lately, it seems like there is nothing family friendly in the theaters. And they movies that are come few and far between. Plus, Fry took me to see this on my mother's birthday, a day that I just couldn't be alone. I know Mom would have loved it too and I still miss her so much.
  
  
• Mud
  
• Honestly, I wish this one had been more successful. While it wasn't the most exciting thing out there nor did it have some epic story, it was realistic. It showed a young boy learning the hardships of life while trying to do the right thing. He sees how love is both wonderful and painful at the same time. He meets Mud, played beautifully by Matthew McConaughey, the man who teaches him valuable lessons that his parents forget to tell him. It's about friendship, trust, first loves, lost loves and letting go of things even though you don't want to.
  
  
• Frozen
  
• This one was cute with tons of songs that will get stuck in your head. The characters were great, even if they didn't really experience any change whatsoever. It was a delightful tale about one sister willing to do everything for her sister when things go wrong. For once, our heroine, in this case, Anna, didn't need a man to save her. She saved the day by choosing family of the man. To me, this is a positive message for younger girls, one I have seen since Brave. I would like to see more strong female leads like Anna and Merida in animated films.
  

• Star Trek Into Darkness
  
• I'll admit, I had a little trouble accepting this one at first. The whole parallel universe thing got to me. Seeing Benedict Cumberbatch as Khan didn't sit well. I ended up seeing it a second time when I realized, “This is pretty good.” Then I saw it a third time, because it came out close to my dad's birthday. You know, since we no longer have MovieMomma with us, let's call my dad DigitalDad. That sounds good. Anyway, Star Trek is his fandom, so after he explained some things to me, I understood the movie even more. My favorite parts had to be the action sequence between Khan and Spock, the “final” interaction between Kirk and Spock and basically anything involving Dr. McCoy. Seriously, Bones has some sass.
  

• Doctor Who: Day of the Doctor
  
• I know, I know, technically this wasn't a movie but a special presentation on the BBC, but I saw it in a movie theater, therefore it counts as a movie. Everyone knows I am a Whovian so to me, this was perfection. It tied together some loose ends, it explained some of the older jokes and come on! Matt Smith, David Tennant and John Hurt had amazing chemistry. They just worked so well on screen, bickering like brothers. Though technically, they're the same man...never apply logic to Who. Anyone who saw this knows how epic the end of it was. The scene were they flashed little snippets of previous Doctors, from Hartnell to present was beautiful. And I loved it when the counselor said “No sir, all thirteen” and we got that brief shot of the next Doctor, Peter Capaldi's eyes. That final shot with all the incarnations standing together? Yeah, safe to say I was in tears because it was so damn perfect.
  

• This Is The End
  
• I can't remember the last time I laughed this hard during a movie. It's a funny post Apocalyptic comedy which hasn't been done very often. Yes, a lot of the humor is extremely crass and a lot of people will be offended by it. There are a lot of references to drugs, alcohol, sex, masturbation and demons. Then there's the devil...if you've seen it, you know what that was a bit shocking. But some of the best moments were the ones you'd never expect to see. The final scene was great, having some of the comedians who'd been raptured dancing to the Backstreet Boys...with the actual Backstreet Boys. Also, if you've seen it, you know what saying “Channing Tatum” is worth cracking up over.
  

• Thor: The Dark World
  
• First off, no I don't like this purely because of Loki. I do not see movies just because “Like, OMG, he's totally hot!” For me, I needed questions answered. I still would like to know how the bridge was repaired but I digress. While the movie does feel too long, there is a lot of humor mixed with the overall urgent feel. Tom Hiddleston once again dazzles (yes, I said dazzles, get over it) as the god of mischief. Loki brings the humor but he also has moments where he's utterly pathetic. I don't mean that in a negative way. Look at him when he takes down his illusions for Thor after learning the Frigga is dead. He's devastated! He even saves Jane for Thor. While everyone else seems to remain a static character, Loki, along with Eric Selvig and Darcy, seem to be the only dynamic ones. Once again, I still can't stand Jane Foster, but Loki makes up for that.
  

• The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
  
• I hated the run time of nearly three hours. I loved one thing about this film that I applauded from the last one: the faithfulness to the book. It's still one of the best adaptations I have ever seen. Jennifer Lawrence captures every emotion wonderfully, even if Katniss does seem wooden most of the time. Then there's Jena Malone as Johanna Mason, who steals every scene she's in. Seriously, if she had been more prominent in the film, she would have stoeln that too. Sam Claflin is perfect as Finnick Odair, the cocky, swaggering Tribute from Distrct Four. My heart broke when Mags, the female Tribute from the same District, chose to sacrifice herself for the others. The other characters, Wiress, Beetee, Enobaria...all captured perfectly. The arena came to life just as I had pictured it. The ending was a little weak for me. That close up on her face as she goes through the emotions...not the best. I would have loved to have seen Peeta looking scared while in the hands of the corrupt Capitol members, namely President Snow, who is absolutely villainous despite being in the background for the most part. I'm not thrilled that the final movie, Mockingjay, will be split into two parts, I still look forward to it because we will finally get to see District Thirteen. Having read the book and knowing what will happen, I can say this. If you get emotionally involved in movies like I do (I'm the girl who cried when Rue died), be sure to pack some tissues. You're going to need them.
  

• The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
  
• Come on, you all knew this one would be on there. This movie suffers from the same problem every Peter Jackson film has. Nothing happens, there's a lot of walking then everything happens at the end of a near 3 hour film. To be fair, there's far more interesting things in this one than in the first installment. We get to meet Beorn, the man who can turn into a bear, we go to Mirkwood to meet Thranduil, the king and father of Legolas. We also get to meet Tauriel, who seemed unnecessary to me. I get that Jackson wants to add in more female characters since the book has none. Maybe it has some really minor ones...I haven't read it in years. It's also in the high frame rate, which gives me a slight headache. Dol Goldur and the Necromancer are incredible and hello, there's Smaug! Benedict Cumberbatch did the motion capture for the dragon, along with the voice. If you know what his voice sounds like, you too will find this dragon to be sexy. There's something about the way he slinks around and speaks slowly, as if he's teasing Bilbo the whole time. Orlando Bloom, Lee Pace (who is younger than Orlando but still plays his father) and Evangeline Lilly are refreshing characters that bring another layer of depth to the film. I recommend this one to anybody who has a love of J.R.R. Tolkien. It's worth the time and money and the ending is an amazing cliffhanger. I know I, along with Fry, are waiting impatiently to see the conclusion of the series next year when There and Back Again hits theaters.
  

So there you go guys, ten movies you need to see or rent or catch on Netflix. If you watch it in some illegal manner, that's none of my business. I'm looking forward to being a better critic in 2014 and making sure I stay on top of things so that I don’t slack off like I did this year. I am going to school once again, so I will be busy. Perhaps I'll do a list of films I'm dying to see in the new year. Maybe I won't. I don't know yet.


I'm TheCinemaChick and Fry and I will be seeing Saving Mr. Banks tonight.



Happy New Year everyone. Be safe, be happy and be yourself.

Trailer Trash: Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones

 What is up everyone? It's almost time for Christmas so here is my early gift to you. I'm TheCinemaChick, joining forces once again with the ever bubbly Kit Kat. We're back for another installment of Trailer Trash, where we look at a trailer for an upcoming film and just go “What the hell is this?” Tonight's pick is a good one. As we all know, January isn't exactly the best month for horror movies. The last one “The Devil Inside” was such a disappointment, it's been dubbed one of the worst films of all time because the ending was like a giant middle finger to the entire audience. So, does “Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones” stand a better chance? Well, let's look at the trailer and see what's scary as hell and what makes us groan. Kit Kat, say hello since it's been too long since your last visit.


Hello all you movie lovers and haters. I’m Kit Kat and I’m back for another lovely round of Trailer Trash. While I haven’t personally seen all of the other Paranormal Activity Movies, just seeing the trailers didn’t get my hopes up for a decent movie. And here we are again with their FIFTH installment… Besides the Fast and Furious franchise…I don’t remember another series with five movies.


