action
Action/Sci fi thriller from director Christopher Nolan that has Leonardo DiCaprio obtaining information from your dreams..
Of all the summer movies this summer, this was the one I had been waiting for since I viewed the trailer in early May. I hit up Studio on the Square on Sunday afternoon in Memphis,TN, and it was packed. Lines out the door. I overheard a few patrons say that they were seeing Inception for the second time, so I was pretty pumped to see it. I've always been a big fan of Leonardo DiCaprio(from a teen crush to now just a respect for his acting and his movie choices). The director, Christopher Nolan, isn't too bad either.
Without giving too much away, Inception is a sci-fi action thriller also starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Berenger(yes, Tom Berenger, hello Major League), Cillian Murphy, Ellen Page, Pete Postlethwaite, Michael Caine, and Marion Cotillard. Lukas Haas makes a brief appearance, too. It centers on DiCaprio's character, who essentially is in charge of a team who enters the dreams of people to obtain information and also to plant a "seed" to change an outcome in reality. We see how the "seed" is created, implanted, and carried out with DiCaprio's team of capers. A lot of the time Leo, JGL, and Cillian Murphy are in tuxes-not too shabby:)
From every review I've read, it has been an A +plus, four star film--and yes, I can agree. BUT...it did leave me with a lot of questions. I got about 90% of the film, but went home to do research on the internet about what I just saw and had to think over everything. It does make you think about how we dream, how the brain works, and how our dreams can help us through problems. It sounds hoky, but I'm a big believer in dream decoding and having the "so, guess what I dreamt about last night" conversations. I loved in the movie the influences of MC Escher and the ideas of lucid dreaming.
Overall, Inception is fascinating, thought provoking, and will surely be up for awards next year. Just be prepared for a lot of head scratching and lively discussions.
Roland Jackson act as an earth investigational, intelligence and action best man in the movie . The theories of displacement proving that earth is on 24 hour rotation from east to west have leads nations into war when the eclipse of the modern century too
Nations are into technical competitions in the bone of contestion is economic superiority and power, the film director ironically emphasis the hostility among characters of personality in the film. the DE DUD bombing of the scientific intelligence department
to prove his power and get the theories.
MEC 1 thesis and apply MTG of the universal machines department for universal crossing races is the bone of constetion between Earth and the Domee scientific civilization to place races and mankind in the magnetic circle fit of technology where all codes are coded,+01. DE DUD want the MEC 1 in the field of the survival of the fittest where the games to counter conflicts are the political mafias footsteps carpet, the genetic 01 diversies of cronify digit mouse taught all that moves toward treat advancement to crumble before the DENS of wars in the event of the eve of space lunch market 2 leading to the rebirth of crisis phase 2 of the fight to finish between intelligence scientific department, the political mafia and scientific radical in part 2.and the question stay cold in the heart of every man, how many monster more to defeat. how many men will continue to fall for our peace, earth. And how long shall we cry for our savage blood to be sheer for agony and woes. Earth and space peace, moona history. Recommended for public watch.
A Study in Sherlock
There is one thing that everyone can agree upon both critic and consumer alike, this is a new Holmes. The big debate is he better, worse, modern, a sell out, or a new vision of an old character. As all of you who truly know me (yes especially the ones who new me when I was in sixth grade just got my boobs and was working on some wicked acene, know I fell in Love with Sherlock Holmes). I read every single Author Conan Doyle Holmes book and even some shoddy knock offs just to get my Sherlock jones on.
So, I consider myself somewhat of a true affecianado. What other pre-teen do you know would stay up until 10:00pm on Sunday night just to watch Mystery on PBS (yes PBS) just to catch a glimpse of the dashing Jeremy Brett play the perfect Holmes. He embodied the Holmes of my dreams (just a tad bit to old). He was brooding, he was tall, he had a huge nose, a deer stalker, but more important a top hat (drool). He was dapper, he was a dandy, he was a piece of intellectual candy. The pipe, the pomp, the circumstance. He was a drug addict, he was eccentric, he paid street urchins and sometimes shady characters to do his bidding. In short he was Holmesian perfection.
