Movie Reviews for people not critics. The-reviewer.net (4)

Archive Page 4

Terra

Published by The Reviewer 2 months, 1 week ago in Family. 0 Comments

Rated: PG

Running Time: 85 Minutes

Year: 2008

Nudity: None

One Sentence: The best animated movie you have never heard of.

I like to think I am up on animation, I find animated movies to have a much higher level of quality and storytelling than many movies, so I am usually paying attention to what movies are coming out when and try to get to a lot of them. Terra, is a movie I have never heard of or knew about until fantastic fest, and I must say it was amazing.

Terra is about Man and an alien race clashing on the aliens home world of Terra. It deals with peace and war and man's warring attitude. The storyline is political, and topical. It delievers a solid plot that I think has a great meassage and holds some power behind it. I think this might be why I had not heard of this movie, it might be a little too adult for a kid audience. I am not one of the belief that animation needs to be for kids, but for a wide release in America it does.

The animation is CG and beautiful. It shows no signs of being low budget, or not having a good group of animators behind it. The acting list is large and deep and also shows a large backed studio film. Which is odd because I know nothing of a release of this movie in the US at all. (This is an english movie) So if it comes out I think you should check it out if you can, rental or in the theater, because I thought Terra was one of the best movies I have seen at Fantastic Fest so far.

4 Stars

Tags: 4 Stars, Family

Seventh Moon

Published by The Reviewer 2 months, 1 week ago in Horror. 1 Comment

Seventh Moon

Rated:?

Running Time:90 minutes

Year: 2008

Nudity: None

One Sentence: Shaky blurry moon demons chase Amy Smart through rural China.

Ok, lets put a white girl, a Chinese American, in Rural China at night and shake the camera a bunch and make it so you can't see much of anything for an hour and a half. This is Seventh Moon. A new American horror movie based in China that is not like all those other Asian horror movies. Well not really, there is still some old traditional scary monster thingy chasing an American girl.

I was excited about this one, I like Amy Smart, and I am more of the main stream type of horror guy and this movie felt like one of those. Which I still think it is probably more of that mainstream horror, the movie still has to be good and well Seventh Moon was all right at best. The story was forced, the people in the movie were not too likeable, or you really didn't care about them, and you were not too sure what was going on at first. You eventaully got what was going on, but the time leading up to that, didn't really scare or impress, and by the time we got there, I didn't care too much anymore.

The other problem with this movie was it was blurry, shakey cam, hard to see through a bunch of grass or super low light and so most of the movie relies on this thing of not being able to see and not an actual scary movie to scare you. There were some scary jumpy parts that made me jump and they wored, but it was few and far between and not really that well executed, more like cheap thrills compared to quality fear. In the end one of the movies I was most excited about at Fantastic Fest, I didn't think was that great, and I really would not reccomend it for rental or theater viewing.

2 Stars

Tag: Horror

Let The Right One In

Published by monkeyjenn 2 months, 1 week ago in Horror. 1 Comment

Let The Right One In

Rated: ?

Running Time: 114 minutes

Year: 2008

Nudity: One very brief scene of the young girl's "genitalia".

One Sentence: More like a sweet love story than a scary movie.

This movie was hyped up as being the best scary movie at Fantastic Fest and I was really looking forward to seeing it. Sadly, it didn't scare me. It was dark and creepy, but not what I consider to be a scary movie. It was an unexpected love story instead.

Oskar, a 12 year old boy, becomes friends with the new neighbor girl, Eli. They are both outcasts and develop a strong bond. When he later discovers her dark secret, he seems upset, but not as horrified as a normal person would be.

There are dark moments, but this movie is also as disturbing as it is sweet and touching. It's about being a young outcast and finding someone who truly understands you. So if you're in the mood for a scary movie, I don't recommend this one. I do think it's worth watching though. It is a well thought out film. Not sure if it's a great date movie, but that just depends on your date. If they are into bloody love stories, then it's perfect!

It's a Swedish film with subtitles and a definite renter.

Tag: Horror

Repo: The Genetic Opera

Published by The Reviewer 2 months, 1 week ago in Musical. 0 Comments

Repo: The Genetic Opera Poster

Rated: R

Running Time: 98 Minutes

Year: 2008

Nudity: None

One Sentence: The best goth opera you will see this year.

I now that you have too many goth opera's starring Paris Hilton, Paul Sorvino, Sarah Brightman and Anthony Head in them to pick form coming out in theaters this fall and winter, but this is the one to watch. Yes everything written in the last sentence is true. There is a gothic operah coming out, it does have Sarah Brightman, Anthony Head (Giles from Buffy), Paul Sorvino and Paris Hilton in it, and it is an opera (almost every line in the movie is sung). That right there almost sounds like it's worth the price of admission, right. Weird thing about this one, however it is actually good as well.

This movie which looks like it is a cross between, Rocky Horror and The Matrix, is an amazing attempt at something that is not going to fit into the main stream, and it is so worth watching. It is literally a opera about a giant genetics plant run by a man, and his children, and the people surrounding and hurt by the genetics plant, and the reposessors who take back implanted body parts. It is quite the monumental undertaking and even having read about it in the Fantastic Fest book, I was not sure about this one, but after having seen it, I can say that something like this can work.