Other than Harry Potter, Indian Jones I think, James Bond...nope. The thing is, the whole “found footage” genre has been slowly dying for years but for some reason, this franchise will not die. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw a sixth or seventh installment from them. Here's my main issue with the films. We know it started with Katie and Kristie. With each film, we have gotten father and farther away from them. In this trailer, they are briefly mention and one of them is a stepmother. I'm guessing this means the daughter from the second film finally returns since she apparently wasn't home when her parents were killed and her brother taken. I'm not sure how I even remember that off the top of my head.


Yes, those are the others. Indiana Jones being the least successful of the most successful I do believe. But the fact that they are still trying to make a good horror movie for this franchise is a little…disturbing. Many by now would have gotten the point and stopped the insanity. From an outside point of view, the movies all seem to blur together because they all look similar.


My main issue is, how are these all connected and will there ever be an end? I just don't understand how this demon can affect so many people when the main characters are not even present anymore. Ok, yes Katie was in the fourth one briefly but that's not much. There's also too many characters overall. Most of them are totally irrelevant to the plot anyway. So now we're apparently in the south side of Los Angeles, with some Hispanic kids. I have no freaking clue what this has to do with anything I have seen before and I've seen all the films to date.


And I’ll say what I thought after first seeing this trailer: is this a horror movie or a live action Grand Theft Auto? I mean really. The music, the visuals. I couldn’t help but to think that they are trying to do way to much on the establishing of our location. Sure, it’s LA but we know it’s a horror movie franchise. That’s the point of going to see this movie. Not for feeling like we are LA. Sure we need to feel for the characters but I don’t know how well I’d feel for some guy who seems to party all the time and that he thinks a baseball bat will protect him from gangs.


What bothers me is that I know this will follow the formula of its predecessors, nothing for the first 3 acts, then all the action and horror will take place in the final act, followed by some title cards telling us this is still being investigated or something. The whole series is getting a bit stale, so honestly, they need to liven things up a bit. Do something different. Build suspense, stop relying on so many jump scares and for the love of Matthew Gray Gubler, give us an ending to the story, not a continuation! Seriously, I want to know how this thing ends. What's with the demon and what's going on with the sudden shift in location? There is no sense in continuity here. The films are all highly disjointed but at least the first three sort of worked as a trio. Everything else is just confusing and unneeded.


*stares off into the distance* ah…Matthew. *ahem* And I completely agree. If you are going to do a shift in location then you need you let the audience know why but not at the expense of the current movie. I fear the same that this movie is going to try and establish itself in the timeline and then half way through you will finally get the new movie with them prodding you to keep you realizing it’s connection to the others. Movies like that never work because they are trying way too hard and that’s what’s happening here. By now they are either desperate or hoping fifth time is a charm to make some money. I’m sure some people will go to see it for mindless entertainment but maybe this time someone will get the hint to rethink doing another one.


To be fair, we are basing everything we are saying solely on what we've seen from the trailer. I admit, the creepy factor is indeed there. There are several things that I find unsettling and downright disturbing. There are a few things where I just go “What??” or “I don't want to know...but now I need to know.” This does seem to have other horror elements worked in besides demonic possession. I did notice the religious aspect being introduced, so here's hoping they don't offend the entire Catholic church with this. Then there's a scene with the two creepy girls saying “He'll see you now”. What the actual hell?


I agree there are some creepy aspects to the trailer. The parts that get me are when he is standing looking in the mirror and pulling the string or whatever out of his eye. *shudders* Get’s my skin crawling. But the jump scare of seeing the guy down the road and the kids not being able to get out of the car. He disappears and suddenly he’s in the window and breaks through the window. Those moments get my adrenaline going like a horror movie should. If they do work those horror aspects in well with the rest of the movie then maybe it might not be as bad as we think it will. Besides, it’s all ready been proven that two creepy girls talking together are creepy.


I have a little big of hope that this one might be an improvement over the previous four. It seems to be going in a different direction and hopefully it won't be the formulaic mess it has been. There seems to be some new things introduced so its possible that it won't completely suck. We can only hope that this is true. Knowing my luck, I'll be dragged to see it. If I'm lucky, I'll get stuck next to a cute guy so when I get “scared” I can grab him. *crosses fingers* Please let it be Tom Hiddleston.


Well, I’m broke and don’t have the money to see this one. Besides, I’m saving my money to see Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug. I like me some hot dwarves and elves over possibly bad horror movies anyday.


Yeah, you say that but wait until you see Smaug. That is one sexy dragon, mainly because he has the voice of Benedict Cumberbatch. That's all I really have to say about the new Paranormal Activity film coming out in January. I hope this is the final installment honestly. I'm looking forward to 2014 and the hundreds of new films coming out, waiting for me to critique.


And with any luck, we might have another bad movie to review for Bad Movie Bonanza. Knowing movies as we have, there will always be another bad movie to rant about. Oh the fond memories. And that’s all I have to say about the movie either. No high hopes but maybe some very small ones.


Well Kit Kat, I believe it's time to sign off. Here's to the holidays, the New Year and to the movies that will be released, both good and bad. Anything to add?

Just that I hope to get back to my reviewing of books very soon. The holidays are always hectic but I hope to get at least one review done before the year is out and maybe even a video for my video roulette. Only time will tell. Anyway, I’m Kit Kat and I love me some trailer trash.

I'm TheCinemaChick, wishing everyone a happy and safe holiday.  My Best of 2013 list is coming, so stay tuned.

Top Ten Worst of '13

 Hey guys, what is up? I'm the one and only female film critic called TheCinemaChick. I know, I know, I still haven't exactly gotten back into my groove but finals are over and I have a one month break before I resume classes. So let's get to it.

It's my favorite time of year, the time when I pick my top ten worst films and my top ten best films of the year. Usually I would go with the same number as the year, like Top 13 of 13, but since I've been slacking, I haven't seen that many films. This year, I only saw 44, which is a huge decrease from my previous years. My current record was close to 80, but at the time I wasn't going to school. So, let's hope that in 2014 I get in the game and prove certain people (the ones who said I wasn't good enough to join their film fellowship) that I'm a damn good cinephile.

So, without further ado, let's discuss the movies I hated the most this year. As usual, my number ten worst film would be one I hated but I could sit through again. If it makes number one, then I'd rather be stuck eating...I don't know...ghost chilis for a day.

(I apologize for the odd formatting.  I'm technologically challenged.)

Honorable Mentions: Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters, Jack the Giant Slayer and The Fifth Estate.

10. Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters

I love this series. I've read the first four books and someday I'll get around to reading the fifth one. The first one was done rather well. The second one...not so much. There was a lot of material left out and it just didn't capture the same magic as “The Lightening Thief” did. The same main actors return, which I appreciated. Some new faces show up as well, such as Tyson the cyclops and Clarisse from the Area cabin. The dialogue was weak, the action scenes weren't that interesting and the ending fell flat. However, because I enjoy the series, I'd watch it again

9. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
   I honestly don't know what to say about this one. It had the potential to be awesome and I like the premise. To be fair, I've also only read the first half of the first book. Then the whole “Clary and Jace might be siblings” thing turned me off. I would not mind watching it again because it does have Aidan Turner as a sexy (Irish?) werewolf. Also, the whole movie is just so bad its funny. I laughed way more than I should have but it was worth it. Watch this one for laughs.

8. The Lone Ranger
Honestly, this one wasn't so bad in my opinion. However, it dragged far too long and I absolutely loathed the framing device. The story within a story thing got on my nerves. The plot would be going along just fine, then it would be abruptly interrupted to go back to the older Tonto and the small boy. I found it very distracting to the point where I got sick of it. In general, the pacing was slow, the jokes were terrible and the plot was basically paper thin. Johnny Depp really needs to reconsider the roles he chooses in the future. His recent projects have not been doing so well. Let's not discuss “Dark Shadows”.

7. Iron Man 3
Don't get me wrong. In my eyes, Marvel and Stan Lee can do no wrong. Most people hated “Iron Man 2” but I loved it. The third one...Tony Stark was whiny, annoying and to me, he just gave up in the end. Then there are the subplots that get brought in and ignored halfway through. A lot of the film was forgettable and the villain was mediocre. Also, I don't like Pepper Pots. She's useless, then all of a sudden, she has awesome fire powers and saves the day. Really Iron Man? You gave up everything for a girl? I mean, I know Thor had some major issues with Jane but that's one hell of a long distance relationship. And, as much as I don't like Pepper, I believe she can do better than Tony Stark.

