"The Amazing Spider-Man"

     Peter Parker is just a normal, everyday, geeky teenager who is just trying to figure out his life. While he lives with his Aunt May and Uncle Ben and loves them dearly, he still wants to figure out why his parents left him with them and never came back for him. When he finds out that top researcher Dr. Curt Conners at Oscorp worked with his father, he sneaks into Oscorp and winds up getting bitten by a genetically modified spider. This bite gives him all the powers of a spider. But it's only when tragedy hits that Peter finally understands what it takes to be a hero.

     Directed by Marc Webb, this film stars Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, Rhys Ifans as Dr. Curt Conners/The Lizard, Denis Leary as Captain Stacy, Martin Sheen as Ben Parker, and Sally Field as May Parker. I loved this movie!! I was so excited for this reboot, especially after the debacle of the third Sam Raimi Spider-Man film.

     Now there was some confusion about whether or not this was a continuation of the last three films... It is not. This is a reboot. Meaning that the past three films have nothing to do with this one or any of the subsequent ones. After watching this one I went back and watched the original trilogy, which I loved when it came out, and then it hit me that the original trilogy is not really that good after all. Tobey Maguire has to have made Spider-Man one of the whiniest superheros ever. Thankfully Andrew Garfield went away from the whiny teenager, and stuck more to the nerdy and awkward Peter Parker of the comics. I feel like Andrew really embodies the traits and characteristics of Spider-Man better than Tobey did in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man's. I'm not trying to discredit the original trilogy, but these new movies are shaping up to be much much better than them.

     Sadly Spider-Man is owned by Sony, which means that we will not be seeing Spider-Man, or anything affiliated with that property in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Same thing with X-men and now Deadpool which are owned by Fox. I really love what these companies have done with these franchises, but I really wish they were back under Marvel so they can add them to the ever expanding Universe and then they can do something like the "Civil War" comic series! I would absolutely love that!

I would rate this film a 8.5 out 10! I will be reviewing The Amazing Spider-Man 2 next week so be sure to check it out next Sunday! Make sure you follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook page!

Peace,
Jake

    

"Guardians of the Galaxy"

     What do you get when you combine an 80's loving mercenary, a green alien who is the perfect killing machine, a genetically enhanced raccoon and his friend who is a talking alien tree, and a no-nonsense tattooed alien out for revenge? You get the Guardians of the Galaxy. The most unlikely superheroes you'll ever meet in space. They come together through necessity, and who would have ever guessed they would be able to save a planet, never mind save themselves. When Ronan the Accuser, a Kree radical decides to destroy the planet Xandar, a stronghold in the defense of the Galaxy,  he hopes to break the tenuous treaty between the Nova Corp. and the Kree. In doing so he enlists the help of Thanos and his two "daughters" to help him find one of the Infinity Stones that would allow him to destroy the world just by touching it to the planet. Now the rag-tag team of the Guardians must put aside their differences and help save the world before they lose everything.

     Directed by James Gunn this film stars Chris Pratt as Peter Quill/Star Lord, Zoe Saldana as Gamora, Dave Bautista as Drax, Vin Diesel as the voice of Groot, Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket, Lee Pace as Ronan, Benicio Del Toro as Tanaleer Tivan/The Collector, Michael Rooker as Yondu Udonta, Karen Gillan as Nebula, Glenn Close as Nova Prime, and Josh Brolin as Thanos.

     This was an amazing movie! One of my favorite Marvel movies! I thought the Avengers cast melded together nice, but this movie takes it to the next level. The actors did an amazing job, and the different personalities they all brought to the characters were out of this world good.(pun intended) One of my favorite scenes has to be where they were trying to figure out a plan and then an argument ensues because the one plan they have wasn't good enough! It reminded me of the many
"conversations" me and my siblings would have during one of our many band practices. James Gunn did a marvelous job bringing this movie to fruition. There is somewhat of a fine line you have to walk in order to bring these movies across without them looking cheesy. I mean a genetically altered raccoon, or a talking alien tree could look very silly if you don't put them in the right light. I think he was more than able to walk that line, and make them some of the coolest heroes to come out of the Cinematic Universe to date!

     Alright lets talk about end credits scene that got everybody who was not born before the 80's wondering what the heck is a duck doing there and why is he drinking a cocktail.... That was Howard the Duck. The star of his own movie back in 1986, this was actually Marvel's first big budget film. Costing over $35,000,000 to make and with little to show for it this film bombed at the box office and practically ended the career of Willard Huyck. Surprisingly George Lucas was the executive producer on it. Having him at the end credits was merely a nod to what came before and got me and the other nerds like me excited to see another character from the classic era of Marvel brought to justice on the big screen. This does not mean that Howard is going to get another stand-alone film, but it could mean we might see other cameo appearances from him in future Marvel films.

I would rate this movie a 10 out 10!! From the box office numbers I'm guessing most of you have already seen it, but for all those who haven't what are you waiting for! You are missing the best movie of the summer. Make sure you like my Facebook page and follow me on Twitter!

Peace,
Jake

P.S. If you want to read my other Marvel movie reviews here are a few links to them.
"X-Men: Days of Future Past"
"X-Men: First Class"
"Captain America: The Winter Soldier
"Captain America: The First Avenger"
"The Wolverine"
"Thor: The Dark World" part 2
"Thor" part 1
"Daredevil"
"The Avengers"
 

"The Curious Case of Benjamin Button"

     In New Orleans on November the 11th, 1918 a boy is born with all the looks and the problems of an old man on his death bed. This boy is named Benjamin Button and he has a remarkable oddity that as he gets older he actually get younger. Almost as if he lived his whole life backwards. It's a story about love, loss, pain, joy, or simply put, it is a story about life.

     Directed by David Fincher, this film stars Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button, Cate Blanchett as Daisy, Taraji P. Henson as Queenie, and Julia Ormond as Caroline. This has to be one of my favorite films, and I know I say that a lot, but I have a lot of movies in my favorite films list! The combination of Brad and Cate is just brilliant! They really have a lot of chemistry on-screen.

      When this movie first came out I was not very interested in it. I heard a lot of good things about it, but I just didn't get into the hype. I decided to put this on my long, long, long list of movies that I want to watch, and finally I got around to watching it. I was so mad at myself for not wanting to watch it in the first place, because as I said before, this turned out to be one of my favorite films. Usually I don't listen to critics, because 8 out of 10 times their idea of a good movie doesn't do it for me. This just happens to be one of those rare times where I actually agree with the critics who liked it.

     This film took me on an unexpected emotional roller coaster. I became so invested in the characters lives. Needless to say by the end of the film I was feeling very emotionally strained! I loved it so much though! I love it when a movie takes you by surprise with how good it is, especially when you had low expectations for the film. To me, it makes the whole movie that much better!

I would seriously suggest you all watch this if you haven't seen it yet! I would rate it a 9.5 out 10!
I'm back! I will start doing a blog every Sunday when I can! Hope y'all had a good Summer! Make sure you follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook page for movie news and links to the latest blogs!

