Stonehearst Asylum (4/10): A poor attempt at creating a suspenseful gothic film

“We're all mad Dr. Newgate. Some are simply not mad enough to admit it.”

Set in a mental institution during the end of the 19th century it’s hard not to compare this gothic thriller to Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island. Whereas Scorsese managed to create a film with an eerie atmosphere full of intrigues and thrills, Stonehearst Asylum fails to do so. It seems to have the perfect setting and cast to do so, but director Brad Anderson (known for The Machinist) isn’t able to come up with a compelling script. There is a scene during the opening of the film where a young doctor played by Jim Sturgess arrives at this gothic asylum and the atmosphere seems ideal for a great suspenseful thriller, but the story never seems to catch on with the visuals and the atmosphere is lost. It isn’t enough to make a film with a gothic look if the story isn’t engaging, and this movie is proof yet again that a talented cast doesn’t always make for a good film. Jim Sturgess, Kate Beckinsale, David Thewlis, Brendan Gleeson, Ben Kingsley, and Michael Caine all star in this film which should automatically make it worth giving it a watch, but unfortunately the script doesn’t do anything to make their characters interesting. The film is based on Poe’s short story, The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether, but the adaptation to the big screen doesn’t necessary make for a good watch.   

The plot revolves around Dr. Edward Newgate (Jim Sturgess) who arrives at a remote mental institution to offer his assistant. Despite his young age, he is eager to help these mentally ill patients and Dr. Silas Lamb (Ben Kingsley) greets him with enthusiasm. Edward realizes that Lamb’s methods are a bit unorthodox as he allows his patients to run around freely in the institution helping around with the chores. Mickey Finn (David Thewlis) is Lamb’s right hand man, but he seems a bit unstable and many of the patients seem to fear him. When Edward meets Eliza Graves (Kate Beckinsale), a patient who seems very enlightened and educated, he immediately becomes infatuated with her. She seems to have issues with touch and intimacy, but at the same time she is also a very caring individual who looks after some of the patients in the ward. Early in the movie there is a twist that I won’t give away, but where Edward is introduced to some other characters among which is Benjamin Salt (Michael Caine) who makes a very interesting claim that could change everything he has come to believe about the asylum. 

I think the revelation in the film is made too early on and it takes away from some of the suspense it could’ve benefited from. Once the reveal is made the film seems to lose some of the tension and it becomes a bit predictable along the way. It is a shame because there was an interesting cast to work with here. As stunning as she is in this film, Beckinsale doesn’t get much to do other than simply captivate audiences with her looks. Ben Kingsley and Michael Caine are such wonderful actors that I could’ve used more face off between the two. The film continues to deliver some twists along the way, but they never do anything to build the suspense. It has the right look, but it simply doesn’t transmit the suspense and the gothic atmosphere it so desperately tries to establish.

The Walk (7/10): A man's determination to conquer his dream

“People ask me "Why do you risk death?". For me, this is life.”

I could’ve probably decided to spend my Back to the Future Day yesterday watching Robert Zemeckis’s classic Blockbuster film, but instead I decided to catch up with his latest movie: The Walk. Zemeckis is one of those directors who is always ahead of the curve when it comes to technology and innovation in the film industry although his risks don’t always pay off. A Christmas Carol, Beowulf, and The Polar Express are examples of this, although I was pleased to finally seeing him take a more conservative approach with Flight. It did take me by surprise because it ended up being a completely different movie from what I was expecting, but it worked. The Walk combines some of his innovative techniques delivering some impressive images at the height of the twin towers, but it also is a conventional biopic. If you’ve seen the fabulous 2008 documentary, Man on Wire, directed by James Marsh then you basically know the narrative of this film because both screenplays are based on the same book “To Reach the Clouds,” written by Philippe Petit himself. Petit is played here by the talented Joseph Gordon-Levitt and if you were unaware of who this man was in real life then you might think he is exaggerating the character because he is such a vibrant and effusive person. But thankfully after seeing Man on Wire I can honestly say that he nailed the role because that’s exactly how he sounded all the time as he passionately spoke about his dream of crossing the void between the two World Trade Center towers on a high wire. Zemeckis follows his story closely and delivers a film about a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goal. Perhaps we may not identify with this man’s passion, but it is still inspiring nonetheless and it makes for an entertaining watch.

