"The Fighter" is Spectacular

"The Fighter" is a great all around movie. It is about two brothers that are boxers. Micky, played by Mark Wahlberg and Dicky, played by Christian Bale. Micky is on his way of being pro, and his brother and his mother, played by Melissa Leo helps him train. But problems arise while getting to the top. Micky meets a girl he really likes, Charlene, played by Amy Adams. He is falling in love with her, but his family does not like her. And also, Dicky has a terrible drug problem that is getting worse. Micky is just caught in the middle on his way to glory.

This film is great and was nominated for Best Picture. Mark Wahlberg is really great in this film. He is not afraid to do those big and dramatic roles and this might be his best film. Amy Adams was also great in this film. She really became the "take no shit from anyone" girl that we have been waiting for in every film she has been in. She fought for herself, and her man. Melissa Leo and Christian Bale completely deserved their Oscars for this film. Melissa Leo played the annoying, and protective mother so well. Christian Bale also is an amazing actor, we know from his amazing work in the Batman series. He really made this film so great because he played a drug addict so well. This film is just amazing and you should check it out.

Grade = 89/100 = B+

John Cusack is Phenomenal

"High Fidelity" is just ab great movie for any era. It has Rob Gordon, played by John Cusack, recalling his past five relationships. He tries to figure out what went wrong, and what went right, and who really is the best person for him. He is trying to find himself. Also, he works in a record store with, Barry, played by Jack Black. It is just a great laugh out loud film that talks about relationships that are pretty relatable for the modern era.

This film is so great mainly because of John Cusack. I am a giant fan of John Cusack, he is spectacular in every film he is in. He has a character about him that is similar in every film but he really comes to life with every role. Not all his films have been the greatest, but he is still is a great actor in my mind.
This film even was mentioned in my favorite band, "The Wonder Years" song called "My Life as Rob Gordon." This film is great and it's a cool film to check out especially for the summer. Please check out this film and the Wonder Years.

Grade = 85/100 = B

Song:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_LtMZvFk4g

IMDB Page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0146882/?ref_=sr_1

"Freedom Writers" is a Great Film Based on a True Story.

"Freedom Writers" is a great film based on a true story. It explains the story of a Freshman English class in Long Beach, CA. The teacher is Erin Gruwell, played by Hilary Swank. The students are in a terrible neighborhood where every day is filled with violence.  The kids are essentially doomed from the start because they are so used to death around them they know they might not make it to eighteen years old. So they don't even know the point of going to school. Mrs. G tries to help these students realize that there is a life to live with the help of her father, played by Scott Glenn. While helping her students she is trying to be with her boyfriend, Scott, played by Patrick Dempsey. She tries to be the best person she can be, while her students try to fix themselves.

This film did not win any awards or anything along the lines but I still think it is a great film. Most of the students are no name actors and they were all fantastic in this film. They provided a clear understanding of what was going on in Long Beach at that time. Patrick Dempsey, John Benjamin Hickey, and Scott Glenn provided great supporting roles for this film. I really think this film portrays how great Hilary Swank is at acting. She really outdid herself in this film, and I could really see her passion every time I watch this film.

Grade = 80/100 = B-

"The Shining" is One of Jack Nicholson's Best.

"The Shining" is one of Jack Nicholson's best. It has Jack, and his family hotel sitting for the winter, but the hotel gets to Jack. While staying there Jack becomes paranoid and the spiritual and evil presence of the hotel haunts Jack into a killer. And his son into a psychic. And Jack's wife, Wendy, played by Shelley Duvall is caught in the middle.

This film is just crazy. Stanley Kubrick directed and wrote this psychological thriller. The film was based on the greatness of Stephen King and Kubrick really brought this amazing novel to screen in almost a better way. Shelley Duvall is a great actress and she did fantastic in this film, and she really became the scared wife on screen. The little boy in the film, Danny Lloyd did an amazing job for his age. He had the famous line of ReⱭЯum with his finger moving. The best part about this film is Jack Nicholson. It is such a pleasure to watch him on screen. He is one of the best actors of our generation, and Stanley Kubrick is one of the best directors of our generation. It is too bad that we lost him so soon. Jack Nicholson is one of my favorite actors of all time and he is also hilarious. He can nail any role he is given. This film is one of his best.

