The Equalizer (2014)

A man believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and has dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when he meets a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can't stand idly by - he has to help her.

Director:

 Antoine Fuqua

Writers:

 Richard Wenk, Michael Sloan (television series),1 more credit »

Stars:

 Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz | See full cast and crew »

Storyline

In The Equalizer, Denzel Washington plays McCall, a man who believes he has put his mysterious past behind him and dedicated himself to beginning a new, quiet life. But when McCall meets Teri (Chloë Grace Moretz), a young girl under the control of ultra-violent Russian gangsters, he can't stand idly by - he has to help her. Armed with hidden skills that allow him to serve vengeance against anyone who would brutalize the helpless, McCall comes out of his self-imposed retirement and finds his desire for justice reawakened. If someone has a problem, if the odds are stacked against them, if they have nowhere else to turn, McCall will help. He is The Equalizer. Written by Sony Pictures Entertainment

User Reviews

 

Welcome To The Black Rambo

10 October 2014 | by TheAnimalMother (your daughters bedroom) – See all my reviews

Fairly solid action scenes, characters and overall execution. Somehow the filmmakers and actors make this very hard to believe film enjoyable. This is definitely a sensationalistic film(The most sensationalistic of Washington's career without a doubt.), and it's mostly a regurgitated cookie cutter crowd pleaser of violent vengeance as well, but it does manage to remain quite an entertaining action film at the same time. Even though it has a running time of over two hours, the film does feel overall as though it is missing a few key scenes, but nonetheless it's still worth a look if you're into these kinds of films. The movie didn't remind me much at all of the old T.V. series of the same name. The film is much more reminiscent of some of the old brutally violent morality tales that Charles Broson use to do. All that said, this basically chalks up as a good film to watch when you don't want to think much, and you just want to watch a lot of kick ass entertaining violence. 

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Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

As Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world, he teams up with another super soldier, the black widow, to battle a new threat from old history: an assassin known as the Winter Soldier.

Directors:

 Anthony Russo, Joe Russo

Writers:

 Christopher Markus (screenplay), Stephen McFeely (screenplay), 3 more credits »

Stars:

 Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson| See full cast and crew »

For Steve Rogers, awakening after decades of suspended animation involves more than catching up on pop culture; it also means that this old school idealist must face a world of subtler threats and difficult moral complexities. That becomes clear when Director Nick Fury is killed by the mysterious assassin, the Winter Soldier, but not before warning Rogers that SHIELD has been subverted by its enemies. When Rogers acts on Fury's warning to trust no one there, he is branded as a traitor by the organization. Now a fugitive, Captain America must get to the bottom of this deadly mystery with the help of the Black Widow and his new friend, The Falcon. However, the battle will be costly for the Sentinel of Liberty, with Rogers finding enemies where he least expects them while learning that the Winter Soldier looks disturbingly familiar.Written by Kenneth Chisholm

User Reviews

 

It's smart, intense, well acted and superbly done. AMAZING FILM!

30 March 2014 | by bobochildrunningwild (United States) – See all my reviews

I'd have to rate Captain America The Winter Soldier as one of the best comic book movies ever made. It is as close to a perfect movie as you can get. Superman has generally held the title as most fondly remembered or nostalgic superhero film even though it has some campy flaws. Spider- Man has generally held the title as most beloved superhero film because of the character. Iron Man has generally held the most grounded and well liked superhero film. The Avengers has generally held the title as most highly rated and best film the genre has seen. Well, Captain America TWS can compete with them all in every category. It is IMO near perfect on every level. It's smart, intense, well acted, fun and superbly done.

The first film delivers a lot of action, a tantalizing and beautiful love interest, many humorous moments, powerful messages about internal fortitude and courage, a classic villain, fine acting and many of the basic essentials of any good action movie. This sequel adds an intriguing plot and does everything the first film did but does it BETTER. Including, incredible stunts, unbelievable feats and, not to be rude, but a climax that plays out like a multiple orgasm. The finish features one wave after another of edge of your seat moments. As fantastic of a movie that's ever been made in the genre and I'm not exaggerating one bit.

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Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

A military officer is brought into an alien war against an extraterrestrial enemy who can reset the day and know the future. When this officer is enabled with the same power, he teams up with a Special Forces warrior to try and end the war.