The trailer for The Walk is probably the only one that I’ve seen that focuses on the climax of the story. The selling point for this movie is the fantastic visuals of Philippe walking through the clouds on a thin wire, but I actually found the build up for it much more entertaining. Getting to experience Philippe’s conception of his dream and then following the recruiting process as these characters who enter his life also become passionate about his crazy dream is the highlight of the film for me. Even the actual operation to get to the top of the building is a much more fascinating watch then simply watching the spectacle in the air, so I must admit that the trailers don’t give away the most important aspect of this film which is celebrating this man’s passion. The Walk is an inspirational and uplifting film, while at the same time it’s also a love letter to New York and the World Trade Center. It seems that many people are still not ready to watch films centering on the towers, but this might be the best way to commemorate them and what they represented. 

The Walk is a conventional biopic, but at the same time it manages to incorporate elements of a heist movie because everything had to be perfectly orchestrated in order for Philippe and his men to attach the wires through both towers. It has its moments of suspense and even comedy because the relationship between these characters is solid. They somehow all realize that it’s worth risking their freedom in order to help this friend achieve his goal. Philippe is a mad man, but he is so convincing at the same time that it’s hard to say no to. The supporting performances in this film from Ben Kingsley (who plays Philippe’s mentor, Papa Rudy), Charlotte Le Bon, Clement Sibony, Cesar Domboy, and James Badge Dale are all fascinating, but it is Joseph Gordon-Levitt who carries this film along with the breathtaking visuals from Zemeckis.  

Exodus: Gods and Kings (5/10): A disappointing Biblical adaptation from the talented Ridley Scott

“Follow me and you will be free. Stay and you will perish.”

Ridley Scott is always a director to look forward to when it comes to films. I know he has had his series of misses as of late, but with films like Alien and Blade Runner under his belt, you know his next film could become a classic. Alien is one of my favorite sci-fi films of all time and I even enjoyed Scott’s recent prequel, Prometheus, more than most audiences did. Exodus isn’t the first time Scott has tried to make an epic film because it is similar in scope to what he did with Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and Robin Hood. Unfortunately, Exodus is the weakest of the four in my opinion. Scott has also experimented with different genres and last year’s The Counselor was proof of that. He’s even made some smaller films which I really enjoyed such as Matchstick Men which I was a huge fan of. I appreciate these smaller scale films more than when he tries to make these grandiose and epic ones. My major issue with this film revolves around the pacing because it felt so long and dull for most parts. It was as if Scott was aiming to direct an ambitious epic film and was trying to make it so grand that he got lost with the production and visuals of it and left out the actual narrative. There are several things I’d like to get out of the way before I actually review this film. First of all, if you are expecting a faithful adaptation to the Biblical story then Exodus isn’t a movie for you because Scott and the screenwriters took several liberties of their own (especially in the way Moses interacted with God and the Pharaoh). This is the second big budget film based on the Old Testament to come out last year, after Aronofsky directed Noah, which both took liberties from the original source material but in my opinion at least Aronofsky did something fresh and unique with the material, while Scott never manages to do so. Second, I don’t understand why we complaint so much about the casting of white actors and forget about the fact that the characters are all speaking in English. What is the point of casting all Egyptian and Hebrew actors and have them speak in English? At least Scott went all in and just cast famous actors without considering anything else.

