True Grit

  Ever since I was a kid I was always told “You’ll like this movie! It’s a good movie!”  And every time I would watch those movies, they would reinforce in my mind how much I despise westerns. I found them either boring, drawn out, or even downright lame in story content. And to this day I still find westerns to be a bit drawn out.

  This gets me to this reviews subject.  I liked it!  And the reason why?  Because it felt more like a period piece and not a western.  Sure it had six shooters, horses, big hats and it took place in the mid to late 1800’s. All the basic trappings of the westerns I so despise. But it didn’t focus on what i despise the most with westerns, the dialect. It was there to be sure, but it didn’t come across strong. It just felt right.

   I think the biggest reason I went and saw True Grit is because of Jeff Bridges,  I am a fan and thought I would give it a shot.  He did not disappoint me.  He played the role very well. But the character that struck me the most was that of Mattie Ross played by Hailee Steinfeld.   She gives a convincing performance of a young woman who has lost her father whom she loved dearly and wants vengeance against his murderer. Throughout the movie she steals many of the scenes between Matt Damon and Jeff Bridges.

  The movie was directed well by the Coen brothers.  The editing felt a bit jumpy in the beginning but it flows seamlessly once the intro of the characters is done.  The script, also by the Coen brothers,  is well written.  It develops the characters well plots the story along at a steady pace.  Yes I do realize that this movie is a remake of a John Wayne movie of the same name.  I have not seen the original, but after viewing this movie, I am definitely checking it out on a later date. 

  With a well-developed story, great acting on the parts of all the main actors and a solid directing and production team, True Grit is deserving of the award nominations it is receiving.  I do hope that it gets what it rightfully deserves.  If you get the chance to see this movie, be sure to check it out at a theatre near you.

  As always, please leave a comment about what you thought of the movie.  

Thanks for reading,

Nathan J. Cormier

Dragontalk Radio: www.dragontalkradio.com

Marvel Theatre: www.bestmoviedeal.com The best price for the Best movies!

The Green Hornet

  Psyching yourself up for a let down at the theatres is always something I do.  Especially for superhero movies released in the beginning of the year. As much as I have liked them, they just haven’t been up to par. (I’m talking  about you Daredevil and Ghostrider.) Walking into the Orpheum, I set my mind on just enjoying the mindless action and ho-hum storied first superhero movie of the year.

  The movie started out like any other standard hero movie.  Get to know the character, his faults and his story. Then you meet Kato.  You get a sense of mystery when you see what Kato can do.  Even when they explain his history, it feels a bit weird.  But Kato is such an enjoyable character that you go along with it.  After that the action kicks in and it doesn’t stop. (except to keep the story going.) 

  The action scenes are shot with a slow motion akin to The Matrix and the first action scene sets the tone for the rest of the action in the movie. Don’t fret they don’t use this style throughout the entire movie.  Just enough for you to get an idea of how Kato sees things when he fights. Yes you will cringe at some of the action, but that makes it fun! Jay Chou is the next great action star from China. No doubt in my mind.

 The story is well scripted and the movie scenes fall into place flawlessly in most parts.  It did feel a bit choppy with the editing but it doesn’t ruin the movie.  The jokes run throughout the entire movie.  Seth Rogan and Jay Chou are a great comedic duo. You will be laughing at all the right and wrong times. But that is how the movie is designed.

  Now I need to talk about the real star of the movie.  The Black Beauty.  This car is awesome! In all of moviedom and TVdom I have not seen a car with so many fun and exhilarating gadgets. This car can do just about anything your imagination can think of. Even in the end this car surprises you.

  Sit back, relax, and enjoy the ride of the winter in what is sure to be the first of many great superhero movies of this coming year.  As always, please leave a comment about what you thought of the movie.  I really do like to hear what other people think.

Thanks for reading,

Nathan J. Cormier

Dragontalk Radio: www.dragontalkradio.com

Marvel Theatre: www.bestmoviedeal.com The best price for the Best movies!

Tron: Legacy

Growing up and becoming a huge fan of the original, I was going in with high hopes for this movie. A quick bit of history for any of you who have not seen the first movie.  It came out in 1982 and was met with mixed reviews. It barely made its money back at the box office and would have gone into obscurity like most other 80’s movies that end up in the bargain bins of video stores. But then it  was played on wonderful world of Disney in the mid to late 80’s.  It started to gain a Cult following over the years after that. Now 28 years later the fans of the original are getting a “Christmas” gift from Disney.  The Sequel.

  Tron: Legacy is everything a fan of the original has wanted to see.  Updated (state of the art) visual cgi world, return of original actors, and a story that plausibly delves you into the world of Tron.

 The actors play their parts with passion though Olivia Wylde definitely shines above the others. The World is beautiful beyond what the previews show. And the music by Daft Punk throughout the movie really gives you a feeling to match with the story. I would highly recommend getting the soundtrack if you like techno music.

  Overall, Tron: Legacy is a fun story to watch if a bit slow at times. But the action and the world of Tron are just something to behold with your own eyes.  If you get the chance in the next week to go see it, do so.  You won’t be disappointed. I know I wasn’t!