Now on to the Robert Downey/Guy Richie Holmes. For one I must say I am unabashadely biased, because I Love RDJ, Guy Richie, not so much. I believe Downey was brilliant. He was younger, he was brooding, he was self loathing, when he didn't have a case, he was unkempt. Most all of these are Holmesian traits. So what he didn't wear a deerstalker? He was still the seedy, disgruntled, dashing Holmes I love. Sherlock Holmes does not get a long with people. He is exsaperating, rude, and a tad vulgar.
Unfortunately, the plot of the movie was lacking and yes, I hate to say it hokey. That was not Downey or Jude Laws fault. It was the writer and yes, the directors. This is a Holmes for the masses, not the intelllectuals. This is a sexed up, super sleuth, with a mind for work and a bod for sin. It's kind of cool, but too calculated. So, if you want a wild ride with a different take of a character they tried to revamp go see it, but if you a die hard fan, wait for the video and try not to cringe, too much.
Sherlock Holmes staring robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.
After 14 months of waiting (click on website link below to see original blog post) I finally got to see this film in theaters. Sadly the plot lines were not cohesive and it had the usual Guy Ritchie faux-cockney razzle dazzle about it.
As for Rachel McAdams: I feel that an immense amount of pressure has been heaped upon me to like her simply because she is Canadian. My response to that is simply, 'So is my ass but that doesn't mean we need to see it everywhere'.
Jude Law on the other hand clearly went back to Drama camp and managed to pop out a non-offensive almost likable version of the long suffering Holmes sidekick, Dr.Watson.
As for Robert Downey Jr. I'm just so glad that he's not dead or on smack that I honestly don't care what films he makes so long as he is making films.
Avatar - redefining standards of movie making and creative thinking!
So rarely comes a movie which redefines entertainment!
Pandora – the new planet by James Cameron.
Na’vi – the blue people of Pandora.
Skypeople – We the humans, the evil aliens plotting to loot Pandora and the Na’vi of their resources.
Welcome to this new world where all creatures live in harmony with the planet. Where each of them loves, respects and obeys nature. Where “live and let live” really works.
And then… humans, from the dying planet Earth reach there to spoil the party.
“Avatar” is overwhelming. 15 years in the making, Cameron has not spared a single detail in creating a whole new world. In fact all of us get so immersed in this visual spectacle that we never realize when we become a part of the Na’vi and wish for a victory over humans.
The movie is rich and incomparable with anything ever seen so far. Cameron proves that he is the best ever in action sequences and incomparable when it comes to creative thinking. This movie is a must watch in 3-D. Anything else, doesn’t do enough justice. The amazing creatures, small and huge are actually bought to life by this technique. You actually tend to reach out to some and may want to dodge the arrows flying on to you!
The story is set in the year 2154, and starts with the male protagonist “Jake Sully” played by Sam Worthington reaching Pandora. Jake is an ex-marine now confined to a wheelchair, who has volunteered to replace his twin brother “Tom” for an experiment to be carried out on this planet. Corporations are mining a rare mineral on Pandora, which is the key to solve energy problems of Earth. The intelligent biped species Na’vi is a major hurdle in this destructive mission of humans. The air on Pandora is toxic for humans. The Avatar program is meant to plant a genetically engineered Na’vi, which is created from a mixture of human and Na’vi DNA. The human DNA has been taken from Tom who dies abruptly thus endangering the mission. His place is taken by his brother Jake due to similarities in DNA. In his new Avatar, Jake is able to walk again and explore freely the beautiful yet treacherous planet Pandora. His mission is to infiltrate the Na’vi, establish trust and convince them to vacate the land they reside on. Underneath the Na’vi village and their holy place, lies a major chunk of ore that humans want.
Lost in the jungles, haunted by the wildlife of Pandora Jake is rescued by “Neytiri” (Zoe Saldana) a beautiful Na’vi female, who is also the daughter of a Na’vi chieftain. “Neytiri” believes him to be a messenger of god and convinces her clan to take him in. Thus begins his journey to become one of the Na’vis, which involves many tests and adventures. Jake gradually adapts to his new avatar however loses out on his real mission and submits himself to the pure ways of the people who live close to nature. In love with Neytiri and the innocent race of Pandora, he faces the ultimate test that will decide the fate of an entire world.