It took me a while to get over the silliness of the opening sequences. On the one hand, Scott made a huge effort of recreating the Egyptian empire with huge production sets, but on the other the familiar faces of the actors kind of took me out of the film. Having John Turturro playing the Pharaoh and Sigourney Weaver his wife was difficult to visualize. I think Joel Edgerton is a great actor, but he wasn’t the right man for the role of Ramses. Christian Bale delivers as Moses and Ben Mendelssohn has the most campy scenes in the film but I think they helped to break the tedious tone of the film. Aaron Paul and Ben Kingsley are inexplicably underused. Despite the nice visuals (I don’t think they were groundbreaking), the story was poorly written and that is perhaps why some of these incredible actors didn’t have much to work with. There are some moments in the film where Moses is given some humanity, but whatever depth they tried to give the characters got lost in the visuals and the narrative. We know the story and have seen it played out several times in films before, so that is perhaps why I found some of the engaging scenes rather tedious because Scott doesn’t really do anything unique with the material. By the time the plagues take place we really don’t care for the characters and aren’t emotionally invested in them either. Yes, the scenes look great but there is nothing more there. I also expected a lot more from the parting of the Red Sea, but it simply was a forgettable scene. The only moment I felt some sort of emotion toward this dull film was with the dedication to his brother Tony during the end credits, but the film didn’t actually do anything for me. I was more emotionally engaged with the animated film The Prince of Egypt than I was with this. Skip the movie, read Exodus instead. 

Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb (5/10): An emotional farewell to Robin Williams, a fun performance from Dan Stevens, but nothing more

“Why don't you take a picture, it'll last longer!”

Nine years after Shawn Levy first directed Night at the Museum, he brings us the third and final installment of the franchise. Who would’ve thought that the film would be so successful at the box office to invest in two more sequels? Critics certainly didn’t because the film was never warmly received. It was an interesting premise and had a charming cast, but you’d think that the magic had run off by now. I wasn’t a fan of the franchise, but I still was entertained by some of the performances and the same can be said about this third film. It has its charming moments, but there are more misses than hits here with the gags. The formula is repeated once again, but one of the positive elements in Night at the Museum is the introduction of Dan Stevens (from The Guest) as Lancelot. He is the funniest character in the film, although he plays sort of the same character as Buzz Lightyear in Toy Story. He thinks he is real and the gags center on that. It is recycled material, but Stevens is funny and makes it work. The other new addition is Rebel Wilson who plays a guard at a British museum, but her character doesn’t work. She plays her usual self and the jokes fall flat here. Apart from the lead performance from Ben Stiller and the addition of Lancelot, other positive things about this sequel are the returning characters: Jedediah (Owen Wilson) and Octavius (Steve Coogan) who are perhaps my favorite of the franchise, and the cameos from Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney, and Bill Cobbs who return from the first film. Of course the most emotional and engaging scenes are the ones that feature Teddy Roosevelt. It’s the opportunity to see Robin Williams in his final feature film. Roosevelt isn’t among his best characters, but it was still emotional to see him one last time and get a chance to say good-bye to one of my favorite comedians of all time. 

The Night of the Museum franchise is family friendly and probably one of the films most families will get together to watch during the Holidays. It is entertaining and kids will enjoy it. There is nothing fresh about this sequel, but I don’t think parents will mind. Shawn Levy has made a career of directing these light comedies and his films are mostly average (my favorite of his is Real Steel and that is probably how they got Hugh Jackman to do a cameo for this sequel). There are funny moments, but this isn’t one of those comedies that is worth rewatching because the material is recycled. It is fun for a one time watch because of the cast involved, but I don’t think audiences will find it funny on a second viewing. There is not much more to add about this film, if you were a fan of the previous two films you will probably end up loving this, but if not it really is more of the same.

My Review: Ender's Game (4/10)

"In the moment when I truly understand my enemy, understand him well enough to defeat him, then in that very moment I also love him."