Peace,
Jake

"Inkheart" by Cornelia Funke

      Meggie, a bright young girl, lives alone with her father Mo, who is one of the best bookbinders ever. When Meggie was young, Mo would always read aloud to her and her mother Resa, but one night as he was reading a book called Inkheart, strange things started happening. Unbeknown to him, Mo has a special gift which allows him to read characters out of a book and bring them into reality, but this gift comes with a heavy price. Every time he reads aloud and something comes out, something also must go into the book. On that fateful night, Mo read three characters out of the book the evil Capricorn and Basta, and the skilled fire-eater Dustfinger, but for that Resa was sent into the book. Nine years later Capricorn is set on destroying all copies of Inkheart, and also wants Mo so that he can read more things into reality. Meggie finally discovers her father's secret and together with Dustfinger and her Aunt Elinor, they fight to stop Capricorn from putting the world in chaos and shadow.

     The book is written by the acclaimed German author Cornelia Funke. The movie is directed by Iain Softley and stars Brendan Fraser as Mo, Andy Serkis as Capricorn, Eliza Bennett as Meggie, Paul Bettany as Dustfinger, Helen Mirren as Elinor, Sienna Guillory as Resa, and Jim Broadbent as Fenoglio. The book is absolutely fantastic, but the movie is stuck in mediocrity, because of all the cuts they had to make from the book.

     I actually saw the movie before I read the book, and at first I though the movie was amazing and I loved all the characters, but then I read the book and I was totally blown away by the detail of characters and the intricacies of the plot. In the end, the book was so much better with better plot twists, a grittier storyline, and it definitely didn't have the boring happy ending that it had in the movie. It is regrettable when a good book is brought into the movie realm, and all you get is a movie that barely delves into meat of the real plot. 

     Now this is not to say that Inkheart the movie is bad. Far from it actually. I loved the casting job they did! Each character was perfect for their role! Andy Serkis is brilliant as always! I mean if he can play Gollum, he can play anybody! Helen Mirren fit exactly what the role called for and Paul Bettany brought the anguish and pain to Dustfinger just like the book. Jim Broadbent brought Fenoglio to life with his awkwardly charming humor! My only real problem with the movie is the change in plot! Now I realize that there had to be cuts made to the book so that it didn't end being a four hour long movie, but there just some things you don't cut out. I don't care if it's a two part movie, as long as it sticks to the book as much as possible.

     Most movies that are based off of books fail to bring across the depth and personalty of the book. To name a few that stuck pretty closely to the books: The Hunger Games, The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. To name a few that failed even worse than this on at sticking to the book: Beautiful Creatures, Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Eragon, and Percy Jackson! I still have yet to watch Divergent and I haven't read the book yet either, so I will wait to pass judgement. Two of the next possible book to movie translations I'm really looking forward to is Ransom Rigg's book Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, which will possibly be translated into a movie by none other than Tim Burton himself. The second one is James A. Owen's book Here, There Be Dragons which has the possibility of either being a TV Show or movie, and James is in talks with the Lord of the Ring's producers for that! 

     I would give the book a 9.5 out 10 and I would give the movie a 6 out of 10! Make sure you follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook page!! Thanks for reading!

Peace,

Jake

    

"Snowpiecer"

     It's A.D. 2031. Life on earth has become nearly extinct, because of a failed attempt to cool down the earth and stop global warming. All those who are left alive are on a massive train called Snowpiecer, which traverses the earth in 365 days, and is now home to the remnants of human society and culture. The train has two classes the rich, who are all at the front of train with all the luxuries that money brings, and the poor and destitute, who are left to suffer in the tail of train. Curtis, a well respected man in the tail of train, has had enough of being treated like scum by the people in the front of train. He leads a revolution, with one goal in mind.... fight to the front of the train. Along the way he must counteract all that Minister Mason and the people of the high class throw at them. Sacrifices must be made, and Curtis is prepared to do whatever it takes to bring order and justice to the inhabitants of Snowpiecer.

     Directed by Joon-ho Bong this film stars Chris Evans as Curtis, Kang-ho Song as Namgoo Minsoo, Tilda Swinton as Minister Mason, Jaime Bell as Edgar, John Hurt as Gilliam, Ed Harris as Wilford, and Octavia Spencer as Tanya. This film really took me by surprise! I was expecting a mediocre post-apocalyptic sci-fi movie, but this definitely is not the case with this movie.

     This movie was actually released August 1st of 2013 overseas, but wasn't released in the U.S. because of a conflict between the director and The Weinstein Company. The owner of The Weinstein Company, Harvey Weinstein, wanted twenty minutes cut from the film and also wanted opening and closing monologues added to it. Joon-ho Bong would not budge and eventually Harvey Weinstein caved in and allowed a limited release in America. However, the popularity and buzz surrounding the film is causing the film to get a wider release with 150 theaters picking up the film.

     Snowpiecer is based off the French graphic novel series Le Transperceneige by Jean-Marc Rochette. Joon-ho Bong, a native South Korean, brought together actors from all over the globe, and this is his first English speaking film. I really loved this movie, and I can't wait to see it again! It was such an interesting and different story line! If you get the chance to see it, I would highly recommend it!

     I would give this film a 9 out 10! Make sure you follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook page!

Peace,
Jake

"Gravity"

     Dr. Ryan Stone, a genius medical engineer, is on her first shuttle mission to install new components to the Hubble Space Telescope. Along with her is veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski, who is commanding his last space expedition. Things turn bad quickly, when the Russian's destroy one of their satellites. This sets off a debris storm that destroys everything in its path, including Kowalski's ship killing everyone aboard except for Matt and Ryan. They are left to drift in orbit with no way to contact Earth, and with only 90 minutes before the debris storm slings its way around again.

     Directed by Alfonso Cuarón, this film stars Sandra Bullock as Dr. Ryan Stone, George Clooney as Matt Kowalski, and the voice of Ed Harris as Mission Control. I was really spellbound by this movie! I had heard so many great things about it, but I didn't believe it till I actually saw it for myself.

     Sandra Bullock was amazing in this role! She carries the entire movie with her emotionally gripping character, and, of course, George Clooney brings his character to life with his usual charismatic attitude. With only two actors in this movie, I was skeptical on how they would keep it interesting without the use of a lot of dialog. I was not, however, disappointed as they had some great scenes with Sandra Bullock's character Ryan and George Clooney's character Matt. The visual effects in this film were simply astounding! I was captivated from start to finish, and was kept on the edge of my seat for most of the film. The sheer enormity of the scenes was breathtaking, and there were parts where you felt like you were spinning out into space with the character.

    This film won 137 awards, which includes seven Oscars, two of them being the Oscar for Best Achievement in Directing and the Oscar for the Best Achievement in Visual Effects. I believe this movie to be well worth these accommodations. If you haven't watched it yet, you should totally go do that... like now!