The spectacle of the floating mountains and the scene in which Jake tames his own flying bird is simply unforgettable and lingers on much after you leave the cinema halls. Avatar is a must watch in 3D and will stand out as a cinema that changed the way films are made. It will give you an experience similar to traveling to Pandora yourself.
The movie also carries out a subtle message of how humans have ravaged mother earth because of our selfish needs. I wish humans never find another living planet. With our virus-like behaviorism we will not spare any effort to kill it too.
Thank you James Cameron for giving us Pandora! For me you are nothing less but the god of creativity. It will be very mean of you if you do not plan a sequel.
Avatar is definitely worth repeat viewing and, in 3D!
Spiritual Lessons from the movie "Avatar" - Paradigm Shift
Everyone loves an epic. Everyone loves a good Holiday movie. The movie "Avatar" is a triumph, and I believe it goes beyond blockbuster entertainment.
You can call Avatar a message movie, subverting the dominant paradigm about more than one theme:
.war
.living close to the Earth in a sustainable way
.race and difference (using lovable purple humanoids as the "Other")
.return to a balance of feminine and masculine power
.living on the Enlightenment path
Wow! There are lots of messages here.
When Margaret Cho comes to town here in Portland, Oregon, she entertains, but underneath her entertainment are messages about her society, including race, body image and healing. Margaret Cho gets 5 minute standing ovations at the end of her comedy show, not just applause. She is not just a comedienne, but a comedienne with a message.
In the same way, I feel that the movie "Avatar" deserves an ovation.
A Fresh Look At The Way Humans Live
By now you may have heard that the basis for the movie is humans going to another planet to mine the resources of that planet, a valuable mineral called "unobtainium", and to do it in a violent way if necessary. On the planet are a people called the "Indigenous", who are disrespected as "savages" but also at times respected for their "healing ability" and "knowledge about wildlife".
With the disclaimer that this movie has to really rankle anyone of a Native American/Native Canadian descent, I know the imagery would trigger me, themes of colonization and diaspora are Universal, as evidenced by the Dalai Lama's country in exile, as well as many other examples.
The depictions are non-threatening, or not pointing to any particular group of people in the sense that the characters are not human, they are animated. This animated sci-fi picture can so easily depict the parts of our culture we normally don't think about often, like the way we do difference, the way we do war, etc., and it does it in non-threatening, even amusing way--with animation. Avatar gets our attention, and then it starts to create new images of what good things can look like, through watching the Indigenous, like
.good community
.male and female leadership in harmony
.connection with Divine Guidance
.harmony with the elements of nature
.respect for the Indigenous
When we're watching purple, animated, alien versions of people, we get to watch people like we're watching them for the first time.
When the humans are behaving badly we see
.dehumanizing language and thoughts about those that are "different"
.military use of power, with little negotiation
.preemptive strikes
.destruction of Nature
.derision of the female and her contributions
.arrogant speech and mannerisms
Avatar is a chance to see ourselves, and see us entertainingly.
What is an Avatar?
I knew that this movie was going to be interesting to see because it is called Avatar. An Avatar in Hinduism is a "God that comes to Earth". In Sanskrit, one of the oldest languages around that gives us many English words, the word Avatar means "descent" as in from Heaven to Earth.
Although Jesus can be seen as an Avatar, Jesus was actually a mortal that lived on the earth. In Eastern mythology where Avatars are more prominent, mythological Avatars come to Earth disguised as humans. Lakshmi, a Divine Mother figure, comes to Earth in different forms. Imagine that God, or a piece of God, comes to Earth in a disguise. This is an Avatar.
Hinduism is an amalgam of many indigenous texts and traditions. In fact the word "Hindu" appeared in English in the 17th century, to mean "Indian Pagan". The word "Pagan" also means "non-Christian". We have lots of terms that mean "a religion different than us", yet more and more our religions look the same.
