Inception Review

Inception

A+

    Two years after the Dark Knight was released and made a crap tone of cash, Christopher Nolan returns to the movie scene with Inception. Dose this mind bending thriller live up to the Dark Knight? The answer is yes. Inception doesn't only live up to the Dark Knight it surpasses it.

 

    Inception is complicated, very complicated. I will simplify. Cobb (Leonardo DiCaprio) an extractor (a person who steels secrets from people's dreams) after failing a mission is given a job by the leader of a major energy corporation Saito (Ken Watanabe) to do something that is thought to be impossible an inception. An inception is where you plant an idea into someone's mind. Cobb is given an offer to get his life back and also knows an inception can be done because he has done it before. He assembles a team consisting of a young brilliant architect Ariadne (Ellen Page) who builds the landscape of the dream, a man who can impersonate anyone in a dream Eames (Tom Hardy), a chemist whose drugs keep people in a dream state Yusef (Dileep Rao), and his long-time partner Arthur (Joseph-Gordon Levitt). The target is Robert Fischer Jr. (Cillian Murphy); they need to plant the idea to split his father's empire. Cobb has one big problem though, his subconscious is haunted by his wife (Marion Cotillard) who died. Cobb keeps revisiting his wife and can't let go allowing memories of his wife to interfere with the job.

 

    This is a film you must keep your brain checked into at the door or else it will not make sense to you. The plot is brilliant from beginning to end. It will hook you than keep you hooked. Some people will find themselves but it never feels lost at all and is pretty straight forward at times. Cobb and gang are well developed and you care about these characters when the fireworks begin to happen. Nolan keeps you guessing when needed but always is clear about where he is going. That is a true sign of brilliance.

 

    Speaking of Nolan, this is a Nolan film through. The camera work and dialog as well as the amazing score from Hans Zimmer's all fee very Nolan. The action scenes are very Matrix mixed with Nolan. The last half of this film is a continuous flow of action scenes and development of the plot all driven together in multiple stages of the dream. All of witch is handled very well and is actually pretty straight forward (for the thinker).

 

    Performances are key in this type of film and DiCaprio is the perfect choice for the role. It's just his type of role. While he's not his very best he doesn't have to be as the role just fits him. Ellen Page and Marion Cotillard steal the show as the dead wife and the concerned Architect. All the supporters are great and do what they have to, support. Overall this is one interesting and believable dream planting group.

 

    One word can be used to sum up Christopher Nolan's latest film Inception, brilliant. The complicated plot, great characters and a keep you at the edge of your seat feel all are wrapped up into one superb movie treat with a stunning and brilliant ending to boot. My favourite Nolan movie so far (have not seen Memento) even over one of my all time favourites the Dark Knight. Inception is a must see in this summer of uninspired 3D crap and is my new favourite film of the summer.

 

Toy Story 3 Review

Toy Story 3

A review by Frederick Cholowski

A+

    It has been around almost ten years when we saw our lovable toys and now they're back!! Pixar is taking a huge risk by making a third film considering the curse of the third film and the satisfying ending to Toy Story 2. Dose the risk pay off? Yes yes it dose.

 

    Toy Story 3 takes place years after Toy Story 2. Andy is off to Collage and the toys have not been played with for years and years. When Andy is packing for college a mistake is made and the toys are thrown away instead of put into the attic. They narrowly escape that and the toys go into a donation box straight to daycare. Woody (if you don't know he is the sheriff toy ) is totally against this he still thinks that they have a place with Andy but Buzz and the rest of the gang see the day care center as a paradise. This soon changes when the true motives of the daycare toys are clear (and evil) the toys go on a mission to bust out of the daycare.

 

    Simple but hugely satisfying. The plot is familiar within the Toy Story code. The parts that really make this movie are the subtle humour and the last half of the film witch tugs on the heart strings. The ending is both satisfying and has great themes. The film is also hilarious. There are some great lines and awesome scenes that are really subtle and cool (and Spanish Buzz Lightyear for the win!!).

 

    As performances go all the old favourites are back. Tom Hanks and Tim Allen are, as usual the best as the dynamic duo of Woody and Buzz. Their are so many other roles I won't cover the rest I'll just say that they are great and not one is out of place. That is the best complement I can give it.

 

    The animation as usual with Pixar is amazing. It looks even better than the first two Toy Stories the films that revolutionised animation. It is sharper and crisper. There is also greater detail and brighter colours.

 

    Overall Toy Story 3 is the complete package. Funny, entertaining and satisfying. All the things you want out of a Pixar film. One of my favourite animated films, Toy Story 3 is the whole package with a great ending too boot. I can't wait to se what Pixar dose next.

 

Iron Man 2 Review

Iron Man 2

A review by Frederick Cholowski

A-

 

    Well it is here the 2^nd film in the marvel phenomenon called Iron Man. 2 years ago the first film shocked movie audiences with its pure awesomeness. Now we have the second film dose it live up to the fans big expectations? Well I'm glad to say it is on par with the last film witch is a big complement.

 

    The story of this film comes just 6 months after Tony Stark's (Robert Downey Jr) "I am Iron Man" revel to the public. Things seem to be going well. All except for one thing his blood is becoming more and more toxic. In other words the thing that is keeping him alive is killing him. Also he gave the position of CEO to his assistant Pepper Pots (Gwyneth Paltrow). Party is crashed though when Whiplash (Mickey Rourke) busts Toni's race car and reviles that Tony is not the only one with the palladium technology. Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell) the leader of the compeering company Hammer industries is interested and decides to put him to work to make Tony's model look like an antique.

 

    The whole plot is good but has issues, especially in the pacing department. The first part of the movie is great started with a hilarious court scene. There is good set up and the race car action scene is awesome. Then it slows down to a halt. It just gets boring after awhile and there are some parts that are setting up other movies (cough cough the avenger's movie) and it is well pointless. But than the last 30 minutes goes back to what an Iron Man film truly is. It's one big action scene and is totally awesome and makes you completely forget about the middle of the film.

 

    As for the action. Yes the meet and potatoes of this movie. There are some cool moments at the beginning than a very dry middle with only an average iron man to stolen iron man fight. Than the last 30 or so minutes it explodes to pure awesome action with lots of explosions. Nuf said.

 

    Robert Downey Jr and Sam Rockwell steal the movie. They are ying and yang. They are the only standouts in the movie and they play basically the same sort of characters but they are on opposite sides. They are both absolute jerks to (the characters not the actors) so it makes for a hilarious fun filled ride. Mickey Rourke is sort of there, Gwyneth Paltrogh is fine, and Scarlet Johansson as black widow is also just there as a attraction to immature people in there teens and twenties.

 

    Iron Man 2 is a fun awesome ride. Although the supposed bad guy is just there and the middle is dry, the combine powers of Sam Rockwell, Robert Downey Jr and the last 30 minutes make this film a worthy successor to the first and an awesome way to start off the summer.