 Thanks for reading,

Nathan J. Cormier

Dragontalk Radio: www.dragontalkradio.com

Marvel Theatre: www.bestmoviedeal.com The best price for the Best movies! Trust me I paid $28 to see this movie with my daughter.  It would have cost me $12 to see it at one of their theatres.

Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader

  Did you enjoy the first two Chronicles of Narnia movies?  Well, you should have.  From a mysterious world of fantasy, to fast paced adventure, to final battles with glorious special effects.  They were well crafted and acted. Well worth the price of admission and the price of owning them on DVD/Blu-ray.

  Then we have Voyage of the Dawn Treader.  The same yet not so mysterious world of fantasy?  Check!  Fast paced adventure? Maybe a bit too fast.  It definitely felt hurried along a bit.   Special effects? Double check!  As good, if not better than the first two movies.  Though I will admit that the “3D” shots without a 3D movie theatre are really starting to grate on me.(Does everything have to be made for 3D!) And the final battle sequence?  Check!  It’s there, though a little less there than the previous two. 

  This movie seems to suffer from sequelitis.  It wants to be as good as its predecessors but it falls short.  Will Poulter was a good choice for the part of Eustice.  Though a few more acting lessons could have helped him.  The returning actors do well with what they are given and keep you enthralled with their characters learning about lifes treasures and temptations. (Lucy’s character development rings true to this day and age.)

  Overall if you are a fan of the books or the previous two movies?  Check it out.  You will like it.  If you are in for a fantastic voyage and adventure?  Go see it.  It’s a solid romp!

  My only question is this:  If they make another movie, will it be The Silver Chair or The Magician’s Nephew.  So far I cannot find anything about any sequels (prequels?) on the internet yet. If you want to see more of the series in theatres,  I think the phrase “Money Talks” would work here.

Any comments about this review? Please feel free to write them in the comments below.

Thank you for reading,

Nathan J. Cormier

Dragontalk Radio: www.dragontalkradio.com

Marvel Theatre: www.bestmoviedeal.com Please go see these movies at one of their wonderful small town theatres. They will be happy to see you!

Disney’s Tangled

Sitting in a seat towards the middle of the theatre,  I began to wonder if it was a good idea to view a Disney movie on opening night.  As the families walk in and take their seats, I hear kids laughing, crying, and screaming.  Then the movie starts.

With the likes of John Lassetter as Executive producer and Alen Menken writing the lyrics for the songs, you would think this movie would be good.  You would be wrong…  This movie is by far the best Disney movie I have seen in a long time.

Tangled covers all aspects of classic Disney that we all have grown to love and endear to ourselves.  Memorable music/songs? Check! Witty dialog? Tons of it! A well written story? (We will hopefully see more of Dan Fogelman writing screenplays for Disney in the future.) Yup it’s all there.

The main characters come to life with a realism that i haven’t felt since Beauty and the Beast! Then there are the support characters.  Pascal, the chameleon, is portrayed wonderfully as Rapunzels best friend.  Maximus, the military horse, is animated so vibrantly, that it reminds me of an old Loony Tunes character with attitude.

The jokes fly and the story builds throughout the entire movie. You will laugh a lot.  You may cry a bit. But most of all you will be happy to know that no matter what you paid to go see Tangled, you will leave feeling satisfied!

This movie tickles your heart!  Another great movie added to the 49 other Disney classics that came before! Yes that’s right.  This movie is the 50th feature length animated movie for Disney.  Keep em coming!

Thank you for reading,

Nathan J. Cormier

Dragontalk Radio: www.dragontalkradio.com

Marvel Theatre: www.bestmoviedeal.com

Harry Potter: The Deathly Hallows Part 1 Movie Review

  When I first step into the Historical Marvel Theatre in Carlinville, Illinois.  I am taken back to an older era of movie history. Today though, I have come to see a modern movie.  Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1. What follows is a short but concise review of the movie. No I will not divulge plot details.  Nor will I Spoil anything for the viewers who have not seen this movie.

  As the movie starts, within the first five minutes you get a feeling for what the characters have gone through.  Hardly a word of dialog is spoken.  But the movie emotes the sadness that has befallen this world we are viewing.  As we go further into the story I, as a fan of the books and a bit wary because of previous Potter movies, am surprised at how closely they are staying to the source materials. 

   The story definitely stays with the dark tones of the book.  Rarily straying from what we have known and grown to love about the books.  The movie does slow down for a while about half way through.  But the character development does keep you through the slower points.  The ending does end on a low point for our heroes.  For some their emotions may get the best of them. Most Potter fans should be able to tell you in two seconds where the movie leaves off for the sequel.

  To summarize, the story stays true to the books with an extra action scene thrown in. The character development was excellently portrayed by the actors and scripts.  And the special effects were exactly what we’ve come to expect from a Harry Potter movie.

  Overall a Supremely Superb Movie!  I highly recommend any Potter fan to go see this movie twice.  There is a lot of fan service in the background to warrant it. I’m going to see it again this weekend.

Thank you for reading,

Nathan J. Cormier

Dragontalk Radio: www.dragontalkradio.com

Marvel Theatre: www.bestmoviedeal.com