     I would give this movie a 9 out 10! Thanks for reading and make sure you come back next week for a new blog post!! Make sure you are following me on Twitter, and go like my Facebook page for some more nerdy and awesome stuff!

Peace,
Jake

"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"

     When Frodo, a hobbit from the Shire, finds himself the owner of a golden ring, his life is turned upside down by dark forces seeking the ring for their master. Gandalf the Grey, a wizard and an old friend of Frodo's, finds out that this ring is the one which Sauron, a dark and twisted creature, had made to rule over all the races. There is writing on the ring that only fire can reveal, and it reads "One Ring to Rule Them All. One Ring to Find Them. One Ring to Bring Them All and In The Darkness Bind Them." After realizing they can no longer keep it hidden and safe, a council of men, dwarves, and elves decide that the ring must be destroyed. Frodo along with his eight companions must now travel across Middle Earth to destroy the ring in Mordor in the fires of Mount Doom, and they must do all of this with haste, for Sauron's eye is ever searching for his one ring.

     Directed by Peter Jackson this film stars, Elijah Wood as Frodo Baggins, Sean Astin as Samwise Gamgee, Ian McKellan as Gandalf the Grey, Viggo Mortensen as Aragorn, Orlando Bloom as Legolas, John Rhys-Davies as Gimli, Liv Tyler as Arwen, Sean Bean as Boromir, Cate Blanchett as Galadriel, Hugo Weaving as Elrond, Andy Serkis as Smeagul, Christopher Lee as Sarumon, Ian Holme as Bilbo Baggins, Billy Boyd as Pippin, and Dominic Monaghan as Merry. Needless to say, this movie has a bunch of amazing actors and actresses. This film has amazing talent in every department, and of course the story is awesome in its own right.

     Based off the book of the same title by J.R.R. Tolkien, this film completely won me over when I first watched it. I am in love with this fantastical journey with its intricately complicated characters. My favorite character has to be either Galadriel or Gandalf! This film is not just your typical fantasy and action/adventure. The dialog has so much depth and weight! Just read this bit of dialog between Frodo and Gandalf, which, by the way, has to be one of my favorite scenes in the movie.

Frodo: "I wish the ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened."

Gandalf: "So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought" 

     This film went on to win a total of four Oscars along with several other prestigious awards. Peter Jackson's talent for directing a huge film like this is very apparent. His talent combined with the talent of the cast, and the emotional and beautiful soundtrack done by Howard Shore, makes this one of my all-time favorite movies. I watch the entire trilogy at least once a year, and I never get sick of it! Yeah! I'm that much of a fan! 

     I would give this film a 10 out 10! Make sure you follow me on Twitter and Facebook, and be sure to share my blog with all your peeps! Thanks for reading and be sure to check back next week for a new blog post!  

Peace,

Jake

         

"Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope"

     A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away... The Empire, controlled by Emperor Palpatine, a sith lord, and his apprentice Darth Vader, is on the brink of civil war. At the front of this rebellion is Princess Leia of Alderaan. While on a diplomatic mission, Leia smuggles The Empire's plans for their new battle station, The Death Star. Darth Vader, hearing rumors of the stolen plans, attacks Leia's ship on her return journey to Alderaan. Realizing she will most likely be captured she has R2-D2, an astromech droid in her service, keep the plans. R2-D2 ,along with his companion C-3PO, escape to a nearby planet, Tatoonie, where they are bought by Luke, a young moisture farmer who lives with his aunt and uncle. Luke subsequently gets embroiled in the rebellion when he come across Leia's message for a man named Obi-Wan Kenobi. Finding Obi-Wan, Luke learns that his father was a jedi, a powerful warrior that channels the force and that once defended the galaxy against evil. He must now come to realize he has a much bigger destiny than he can ever imagine, and that he can shape the galaxy for good or evil depending on his chosen path.

     Directed by George Lucas this film stars Mark Hamill as Luke SkyWalker, Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia, Harrison Ford as Han Solo, Peter Cushing as Grand Moff Tarkin, Alec Guinness as Ben Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anthony Daniels as C-3PO, Peter Mayhew as Chewbacca, Kenny Baker as R2-D2, David Prowse as Darth Vader, and James Earl Jones as the voice of Darth Vader. This is one the best sci-fi movies to date. Star Wars was the film that changed everything about the science fiction/ fantasy genre.

      George Lucas, who directed, wrote, and produced the film, changed the film industry with this groundbreaking movie. When it was released back in the late spring of 1977, nothing had ever been made like it before. The revolutionary visual effects combined with a truly captivating story made this film a huge hit. From this film, spawned two more films to finish off the the original trilogy, and then in 1999 the first prequel was released. Star Wars has turned into one of the largest franchises ever, with tv-shows, movies, books, toys, memoribilia, and so on and so forth.

     Now that Disney has bought the rights to the Star Wars franchise from George Lucas, they put into motion the making of at least three more main story films with a few spin-off films as well. The new trilogy is in the very capable hands of J.J. Abrams, who has most notably directed the new Star Trek films. Star Wars: Episode VII has yet to have an official poster, or an official title, but some of the casting has been revealed over the month, which includes Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, and Harrison Ford returning to their roles. Also returning is Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, and Anthony Daniels. Some of the new cast include Academy Award winner Lupita Nyongo, Game of Throne's star Gwendolyn Christie, Domhnall Gleeson who played in Harry Potter, Andy Serkis and his many talents have joined, Academy Award Nominee Oscar Isaac, Girls actor Adam Driver, newcome John Boyega, Oscar nominated actor Max von Sydow, and another new comer Daisy Ridley.

If you haven't seen this movie yet.... You need to rethink your life! Also, if you don't like this movie... You need to rethink your life! But seriously how could you not like Star Wars! I would give this film a 10 out 10! Make sure you follow me on Twitter, and check out my new Facebook page where I will be posting movie news and updates about my blog. Check back here next week for a new blog post!

Peace,
Jake

"X-Men: Days of Future Past"

     In the bleak and desolate future, the X-Men battle for their survival against the ever evolving Sentinels. In a last ditch effort against the ongoing war, of which the mutants are losing, they decide to send Wolverine's mind back in time to change what has happened. Wolverine is sent back to 1973, where he must find and stop Mystique before she sets off the chain of events that spell doom for the mutants and all who support them. In a literal race against time, Wolverine must convince Charles and Erik to work together again, but that is easier said than done. All the while Wolverine tries to fix the past, the rest of the surviving X-Men must battle the Sentinels once more to buy Wolverine as much time as he needs.                                                                                                                       Directed by Bryan Singer this film stars Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine, Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique, James MacAvoy and Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier/ Professor X, Michael Fassbender and Ian McKellan as Erik Lensherr/Magneto, Peter Dinklage as Dr. Bolivar Trask, Nicholas Hoult as Hank/Beast, Ellen Page as Kitty Pride, Shawn Ashmore as Bobby/Iceman, and Evan Peters as Peter/Quicksilver. This movie is so good! Definitely the best X-Men movie to date in my opinion. 