6. Now You See Me

I don't like Jesse Eisenberg. The plot couldn't decide if it was about kids doing magic, exposing magic, bank robbers or a love story. Instead, it chose to do all of that, making it highly jumbled and somewhat boring. And the ending...how did they escape and not get arrested? Things just didn't add up. The ending had a twist that I did expect but it was still cool to see.

5.Man of Steel

This one wasn't all that bad. I'm not a fan of Superman to begin with and I can't stand Zack Snyder since he always does this comic book matte background thing. It felt far too long to me and the origin took up about a third of it. Can we talk about the overload of phallic symbols in there? Seriously, look when Zod and his crew are exiled. Tell those don't look like...well, you know. Then Russell Crowe NEVER goes away. He dies in the first fifteen minutes but he keeps coming back. I know he's like a hologram or something, but now he's an omnipotent hologram who knows everything about the enemy. He becomes convenient, almost to where there was no conflict because Crowe has everything already solved. I couldn't get emotionally invested in the characters and lost interest halfway through. It wasn't worth the ticket price.

4.The Purge

Honestly, the concept was good. What would you do if you had 24 hours to do whatever you wanted? It had potential. Then it was just a drawn out game of cat and mouse. Most of the characters were flat and did nothing for me, except for the Polite Man. He has no name but he I s very polite, courteous and smiles sweetly as he threatens to break into a house and kill everyone because they are hiding someone. His friends are all in suits and the women wear flowy white dresses. They all have creepy masks on. Those moments were a little terrifying. I just didn't care for the amount of violence, especially at the end. Plus, the ending was made painfully obvious at the very beginning. I'd watch it again, but only for the Polite Man.

3. The Host

Stephanie Meyer, aliens that can take over your body and a really awkward love triangle with four people. I just explained a 700+ page book and saved you about 2 hours.

2. Pacific Rim

I just didn't get it. The aliens were inside the Earth the whole time? Visually it was outstanding and it's worth seeing, I just did not know what I was watching. The background wasn't explained well enough so I was lost the whole time. Maybe if someone explained it to me I'd like it more but for now, I just don't know why Godzilla had so many clones in the Earth's core or why the giant robots from Power Rangers had to fight them. So...yeah. I don't get it.

1. Riddick

Where do I begin with this one? I think its awesome that Vin Diesel funded this film with his own money and all, but it was horrible. Nothing made sense, it had almost nothing to do with its previous films and it was almost like a glorification of Diesel himself. This movie is a Vin Diesel movie starring Vin Diesel. There is gratuitous nudity that doesn't need to be there, extremely foul language and a good portion of violence. Almost nothing happens and it's mostly another cat and mouse thing. I liked “Pitch Black” and the movies prior to this one. I j ust could not get into this one. It focused way too much on Riddick to the point where I hoped someone killed him because I was sick of seeing him. And when they killed his dog...that's when I lost all interest. Personally, if I were Karl Urban, I'd want my name take off and just be an uncredited cameo. He does absolutely nothing, barely has any dialogue, then is never seen or heard from ever again. To top it off, it has a happy ending. Stick to the “Fast and Furious” franchise.

Speaking of the “Fast and Furious” franchise...I am deeply saddened by the sudden and unexpected loss of Paul Walker. He was a very talented actor and an amazing person. There were many charities he supported and he didn't care for all the things many celebrities do. He lived a low key life. Paul Walked will never be forgotten, thanks to his memorable films, his generous spirit and for being a philanthropist.

I'm TheCinemaChick and Fry and I are going to see “The Desolation of Smaug” tomorrow...with a boy!

Loki is my King

 Hey guys, I'm the ever Marvel loving girl, TheCinemaChick! If you don't know, Thor: The Dark World has finally come to theaters and fans are flocking to it. I have seen it as well, on Thursday when it was completely empty. Seriously, there was only about thirteen of us in there. I'm guessing early showings are losing steam since the last few have been utter disappointments to me. At the same time, I don't mind because even though I'm totally against distractions during a movie, I'm the jerk who never shuts up. Seriously, I notice things that I feel should be pointed out so I'm going to point them out.


I have to admit that last night, my Marvel knowledge was put to shame but that's another story for another time.


And yes, I am a week late in writing and posting this, but my sincerest apologies! I had 2 exams and 2 quizzes last week so I had to spend all my time studying so I wouldn't fail miserably. I didn't exactly do well but I didn't do horrible.


Ah, enough about my scholastic life. You're here to discuss the latest installment of Thor! I can say this right off the bat, this movie is not about Thor. This is all about that mischievous, conniving and all around, somehow loveable Loki. While he is a fairly minor character and doesn't get much screen time, he steals the entire movie. When he is present, he commands presence. You focus on him and only him. That isn't to say Thor, Jane, Odin, Frigga and Darcy are just standing around idle, but you have to admit, Tom Hiddleston brings a great charisma to the character.


I don't want to spoil this movie because it truly is worth watching. However, I didn't care for it as a whole. There were parts of it that dragged for me and there was far too much...I don't know how to say this...there were tons of flat characters. I'm sorry but Thor, not Chris Hemsworth, has absolutely no personality. He's just some big, hulking Norse god who is moping over a girl. You are Thor! He's supposed to be a badass, not some emo! Then there's Jane, who has spent the last, roughly 2 years I want to say, looking for a way to get Thor back. Seriously? You're a physicist!


I make no secret of my dislike for Jane Foster. She's about as exciting a paper towel. I'm also not a huge fan of Natalie Portman but I think she is a decent actress. This just isn't her strong suit. In “The Dark World”, she is what we like to call a Mary Sue. She's borderline useless. She has a few times where she seems like she could be useful but then she does something stupid. Her best moments come at the end during the big battle with Malekith. Before that, I don't care about her. Darcy is far more interesting, animated and she has a wicked sense of humor. I would much rather hang out with Kat Dennings.


Let's talk about the evil guy for a moment. I freaking love Christopher Eccleston. I make no secret of that. He is wonderful as Malekith and he is delightfully sinister. He's unrecognizable in full makeup but his voice is obvious. I would have loved to see more of him but his screen time is limited so it can focus more on Thor and his relationship with Jane.


Oh, can I point out how stupid Jane is? I'm not bashing her but come on! She gets trapped in a pocket universe and sees a strange object that doesn't make sense. The normal reaction would be to find a way out and get to safety. Nope. She touches the thing and becomes infected with the Aether. Seriously. I can't help but think how dumb that is. You never touch the creepy object when lost in a strange place. You don't know where that's been or who's touched it! That's something we learn as kids. Don't touch strange objects. If she hadn't touched it, she wouldn't have awakened Malekith, pit the universe in danger and oh yes...oh wait, I can't say that one. That would be a spoiler. But trust me, it's a huge surprise. I sure didn't see that one coming.


Sorry. I just really don't like Jane. The movie is fairly straight forward. This happens, which causes a chain reaction. A lot of things are shown in the trailers or if you are internet savvy, you've seen a lot of things on Pintrest, Facebook and Tumblr. By the way, whoever posted the end of the movie on Tumblr, shame on you! How dare you ruin the movie for the rest of us? And no, I did not seek out spoilers. I enjoy that site because there are loads of pages dedicated to different fandoms, like Tom Hiddleston, Supernatural, Doctor Who and lots and lots of cat pictures. Beware those sites. Spoilers ahead. Browse at your own risk.


The film felt very long to me, too long honestly. Like I said, the scenes with Loki are the best because he brings sass. There is no other way to put it. He is sarcastic and cracking jokes the whole time until...well, I can't say. Trust me, I want to say what happens but I do not believe in spoilers. Trust me, I'm going to put myself through hell this coming weekend with the Doctor Who special. I have to wait two extra days until I see it. I know...hell.