If you haven't seen the movie I won't spoil it by disclosing the plot or ending, but for me these are some of the spiritual lessons the movie Avatar holds:
.Knowing We Are All Connected Is The Path to Enlightenment
.You too, can be an Avatar
.Return of the Divine Feminine
.Living Sustainably
Knowing We Are All Connected Is The Path to Enlightenment
On the planet Pandora where the movie Avatar takes place, everyone believes that everything is connected. The movie shows "connection" through visual means:
.The protagonist, a down and out Marine quadriplegic with little sense of life purpose, gets "connected" with the DNA of an "Indigenous" , that acts as his other body
.There is a female guide that shows the Marine how to "connect" with a horse to ride, or a bird
.There is a Sacred Tree to "connect" with the ancestors' voices
.The blossoms of the Tree show a "connection" with Divine Guidance is trying to get your attention
Whether we are talking about an Eastern Religion or a Western One, Enlightenment is meditation (connection with God), and finding out there is no difference between the seer and the seen. In the Bible the quote is "I and the Father are One". In Hinduism, in the Yoga Sutras 2.17, an ancient (and yes, indigenous) text, it talks about how the way to break cycles of Karma and find Enlightenment is to find where the "seer can engulf the seen". In other words, when the One that is Consciousness will engulf the individual Ego consciousness. This can be learned viscerally, through expanding the senses beyond the senses, through meditation and inner exploration.
You too, can be an Avatar
The Marine that doubles himself in the movie with an Indigenous body that is taller and stronger is a great metaphor, because your enlightened self gives rise to an "Expanded Self". In Hindu and other religions your enlightened body is expanded, your senses are added onto with a 6th sense. You can sense Divine Will and harness Divine Power. Answering a "spiritual call" you are on a mission of Grace, and you are in a sense, taller and stronger. The Marine's "2nd Body" is what he uses to do spiritual work.
Ever wonder why Avatars like Jesus or Buddha were so kind? They went from the "I" in their experience to the expanded consciousness. A Buddha constantly practices compassion, one way is to imagine everyone striving for happiness, in other words that we are all the same.
In Avatar, we witness the protagonist Marine "evolving" from an "I" to an expanded self before our eyes throughout the movie. When he achieves a sense of mission, finding what his Divine Guidance is asking him to do, he is at one with himself and with the Planet. He is Divine Grace in (almost) Human form. He feels kindness for everything. He is an Avatar.
Any of us, like him, can find our soul connection and our expanded self, to become an Avatar.
Return of the Divine Feminine
The word Avatar is from the East, and an Eastern theme also is Kali Yuga, the Return of the Divine Feminine.
Yuga means "world age" and for millenia an Eastern prophesy has stated that the Goddess, a symbol of Feminine Power, in a period starting in 2013.
The movie depicts feminine power in such a way that any female or male psyche that is thirsty for those images will be quenched. You have Sigourney Weaver after all, who can take on arrogance of those around her with more arrogance, but she also shows the ability to intuit a vision of better life on the planet and the will of the people around her.
You have Michelle Rodriguez who depicts the feminine in camouflage, boots and a smile. Her essence is bravery answering a call for Higher Justice.
The Indigenous Princess and Guide that teaches about the land is bravery personified. She senses the Spiritual Call easily and interprets her actions through that call.
Funny, but Hindu prophesy is that Kali will arrive here on Earth. That means that there is a call for Avatars to bring in the Age of Kali Yuga, and for males and females to bring in the Divine Feminine into harmony again with the Divine Masculine. This movie is a great example of hearing that call, and a great depiction of how things can look.
Living Sustainably
Let's face it. Blowing shit up isn't living sustainably. But just like when Hindus talk about bad karma, karma is not just the seen, as in "blowing shit up", but the unseen. It is the deeply embedded patterns and beliefs in our culture we have to look at to change, not just the external results, and movies act like a "vote" for those changes.
Here's an example of our quest and need for sustainable living. In the 1940's, 1 in 16 died of Cancer. Now it is 1 in 2. We are polluting our water, so that the change is unsustainable. Every week the runoff from automobiles into the ocean exceeds the spill of the Exxon Valdez. The trees we cut down are our source of oxygen, yet we seem to behave like we don't need oxygen, and that we don't care about trees. We only have 2% of the forest in the US that we used to.