     The talent of the actors in this film is mind-blowing! I was so excited to hear that both Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellan were coming back for this installment! I loved seeing Blink, Warpath, Bishop, and Sunspot in there as well! Blink's powers made some of the coolest fight scenes I've ever seen in an X-Men film! Now let me talk a little about the amazingness of seeing Quicksilver played by Evan Peters in the film. His scenes were hilarious, but so cool at the same time, and I loved how they alluded to Magneto being the father! The story line was masterfully executed and everything felt smooth and in place. 

     Now you may be wondering what that scene at the end of the credits was all about, well I'm here to enlighten you. The creepy looking mutant is En Sabah Nur. Born in ancient Egypt, he is known as The First One. An Immortal Mutant, he has the numerous powers including Superhuman Strength, Invulnerability, Flight, Teleportation, Bio-Molecular Alteration ect.  He later becomes known as Apocalypse, and with his four horsemen, usually other mutants who are either willingly serve or are forced to serve, he is one of the X-Men's most feared nemesis. Apparently the cast from X-Men: First Class will reappear as well some of the original cast too. The younger versions of Jean, Cyclops, and Storm will appear as well. It will act as a sequel to the movie and will take place in the 1980's. It is scheduled for release March 27th, 2016.

I would give this film a 9.5 out 10! Make sure you follow me on Twitter, and share this with all your peeps. Also, check out my X-Men: First Class review!

Peace,

Jake

P.S. If you haven't seen the end credits scene here it is:

"X-Men: First Class"

     During the Cold War a U.S. government agent, named Moira MacTaggert, believes that a group known as the Hellfire Club, headed by the enigmatic Sebastian Shaw, is trying to start World War III by heightening the tensions between Russia and the U.S. Unbeknown to the world, the Hellfire Club is actually a group of mutants intent on destroying the lesser evolved humans. In order to combat this threat the government employs the help of Charles Xavier, a powerful mutant who can control the mind, to assemble a team with which to combat this new evil. Along the way, Charles comes across Erik Lensherr, another powerful mutant with the power to control metal, who seeks revenge against Shaw for war crimes committed against him and his family. In a race against time ,this new team must learn to work together or else all will be lost, and the world will fall to ruin.

      Directed by Mathew Vaughn this film stars James McAvoy as Charles Xavier, Michael Fassbender as Erik Lensherr, Kevin Bacon as Sebastian Shaw, Jennifer Lawrence as Raven/Mystique, Rose Bryne as Moira MacTaggert, Nicholas Hoult as Hank/Beast, and January Jones as Emma Frost. This film finally got the X-Men franchise back on track, and with X-Men: Days of Future Past shaping up to be one of the best X-Men movies to date, I feel like people might actually forget about X-Men: The Last Stand....

     I love this movie. X-Men has always been one of my favorite Marvel franchises, but after all the fun and exciting but mediocre X-Men spin-off films, I was left hoping for a new start. And this film did exactly that. To me this was a great origin story with a great new cast. Just think, this movie came out before Jennifer Lawrence became a household name for her role in The Hunger Games. I think they did a great job with picking the storyline too. I love how in the X-Men series they are dealing with real life matters and actual historical events, but in an unreal and fantastical way.

     Something else I love about X-Men is the character are easy to relate too, because they aren't the perfect cookie cutter superheros. I mean besides the mutant abilities, they are not that much different than us. That is what I feel Stan Lee and the team at Marvel really wanted to put in their comics and movies was the fact that just because somebody is different in looks, abilities, lifestyle, ect....... doesn't mean they are any less human, or they require any less love and acceptance that we all long for. The comics and movies portray the fear and hatred we as a race have towards anything that is not "like us." Just look through some history books to find this exact fear and hatred towards things that are different littered throughout time. Now just like Magneto, some of those who aren't accepted turn to more violent ways to gain security and freedom, but still some are more like Professor X in that even through persecution and hardship they rise above all of it and still try to be kind and compassionate to the ones who reject them.

     Rant over! I would rate this film a 9 out 10! Make sure you check out my X-Men: Days of Future Past review that I will post tomorrow sometime! Follow me on Twitter and share my blog with all your peeps!

Peace,
Jake

"S." by J.J. Abrams and Doug Dorst

     The book Ship of Theseus is written by the mysterious V. M. Straka who was a part of a secret group called S., but who is Straka and what does the puzzling S mean? That is something that Eric, an expelled grad student at Pronghorn University, is trying to figure out. He feels that the last book that Straka ever wrote, Ship of Theseus, is the answer to figuring out Straka's real identity. When he accidentally leaves his copy of the book, which he had written his thoughts in, at the library an unsuspecting under-grad student named Jen finds it and leaves a message for Eric. This starts a relationship between the two that will irrevocably change their futures. As they unravel the author's past they are thrown into a dangerous world of conspiracy and secret societies. In a race against ambitious and dangerous persons they may have stumbled onto something bigger than either of them can handle.

     Written by Doug Dorst and envisioned by J.J. Abrams this book takes you on wild and intriguing ride through a familiar, but strange world. You can read the fantastical journey of a man known only as S. and his struggle to find who he his and what his purpose is, and yet at the same time you can read Eric and Jen's story and their realizations about the people in Straka's life and their own lives. With cool inserts such as notes, postcards, pictures, and even a map on a university napkin it immerses you in the story to make you feel like your prying into a private conversation.

      This is a story within a story, and both are masterfully executed to where each seems seamless with each other. My only problem with the book was the ending. The entire book was alluding to a major turning point, and just when you think it's going to reach that final climax it dies down with a whimper. Also, the end left so many question unanswered.... It was like Lost all over again! Other than that, the book was amazing, and overall I feel like this is what both Doug Dorst and J.J. Abrams wanted for the end. I don't think they wanted an excitement filled and adventurous ending where everyone is saved, and the hero rides off into the sunset. I think they, instead, wanted something that would portray the humanity of the protagonist, and that we're all not so different. We all want to be loved and to love even if our circumstances and society tell us different.

     I would definitely recommend this book, and don't be too disappointed with the end. Take it for what it is, and that is a story about love and loss. I would give this book a 8 out 10! I hope J.J. and Doug team up again for another book! Make sure you follow me on Twitter and share this with all your peeps! Be looking for my next blog next Sunday! Have a blessed week!

Peace,
Jake

"Blue Jasmine"

     Jasmine, a rich, New York socialite, has no end of heartache when her life is turned upside down, and she is left homeless. Traveling to San Francisco to live with her sister, Ginger, Jasmine begins to breakdown as she realizes all that she lost. As she spirals in fits of depression and anxiety, she builds this facade around her life which bespeaks of the life she once had, but will never have again. Just when she thinks she is getting her life back her facade of a life she never lived comes crashing down. This proves to be to much for her to take, and Jasmine descends into madness.

     Directed by Woody Allen this film stars Cate Blanchett as Jasmine, Alec Baldwin as Hal, and Sally Hawkins as Ginger. This was a really great film, very different, but still great. You shouldn't expect anything less from the combined talent of Woody Allen and Cate Blanchett.