Also, let's discuss plot holes. In the first film, Thor destroys the Rainbow Bridge, making it impossible for him to go back to Earth. In “Avengers”, Loki implies that Odin used dark magic to get him there. Well...now the bridge is fixed. How did this happen? How do you fix a mythical bridge like that? Seriously, this is something that has bothered me for a while. While we're given an amazing description of Malekith and the Aether and the Dark Elves, almost nothing else gets a decent explanation. It's like, Eric Selvig's storyline. How did that come about? Why does Darcy have an assistant? Where did he come from and what is his major? I hate movies that just bring things up then never tell us why this happens. It's like we just have to accept what happens.


Basically, I can see why people are flocking to the theater to see this. It has some great action, the story is mostly solid and the characters are memorable. While Odin isn't at his best and Frigga...WHY?? I can't tell you what happens but it's almost like Joss Whedon planned this movie. If you don't understand, Whedon likes to kill characters. Ok, I just spoiled it for you. She dies. However, she dies in a badass way. The post credit scenes are mediocre, but the second isn't worth sticking around for. I know, I know, it's a Marvel movie therefore you have to by unspoken obligation to stay.


The ending was a twist I did not see coming and usually I can predict these movies. However, ir feels like a transition film. It's like, we needed to see what Thor was doing between his first movie and the second Avengers movie. Apparently, he becomes a mopey, mildly whiny man with the hots for a mortal woman. Sounds like a typical romantic comedy, only with no comedy. That's why Loki becomes a necessity for this franchise. He is bringing in the masses. Well, Tom Hiddleston has skyrocketed to stardom because of these movies. He's not really even in the first half of the film but he dominates the screen when he's there. He brings dimension to the wooden acting around him.


There are people actually petitioning to get Loki his own film and I welcome that idea. I would like to see what happened to him between “Thor” and “The Avengers”. However, if its purely a fangirl film, where its made solely to appeal to the audience because of a name, I won't see it. If a Loki film does happen, it needs a strong plot with equally strong actors.


I would say if you are going to see “Thor: The Dark World” skip the 3D. Once again, it adds absolutely nothing to the overall effect. You aren't missing anything but seeing it in 2D. I saw it in XD 3D which honestly, was a waste of money for me. Then again, I went to a triple feature so I paid a little more than the average ticket price.


Guys, I am so sorry that I have not been as active this year. I got burned out a little for some reason and for a few months, I had no desire to review. I never meant to abandon this thing entirely but I plan to rebound. I will be a better CinemaChick and I will do my best to bring you more snarky commentary on the new releases. I also plan to resume “Bad Movie Bonanza” and “Trailer Trash” with Kit Kat in the near future. I will also take another look into my past to pick up the “Back to Basics” series. I have also wanted to look at some old school Disney films and the ones you may not have seen or even heard of. I have a lot of ideas in mind so there's a lot to look forward to in the end of the year and into 2014.


For those who have stuck with me, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
To any potential new fans, welcome to the fold.



I'm TheCinemaChick and I am actually in class at this very moment.

The Fifth Estate

 Hello everyone, I'm the critic you love to hate (possibly) or missed in the past few months. People call me TheCinemaChick and I love movies. Now, I know I have not been around for a while, but I needed some time off. I will not explain what led to me needing this break as it is personal and my own business. This is not to sound rude, it's just that it's not a great thing and I really just don't want to discuss it with anyone.


Well, I have returned with a decent film to discuss. I know people will be flocking to the theaters to see either “Gravity”, which I hear is very intense, and “Captain Philips” which is based on a true story about a man whose boat was hijacked by Somalian pirates. While I'm sure both are excellent in their own right, I chose to see a movie that not many people were drawn towards. I decided to check out “The Fifth Estate”, starring Benedict Cumberbatch.


For those who do not know, this is a “semi autobiographical” film about the founder of WikiLeaks, the website that leaked important information online. I say “semi autobiographical” because I do not know how truthful this is. The sources always remained anonymous, but Julian Assange, the man behind the screen, chose to publish some very controversial military cables that endangered many lives. The files were classified, leaked by a mentally unstable man (Bradley Manning at the time, now Chelsea Manning) who was at the time involved in the military. Several newspapers also published this information, however, they chose to redact it. For those who don't know, redact is just a fancy way to say it was revised. The newspapers chose not to release names so the people would be safe, but Assange did not change the names.


Now, I have chosen not to investigate Julian Assange or his life because I believe that would create a bias between my personal opinions and the film itself. Politics and film can mix, as there are plenty movies like that out there. However, I believe that my own personal views should not distract me from the content of a film. I have to put what I feel aside. Needless to say, I found “The Fifth Estate to be quite fascinating. This information was completely new to me. I have never used WikiLeaks personally and I did not know who Julian Assange even was until this film.


While most of the focus is on Assange, there is someone else I should mention. He has a partner, Daniel who helps him get everything going in the beginning. Daniel is a good man, who just wants to make the world a better place. He believes in Julian's cause almost blindly, so he follows. As the film goes on, he realizes that his work has not been entirely honest. People have died because of the things that were posted online, which makes him have second thoughts. The dividing moment comes when Julian refuses to redact the military documents. Daniel chooses to sabotage Julian so that they can help more people. However, the information is released anyway.


To be honest, the content and dialogue didn't exactly thrill me, which is ironic since this is being billed as a thriller. At best, I would call it a cyber drama. The main focus is on the information technology, along with privacy and how much is too much. It also shows how power, when not shared equally, can cause a kingdom to crumble. One brilliant moment in the film comes when there is a confrontation between Julian and Daniel and Julian suspends Daniel on the spot. It becomes incredibly clear to both the character and the audience that ego has become a huge problem in the relationship. Ties are severed and Assange goes on.


Overall, I was not entirely impressed with “The Fifth Estate”. The dialogue did not fare well and there were times when it was nothing but long monologues from Julian about his past or his brilliance; granted, they did provide an insight to his mindset. As the film progresses, Daniel practically becomes a background character until the climax. Julian begins dominating the plot and screen. The longer this goes on, the more crazed, almost obsessed he becomes with uncovering the truth. At the end, there is a printed epilogue that explains what happened to Assange: from his sexual misconduct charges to his political asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. There are also several scenes of Cumberbatch reenacting actual interviews from Assange. I had not known about these interviews and thought they were part of the script. The final ten minutes of “The Fifth Estate” were cinematic perfection with the mixing of text and dialogue.


Another misstep is the overuse of montages and cut aways. Many of the montages were very rapid and did not give me a chance to understand what I was supposed to be seeing. For instance, the opening credits double as a history in communication. It starts with hieroglyphs, working its way to the printed word to typewriters to modern email. However, it all goes so fast that there are several things missed. If you were not paying close attention, like me, it was easy to miss something. Another issue came when Julian and Daniel would be working together and there were bits of programming code or an online chat floating on screen, blocking the actor's face. It didn't seem necessary at all. We, the audience, already know what's going on, so why does it need to be projected like that? Also, there would be scenes where Daniel and Julian would be in a nonexistent office and I did not understand the relevance of this until later in the film. It is a metaphor for Wikileaks itself.


While the visuals and overall feel did not impress me, I will say this: the two main actors, Daniel Buhr and Benedict Cumberbatch were flawless. Their acting was highly impressive to say the least. As I said, I chose not to research Julian Assange, but I did watch a brief clip of an interview he did, just to hear his voice and see what he looks like. Cumberbatch copied the accent and slight lips and it truly sounded identical to Assange. The two men even look similar. Daniel Buhr is an emotional driving force. He shows wonderful emotions, ranging the gambit from pure joy to utter frustration. There was no need to say how he felt as every change in emotion was apparent on his face. Sadly, none of the other characters were as memorable, even though there were some great names involved in the movie. David Thewlis (The Harry Potter series) and Peter Capaldi (Torchwood) worked with the British newspaper but are not very noticeable. Thewlis gets a decent amount of screen time but Capaldi barely gets any.


This film has not been considered a success so far. It's barely made $2,000,000 in its opening weekend. It has received a wide variety of critiques, ranging from negative to praise. It seems most people are mixed on this. Some say its melodramatic while others consider it a nihilistic thriller. And if you don't know what nihilistic means, it's basically a rejection of law and institutions. While I still do not consider it a thriller, I will agree with calling it nihilistic. It is not like many of the films I have seen this year. It is not in chronological order. The film starts at the end, the immediately jumps two years back and starts from there until it reaches the beginning scene once more.