There is so much we need to change, to live sustainably, but it starts with our deep seated beliefs.
"I See You"
When the Indigenous cause an animal to die, either through a hunt or an accident, they say "I See You". When the two important people are in love in the movie they say "I See You", and it becomes kind of a mantra.
When Eastern Religion uses the phrase "Namaste", they are saying "I see the light inside of you", in other words the light of Oneness. There are native cultures that believe you can see a light in another's eyes as the light that connects us with everyone.
"I See You" in the movie is a phrase that sees animals and human types as Sacred.
Avatar not only gives us a fresh look at how we see Nature, but how we see each other as well.
Conclusion
There is so much we need to change in this world, but why focus on the bad? Go to the movies! Buy yourself some popcorn. Millions will see this movie, and a few of you may be Avatars. ;)
Not the best Batman movie
When I bought this movie, I was really looking forward to watching it because I liked the first one. The beginning was awesome when it showed Batman in his Batmobile. I thought this was going to be a fantastic movie. I was wrong.
When Batman ripped off his mask in front of Max Shrek, that was stupid. I've watched a lot of stuff about Batman and I can safely say that Batman would never do that.
Catwoman was there also when he ripped off his mask. But that didn't matter because she had already found out who he was. But if Batman had taken Shrek to the cops like he intended, Shrek would've exposed his secret identity.
Batman wears his mask so that nobody will know who he is. He would never expose his secret identity and especially not to a criminal.
As I was coming home after buying this movie, I had a feeling that Batman would lose his mask in it. But I had no idea that they'd be dumb enough to make him rip it off himself.
My best friend wanted to watch this movie so I started showing it to him. Ten minutes later he told me to shut it off. Many people loved this movie but I know of at least two people who aren't crazy over it.
JJ Abrams reinvention of the Star Trek universe
My first Star Trek experience was getting dragged to The Voyage Home with my mother and stepfather. I whined a little (hey, I was 11). I knew nothing about these characters, and it clearly said it was the fourth movie. I didn’t want to be totally lost. I was overruled, of course, and I went. Been a Trek fan ever since.
Two words come immediately to mind after my Star Trek IMAX experience last night.
Go.
Now.
It’s official. Star Trek has been reinvented and reinvigorated. This may be what Trek should have always been. Go in with an open mind, and be prepared to have your beloved Trek history tweaked a bit. Not in an arbitrary, “well that’s how we want it” way, but as an integral part of the storyline.
From the word “go”, JJ Abrams does not let you take much of a breather. I can’t remember the last time a Trek movie made me jump in my seat, but there were several times last night (and one time when I buried my head against David’s shoulder, eek!).
Casting: A
Even though I was fully prepared to loathe these new imposters taking over roles I grew up with, instead I found myself thoroughly charmed by Chris Pine’s roguish Kirk and Zachary Quinto’s half-breed Spock. I don’t remember much of what (if any) struggles Spock went through with his half-human heritage in the original series and movies, but in this film, Spock’s emotions seem much closer to the surface. And that’s a welcome change. The rest of the classic crew plays much smaller roles, but they are still fun. In some instances, Karl Urban seemed at times to be trying to channel a bit too much DeForest Kelly into his Bones, but overall the entire cast is great. Eric Bana as main baddie Nero, is unrecognizable and superb in a role that doesn’t quite give him enough screen time. Zoe Saldana (Uhura), Simon Pegg (Scotty), John Cho (Sulu), and Anton Yelchin (Chekov) have minimal screen time in comparison to Pine and Quinto, but they inject plenty of life into their characters.