I honestly don't understand some of the love this film is receiving considering how bored I was through the entire running time. The philosophy in this film didn't make much sense for me either and nothing in this sci-fi world felt believable. It was like having to sit through watching my little brother play one of his video games. Gavin Hood has received a lot of hate for his 2009 Wolverine film, but I was a huge fan of his South African film Tsotsi so I did have some hope for this. I guess he should stick to smaller productions because big scale films don't seem to work for him. The screenplay is based on Orson Scott Card's famous book of the same name which I never had heard of so I can't rate this based on its faithfulness to it. What I can say is that there isn't really anything thought provoking about it, which is some of the praise the book received. Here the themes are lost under all the CGI and extended action scenes. There are a lot of child actors in this film, which also hurt it a bit despite how much I like Abigail Breslin, Asa Butterfield, and Hailee Steinfeld. I didn't find anything spectacular form Harrison Ford's performance either, although I understand all the excitement from fanboys getting to see him back in space again. I just found this film hard to endure at times and found it a bit too grim and serious considering the subject matter.

Seventy years after an alien race known as the Formics attacked Earth and almost wiped out its existence if it weren't for Commander Mazer Rackham's (Ben Kingsley) heroics, Colonel Hyrum Graff (Harrison Ford) has been preparing a troop for the next attack. He has decided to attack the Formics at their home ground before they come back and destroy them, and in order to do so he has been training young children in hopes of discovering the next Mazer. He believes the one is Ender Wiggin (Asa Butterfield), a very quiet and shy boy who has unique strategizing skills. Graff brings him to space to begin his training at a battle school along with other elite kids like Petra (Hailee Steinfeld), Bean (Aramis Knight), Alai (Suraj Partha), and Bonzo (Moises Arias). Ender quickly shows his potential as he masters the training games by understanding the enemy. Despite Graff's assurance that Ender is the chosen one, Ender still fears he might fail because he hasn't quite understood the real enemy's motivation. Will he be able to save the human race? Are the Formics still a threat to humanity? These are questions racing through Ender's head as he begins to dislike who he's shaping up to be.

I found Ender's Game to be one of the worst sci-fi pics of the year along with After Earth. There was nothing really thought provoking about it for me and it completely failed to engage me. This seems to be only the first chapter to a franchise I'm not really looking forward to enduring. I don't even feel inspired to write a proper review for this film and I don't really have much to say about it. There is no charm or appeal found here, and I never bought into the drama. The story could've at least used some dramatic tension to draw me in, but I never felt anything worth engaging in here. 

My Review: Iron Man 3 (8/10)

¨Ladies, children, sheep... Some people call me a terrorist. I consider myself a teacher. Lesson number one: Heroes, there is no such thing.¨

Iron Man 3 is the first film following the events of The Avengers, and if you wondered if the movie was going to lose entertainment value considering it shifts the focus back to only one superhero, you were wrong. Despite not having all those great characters together, Robert Downey Jr. manages to capture the audience’s attention once again with his vibrant portrayal of Tony Stark. He has been the main reason why I´ve enjoyed these films so much because they are just a perfect fit. New director, Shane Black (Lethal Weapon), who worked with Downey in Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang, knows that the secret to the success of this franchise is letting Downey be himself and focus on his character. In this third film Starks is stripped down of his toys and questions whether or not he is worth anything without the suit. The Nolan effect which has been a key element in superhero movies is present at the beginning of the movie. We see a much more vulnerable Tony Stark, who is suffering from panic attacks due to the events in The Avengers, and who makes mistakes like putting his beloved Potts in danger due to his big mouth. This first part of the movie didn’t work very well because it felt like a different kind of hero, but the effect wears off real quickly and Starks is once again back to his normal self once he realizes he is what makes the suit and not vice versa. Having his character stripped of his toys and having to manage to depend on simple things once again to defeat his foes is what made this film so entertaining. It was like if Stark had to go back to the basics and rediscover himself, although he never loses his goofiness. The villains in this film were also a huge improvement from its predecessor. This might not be as great as the original Iron Man, but it is an improvement from the first sequel. Black did a decent job following Jon Favreau´s work and he manages to keep the franchise afloat.   

Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.) has to face a new set of villains in this third film which takes place after the events of The Avengers. A terrorist who calls himself The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) is terrorizing the world through several explosions across the globe. Meanwhile Tony has found himself absorbed trying to perfect his suits and may have crossed the line trying to overprotect his love interest, Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). The reason behind his obsession is that he can´t afford to lose what he loves most. When Stark threatens The Mandarin, his army destroys his home leaving him for dead. Stark has to hide out while he figures out more information about this terrorist. He discovers some information about an AIM program run by Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce) which seems to be involved with the well known terrorist. Without being able to use all his equipment and technology, Stark is forced to use his intellect and capabilities to defeat his new enemies, while at the same time trying to protect Potts. Along his quest he makes some new friends, like the young boy named Harley (Ty Simpkins) who helps gather some materials for him to work with, and counts with his always reliable friend, Rhodes/War Machine (Don Cheadle). Rebecca Hall also has a small role in this film as Killian´s assistant, and Paul Bettany lends his voice once again to Jarvis.    

As you would expect, the visuals in this film are great and the action sequences are also very entertaining. The two hours go by in a flash thanks to some decent pacing. The franchise doesn’t bring anything new to the table, but it still offers some great summer popcorn fun entertainment. Iron Man 3 is the perfect way to start off the 2013 summer and we can only hope the rest of the films keep this streak going. I loved the little twists and turns the film takes here by making you think it is going to be so much darker than the rest of The Avengers, but then all of a sudden it returns to its playful self. The Marvel universe is one that doesn’t have to be taken so seriously because we have fun with the lightness of the characters and situations. The entire spin with The Mandarin was incredible. I wasn’t too pleased with the opening minutes of the film considering Stark was much more vulnerable and not as fun as his usual self, but once he got his confidence back everything seemed to play out really well. Black is a master at mixing some great action scenes with tons of comedy (Lethal Weapon and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang are proof of that) and we see it once again with Iron Man 3. Downey Jr. continues to deliver with his clever lines and charismatic self. He is the only reason we need to want to go see this movie.

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My Review: The Dictator (5/10)

¨I love it when women go to school. It's like seeing a monkey on roller-skates. It means nothing to them, but it's so adorable for us. ¨

Like all of Sacha Baron Cohen`s comedies, The Dictator is irreverent, offensive, and makes fun of pretty much every stereotype out there. He had huge success with Borat, a film I found extremely funny and smart, but the joke has gotten repetitive in his next films Bruno and this one. There are some hilarious moments in The Dictator, but there is also a lot of stupid and gross out jokes that made me want to stop watching at times. Cohen has gotten to the point where he needs to explore new themes and stop being so repetitive. He has proven he can make smart comedies with a sharp satirical tone; he makes fun of the crazy stereotypes our society has and despite making us laugh he also pulled our ears and made us think about our own conduct and behavior. In Borat he used this satire to the extreme, but it kind of has got lost in his latest films which try to entertain with cheaper and dirtier laughs. There are some great moments that work really well in The Dictator and had me laughing really hard so this movie wasn’t terrible either; it did have some genuinely funny moments. Like in Borat and Bruno, Cohen got Larry Charles to direct his latest film. I really was hoping this film would be funnier because the trailers looked great and the publicity behind it by Cohen was quite funny as well (who can forget the Ryan Seacrest incident during the Oscars where Cohen showed up in character as the dictator and dumped ashes on his suit?). I think it`s time for Sacha Baron Cohen to explore new themes because he has proven in the past to be a great comedian.

Hafez Aladeen (Sacha Baron Cohen) is the oppressive and wealthy dictator of the Republic of Wadiya (a made up Middle Eastern country). He rules the country with a very fierce hand and oppresses everyone. The film works as a satire of some of the Middle Eastern dictators we`ve all heard about in the news and Cohen got his inspiration for his character from all of them. But Cohen also makes fun of Americans and the stereotypes they have of the Arabs as well; this is best expressed in John C. Reilly`s character. Aladeen is forced to travel to the United States after being threatened by the United Nations for having a nuclear program. Along with his advisor and uncle Tamir (Ben Kingsley) they arrive in New York the day before the meeting, but what Aladeen doesn’t know is that Tamir has other plans for him. He has brought a Dictator look alike and is planning on killing Aladeen and having the imitator take his place and announce that he will change the constitution of his nation and bring back democracy to the people of Wadiya. Meanwhile Aladeen is taken hostage by Reilly`s character who begins to torture him. The first thing he does is cut off his supreme beard, but Aladeen manages to escape after a freak accident. Aladeen arrives outside of the building but no one recognizes him as his imitator has already taken his place. He is surrounded by protestors and one of them, Zoey (Anna Faris), decides to help him and take him in. For the first time in his life, Aladeen can`t have things his way and a series of comedic events ensue.