     Cate Blanchett's performance was amazing and totally believable. She has to be my favorite actress to date. She always embodies the characters she plays. From Galadriel in the Lord of the Rings Series to Daisy Fuller in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button she brings a powerful and heartfelt performance to the role. This film is no exception. She takes you for a journey into Jasmines descent into madness and despair. She portrays a woman who is desperately in need of help, but who is too prideful to accept or even to look for the help she needs.

     Sally Hawkins and Alec Baldwin do an amazing job building the story with Jasmine. They acted really well together so everything felt really believable and real. Woody Allen, once again, delivers a great movie with very unique filming and a different aspect of storytelling that you don't see too often in film, at least not in he films I watch. Cate Blanchett won the prestigious Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role for this movie. It also gained two more nominations for Sally Hawkins as Best Supporting Actress and Woody Allen for Original Screenplay. Cate also picked up a Golden Globe, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and a BAFTA for her leading role.

I would give this film an 8 out of 10 mostly because of Cate's performance and the interesting story brought to life by Woody Allen! Make sure you follow me on Twitter! If you could share this with your friends and share the link on you twitter or Facebook too that would be amazing!

Peace,
Jake

"Frozen"

        Frozen follows the story of Princess Elsa and Princess Anna. Elsa, the oldest, is told that she is cursed with ice magic, and that in order to protect her sister and the kingdom she needed to be locked away in the castle until she could control her power. Anna, who used to be very close to her sister, feels abandoned by her. On Elsa's coronation day she loses control, and unleashes some of her power. Fearful of who she might hurt, and of what people will do to her, she flees the kingdom. But her enemy is not so easily defeated, for her greatest enemy is herself. As fear causes her to lose control of her abilities she brings an eternal winter down upon the kingdom. Now Anna must go find her sister to try and have her reverse the winter in the kingdom and in herself.

      Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee this film stars the voices of Kristen Bell as Anna, Idina Menzel as Elsa, Jonathan Groff as Kristoff, Josh Gad as Olaf, and Santino Fontana as Hans. This was herald as the best Disney movie since Beauty and the Beast, and lets just say my expectations were high and they were definitely not met.

        So to start off I didn't hate the movie, but I just don't understand why so many people love it. The songs throughout the movie (besides the opening credits song) sounded more like dialog stuffed into a song rather than actual music. The one song that was apparently "the best song ever" was "Let it Go".... While the song was catchy, it was not an instant classic like some other mainstay songs of previous Disney movies. I almost had to take my headphones off because one of the notes Idina Menzel hits it is ear drum shattering... Ouch! Maybe I was expecting to much, but with all the press and rave reviews I was stoked to see it. I mean "Beauty and the Beast" has to be one of my favorite Disney movies of all time, and to hear Frozen compared to that got me excited, but sadly Frozen has to be my least favorite Disney princess movie (so far).
 
       There were only a few funny parts, and I felt like I was only getting to know the characters when the movie ended. I felt no connection to any of them. The story felt rushed too, as if they had all these things they wanted to put in there, and they decided to put it in even though it didn't fit. From what I remember reading of Hans Christian Anderson's story "The Snow Queen", which the movie is based off of, their is not much of the original story in their. I applaud their efforts on trying to make this as true to the Norwegian culture as possible, but it just didn't hit home for me. My favorite moments from the film were probably the scenes with Kristoff and Sven, and I feel like they should have done more of those scenes!!!

     Was it a terrible movie, no, but was it the best, I don't think so. I would give this movie 6 out 10 purely because it did have some cute parts, and funny parts mingled in. Follow me on Twitter and make sure you tell everyone you know about the blog!! haha

Peace,
Jake

P.S. Check out this YouTube video of how Frozen should have ended!! hahaha Hilarious!

"Captain America: The Winter Soldier"

     Following the events of The Avengers, Captain America starts to work for S.H.I.E.L.D. Working with S.H.I.E.L.D. has given him a purpose after the battle of New York, but while he is still trying to adjust to this modern lifestyle his past seems to be catching up with him with a vengeance. Secrets, lies, and treachery seem to surround Cap as he tries to figure out the secret of the past that was ripped away from him. With Black Widow and The Falcon at his side he must race to find out what S.H.I.E.L.D. really stands for, and if it can weather the coming storm.

     Directed by brothers Anthony and Joe Russo this film stars: Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/ Captain America, Scarlett Johansson as Natasha Romanoff/ Black Widow, Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury, Robert Redford as Alexander Pierce, Sebastian Stan as The Winter Soldier, Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson/ The Falcon, Cobie Smulders as Maria Hill, and Emily VanCamp as Kate/ Agent 13. This was seriously one of the best Marvel movies yet, and that is saying a lot because all of them are so good!!! (Excluding some of the older Marvel films, of course.)

      This movie had such a good blend of action/adventure, political drama, and of course some superhero awesomeness. Behind the CGI and amazing fight scenes there lies a relevant and terrifying political message... Do you want to trade liberty for a perception of safety? Now that is one deep question! Now lets not forget the simply astounding action scenes, they were seriously top notch. Another thing I loved about the film, was the humor they put into it. The mall scene was hilarious, and Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson clearly show why they were chosen for these roles. If you haven't seen it yet... What are you waiting for?

Can you believe this is already the ninth film that Marvel Studios has released since Iron Man back in 2008? We are already deep into Phase 2  which started with Iron Man 3 then Thor: The Dark World, and now Captain America: The Winter Soldier. (For those of you who didn't know Phase 1 consisted of Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor, Captain America: The First Avenger, and The Avengers.) Phase 2 will continue with Guardians of the Galaxy in August, and then conclude with Avengers: Age of Ultron in May of 2015. Kevin Feige, the producer and the man behind the genius of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, has just announced that they have Marvel movies planned till 2028. That's a lot of superhero movies, but I'm okay with that!

     The mid-credits scene was absolutely amazing with Baron Wolfgang Von Strucker, one of the heads of Hydra, and the twins Wanda and Pietro Maximoff being Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver respectively. All three of these characters are set to be in the Avengers: Age of Ultron with Wanda and Pietro most likely playing large parts in the film.

    I would give this film a 10 out of 10! It had me wanting more from the second it ended! Guardians of the Galaxy here I come! Make sure you follow me on Twitter and check back here this Sunday for (hopefully) a new blog post. Share this with your friends, and make sure you vote on the poll up on the top right-hand corner.

Peace,
Jake

P.S. If you aren't watching Marvel Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. then you are missing out on some big reveals and one awesome tv show. Tune in every Tuesday at 8 EST on ABC!