Action and Visuals: A
Wow. This movie is simply breathtaking. Explosions, mass destruction, sword fights, chases, warps, singularities, phaser battles, good ol’ fashioned brawling. If you’ve seen the previews, you’ve seen Kirk and Sulu sky-diving; I won’t give you all the details, but as one person whispered in our theatre, “Talk about a HALO.” That’s a High-Altitude, Low-Open (of the chute) jump for those not familiar with the lingo. In true Trek fashion, Kirk gets his butt handed to him on a regular basis (those poor Trek captains are always getting beat up), and gets to have a fun (and funny) romp with a lovely, green-skinned cadet. And whatever else is going on, you can’t forget the ships. Warp drive packs a punch, and there are places in the Enterprise that you have never seen before. Visually speaking, the only irritations to me were the continual (and sometimes inexplicable) lens flares that were in nearly every scene. It’s a minor complaint, and one I can live with.
Costuming: B+
This category is dinged mostly because of the cadet uniforms. They are stunningly bulky and ugly. The officers’ uniforms give a nod to the classic series with mini-dresses and boots for the ladies, and pullovers for the men. The classic Trek colors of gold, red, and blue look fantastic.
Storyline: A
If you want to revitalize a classic concept, this is the way to do it. The Kirk and Spock storylines are superb, as are a romantic subplot, and the myriad threads that bring the Enterprise’s crew together. The tech talk is kept to a minimum, which definitely helps to keep the plot moving. Leonard Nimoy’s cameo as an elderly Spock, while welcome, comes across as something of a deus ex machina, including the passing on of a formula that’s commonly known in the elder Spock’s future (not unlike the transparent aluminum formula that’s introduced in The Voyage Home) but has not yet been developed. Without him, the story would quite literally go nowhere without a major rewrite. On the flip side of that, elder Spock’s appearance is necessary to this new and vital Trek universe, and sets events in motion that leave the horizon alight with possibilities.
Overall Review: A
There are plenty of references to classic lines and moments to keep longtime Trek fans smiling. Newbies to the concept will find plenty to draw them in and keep them there. As I understand it, this is the first in a three-picture deal, so we can all look forward to more in the future.
Border line law braking
Overall the movie I will give a so-so rating. But on the other hand I am surprised that I have not seen any news reports about the PACP (Parents Against Child Pornography) boycotting this movie. In the movie there are moments where Casey (played by Dakota Fanning) is barley covered by any clothing at all and appears to be in states of alcoholic euphoria. I personally see this child star being the next Hollywood teen drama story of drugs, alcohol, sex and dealings with the police. Like our current stories of Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and Lindsay Lohan. This makes you wonder why her parents/guardians allow such sensitive rolls with the way current underage tv/movies stars are turning out these days. I can understand playing to the sex appeal of men but not by a child to gain overall draw to a hopeful blockbuster. I am like every other red blooded American man liking to see a little skin of an attractive woman, but when it is not a woman but a girl that I am seeing I start to question the morals of today’s society. The story line is moderate at best. Good action takes, cut rate cinematic filming techniques and halfway decent acting by some of the cast, make up a so-so soft-core B rated action movie. The one thing that surprised me was that there were only 6 different abilities for the characters. 1.) A Pusher having the ability to control thoughts. 2.) A Watcher having the power to see into the future. 3.) A Sniffer being able to sniff or taste an object and see the history of who has been in contact with it or where it has been. 4.) A Shadower having the power to hide people or objects from Watchers. 5.) A Shifter being able to change the appearance of and item. 6.) A what I call Sweeper having the ability to wipe people’s memories. I would only recommend it to start of the summer of big box office action hopefuls like the new X-men, Transformers, and Terminator movies coming out later this year. The one positive mention of the movie is that there was a little more dialog to the story than just straight action, making for good mention of character background and history between characters. Which for some viewers make for a nice reprieve from Hollywood non-stop action flicks.
a beautiful girl moves from arizona to forks, washington. While she is settling in a new high school, she meets a guy who seems to eye her constantly. As the go out, she founds out that he is a vampire. Trouble strikes, and its up to him to save her.
This movie was okay. The book, Twilight, written by stephanie meyer, showed more action and romance than the movie did. If you read the book you wouldn't think that the movie was incredibly good, because you would sit there and notice all the things that were left out. But, if you haven't read the book, you can easily fall in love with this intriguing. I strongly suggest, though, that you read the book before viewing the movie. You will appreciate and understand the movie way better if you are to do this.
