Summer Movie Awards 2010

Summer Movie Awards 2010

A film article by Frederick Cholowski

    Well it's that time of year again. Time to take a look at the summer that passed and find the best films. This summer was a bit disappointing for me. The filler films this year where just not as good as last years and there weren't many movies that made me go back. Let's get to the awards now!!! As usual I have not scene all of the films the summer have to offer including Shrek. So without further due here are the second annual summer movie awards.

 

Best Action film:

    Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

        No matter what category this film fits in it is a front runner. From the awesome action sequences to the visual style and writing this movie had it all. An amazing film all around there was no competition in this category

Runner up: Prince of Persia

 

Best Si Fi film:

    Inception

        Three cheers for Chris Nolan!! The guy just keeps delivering with another amazing summer film that is on par or maybe even better than my favourite film of 2008 the Dark Knight. Sweet creative plot about dreams pared with some of the best cinematography and action sequences ever and you have your self the best film of the summer.

Runner up:????

 

Best Trailer:

    Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Parts one and two

        Is this just because I'm a Harry Potter geek?! The trailer makes the movie look so epic and awesome. This is still just a trailer and we have yet to see how they will turn it into a two part affair, but wow this trailer got me jacked for the film finales and is not that the job of a trailer?

Runner Up: Sucker Punch

 

Best Comedy:

    Toy Story 3

        Yay!!! Woody and Buzz return for the best threequal ever!! This movie is intelligent and funny while keeping the heart that the first two had. It even tugged the old heart strings at the end. The last adventure we will see from Andy's toys will not be one to be forgotten.

Runner Up: Scott Pilgrim Vs the World

 

Most Anticipated film for next summer:

    Super 8

        Yes all we got was a short little teaser but Super 8 looks awesome. Produced by Spielberg and directed by J.J. Abrams this film is in good hands. If this film is even released next year it should present a cool original film.

Runner Up: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

 

Most Disappointing film:

    Robin Hood

        Man this sucked. From the director of Gladiator and Russell Crow I had some expectations for this film and it fell on its face. It was boring and all the acting talent is wasted with bad dialog and not much to do.

 

Runner Up: Vampires Suck

 

Worst Film of the Summer:

    Vampires Suck

        Man I'm not going to go into detail. I did not laugh!!!!!!! This film made me furious. This is one of if not the worst film I have ever scene.

 

Film of the Summer:

    And the nominees are:

        Inception

        Iron Man 2

        Scott Pilgrim Vs the World

        Toy Story 3

 

    And the winner is...

 

 

 

    Inception

 

        Creative, well thought out, and amazingly shot Nolan has struck gold again with Inception. A mind bending thriller with the best action sequences all summer. The characters are fleshed out as well each with physiological problems. This film bends the mind and reality and is the best of the summer.

 

 

Vampires Suck Review

Vampires Suck

F

A review by Frederick Cholowski

 

    What was that?!!! Wow this sucked (cue the title). Vampires suck is suppose to capitalize on those poor boyfriends who where dragged to a Twilight film but has poor writing and direction that makes this film unfunny boring and one of (if not) the worst film I have ever scene.

 

    Plot hum? If you take the first two Twilight books and attempt to spoof them with no writing and really bad timing you have this movie. There is nothing good about this I chuckled lightly once in this film once. The joke was not funny either just the appearance of the actor. I could not even laugh at how bad this film was. Ya it was that bad.

 

    I'm going to stop there and say do not go see this film!!!! It was so bad I came out of it angry. Unfunny and overall terrible movie it is the worst of the summer and will probably end up being my least favourite of the year by far.