"Captain America: The First Avenger"

     It's the year 1942, and World War II is raging on like wildfire. Many people, during that time, volunteered to go fight in the war and one of those people is Steve Rogers. Steve, who was deemed unfit for active duty because of his multiple physical and health problems, doesn't give up. He applies for a second time, but this time a Dr. Abraham Erskine allows him to enlist. He is recruited by a secret division in the military called the Scientific Strategic Reverse who are trying to create the perfect soldier, or a super soldier as they call it. Rogers showing bravery and selflessness in training becomes the first candidate for the super soldier serum which was created by Dr. Erskine. Steve Rogers turns from a small, frail guy from Brooklyn to the beloved hero Captain America. The battle for freedom has just begun and there are dark forces led by the Red Skull who threaten to pull the world into chaos. Only Captain America has the strength and fortitude to make the ultimate sacrifice for freedom and justice and end this battle.

   Directed by Joe Johnston this film stars Chris Evans as Steve Rogers/Captain America, Haley Atwell as Peggy Carter, Sebastian Stan as James Buchanan "Bucky" Barnes, Stanley Tucci as Dr. Abraham Erskine, Tommy Lee Jones as Colonel Chester Phillips, Hugo Weaving as Johann Schmidt/Red Skull and Dominic Cooper as Howard Stark. What an amazing movie with an amazing cast. This has to be one of the best Phase One Marvel movies.

     You have to love Steve Rogers character, because there is just no possible way to hate this guy. Chris Evans did a marvelous job bringing this all-American hero to life and personally I think he is a much better Captain America than he was the Human Torch. One of my favorite quotes is one Dr. Erskine tells Steve the day before they try out the super serum, "Whatever happens tomorrow you must promise me one thing. That you will stay who you are. Not a perfect soldier, but a good man."I feel that Captain America resonates well with everyone, because I believe that he has characteristics that we all want to have such as loyalty, bravery, righteousness, and the ability to be compassionate.

Thankfully after 3 years Captain America is coming back to the big screen in "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" coming out this Friday, April 5th in the U.S. I will hopefully be going to see the movie over the weekend and then have a review of it up here for you. This film has the job of setting up the upcoming Avengers: Age of Ultron which is due for release next year! I seriously cannot wait!

I would give this film a 9.5 out 10! If you haven't seen it yet you definitely should! Follow me on Twitter for news, updates and randomness and check back here next Sunday for a new blog post hopefully. Thanks for reading! Oh! and remember to vote in the poll at the top right hand side!

Peace,
Jake



















 

"Here, There Be Dragons" - James A. Owen

     Three Oxford scholars, John, Jack, and Charles, are thrown together when John's mentor, Stellan Sigurdsson, is mysteriously killed. In his death he left the Imagnarium Geographica, a book which records all fictional and mythological places, to John. But there is someone sinister after the book, and the three new companions are thrust into a magical and dangerous world they know little about. With the help of Bert, a friend of Stellan Sigurdsson, they escape on his ship from a pack of Wendigo, dark cannibalistic creatures, that were chasing them through the streets. Little do they know they are all headed for lands they all thought imaginary, and that all of the lands are in great danger. The Winter King has come to conquer and enslave the world in darkness and he literally brought Pandora's Box to do it for him.

     Written by the always amazing James A. Owen this book tells an amazing fantastical story about life, love, loyalty, and friendship. He brings together a truly magnificent tale about triumph and defeat. His characters have so much depth I immediately connected with them. And his illustrations completely blow my mind. I really wish I could draw like that, but it seems like all I can do is draw some stick figures!

    All right so I learned some exciting thing about this book a few weeks back, and oh my gosh I am so excited! James A. Owen is in talks with the producers of The Lord of the Rings movies to turn the first book into either a movie or a television show. In 2006, upon it's release, Here, There Be Dragons was almost immediately optioned by Warner Brothers and producer David Heyman. However, Mr. Heyman, being the producer of the Harry Potter series, found he was unable to produce the film due to the fact that the seventh Harry Potter movie was split into to two parts. I believe the the new producers are much better equipped to take on the challenge of putting Mr. Owens words to screen, especially given the subject matter!

      This entire series is mind-blowing and each book had me hanging on the edge of my seat wanting more. Though the books have a fantastical feel it still feels very grounded and very human, and I loved his use of mythology in the story line. All I got to say is just wait till the big end reveal! I had chills. I would give this book a 9.5 out of 10. Seriously one of my favorite series ever. Make sure you follow me on Twitter for updates on the blog and for what I'm watching and reading! Check back next Sunday for next blog post!

Peace,
Jake

"RoboCop" (2014)

     In the year 2028, most of the world is policed by robot forces that are controlled by the national conglomerate company, OmniCorp. However, the United States remains resolute on it's stance against robotic police forces taking over in the States. The OmniCorp CEO Raymond Sellars has found a loophole in the ban on robotic police forces, and this loophole is to put a man in the machine. Their options are slim, or that is until Alex Murphy, a detective on the Detroit police force and a loving husband and father, is the victim of heinous crime resulting in serious injuries. Dr. Dennet Norton, a scientist who works for OmniCorp, helps to save his life, but at what cost? He is no longer just human, he has the strengths and enhancements of the robotics but also the conscience and the ability to know what is right and wrong of a human. He can only be described as what he is, he is RoboCop.

     Directed by Jos é Padilha this film stars Joel Kinnaman as Alex Murphy, Gary Oldman as Dr. Dennet Norton, Michael Keaton as Raymond Sellars, Samuel L. Jackson as Pat Novak, Abbie Cornish as Clara Murphy, and Jackie Earle Haley as Rick Mattox. Though this movie will most likely not make it to my top 10 favorites of the year, it was still a really good film with some great actors.

     I loved the casting job they did in this movie. Joel Kinnaman was a perfect fit for this role. He has got some serious acting chops and I'm hoping his work in this movie will get him more screen time in the future. I really liked him in the crime/drama/thriller show The Killing. And like The Killing this movie had some strong political overtones that heavily influenced the the entire movie. From the fact that they mostly focused on the Middle East, where they showed the "effectiveness" of the robots. They also included a biased news program in which Samuel L. Jackson's character, Pat Novak, is seemingly pro-robot. And all during this the Senator who leads the fight against the robot regime coming to the States is openly ridiculed for his beliefs. Now what these specific examples mean is up to debate, and I'll leave someone who is much more learned in political ways to decipher it!

     Now let's not forget the awesome fight sequences, and the cool CGI effects in the movie! Gotta love a good action/ Sci-Fi movie! I would give this film a 6.5 out 10! This movie is now playing in theaters everywhere just so y'all know! Make sure you follow me on Twitter and check back here next Sunday for my next blog! Also let me know in the poll up at the top if you want me to do newer movies like this one more often!

Peace,
Jake

"Ender's Game"

     When Andrew "Ender" Wiggin beats a school bully in a virtual game, he sets into motion a series of events that once started could not be reversed. Ender is swept away from his family and home to train and hone his strategic abilities at the prestigious Battle School, because Colonel Hyrum Graff, from the Interntional Fleet, hopes that one day Ender will be able to defeat the worlds greatest threat, the Formics. The Formics are an alien race that attacked earth in the year 2086, and the only reason earth survived was because of the bravery of one man, Mazer Rackham, who flew his ship into the heart of their mothership. According to the Colonel, the Formics are planning another mass invasion of Earth, and Ender is the only one that can stop it.