There are several funny moments in this film and some great lines, but for the most part the film goes way too far with several gross out jokes. I really enjoyed the helicopter scene where Cohen`s character is talking to his friend in his own language while two senior Americans are sitting in front of them worried about what they are saying since all they can make out are words like 911, Osama, Empire State Building, and Statue of Liberty. This scene was hilarious and had me laughing really hard, but it is about the only memorable moment I can rescue from the movie. There are some funny lines like when the dictator is helping a woman give birth and tells her the terrible news that the baby is a girl. The film makes fun of a lot of these stereotypes where women aren`t considered very important in Arab culture. Sacha Baron Cohen is very irreverent and offensive; he has no problem in expressing what he thinks. He doesn’t hold back anything and says things how they are. In my opinion this is what made him such a successful comedian, but at the same time he can also take things to an extreme and gross fans out due to the crude and explicitness of his jokes. I`d recommend this only to fans of Cohen who aren't scared off by his humor.

      

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My Review: Hugo (10/10)

¨Maybe that's why a broken machine always makes me a little sad, because it isn't able to do what it was meant to do... Maybe it's the same with people. If you lose your purpose... it's like you're broken. ¨

Hugo is a beautiful film that works really well as a love letter from Martin Scorsese to all movie buffs, especially those who are fascinated with its history and origins. Hugo is a family film, but Martin introduces a bit of history so that everyone can become familiar with how it began. It`s like a film history lesson made in a very entertaining way. There are several funny scenes that kids will enjoy (mostly the scenes with the inspector chasing after Hugo), while there are also several serious and beautiful moments which serve as a homage to film history. Hugo works as sort of a poem and it is just marvelous to look at and listen to. I loved every second of this movie and every scene was so rich in meaning and just beautiful to look at. The use of 3D in this movie is just spectacular and I think Scorsese has used it better than any other film to date (including Avatar). This is Scorsese’s first film in 18 years that gets a PG rating, it’s his first time working with 3D, and it also is the first time in twelve years that he`s worked without Leonardo Di Caprio. That is a lot of firsts for a film that is done in such a marvelous matter. This is one of the best films of the year and it deserves every single one of its five Oscar wins. The visuals, the sound, the story, and the cast are all excellent in this wonderful movie and it`s really worth the price of admission. By all means pay the extra fee to see this film in 3D because it is well worth it. Scorsese knows his film history lesson and he really pays a beautiful homage to those early films which he has worked so hard to make sure get restored and saved.

The story takes place in a train station in Paris where twelve year old Hugo Cabret (Asa Butterfield) lives on his own hiding and running from the Station Inspector (Sacha Baron Cohen) while making sure all the clocks in the station work. Hugo is on his own because his father (Jude Law) who was a clock maker and worked at a Museum died in a fire. All Hugo has left is a broken automaton that he was trying to fix with his father. Hugo believes that this automata holds a message from his dead father, therefore he works endlessly to try to find the right pieces to fix it. Hugo survives by stealing from the different shoppers in the station. One day he is caught stealing by a toymaker named Georges (Ben Kingsley) who orders him to give him everything he has in his pockets. Georges takes a notepad that Hugo`s father had given him, so Hugo decides to follow the grumpy old man home in order to retrieve his notepad. This is where Hugo meets Georges`s goddaughter, Isabelle (Chloe Grace Moretz), who befriends Hugo and the two begin to have adventures together. Isabelle promises to get Hugo`s notepad back and helps him finding the missing pieces needed to fix the automaton. Isabelle also introduces Hugo to the world of literature, while Hugo teaches her about cinema. Together they discover the truth about Georges and decide it is about time he stops hiding from the past.