While I don't see “The Fifth Estate” as the next Best Picture Oscar winner, I do foresee both Buhr and Cumberbatch getting much more praise and recognition for their portrayals of Daniel Berg and Julian Assange. They are undeniably the driving force of the film and create a wonderful atmosphere that goes from friendly, almost brotherly, to tense and heartless. Both men have earned a greater appreciation from me and I look forward to seeing more from both actors in the future.


I would not discourage anyone from seeing this film. It's a great adaptation of two books, which can be difficult to do. Staying true to one book is hard enough but managing to use two is a feat that was done well. Cumberbatch, though completely recognizable, embodies Assange. The run time is a little over two hours and sometimes it does feel like its longer but its more than worth it. The climax when Assange realizes he's been hacked and Berg is relieved that he has stopped his once friend is power packed. I must go back to the epilogues, which, for me, where the best part. It's a chance for Cumberbatch to really show off his acting skills, He has been a busy man, starring in “The Hobbit” trilogy, “Star Trek Into Darkness” and returning to the set of “Sherlock”. I do not see his career slowing down at all in the near future.



I'm TheCinemaChick and I have a golden ticket...somewhere.

Fish Fingers and Custard

An Open Letter to Steven Moffat

Hey guys, I'm a film blogger and I go by the name TheCinemaChick. I also happen to be a “Whovian”, a person who is a committed fan of the BBC show, “Doctor Who”. For some people, its just that, a show. It's a strange story of a mad man traveling all of time and space in a blue phone box. To them, it doesn't make sense. If you're someone like you, you see past the premise and learn to love The Doctor himself. You see, The Doctor is a character played by an actor. I will never understand why someone prefers Eleven to Nine or Ten. He's the same man, just a different face.

But I am not writing about the arrival of the twelfth Doctor. In fact, I welcome Peter Capaldi with open, albeit cautious arms. I say cautious because I am not familiar with his work. As stated, this isn't about which Doctor I prefer. I am choosing to write this because I want everyone to know why someone like me, watches “Doctor Who” on a regular basis. If this should ever come to Steven Moffat's attention, I will make a shirt that says “Moffat is my king” on it or something, then take a picture of myself wearing said shirt and put it here.

I am an average nobody. I don't stand out, I'm not incredibly important to some business and I'm not famous. In fact, I'm pretty sure a lot of my readers are. We're not CEO's or millionaires. We are just regular people living ordinary lives. For one hour, we get the chance to travel to world's we'll never see and meet amazing people we want to know. Many people have also connected, dare I say it, bonded over the show. I got my friend Kathryn watching it and not to long after that, my friend Ashley joined the Who side.

A lot of people grew up watching the show, but I was not one of them. My story of how I came to love the show starts with me hating it. The first time I watched it, Billie Piper had just joined Christopher Eccleston and they were in Cardiff with Charles Dickens. I remember seeing a maid in a stone door saying, “Pity the Gelth” as a man in dark clothes watched on, a blond woman at his side. I had no idea what I had seen, so I ignored it. That is, until I discovered Matt Smith. This episode was even weirder than this first. A young man stood before a giant eyeball, raised his arms and yelled, “Who da man?” only to receive horrified looks from others.

The third episode I saw had a man named David Tennant. He was with a copy of himself, a feisty redhead, the blonde and one of the saddest goodbyes I have ever seen on television. Since then, I have found myself hooked on the show known as “Doctor Who”.

What non-Whovians don't seem to understand is that we don't just watch the show for the adventures. It is so much more than a mad man with a box. I cannot speak for everyone but I can only go on record saying what the show has meant to me. To me, “Doctor Who” is about the adventures of a man, who has lost everything and is trying to find meaning in his life. For me, the Doctor has been a source of inspiration, laughter, inspiration and a means of coping with loss.

The Doctor has lost so many people in his life, making hims a sympathetic character. He is relate-able in so many ways. For me, I felt like I understood his pain. Losing Amy and Rory was traumatic for him. I will admit, watching “The Angels Take Manhattan” made me cry. However, that episode helped me to cope with my own loss. Not too long after the Ponds were gone, I lost my mother to cancer. I knew how Eleven felt when he watched his family vanish before his very eyes. I had to do the same thing.

After losing my mom, I slipped into a deep depression. I lost interest in everything, had no desire to try and get out, absolutely nothing. Just waking up in the morning was a huge effort for me. For the first time, I had to celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas without my mother, which was like a punch in the chest. When I saw “The Snowmen”, things began to change. The Doctor did the exact same thing I did. We had both withdrawn from the world, unable to face our lives without the people who meant the most to us. As the Doctor returned to his normal self, so did I. It was like we were going through everything together.

For most people, that sounds fairly nonsensical. How could a television show be such a huge impact on a person? The answer is actually quite simple. There are elements of the person watching the show in the show itself. No matter what the Doctor goes through, a person can relate to it in some way. For instance, “The Rings of Akhatan” shows that the smallest sacrifice can have the biggest impact on another person's life. “A Town Called Mercy” proved that lonliness can be a person's biggest folly. Loneliness can make a person depressed to the point of anger and indifference.

As I said, I am a normal, average woman. While I know that the TARDIS will not magically appear in my yard and a 1200 year old Time Lord won't take me on adventures, the idea gives me hope. Perhaps one day I will find a companion (whether it be platonic friend, partner or spouse) who will go on unexpected journeys with me. The Doctor shows me that even when life seems like it cannot get any worse, things can and will get better. If you lose someone, they are not gone as long as their memory lives on in our hearts. I think my favorite lesson of all time is knowing that no matter how insignificant you feel, you are important.

I suppose I should edit my statement. I am not normal. Like a lot of people, I have been diagnosed as bipolar and I have severe depression. There are many times when I feel as though no one cares about me and that maybe things would be better if I were gone. By gone, I mean leaving my family and friends behind. During times like this, I remember that everyone is important for some reason or another. Donna Noble taught me that even when life seems like a total drag, you could be the most important person in the universe. No one is worthless. Nobody is useless. I know this because the Doctor believes in us all.

I suppose what I'm trying to say is, thank you Steven Moffat. While you write some of the most heart wrenching stories, you also provide millions of fans with episodes that stick with us in our minds and hearts for years to come. It it not just you, but every single person who has contributed to the “Doctor Who” show, starting way back in 1963 with William Hartnell. Now, as Whovians prepare their hearts to say goodbye to Matt Smith, we anticipate the arrival of Peter Capaldi.

To everyone who has ever worked on the show, past or present, please know how important you are to each and every Whovian out there. We find companionship in other die hard fans and joy in converting others into fans.

Please keep bringing us a source of hope, happiness, sadness and inspiration. So long as there are new episodes to look forward to, we will always be more than happy to watch them, our jelly babies and fish fingers and custard at hand.

My story may seem like it's lame or not worth telling. I wanted to share how “Doctor Who” has helped me with my own struggles, with my dark times and how it will always be the show that brought me closer to some of my friends. Life truly is a pile of good things and a pile of bad things, but in the end, life is a mix of the two. You have to take the good with the bad. I believe in the Doctor.

Besides, I'll just be a story in the end, right? I might as well make it a good one.

Sincerely,

The Girl Who Believed

TheCinemaChick

Nine Mini Reviews!

 Hey guys, how's it going? I'm TheCinemaChick and I know, I know...I've been rather silent lately. I've got stuff going on, like a huge breakup that caught me off guard and a business math class which I actually enjoy. I know, what a shock. Me enjoying a math class. Well, I want to learn more about business and investments. As far as the breakup...that one took a toll on me. I really liked this guy and he comes at me with “I don't think I love you and I've been lying about it for a while.” Really? I'd rather you break my heart and get it over with than be lied to! Ugh. Men.

Enough about my depressing romantic life, I have so much to tell you guys. First, I'm going to do a brief summary of all the films I've seen since my last review, just because I feel the need to get my opinion out there. Ok, so this one may be a little on the long side, but you know you enjoy my lovely little reviews...otherwise, you wouldn't be here...well, I suppose it's a pity view...