The whole cast is amazing, Paris Hilton was wonderful, amazingly wonderful and you should go and check her out. Paul Sorvino is traditionally an opera singer, and well it's just a delight to watch him. Anthony Head brings back all the wonderful parts from Once More With Feeling and makes you miss him and you can't get enough of him.

This movie is something that if you think it sounds good to you, go to the website and support. http://www.repo-opera.com/ These types of movies need support to make it and if they are going to make more of them, then it has to make money. So check out the website, go see the movie and do whatever you can if you are in support of more movies like this. I think it is worth the effort, becuase the movie is just so much fun.

4 STars

Tags: 4 Stars, Musical, Paris Hilton, Paul Sorvino

The Substitute

Published by monkeyjenn 2 months, 1 week ago in Horror. 1 Comment

The Substitute

Ever wonder what would happen if one of your substitute teachers was an alien? If so, then this is the movie for you! It takes place in a small Danish town. A local farm woman is inhabited by an alien who is trying to discover the meaning of love and empathy and plans to take this knowledge back to her home planet. She decides to fill in as a sixth grade substitute teacher in order to study humans more closely.

This movie was a lot funnier than I thought it would be. Paprika Steen did an excellent job of portraying the bitchy alien, Ulla. She was fun to watch and the scene where she introduces herself to the class is hilarious. This movie is told through the kid's point of view and they do a great acting job as well.

This film has the typical plot where the kids find out the substitute's secret, but can't convince their parents or any adults. I'd say that's the only typical part of the story. The rest is clever, suspenseful and funny. I recommend this film to any sci-fi fans looking for an alien invasion movie with a twist. Since it's a Danish film, more than likely you'll only be able to rent it, but would recommend you see it on the big screen if you can.

4 Stars

Tag: Horror

Eagle Eye

Published by The Reviewer 2 months, 1 week ago in Action. 3 Comments

Eagle Eye Poster

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: ?

Year: 2008

Nudity: None

One Sentence: A lot more fun than I was expecting.

Wow. WOW. Eagle Eye is just wow, what a movie. This is a action packed tense thrill ride. It is rare that this type of movie delivers the action. I didn't think I was going to like this that much. Eagle Eye is the movie to see if you have been looking for a good non-stop action/drama, becuase there have not been too many in a while. I had such a good time with this one, and I kep feeling like I was out of breath.

I would say there are about 2 slow parts in this movie, the rest of the time it is on. Shia keeps the pressure on and I am buying it. The movie is put together well, looks very cool, and has a pace that is hard for you to catch your breath. I had to jump from this movie right to another at the fest, and when I sat in the other movie I actually chekced my pulse. That is how out of breath I felt from watching Eagle Eye.

I think there are a few that will say improable, and far fetched, but if you can get past those things, that didn't bother me, or my viewing experience then I think you will love Eagle Eye. I just can't get over how rare it is to have this type of movie really deliever the action that is promised, and I thought that D.J. Caruso directed one hell of a fine action flick. This is totally worth seeing in the theater, and if you are going to skip it, add it to your netflix queue's today, you will be glad you did.

4 Stars

Tag: Action

Fanboys

Published by The Reviewer 2 months, 1 week ago in Comedy. 1 Comment

Fanboys Poster

Rated: PG-13

Running Time: ?

Year: 2008

Nudity: None

One Sentence: The long awaited movie is finally here.

If you are any type of Star Wars fan, you might have heard about Fanboys, the movie that has been 10 years in the making. That it got made, delayed, not made, and any other type of rumor you might have heard. Well the movie is done, and it is coming out, in November, and the fan community could not have been happier. Some people thought it was never going to make it, including me, and so it came with a shock that not only would I come to see the movie early, but I would also meet the writer Earnie Cline and end up finding out he lives about 5 blocks from me, and is friends with my girlfriend, and that the movie is actually going to happen.

Fanboys is the ultimate fanboy movie, about Star Wars nerds going on a trip across the country to see Episode 1, before it was released in the theaters. The ultimate dream of many of us, back in that time. Before Episode 1, anything was possible with this movie, and fanboys captured it, it remined us that George might have been then the coolest man on the planet, and that maybe just maybe we were going to see the coolest movie ever made. Fanboys is the visual representation of that feeling, and to just see it, felt good and made you remember even if it was just for an hour and a half.

However it is with great regret that I must write, even for a fanboy like myself, Fanboys is not the greatest movie ever made. Fanboys ends up being a sweet, cute ride across the country with some Star Wars friends who make with the Star Wars jokes, and have a very cool van. The movie's heart is in the right place, but doesn't have the hyperdrive to knock it into light speed joke territory. There is nothing wrong with the movie, especially if you are a star wars fan, but it is not going to have a lot for the mainstream and the nerds out there are going to have to know that this movie is more sweet than anything, and doesn't deliever a knock out punch to George Lucas, Star Wars, Star Trek or anything else that maybe we wanted to see. Which now that I am writing this I don't even know what that would be.

The movie does have some cool fun for the nerds out there, access to Skywalker ranch, the whole sound library is available and there are more cameos in this movie than you can shake a lightsaber at. Harry Knowles is represented and the general fanboy community I think is served well with this movie. So while I can't say the mainstream is going to love it and I don't think it's that funny, it is a nice, sweet movie and I think the nerds out there will do well with at least a rental if not taking a trip to the theater to see it, and Kristen Bell is in it, so that's enough to go see it right there.

3 Stars