Schindler’s List Mini Review

Schindler's List

A Mini Review by Frederick Cholowski

If you where to ask right now what my favourite film of all time I would give the confident response of Schindler's List. Schindler's List represents legendary director Steven Spielberg at his absolute best and is pure geniuses through out. The film is about the holocaust a devastating event in human history where millions of Jews where slaughtered. It also tells how one flawed man in this case Oscar Schindler (Liam Neeson) can save hundreds of lives. This film is about heroism and sacrifice something Spielberg captures fully through out the entire film. Schindler's list was wisely shot in black and white with hints of colors here and there. The only fully color sequences are the beginning and the ending. This choice in style genius and this is the only way it could have been shot. On one more note Liam Neeson is brilliant as Schindler. As well the supporting cast is just as excellent. The one word you will find throughout this review is genius. That is the one word that can describe Schindler's list my personal favourite film of all time

Buy it now!!!!! Must see no matter what!!!

Mini Reviews

 

    With me going through a lot of older movies on DVD I have decided that I can not fully review them all. There for a new feature has arisen, mini reviews. Mini Reviews are streamlined reviews that are there so I can give opinions on all the films I am watching on DVD. The rating system for mini reviews is changed as well. It will be streamlined into recommendations such as buy it, rent it etc. There will still be full reviews on new films and these are just for the older films. Coming up as well there will be a roundup of the summer movies I say but did not review yet. For now though enjoy these.

Cheers

Fred

Memento Mini Review

Memento

A Mini Review by Frederick Cholowski

 

    With Christopher Nolan Making a crap ton of money let's look back at their roots, Memento. Memento is about a man whose wife is raped and murdered. During this attack he loses his short term memory witch means that he can remember everything before the attack but can't form new memories. He remembers things by putting notes onto photos witch allows him to find out who to trust and who to not. Memento is presented backwards. With the movie starting at where the events end up and moves back to the beginning. The way it is edited into chunks of 3-8 minutes is genius and Chris Nolan is the star of this film with his editing and pacing. Memento is perfectly paced with awesome revelations when needed and the ending leaves you hanging yet satisfied. Memento is a great film and one of my favourite directors at his best.

Buy it!!!!

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World Review

Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

A-

A review by Frederick Cholowski

    Fun, something that has been sorely lacking in the films of the summer. That is until Scott Pilgrim vs. the World comes around. A film that is just as cool as an action film as a comedy Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is great fun and this year's Star Trek.

 

    Scott Pilgrim (Michael Cera) is dating a high school girl. Her name is Knives Chau (Ellen Wong). They haven't kissed and almost held hands once. Then Scott finds the girl of his dreams (quite literally) Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) at a party. After a happy little first date Scott finds out that in order to continue dating Ramona he must defeat her seven evil exes. He must also face his past and look at his life and evaluate his problems.

 

    Scott Pilgrim vs. the world has a quirky story. The whole movie is played out like a video game, with each character's actions exclaimed with otomatapia like in the old Batman comics (words like bang pow etc.). The script is just as funny as it is filled with action with several laugh out loud moments. The big thing with the story though is that you actually care about the characters and the relationships that are happening. The one problem I have with this film is that even at 1:55 minutes long it feels too long and some parts of the movie loose steam compared to the fast in your face pace that the rest of the film is. As well considering that this is a video game and comic satire this will not appeal to every one. There are a lot of nerdy references that a lot of people won't get.

 

    The action scenes are fantastic. The fight scenes are played out like a one on one fighting game. They use no gravity or logic and there are a lot of both hilarious and totally awesome moments in each scene. The effects and camera angles work really well. Also there is no 3D version (thank god).

 

    Acting wise Michael Crea is doing the Michael Cera role. The nerd jerkish character that goes after the girl. Both Ellen Wong and Mary Elizabeth Winsted are both good as the girlfriends. There are many good secondary characters but the role that truly stands out to me is Scott's gay roommate Wallace played by Kieran Culkin who is really funny and cool.

 

    Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is a really fun film. It may not be on par with my favourite films of the Summer Inception and Toy Story 3 but it comes close. A quirky and fun film that is right down my ally Scott Pilgrim vs. the World is also one of the best this summer has to offer.

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.