Grade = 93/100 = A

"Reservoir Dogs" is Awesome

"Reservoir Dogs" is a great action film. Quentin Tarantino is one of my favorite directors, and this is one of his classics. It has a group of criminals, trying to diamonds from a jewelry store when things go wrong. The group consists of Quentin Tarantino, Chris Penn, Tim Roth, Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, Michael Madsen, and Edward Bunker. And led by Lawrence Tierney. The film consists of the group trying to figure out what went wrong with the heist, because the police almost captured them. This film is a great story and it is a great film that only deals with a couple of hours for the characters.

This film is so great mainly because of how much Tarantino is such a genius. When looking at the cinematography and each shot filmed it is unbelievable how knowledgeable Tarantino is. He is amazing and I am glad he is still making films today and was successful with "Django Unchained." The cast is also great in this also, Harvey Keitel, Steve Buscemi, and Tim Roth were all fantastic. And Michael Madsen was almost frightening how crazy he was in this film. Chris Penn was hilarious and he brought the character similar to Joe Pesci in "Goodfellas" in that he was funny but he would also punch you in the face. Lawrence Tierney was spectacular at leading the dogs and creating a mob mentality in this film. This film is a classic and regardless it is filled with slurs and gun shots and gun wounds, which might turn off some people but it is an awesome film.

Grade = 92/100 = A-

James Gandolfini Will Be Missed

James Gandolfini will be missed. He was one of the best actors ever on television and film. He is known for his great films including "Zero Dark Thirty," "Not Fade Away," 'The Mexican" and also for his amazing role on the hit show "The Sopranos." Gandolfini was fantastic at everything he did. He gave you goosebumps because he was such a daring and powerful actor. His breakthrough role was in "True Romance" and he really did a fantastic job and made him the one of the best today. He will be remembered as an amazing actor that gave people chills while watching his films.

RIP James Gandolifini 1961-2013

"Waiting for Superman" is A Great Documentary

"Waiting for Superman" is a great documentary about schools in the U.S. This documentary shows the true experiences of kids today in schools that do show that for some students it is hard to be an American student. The schooling system is very different from other countries. If a student is far behind from other students it might not be the students faults. Teachers have a part in the student's failure. A student might be very gifted but if a teacher is not excelling in their profession the whole class suffers. And this happens for every year that teacher teaches.

This film is great because of how beautifully it is made. Davis Guggenheim wrote and directed this incredibly moving film. He really went the extra mile that documentaries need to do to make it better than other documentaries. Guggenheim interviews not only the teachers but the students to show two different sides of the story and the classroom. It really shows that the U.S. school system is not the best unlike other things in this country. This U.S. is looked as very powerful and a great and thriving country. But when it comes to our education system it is not the best and it is not very good at all. This film is beautifully done. Check this out, you will learn a lot!

Grade = 83/100 = B

"Monsters Inc" is Great and Hopefully "Monsters University" Will Be As Good.

"Monsters Inc." is one of the best animated films to see. It has Sully, voiced by John Goodman, and Mike, voiced by Billy Crystal working together to scare little kids. Sully is the Monsters Inc. prized possession because he is the top scarer. Things change when a human gets through the doorway and gets into Monstroplis, the city of Monsters. The girl, is Boo, voiced by Mary Gibbs. When Sully try to save Boo, they become attached and start to love and care for her. It is a great story.

This film is great because Disney Pixar had huge shoes to fill after the two toy stories and "A bUg's Life." So, needless to say they wanted to make a huge comeback. This film was so groundbreaking when it came out because of it showed Monsters as funny and adorable and not as scary. I am extremely excited for the second monsters inc. movie to come about this Friday because it should be as good as the first. Again, it has huge shoes to fill. Hopefully the shoes will be filled and kids and teenagers now, will be happy with the outcome on Friday.