So, since I am about nine reviews behind, let's do something I have never done before. Let's do a bunch of mini reviews since I really don't want to write nine full length ones. Besides, I have other things I need to get to. So, let's get started shall we?

1. Mud
   Didn't hear about this one? Not many people paid attention to it, which is sad. It's a Southern coming of age story with a romance worked in. Two boys find a convict living on a small island thing and he asks for their help. They rebuild a boat that's in a tree while trying to help Mud reunite with his lady love. The boys learn a lot and Mud finds out his lady is a tramp. After a bloody shoot out, Mud vanishes with a friend.
   This one felt long and it was a bit confusing for me, but overall, it was amazing. Matthew McConaughey stars as the titular character and honestly, he needs to be nominated for a Golden Globe for that. Without saying much, he conveys intense, passionate emotions. The story gets a little depressing but its more than worth it. Check this one out.
2. The Purge
   We've all seen this one. Family in lockdown, creepy people outside, terror ensues. Only, it's not like that at all. In the “new America” there is one night a year everyone is allowed to do whatever they want, without getting in trouble, in order to weed out the weak. This is called “The Purge” (obviously). It's supposed to show that people are greedy and selfish, I guess, but that one mistake can kill everyone...no...I'm not sure what the moral is with this one, if there is one at all.
   Typical horror movie. It's boring, it's predictable and so cliched. After a while, I stopped caring about the family and was wanting the murderous people outside to get them. However, the absolutely best performance was the Smiling Leader. He is delightfully creepy. And there's nothing off about him, he is just threatening this family while being incredibly patient and polite. And the big twist is that the neighbors want to kill the family, but that's painfully obvious from the beginning. Skip this one. It's a typical, bland horror movie that fails.
3. Now You See Me
   Ah yes, the movie about magicians who end up being bank robbers. This was hyped so much and ended up being so mediocre. Every trick they do is explained, so that kills the mystery of it all. And after all this time stealing money and giving it away, it turns out that they were doing it in order to get into some secret society. So it was sort of a tease, then does something so random it doesn't entirely make sense. I will admit, the twist was rather unexpected. That's about the only thing I liked. I don't care for Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fiser, or Dave Franco. They're decent actors and all, I just think they have all have some major faults that I can't seem to overlook.
   The twist ending is not worth the price of admission. It's a half witted mystery, action, cop movie that ends with the cop getting the girl. I can't tell you the entire ending because you know me. I don't like spoilers.
4. This Is The End
   What can I say about this one? It's an apocalyptic stoner buddy comic movie. I cannot think of any other way to describe this one. James Franco, Seth Rogan, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride and Craig Anderson are all trapped in Franco's house as the world ends around them. That's the entire plot. If I go into much more detail, I'll give away massive spoilers.
   This movie had me laughing almost nonstop. From Emma Watson robbing them to Channing Tatum inside joke I now have, it's just hilarious. I didn't think I'd like it this much but it is one of the best movies I have seen this year. You will never look at him the same way again. And of course, if you've noticed from the trailers, a song by the Backstreet Boys is played. Yeah, that is explained in the movie. It's crude, it's trashy, its raunchy and there is an overabundance of drug use, but it it hilarious. As a warning...male nudity. If you've seen it, you know what I mean by that. If you haven't...be prepared for it.
5. Despicable Me 2
   In all honesty, this one's predictable, childish and ends just how you think it will. There aren't any real surprises in it. However, it's cute. The minions are back and just as adorable as before. The girls are still there, though in a severely reduced way. It's pretty much the same with Dr. Nefario. However, the interactions between Gru and Lucy are good. You know they are going to fall in love and get married almost immediately, but its ok.
   If you're looking for something the whole family can enjoy, then this one is for you. It's got some adult humor, but its got a lot to offer the children. There's also a guard chicken and the guacamole hat of shame. A definite must see.
6. The Lone Ranger
   Another Disney dud. In all honesty, I did enjoyed it, however, I hated the way they told the story. I'm normally ok with the older person telling a tale to the kids, but this one detracted from the film. It had moments where it was great but it also dragged a lot to the point where I was bored. And many critics have been harsh on Johnny Depp as Tonto, saying its basically Jack Sparrow in another package. Sadly, that is true. Tonto is just a toned down Jack Sparrow.
   Don't skip this one because it is genuinely entertaining but overall, I think Disney needs to rethink a few things. Like, oh, I don't know, something more original and possibly not with Johnny Depp in it?
7. Pacific Rim
   I hated this one. I was bored, fell asleep for a little while and overall, failed to see the big deal about it. It's giant robots fighting monsters in, where else, Japan. The problem I had with this movie is that they told you everything in the first ten minutes. You knew the problem, how they planned to solve it and how they were keeping the world safe. There was no mystery to it. Why stretch this out into what felt like three hours if you're just going to tell us the entire plot right off the bat? And the actors...where did you find them? They all sucked! No one seemed capable of showing emotion, so they were all very stiff and wooden. I found it hard to care about anyone, even the ones who deserved sympathy.
   I can see why people liked it but its just not a movie for me. I saw it as Power Rangers on steroids. Boring, bland, uneventful. Though Ron Perlman made me laugh. He was the one upside to this.
8. All That Echoes: A Josh Groban Experience
   It was Josh Groban in concert with some footage of him making the album. Turns out they'll be showing it on PBS next month.
   I liked it, but I love his music.
9. The Conjuring
   I consider myself a horror movie snob. I know all the cliches and I usually find them horribly predictable. It's like, if this happens, then you know this will be the consequence. So its like, what's the point? It'll follow the formula and I'll know the ending in about five minutes.
   Well...this one did it differently.
   Yes, “The Conjuring” follows all those rules, but they managed to do it in a way I did not expect. Like, a girl was standing in front of a door, so I thought the door would be knocked down and she'd be in trouble. Nope. Instead, it was in a different room, where an old woman sat combing a doll's hair. What made this all so freaky was that doll. Seriously, if you've seen Annabelle, you know what I'm talking about. That doll is terrifying. This is one of the rare films where I was actually scared. They did little things that I didn't see coming which made it really unnerving. I'm referring to the the scene where the mom gets possessed. Yeah, again, if you've seen it, you know.
   This is one worth seeing, even if you are a horror movie snob like me.

Well, there we go! 9 films in one review! Up next, The Wolverine and why the post credit scene made me go all fangirl!

Until then, I'm TheCinemaChick and for all you know, I don't actually exist.

Better Late Than Never: Man of Steel

 Hey everyone, you can call me TheCinemaChick and oh my goodness am I royally behind in my reviews. I've got five I need to work on, including “Despicable Me 2” and “The Lone Ranger”. So, lets start with the oldest and work our way to the newest. So, on my movie list, I see that “Man of Steel” is the first one I need to touch on. Oh yes, I have a lot to discuss with that one.

I'm not a huge Superman fan. I'm not really into DC in general. But I bought into the hype, thought this could be good and not much of a shock, it wasn't that good. Visually its beautiful, but overall, its just bland. The script was poor, the acting was subpar at best and honestly, Amy Adams was horribly miscast. Then there's Russell Crowe, but we will get to him in a bit. Trust me, I have a lot to say about him and how he was just unnecessary.

“Man of Steel” is a reboot of a reboot. We just had a Superman movie not to long ago with Brandon Routh so I'm not really sure why this one seemed like it was needed. Also, I don't like Zack Snyder. His style is so specific that he does not leave any room for change. It was to be a matte color, comic book style jumbled mess. Don't believe me? Go watch “Suckerpunch” then tell me I'm wrong. I know every director likes to put his mark on their film, but this is absurd. I would like to see him do something different, that doesn't automatically remind me of all his previous films. Most directors grow as their careers go on Mr. Snyder. You may want to consider that.

Now, the movie is incredibly disjointed. We start off on Krypton where he is born. Apparently, according to this film, babies are created. He is the first naturally born child in like...centuries. This opening scene last roughly fifteen minutes and it really did not explain anything other than this is how he got to Earth and why Zod hates him. Which really, General Zod doesn't hate Kal-El, he hates Jor-El, his father. Well, Zod gets punished for the murders by getting encapsulated in ice. Not to be a pervert or anything but those massive icicles look incredibly phallic. There is actually a lot of phallic imagery throughout but I'll let you be the judge of that.