     Directed by Gavin Hood this film stars Asa Butterfield as Andrew "Ender" Wiggin, Harrison Ford as Colonel Hyrum Graff, Hailee Steinfeld as Petra Arkanian, Abigail Breslin as Valentine Wiggin, Ben Kingsley as Mazer Rackham, and Viola Davis as Major Gwen Anderson. I really liked this movie a lot. It has a great cast, and I thought they did a great job bringing Orson Scott Card's book to life.

     One of my absolute favorite parts of the movie was this quote, "In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him." It is a tragically beautiful way to view those who we see as enemies. Our "enemies" have aspirations, and things they want to do with their life just as we do. They have families or people they love just as we do. Therefore in understanding your enemy, you are identifying yourself in them, and therefore love or have some type of connection to them. Isn't that exhilarating and a bit confounding to think about.
  
      I was really hoping that they would make the sequel, "Ender's Shadow", into a movie too, but the film plans apparently changed when the child actors became too old for their parts. There is; however, plans to do a movie or television series off of Orson Scott Card's new series about the aftermath of the fleet school. These plans are on shaky ground now too, because the film did not net as much money in the U.S. as they had hoped. My fingers are crossed that they will do something in the near future, either a sequel or television show I don't care, because I just want to see more of this amazing world created by Mr. Card.

I would give this film a 8.5 out 10! I'm planning on reading the books soon, and I cant wait to read them; especially if they are as good as people are saying they are. Make sure you follow me on Twitter and check back here next Sunday for a new blog post. Hope everybody has a good week.

Peace,
Jake

P.S. Sorry about not posting last week everybody. College writing has taken over my life! haha

"The Prestige"

     Two stage magicians, Robert Angier and Alfred Borden, compete for the attention of 19th century London in this psychological thriller. Each having an obsession to one-up the other with the best stage illusion. While Borden seemingly takes the upper hand, when he comes up with "The Transported Man" illusion; in which he disappears behind a door only to reappear a moment later in a different door. This illusion infuriates Angier; who then goes to America to enlist the help of the famous inventor Nikola Tesla. Tesla then invents a machine which not even he fully understands, and which will lead to dire consequences for not only Angier, but Borden as well.

     Directed by the brilliant Christopher Nolan; this film stars Hugh Jackman as Robert Angier, Christian Bale as Alfred Borden, Michael Cain as John Cutter, Scarlett Johansson as Olivia Wenscombe, and David Bowie as Nikola Tesla. This film simply amazes me every time I watch it; and I definitely didn't see the ending coming when I first watched it. So well acted and the script was superb!

     This film is based off a book of the same name by Christopher Priest. The screen adaption was written by Christopher Nolan and his brother Jonathan. I know I say this a lot, but this has to be one of my favorite films! I love when movies can keep me guessing, and this film certainly does that. Can I just say that Michael Cain makes every movie he's in even that much better. He is truly a master at his craft. The Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale duo was amazing too. When you get two actors of that caliber together for a movie; you know you are gonna be watching something amazing. Plus it's the closest we are gonna get to see Black Widow, Wolverine, Batman, and Alfred in the same movie!

     I would give this film a 10 out of 10! I would recommend this movie to everyone! Seriously, if you haven't watched it yet go watch it right now! You won't regret it! Follow me on Twitter, and check back here next Sunday for my next blog post. Let me know what you want me to review next! Have a good week everybody!

Peace,
Jake

   

"Elysium"

It's the year 2154, and while the fortunate few and wealthy live in a utopia on a space habitat, called Elysium; the unfortunate many of earth are left to live in overcrowded cities with disease and oppression. Max Da Costa, a former car thief and now a parolee, works as a part of an assembly line for the military company Armadyne Corp.; who creates the robots that are now the Earth's law enforcement. When Max is exposed to a lethal amount of radiation at work; he is only given 5 days to live. There is; however, one way for Max to be cured, and that way is to get to Elysium. There they have healing technologies called Med-bay's; which the people of Earth can only dream of. There is only one problem.... Elysium doesn't allow for any immigrants from Earth to enter their perfect utopia.

     Directed by Neil Blomkamp; this movie stars Matt Damon as Max Da Costa, Jodie Foster as Defense Secretary Delacourt, Sharlto Copley as Agent C.M. Kruger, and Wagner Moura as Spider. I thought this was a great SciFi film; good story line, good acting, and explosions! The director Neil Blomkamp is really good at these dystopian Science Fiction/ Thriller movies.

     While I really liked this film; it did remind me a lot of Neil Blomkamp's film District 9 which was released in 2009. Both were set in an impoverished setting; both main characters start out as self-serving, but end up sacrificing everything to help those in need. Also both governments are wacko; one controlled by a defense contractor and the other by a power hungry Defense Secretary.  Sharlto Copley, a great South African actor, stars in both films as well. I really liked both films, but I couldn't help but notice the similarities. That said there are certain parts of each of the films which added a unique aspect to what Blomkamp thinks of our world now and of our future.

     If you haven't seen this movie, I would definitely suggest that you do, especially if you're Science/Fiction fanatic like me! I would give Elysium a 7 out 10 stars! Follow me on Twitter and check back here next Sunday for my next blog post!

Peace,
Jake

    

"Out of the Silent Planet" by C.S. Lewis

    Dr. Elwin Ransom, unaware that his life is about to change dramatically, seeks lodging at an old estate in the English Midlands. Dr. Weston, the owner of the estate, and Dick Devine, Weston's friend, both greedy and arrogant, are planning a trip to the red planet. For their nefarious purposes, they require a human sacrifice, and who better than one who seeks refuge from the night in your estate. Ransom is then drugged and brought aboard their space ship. Only when they arrive on the red planet, Ransom eludes his captors, but not before he catches glimpses of the Sorn, the aliens to who Weston and Devine were to give Ransom as a sacrifice. He may have escaped them but, but now he is cast adrift in the strange world of Malacandra.

    Published in 1938, this story is another work of C. S. Lewis that is just simply astounding. Part of the series called the Space trilogy, this is book one; "Perelandra" and "That Hideous Strength", being the the following two books respectively. Malacandra, if you didn't guess, is the "real" name of the planet that we call Mars. Though Mr. Lewis did not allude to know anything about Mar's topical nature; instead he let his imagination run wild and came up with a beautiful planet of wonder.

     C. S. Lewis has a way of taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary; and taking a wild science fiction tale and turning it into a story of meaning and spiritual depth. This book takes you on a fantastical journey through Malacandra, in which he meets amazing and diverse alien creatures such as the seroni, the hrossa, and the pfifltriggi. (Don't ask me how to pronounce that last one) When I first read this book, about 4 or so years ago, I had a hard time catching on to the story, and let me be honest, my vocabulary wasn't ready for C. S. Lewis. However now it has to be one of my favorites from C. S. Lewis and definitely a book I recommend to anybody. Although I would recommend every single C. S. Lewis book to you.