Grade = 89/100 = B+

"Not Fade Away" is a Great Film to See.

"Not Fade Away" is a great film to see. It has Douglas, played by John Magaro living his last summer home before college, in New Jersey 1960s, to the fullest by partying and playing in his band. He is a drummer, but after their lead singer gets injured one night, Douglas steps up and sings beautifully. And the rest of the band agrees. He really believes this band i a great idea and wants to make a career out of it. His parents, played by James Gandolfini and Molly Price do not agree with this idea but they try to. Douglas eventually meets a girl named Grace and she has always believed in Douglas and they really hit it off. Douglas is trying to live out his dreams but also make everyone happy.

This is a great film to see because it was written and directed by the producer of "The Sopranos," David Chase. He did a fantastic job with the cinematography, and the authenticity of this film. Also, James Gandolfini did amazing in this film. He is an amazing actor, and deserves recognition for what he does. Molly Price was also fantatsic in this film, she is an amazing actress from "Shameless" and she really made this film a little better. John Magaro really did great as the lead. He really portrayed this determined teenager really well. This film is great if you love 60s music and that whole Vietnam era. This is a great film to check out this summer.

Grade = 82/100 = B-

"Rocky" is Sylvester Stallone's Best.

"Rocky" is Sylvester Stallone's Best. The film tells the story of a Philadelphia boxer trying to make it the big time by fighting the world heavyweight champion, Apollo Creed, played by Carl Weathers. Rocky is a simple man living day by day by training with his good friend Pauly, played by Burt Young. Rocky soon meets the love of his life Adrian, played by Talia Shire. He learns that he has one shot to prove himself and he is going to try his best to win.

This film is so great because of Sylvester Stallone. He wrote and starred in this film and he had one of the best roles ever put on film. He completely deserved the nomination for  Best Actor. It is a shame that this actor that did fantastic so early in his career has made some flops. I mean having two expendables movies is not something to be prou of. But the fact that he has an Oscar nomination and the fact a film he wrote and Best Picture is a great feat in itself. He is great I just don't love his action star persona, I grew watching this film and this is probably why I love films so much. Maybe I don't like actions films, and maybe I don't like how fast and furious made six films an made about 6 billion dollars. It is a shame that some amazing films are not being seen but people would rather see action films with the big explosions and the hot guy getting with the hot girl in every single movie. Rocky was a great film because it was a sports movie or action film that was different and original. These actions films are not original they are bland and they lack passion.

Grade = 91/100 = A-

"Cast Away" is One of Tom Hanks' Best.

"Cast Away" is one of Tom Hanks' Best. This film is about, Chuck, played by Tom Hanks traveling for his company FedEx. His plane has a crash landing and he is forced to live off the land on a deserted island. He is forced to changed his lifestyle to try to survive. All he wants to do is go back to his life with the love of his life, Kelly, played by Helen Hunt.

This film is so great because of the story. Robert Zemeckis directed this incredible film and he really portrayed this movie very well. William Boyles Jr. was the writer and he did not just tell a normal survival story by showing how a person that is living by themselves and the only form of interaction is with a volleyball with a face. Tom Hanks is the real winner for this film. He got nominated for Best Actor and he really did an amazing job. For three quarters of the film it is just him in he film. He really portrayed a person who basically was going insane extremely well. He was looking for some kind of attention. Hanks also lost a ton of weight for this role. This is a classic film that everyone should see.

Grade= 96/100 = A

"Now You See Me" is Worth Checking Out.

"Now You See Me" is worth checking out. It has four magicians working together to become the best magicians in the world, and world renowned. The magicians are J. Daniel Atlas, played by the great Jesse Eisenberg, Merritt McKinney, played by the hilarious Woody Harrelson, Henley Reeves, played by the beautiful Isla Fisher, and Jack Wilder, played by the up and coming Dave Franco. These four magicians have all different styles and they all come together to form the four horsemen. The catch to their performances is that they steal banks by illusions, and the rest of the movie is about an FBI agent, Rhodes, played by Mark Ruffalo, trying to catch them. The movie has great effects that help throughout the film. This is a thriller so, there are many great twists and turns, that are pretty surprising.