The film on most levels falls flat. Clark Kent basically has no flaws throughout the entire film. He saves men, he fixes things, he's just perfect. The only time he really has a problem is when his powers first show up and he basically has a nervous breakdown in class. Other than that, he's a deus ex machina (God machine...it's a literary thing). The best scenes were the ones where Clark had to interact with his parents Diane Lane and Kevin Costner. It is in these moments where he is most human and most relate-able. Beyond that, he's too perfect.

And then there's Russell Crowe. The man dies not even ten minutes into the film but he keeps coming back. Apparently he has downloaded himself into a spaceship. What? Is he River Song now? I just don't get it. Is this movie lacking so much star power that we have to have him pop up everywhere. The worst part? He takes away all the guess work. Like, towards the end when Superman and Lois are trying to escape a ship, there's Crowe to guide them every step of the way. Ok, honestly, why? Is Superman that incompetent?

And its not that this movie was bad. It just wasn't good. It had a lot of hype, a ton of promotion and it just didn't impress me. The characters are somehow stupider, everyone just stands around like morons and at the end, I just didn't care about anyone. Clark lets his father die at one point just so he won't scare people. Dude, you are Superman! Save your dad!

I'll admit, I don't care for Henry Cavill, but he did a decent job at least looking like he was properly cast. It was when he opened his mouth that I had issues. The dialogue was just lame. The jokes aren't funny and it almost turns into an after school special at points. I understand Superman has a sense of right and wrong, but come on! Zod is destroying the planet and you take issue with killing him? How many people has he killed with all his destruction? Oh yes, not to mention, he's sort of the reason your family is dead and he wants to kill you too. Superman, grow a spine and save the planet, like you are supposed to!

I wanted to like this. I hoped “Man of Steel” would surpass my expectations and it barely touched them. I miss the older movies from this franchise, the ones that were a bit more family friendly, less boring and had more action. Sure, the Christopher Reeve films seem a bit cheesy now but they are still superior to this one. That's a huge problem with this one. It tries to get way too serious and way too deep when it really shouldn't. Yes, I get it, Clark Kent is an alien who has lost his home world, his parents, borderline everything, but he has family on Earth. If you think about it, he's got it pretty good. Friends, family, super powers, a job...what does he have to be so emo about?

I know this one has been out for a while, so check it out in the dollar theater. Skip the 3D and save yourself the money. It wasn't impressive, it was boring at times and Superman needed to suck it up. Also, this is a bit...wrong...but I think Superman SHOULD have the red trunks on the outside. It is iconic! In this one...I was very uncomfortable when they used certain angles. It goes back to the phallic thing. They would use angles that sort of emphasized the costume being different and in the process, there's his crotch. Well, if you didn't know beforehand, this movie will reinforce that he is indeed male.

Do yourself a favor and wait. I still don't like Zack Snyder or his style.

I'm TheCinemaChick and I'm still horribly behind.

My Little Pony Mystery Bag

We have a theme with this one.  It's fairly obvious.  If you don't get it...well...hopefully you will know when its over.

World Market Mystery Bag

If you think the audio sucks here...we used my laptop.  Mine is clearly inferior to hers.  Enjoy the mochi and chocolate bacon!

Well, apparently, we did not learn our lesson.  We found more toys and found the most disgusting, intolerable thing ever.  Black pepper and lemon chocolate.  It exists.

We apologize for the end of this.  We had no idea the chocolate would be THAT bad.

And now for something completely different

Kit Kat and I love Ashens.  If you don't know who that is, check him out on youtube.  We decided to make our own little grab bag show and the results...well...you'll see.

Oh Noes! The Apocalypse!

I'm back...with a vlog...with a friend!

Trailer Trash - Fast and Furious 6

 Hey guys, its TheCinemaChick again and we're in for another installment of Trailer Trash. I don't mean that in the derogatory way. In this case, we're talking about trailers for upcoming films that either make no sense or make us go all fangirl. “Fast and Furious 6” is out but lets talk about this one for a few minutes. Judging from the trailer alone, this makes absolutely no sense. From what I've been told, the films were not released in order, so this one happens before “Tokyo Drift”. Honestly, I don't know what the Dalek is going on anymore. And yes, I just used Dalek instead of a curse word. As always, I'm not alone in this endeavor. Ladies and gentleman, say hello to the one, the only, Kit Kat.

Hello again all you movie goers. I’m back sooner than most expected but once I saw this trailer I knew something had to be said. Once I heard CinemaChick thought the same thing I knew it was only a matter of time. And yes, I will say it too: sense, this makes none. Oh and as the whole movie sequence thing goes. Apparently, the sequence of movies goes like this: Fast and the Furious, 2 Fast 2 Furious, Fast Four, The Fast and The Furious, Fast and Furious 6, and Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift. According to the info I found on the net, the third movie was apparently a side project but never really intended to be a part of the series as a whole. So um…why make it?

Let's also keep in mind that Letty died prior to this movie. Seriously, she is supposed to have died in a crash but she's back. I'll admit, I spoiled the film for myself by looking up information and also by watching Mathew “Film Brain” Buck's review of the film. You can find him on blip or at Film Brain's "Projector". He pointed out how many things don't make sense. You mean other than Letty not being dead and Hahn popping back up? I know, “Tokyo Drift” technically is supposed to happen after this film, but they are screwing this series up more and more as it goes along. “The Fast and the Furious” was about street racing, friendship and loyalty. “Fast and Furious 6” is like a study in what not to do with your films. I mean, let's discuss the tank and the plane, Letty and Hahn and the plot that has gone from decent to just downright embarrassing.

Honestly, these people are SUPPOSED to be simple street racers that have broken the law here and there…not professional hit men, assassins, SWAT, or any other branch with any sort of training. Sure you can learn to use a gun by living in a rough part of town but this is ridiculous. I think the most ridiculous being the plane. That is a freaking jet and somehow what amounts to a grappling hook is shot by one of the characters, hits the plane on the first shot, hooks in, and then the plane is pulled down to the ground with said car while Dom, who was for some reason in the plane, burst out the nose in a car he’s driving. There is suspension of disbelief and then there’s whatever the heck is happening in this movie.

Guys, I know movies are supposed to be an escape from reality and they are for enjoyment but what in the world is this? Cars cannot take down jets like that! I'm also fairly certain the nose of the jet is not that flimsy so Dom would have smashed into it. Did we mention that the tank apparently can go the same speed as a race car? According to this trailer, tanks have now been jacked up. This doesn't make sense! Your chronology is messed up, your information on vehicles is incredibly flawed and to be perfectly honest, most of the actors in this franchise are horrible. They are stiff, wooden and have as much personality as a plank of wood. Sure, they are nice to look at, but to me, they are just dead on the screen. When there is dialogue for more than a minute, I get bored because even they sound like they don't want to be there.

If this movie was pure action and less melodrama it MIGHT become passable. But trying to throw in that somehow Letty didn’t die, that Dom loves her and will do anything to get her back, that she is somehow working for the bad guys even though she remembers Dom…it’s all too much. Heck, the Rock himself managed to do a slightly decent job in an action comedy role because it wasn’t meant to be taken seriously. The way this movie is going on, it’s like they want the audience to take it seriously. I stopped taking this movie franchise seriously after the first movie.

I never took it seriously. I couldn't. Keep in mind, there was a phase in Hollywood when street racing was the thing. We had tons of those movies coming out. However, that trend has since passed and honestly, most of these actors rely on this franchise for fame. Paul Walker has done some mediocre stuff, Vin Diesel has found success as Riddick and Dwayne Johnson has a fairly decent acting career. The rest of them, honestly, do you know? Tyrese used to model and I believe he dabbled briefly in music. Michelle Rodriguez became known for her legal troubles more than her acting abilities. Apparently, she wants to retire from acting. Honey, you should have done that about three “Fast and Furious” films ago.