    I would give this book a 10 out 10! If you haven't read it, you need to asap! Can you believe that January is almost over... My how this month has flown by! My next blog will be, as ever, next Sunday! Hope everybody had a good month! Make sure you follow me on Twitter and tell me what you want me to review next!

Peace,
Jake







   

"Looper"

      In the future; time travel is discovered in 2074, but is then immediately outlawed. Now, however, criminal organizations use time travel to send the people they want killed back in time. These people who are sent back are killed by assassins called Loopers, who get their payment by getting silver bars that are strapped to the victim. They are run by the crime boss Abe, who was sent from the future to make sure everything runs smoothly. When a looper is retired, his older self gets sent back to be killed by his younger self, also the victim is strapped with gold instead of silver. Joe, a looper and the main character, is getting rich and living the life until one day the crime syndicate decides to "close his loop," sending future Joe (Bruce Willis) back to be killed by present Joe (Joseph Gordon-Levitt).

    Directed Rian Johnson, this film stars Bruce Willis as old Joe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt as young Joe, Emily Blunt as Sara, Noah Segan as Kid Blue, and Jeff Daniels as Abe. This is an amazing movie, with great character development and a brilliant original story to go with it. My favorite thing about this film is there was some intricacies, but there was also a simplicity to it. It kept me interested, but yet I didn't feel overwhelmed with information.

      Something cool they added to the movie was that a minority of people, have a genetic mutation which gives them telekinetic powers. Now this telekinetic ability only allows them to float quarters in the air, so it's not a fully developed power yet. Now there is a character in the film that does have fully developed powers, but I'm not gonna tell you who it is because that would be giving away spoilers. I attributed this character, as having Jean Grey like powers (for any X-Men fans out there)!

This film got rave reviews from critics and was a pretty big hit at the box office too! This has to be one of my favorite films from 2012 and may actually make it into my top 15 favorite movies of all time! I would give this film a 9 out 10 stars! Now this film is rated R, so for any that are sensitive to language and violence, this movie is not for you. Follow me on Twitter and check back here Sunday for a new blog post! 

Peace,

Jake

P.S. Sorry for not getting this up Sunday. I'll be sure to have the next one up on time!

  

  

"The Wolverine"

   Following the events of X-Men: The Last Stand, Logan now lives as a hermit in the Yukon mountains, and is constantly tormented by the memory of Jean Grey who he was forced to kill. While there, he has flashbacks to World War II, when he was a prisoner in Nagasaki. While prisoner there he saved one Japanese soldier from the atomic bomb by shielding him. Back in present day, Yashida, the officer that he saved, is dying and wishes to see Logan one more time. While there Yashida tells him that there is a way to transfer his regenerative abilities onto himself, so that he, Yashida, could live forever, and Logan could live a normal life.

     Directed by James Mangold, this film stars Hugh Jackman as Logan/Wolverine, Hal Yamanouchi as Yashida, Tao Okamoto as Mariko, and Rila Fukushima as Yukio. This was such a great installment to the X-Men series, and Hugh Jackman does such a good job with this character, it's like he was made for this role. I would say it was the best Wolverine stand alone film yet.

      Can we just stop and think about that amazing fight scene on top of the bullet train! It has to be one of my favorite fight scenes ever, it was so creative and ingenious. Another thing I loved about this movie, is that it stayed pretty close to the comic book series that came out in 1982. However, one of the problems I have with this film is that Viper aka Madame Hydra should have been delved into more, I mean she is a pretty big character in the Marvel comics. The reason they didn't affiliate Viper with Madame Hydra is because they didn't have the rights to her character, so Viper is a mutant in this movie rather than genetically enhanced. So I understand why they didn't, but I was still kinda disappointed with that. Hopefully she will be in a Captain America movie!

        The end credits scene gave me chill bumps. There was to much awesomeness seeing Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen back together for their roles as Professor X and Magneto respectively! It sets up the X-Men: Days of Future Past perfectly, and I can't even begin to tell you how excited I am for this movie! The cast has to be one the most star studded films of 2014, with of course Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellan, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, Halle Berry, Peter Dinklage, Ellen Page, and Shawn Ashmore. I think with a budget of $250,000,000, most of it went to getting this cast together in one movie.

      For any of you wondering if there will be another Wolverine stand alone film, yes there will. It was announced last year that there will be another sequel, however no plot line has been given as of yet.

   I would give this film an 8.5 out 10 stars! Follow me on Twitter and come back here next Sunday for the next blog post!

Peace,
Jake

"Man of Steel"

      One of the most well known superheros, Superman, is brought to the big screen again with a new look and a slight twist to his origin. Krypton has depleted all of its resources and left on the brink of a civil war started by General Zod. Jor-El, realizing that the planet is about to be destroyed, sends his son, the first natural born Kryptonian in centuries, to earth so that he may live. Crash landing in Smallville, Kansas, he is taken in by the Kent's, who treat him as their own son and they name him Clark Kent. As he gets older he starts to exhibit superhuman abilities such as x-ray vision, superhuman strength, superhuman speed and heat vision. General Zod escaping from the phantom zone along with his followers, now searches for Clark aka Kal-El, because he wants the Kryptonian codex which Jor-El infused into Kal-El's DNA.

      Directed by Zack Snyder this film stars Henry Cavill as Superman, Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Russell Crowe as Jor-El, Michael Shannon as General Zod, Diane Lane as Martha Kent, and Kevin Costner as Jonathan Kent. This was personally one of my favorite movies of 2013, I think the story they told in this one was really good! It had a very realistic feel to it (the whole alien thing and all the CGI effects beside the point) that I really enjoyed! I thought it was a good representation of a new Superman for a new age!

   I know this film got a lot of hate, many claiming that it was in their top ten least favorite movies of 2013. Saying the film lacked character development, that the fight scenes lasted way to long and also saying that it lacked a "lightness" that the other Superman movies had. I agree that it didn't have the bubble gum pop feel as the others one did. I however enjoyed this darker version of the story, it reflected the hard choices that a hero, if they were to exist in today's world, would need to make. As far as character development, I agree that they didn't delve into the characters, but it didn't bother me that much as it is the first movie, I mean the first Thor movie had the same flaw but I still loved that movie!

   As you all probably know the new Man of Steel 2 was announced last year at Comic-Con. It will be a Superman Vs. Batman film which will most likely set up the Justice League movie. Zack Snyder will return to direct and Christopher Nolan will return as executive producer. Ben Affleck is cast to play Bruce Wayne/ Batman which I know not to many people are happy about. While I can't exactly blame them after "Daredevil", I ask that you keep an open mind till you actually see the film, because I believe Ben Affleck has come a long way since then. Also Gal Gadot has been cast Wonder Woman, it is not clear in what capacity she will be in the film, but I am crossing my fingers and hoping for the best! 

      I would give this film an 8 out 10 stars! I'm back everybody! Happy New Year! If you want, follow me on Twitter and check back here Sunday for my next blog post!!

Peace,
Jake