This film has an amazing cast that helped throughout the film. Isla Fisher and Woody Harrelson are extremely hilarious in any role they are in, and they were great in this film. Dave Franco, has huge shoes to fill, being James Franco's brother but he is making a name for himself in Hollywood. There are also many minor characters in the film that were great also. Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine provided some great plot twists throughout. I really think Jesse Eisenberg is a great actor. He is an Oscar nominee, and every role is gold for him. This film probably not going to win awards but this is a great summer film to see with your friends. This is worth seeing!

GRADE = 78/100 = C+

"Wreck-It Ralph" and other Animated Films are Not Just For Kids

"Wreck-It Ralph" is a great animated film not just for kids. It has Ralph, voiced by John C. Reilly, he is villain in a video game called Fix-it Felix. He has always been the "bad guy" but he really wants to be the hero, the guy everyone looks up to and loves. He tries to become a hero and in the process he meets a little girl named, Vanellope, voiced by Sarah Silverman. They really start to become friends and he starts to realize who really wants to be.

This film is great because it really shows that Animated films are not just for kids anymore. This is a Disney film, Disney films have had hidden meanings in their films for decades. This film is great because it is about finding yourself. Disney movies are great because they are great for kids, in the characters, and the story. They could be for adults in the hidden meanings and the values that go throughout each and every one. I have always loved John C. Reilly he is not afraid to take dramatic roles and he is good at them Yes, people do love his goofy antics, in films like "Step Brothers" or "Talladega Nights"but he is really good at what he does. I also love Sarah Silverman in this film. She is a hilarious woman and I am glad she is not afraid to be in a movie that is not only for adults. This film is great for any age, that is why I am so enthralled with animated films. I am extremely excited for the next couple in theatres, "Epic" and "Monsters University." "Wreck-It Ralph" is a great film to see.

Grade = 88/100 = B+

"Crash" is A Great Film That is Groundbreaking

"Crash" is just a great film that will teach the world about racism. It has many different people living in Los Angeles, CA. It deals with many different types of scenarios and someone hows connects. It is a beautiful film to watch and come alive.

This film is known for its great cast. Don Cheadle is one of the main characters and he was fantastic. He is such a great actor and really becomes his character in this film. He is hilarious and serious also. Terrence Howard also such a great actor and he really does a stellar job in this film. Sandra Bullock, Brendan Fraser, Matt Dillon, and Ludacris do a fantastic job in this film. The real winner in this film is Michael Peña. He has not been in the best films but he really does his best work in this film. He is on the cover of the film for a reason. He is a father in this film, and just nails every single scene in this film. Paul Haggis wrote and directed this incredible film and really deserves credit for this. This is a Best Picture Winner, and it beat out some of the best movies of 2004, so it was an upset by far. It beat out, "Capote", "Brokeback Mountain", "Good Night and Good Luck" and Munich. Please go see this incredible, and breathtaking film. It will change your life.

Grade = 95/100=  A

"The Royal Tenenbaums" is a Hilarious Classic

"The Royal Tenenbaums" is a hilarious classic. It has the dysfunctional Tenenbaum family trying to liv with the fact that one of the family members is dying. This family is played by Ben Stiller, Gene Hackman, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Anjelica Huston, and Danny Glover. This family is great to watch because of Wes Anderson's great, quirky humor. It really shows this great cast in true form and really shows that Wes Anderson is a genius.

It takes a while to get used to Wes Anderson. He is considered weird or unusual, but he is different and when he makes films it works. It is probably why so many great actors and actresses want to work with him. Including, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, Luke Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, etc. He is fantastic at what he does and his next film is supposed to be even better. One of his best film was his last, "Moonrise Kingdom" so he does have big shoes to fill. He is a director that is trying to do things that is out of the ordinary but it turns out to be magic on screen. Please Check this and his other films.

Grade = 90/100 = A-