Yeah I don’t know much about any of the actors save for Diesel and Johnson myself. I’ve seen Rodriguez once in the first Resident Evil movie. Most of these “actors” are great unknowns and I think that’s the ultimate failure here. True, it takes a movie to make a movie star but if they aren’t big name film stars by the sixth movie then take the hint. They will never be big name film stars. To use the old saying: they are beating a dead horse here. The fun and games is over. Bout the only thing this movie would be good for is a good laugh at all the stupid antics they try to pass off as realistic.

The sad news is production for the seventh (and hopefully final) film has begun. I am not joking about this one. There will be a “Fast and Furious 7” next year. They are rushing this one, which ultimately means its going to suffer greatly. The studio, Universal, is suffering a bit so they are putting all the money on this franchise, so they want to crank out another one as soon as possible. While I understand the reason for this decision, I cannot respect it. There are dozens, hundreds if not thousands of decent franchises out there that need a home. Look at Summit. There were basically unheard of and took a chance on the “Twilight” series. Now they are rolling in money. I'm not saying go for a bad teen vampire romance, I'm just saying, keep your options open.

I agree. TheCinemaChick and I love pointing out all the thing we hate about Twilight for our own amusement but they knew one thing with that series, they knew how to play to their target audience. The Fast and the Furious franchise doesn’t seem to have a target audience as they are trying to appeal to everyone and that didn’t work for them. Others have made it work because they’ve set the stage better. We want the love to happen because we feel for the characters. Heck, I didn’t know Dom even cared for Letty other than a sometimes fling till I read the synopsis for this movie. We as the audience need something to work with and a sudden romance isn’t gonna put female butts in the seats unless they are being enticed by hot guys.

There are hot guys in this? Did I miss something? I'd go for the action scenes, the fighting, the chases but they are so over the top, it becomes laughable. Not to mention, it's the same freaking plot as every other movie in the series. They have to race, there's a heist of some sort and a lot of cars will be ruined. Congratulations, I just spoiled the entire series for you. You can thank me later. Honestly, it's time to put this thing into retirement. It's been done to death. I foresee it making decent money this weekend because it is Memorial Day, but it faces competition from “The Hangover III”. My money's on “Hangover” for the top spot this weekend with “Fast and Furious” trailing by roughly ten million less. What say you Kit Kat?

I’m with you on this one. The Hangover series has done far better overall and is more reachable than the over-the-top stunts in The Fast and the Furious. It’s like it’s trying to be The Expendables but with cars and no witty banter. I’ll see this to have a good laugh and see what’s left of the movie that the trailers didn’t show, even though I suspect it will be more of the same but worse.

So there you go. See it at your own risk. Care to say good night Kit Kat?

I take my leave back to my realm of books gladly with hopes that I can set my mind at ease with a carefully crafted plot. But don’t worry…I’ll be back. More bad movies and trailers come.

I'm TheCinemaChick and I'm going on an adventure!

Another Day on the Enterprise

 Hello my fellow insomniacs, I am the forever film addicted girl you know as TheCinemaChick. Now...spoilers. “Star Trek Into Darkness” does not come out until Friday, but I've already seen it. Yes, I walked out of the theater roughly an hour ago, feeling both overjoyed and furious. I'll get to both as I write. I predict this film will knock “Iron Man 3” out of the top slot at the box office. It's a very good movie, well written and has some great dialogue.

First and foremost, let me address something. I am sick and tired of having to say this, but people, stop using your cell phones during movies! Seriously, it should be common courtesy by now and yet, there are certain people who seem to think it's perfectly ok. I don't care if you think the movie is running long or getting boring. You are in a dark theater. The little light from your phone screen is a massive distraction. For instance, during the climax of a huge soon to be blockbuster is a bad time to start texting your friends. To the woman in front of me who was easily in her 40s, obviously you did not hear me ask you politely to stop, then yell at you and clearly you did not feel me kicking your chair.

Moral of the story: STOP USING YOUR PHONES DURING FILMS!!!

Now I can discuss the film. The first film was amazing. It was a good rendition of “Star Trek” so if you weren't familiar with the original series, “The Next Generation” or any variety of the show, the films were a good way to get into it. Now, from what I've heard, this movie takes place roughly six months after the first film in the rebooted franchise. I can buy that. JJ Abrams has also gone on record that this series takes place in an alternate time line so anything is possible. If you are planning to see this one, keep that in mind. You'll need to during a very important, very central scene. When you see it, you'll know.

I'm not a huge Star Trek fan. In fact, I didn't see the first Star Trek (by which I mean the reboot) until this past December. It hadn't interested me but I was pleasantly shocked to find that I loved it. Chris Pine made a great James Kirk while Zachary Quinto was perfect as Spock. The entire cast was well selected and I'm glad to say that the entire cast returns in the sequel. There are a few new faces, which I will get to in a moment, but for the most part, everyone should look familiar. Simon Pegg gets his role as Scotty expanded a little so he gets more screen time but sadly, Anton Yelchin's screen time is reduced. I have to admit, I like Chekov. He's just adorable.

If you've seen the trailers for this, you've noticed the addition of two people. Alice Eve joins as Carol Marcus, who doesn't add too much to the plot and Benedict Cumberbatch as the sinister John Harrison. Now, I had to ask who John Harrison was when I first heard this news. Fortunately for me, my father is a Trekkie.

Spoiler alert! It's Khan.

Yes, the man we all know and love as Sherlock is now an evil man hellbent on destruction. He makes a convincing villain. As I watched, I knew who he was and what would happen. Yet, as the film progressed, I became skeptical of myself. Maybe what I knew was wrong but right as I was convinced I didn't know anything, the movie proved me right. Cumberbatch as Khan is manipulative, deceitful and gets inside your mind. Things go one way then he just turns it all around and slaps you in the face with it. Everything about him was perfection. Seriously, there is one reason you need to see this. The second being the return of the cast.

Why was I overjoyed? Because even at a full two hours and twenty minutes, it's never boring. Even the slow moments have something to suck you in or have moments of great humor. Like, there's a scene where Kirk tells Chekov to change into a red shirt, everyone in the audience groaned. For those of you who don't know, in the original show, if you wore a red shirt, you were usually a goner. The joke is “Red shirts die first”. I won't tell you his fate, but trust me, other red shirts are not so fortunate. There are some great lines, including Dr. McCoy using a “Damnit Jim, I'm a doctor not a...” line.

“Into Darkness” was visually stunning and overall, amazing. I saw it high definition 3D, so the quality was astounding. Of course, I also saw it with a bunch of Trekkies, so they knew the jokes and they knew what to anticipate. There's also a Tribble. That is actually a huge plot point, but I won't say how or why. It is indeed there though.

Let's discuss why I'm furious. This is roughly based on “The Wrath of Khan” so if you've seen that, you know what to expect. The scene of Spock's death is one of the best in cinematic history. Well...just keep in mind this is in an alternate timeline, ok? That's all I can say about it. So...someone does angrily yell “KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAN!” granted, I can yell it better than they did. I wanted to enjoy it but I just can't get past it. This scene is canon in the Star Trek series and to do that to it? I was honestly wondering how the die hard fans in Star Trek shirts in front of me (yes, people can in costume) were so happy with the product. I know, the entire package is amazing but this one scene...why did it have to be like that?

This scene. (potential spoilers)

I honestly think this one is worth the splurge. See it in 3D. Even if you're not a huge fan, you'll find something to enjoy in this one. It's one of the best films I've seen in 2013 and so far, this has been a slow year for me. Not just because I haven't seen a lot of movies, but also because most of the ones I've seen have been mediocre to bad. So far, this is number one of my top movies of the year, which is sad. Then again, the summer movie season has had a slow start, so let's give it a little more time. Things will surely get better in the coming months, right?

Also, fellow Whovians, the father shown at the beginning of the film...look familiar?  Noel Clark AKA Mickey Smith is in this as well.  His appearance is brief but crucial.

Let's just say yes.

I'm TheCinemaChick and if you want to see Benedict Cumberbatch in tight pants, this is the movie for you.

I'll be at the Dallas Comic Con this Saturday! I'll be prowling around, meeting Nathan Fillion and doing all sorts of nerdy things.