Hugo is based on Brian Selznick`s children book, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, and the screenplay was beautifully adapted by John Logan (who previously worked with Scorsese in The Aviator). Besides being a love letter to the origins of film, the movie also has a very powerful message about finding purpose and meaning in life. Like machines, people can be broken if they don`t know what their true purpose in life is. Every piece in a machine has a specific function that makes everything work, and in the same way every person has a purpose that allows life to continue functioning as planned. I really loved the performance from the two kids in this movie: Butterfield and Grace Moretz. They looked lovely together. Grace Moretz is my favorite young actress and she just has the screen presence and charisma that other actresses don’t have. Ben Kingsley was magnificent in his key role, and so was Christopher Lee. Sacha Baron Cohen was funny as always, and his character served as the comic relief because I imagine many kids getting bored if the film only focused on the Georges character. This is really a great family film and one you should see, especially if you are interesting in the history of films and how it all began. There are several scenes from early films, and I can`t imagine how any true film lover wouldn’t like this wonderful movie. It`s a masterpiece.

    

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My Review: Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (7/10)

¨I've seen its power with my own eyes. Releasing the Sand turns back time. Only the holder of the Dagger is aware what's happened.¨

(7/10) Prince of Persia may perhaps be the best film adapted from a videogame that I`ve seen along with the Resident Evil franchise. However, this statement is not saying much because I can`t remember any other game turned into a movie that I have enjoyed. Most of these films turn out to be a complete failure, but Prince of Persia is not the case because it delivers good action scenes along with a decent cast. The movie works as pure entertainment, it is not a film you want to go see for the dialogue or the story, but as a summer popcorn movie Prince of Persia totally works. It has a lot of action, fun characters, and Jake Gyllenhaal proves he can be an action star as well. There are plenty of chases and running across rooftops to keep you entertained and not thinking too much on the plot. The movie was brought to us by the same people that produced the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, but the result was not exactly the same mainly because there was no Jack Sparrow this time around. Mike Newell (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire) directed this film, which was based on Jordan Mechner`s video game of the same name, while Boaz Yakin, Carlo Bernard, and Doug Miro worked on the screenplay.

Jake Gyllenhaal is Dastan, a kid who grew up in the slums of the Persian Empire and was fortunate enough to be adopted by the King, taken to the palace and becoming a prince due to his great courage. King Sharaman (Ronald Pickup) is a good King who has expanded the Persian Empire and rules it along with his brother Nizam (Ben Kingsley). Besides adopting Dastan, the King has two children: Tus (Richard Coyle) and Garsiv (Toby Kebbell). One day a spy returns to the palace with news that the Holy City of Alamut is secretly supplying foreign enemies with Persian weapons. The three brothers decide to invade the city and take Princess Tamina (Gemma Arterton from Clash of the Titans and Quantum of Solace) hostage. In Alamut Dastan also finds a secret dagger which seems to be able to turn back time. After the attack, King Sharaman is murdered and Dastan becomes the prime suspect so he has to flee along with Tamina in order to try to clear his name and discover the true powers of the dagger. The plot is probably the weakest part of the movie so I don`t want to spend too much time on it, but the action does save the film and therefore no thinking is required. Alfred Molina also has an interesting role in this film as Sheik Amar and is the funniest character in the film.

If we were to compare this movie to Pirates of the Caribbean, then Will Turner would be Dastan, Elizabeth Swan would be Princess Tamina, and Jack Sparrow would be Sheik Amar. The problem is that Jack Sparrow can`t be equaled so the film falls short character wise, but there is enough action to entertain audiences, although I would have to argue that this is not a movie you will want to see twice.

It is a onetime only viewing experience and works only as a summer blockbuster movie. I don`t think it has what it takes to become a successful franchise like Pirates of the Caribbean was. Besides the action and the decent cast, I also enjoyed the setting, which reminded me a lot of Aladdin and brought some nice childhood memories back. The scenery was just beautiful. I think fans of the video game will be pleased with this movie and action fans will also have a good time at the movies. If you don`t take this movie too seriously you will be entertained.

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My Review: Shutter Island (8/10)

¨Which would be worse, to live as a monster or to die as a good man? ¨

(8/10) Shutter Island has all the right ingredients for everyone to enjoy this movie. First of all, it is directed by Martin Scorsese, the guy who brought us such masterpieces as Goodfellas, Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, Gangs of New York, and The Departed. Martin Scorsese is one of the best directors and he is always trying different genres, being original, standing out, but with his classic trademark direction in every film. This time he brings us this dark suspense thriller that traps us from the very beginning and hooks our attention up to the very end. Shutter Island is based on Dennis Lehanes`s novel of the same name. His previous two novels, Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone have also been made into feature films, and are among my favorite movies, especially the first one. If those two names alone are not enough for you to want to go see this film, then perhaps this might convince you: Leonardo Di Caprio, Mark Ruffalo, and Ben Kingsley star in this thriller and give great performances. I did not have to see the trailer to know that I wanted to watch this film because I really admire each of the people involved in making Shutter Island. The weakest link perhaps is the screenplay writer Laeta Kalogridis who wrote Alexander and Pathfinder, two movies that bombed in the box office. The script does have its flaws, but the performances and the direction are what stand out in this dark thriller. The atmosphere and the mystery that Scorsese masterfully creates are worth the ticket price plus some really good performances from the lead characters make this a very enjoyable movie experience. This is not one of Scorsese`s best films, but that does not mean it is a bad movie either. Scorsese knows how to make movies and he does not fail with Shutter Island although he did take a huge risk with this film.

The movie is set in 1954 and like in all Lehane`s previous novels it takes place in Boston. U.S Marshall, Teddy Daniels (played brilliantly by Leonardo Di Caprio who seems to shine every time he works with Martin), has to investigate a mysterious disappearance that takes place in Shutter Island where an asylum for the criminally insane is located. Teddy is teamed up with Chuck (Mark Ruffalo), a Marshall from Seattle and together they have to solve the case in which a patient from the asylum named Rachel has gone missing. There they meet the psychiatrist in charge of the patients, Dr. Cawley (played by Ben Kingsley who absolutely nails his role once again) who seems to be hiding some crucial information in the case, as do most every other employees in the hospital. Dr. Cawley works alongside Dr. Naehring (Max von Sydow) who also seems very calm during the investigation. Teddy and Chuck begin to question nurses and patients but they can`t seem to figure out how Rachel has disappeared. During the investigation, Teddy has to battle with constant headaches and migraines as well with hurricane like weather, and he keeps on having visions of his dead wife, Dolores (Michelle Williams), telling him what he has to do. Torments of his troubled past begin to affect Teddy`s role in the investigation and as the plot thickens we discover that he wanted to be assigned to Shutter Island for other personal reasons because he believes some unethical treatments are taking place with the patients. This is where the puzzle begins to get more complicated for Teddy as he has to fight his own personal demons while trying to solve the case.

Emily Mortimer and Jackie Earle Haley also have small roles in this movie as patients from the asylum and do a great job. Much of the success of this film relies on the good performances from the entire cast. Leonardo Di Caprio and Ben Kingsley prove once again why they are such great actors as they make most out of a not too strong script. The story is interesting, but the script wasn`t able to fit all the pieces together as smoothly as I would have liked. Scorsese however is a master at his craft and really creates a mysterious and dark atmosphere so there are plenty of thrills and suspense spread out throughout Shutter Island. The twist at the end was kind of predictable, but it didn`t affect the outcome of the movie as it hooked my attention from the very beginning. Perhaps with a stronger ending I would have given it a higher grade, but it is a good film nonetheless. It is worth a watch because Scorsese and Di Caprio are back together again doing what they do best, even though this is not their best effort it is still better than most other thrillers that have come out recently.