Director:

 Doug Liman

Writers:

 Christopher McQuarrie (screenplay), Jez Butterworth (screenplay), 2 more credits »

Stars:

 Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton |See full cast and crew 

Storyline

An alien race has hit the Earth in an unrelenting assault, unbeatable by any military unit in the world. Major William Cage (Cruise) is an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage now finds himself inexplicably thrown into a time loop-forcing him to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again...and again. But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt). And, as Cage and Vrataski take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy!Written by Warner Bros. Pictures

User Reviews

 

BETTER than I was expecting!

I saw the trailer of this, but was expecting another campy "Independence Day" trying to be too funny, "War of the Worlds" that tried to be too serious or "District 9" that was FX for FX sake. I probably would have not gone, but my date said her daughter saw it and loved it.

Wow, was I surprised! The characters make the movie. Cruise's less-than-perfect, frustrated but determined "Cage" quickly got me rooting for him. Emily Blunt's serious "Rita" was a great mirror image protagonist.

The special effects were so clean and well integrated that they didn't overpower the story or become center stage. Instead, they added to bringing in me into making the unreal premise more real.

In the end, this is probably the coolest sci-fi love story I have ever seen. It is nice to see that Hollywood can still produce something other than the formulaic trash that usually keeps me away from the theaters. Warner Brothers, thanks for putting $178 million on the table to make this!

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Avatar (2009)

A Paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.

Director:

 James Cameron

Writer:

 James Cameron

Stars:

 Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver |See full cast and crew »

Storyline

When his brother is killed in a robbery, paraplegic Marine Jake Sully decides to take his place in a mission on the distant world of Pandora. There he learns of greedy corporate figurehead Parker Selfridge's intentions of driving off the native humanoid "Na'vi" in order to mine for the precious material scattered throughout their rich woodland. In exchange for the spinal surgery that will fix his legs, Jake gathers intel for the cooperating military unit spearheaded by gung-ho Colonel Quaritch, while simultaneously attempting to infiltrate the Na'vi people with the use of an "avatar" identity. While Jake begins to bond with the native tribe and quickly falls in love with the beautiful alien Neytiri, the restless Colonel moves forward with his ruthless extermination tactics, forcing the soldier to take a stand - and fight back in an epic battle for the fate of Pandora. Written by The Massie Twins

User Reviews

 

Visually amazing, but otherwise average at best

Yeah this movie took several steps forward in terms of cinematography and filming technology, but that is all that can really be said to be what makes this film worth seeing. Everything else that makes a film great is totally lack luster.

There is no deep character development. Why does Jake Sully really want to become a part of the Navi? What was life on Earth like? What really makes him want to break away from his roots there? Is it just the ability to walk? I mean are there no more Native Americans or Buddhists left on Earth (which is clearly who the Navi were based off of) to give him that spiritual satisfaction? How does he feel about filling his brother's shoes? Twin relationship? The conflict between scientists and the military is not developed. Every supporting character was a stock character. Michelle Rodriguez somehow manages to have a place in Hollywood after literally playing the same type of character in every film she is in (Fast and the Furious, SWAT, Blue Crush...yeah just put her in a futuristic helicopter and thats her in this one). Was Sigourney Weaver supposed to be a mother figure? How did the bad guy from the Last of the Mohicans feel about faking a Native American language? The plot was totally predictable, and the dialogue was crap. It was like James Cameron turned in his dialogue assignment a day late.

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Inception full hd movie (2010)

A thief who steals corporate secrets through use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a CEO.

Director:

 Christopher Nolan

Writer:

 Christopher Nolan

Stars:

 Leonardo DiCaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ellen Page| See full cast and crew »

Storyline

Dom Cobb is a skilled thief, the absolute best in the dangerous art of extraction, stealing valuable secrets from deep within the subconscious during the dream state, when the mind is at its most vulnerable. Cobb's rare ability has made him a coveted player in this treacherous new world of corporate espionage, but it has also made him an international fugitive and cost him everything he has ever loved. Now Cobb is being offered a chance at redemption. One last job could give him his life back but only if he can accomplish the impossible-inception. Instead of the perfect heist, Cobb and his team of specialists have to pull off the reverse: their task is not to steal an idea but to plant one. If they succeed, it could be the perfect crime. But no amount of careful planning or expertise can prepare the team for the dangerous enemy that seems to predict their every move. An enemy that only Cobb could have seen coming. Written by Warner Bros. Pictures

User Reviews

 

This is your first lesson in shared dreaming. Stay calm.

7 April 2011 | by Spikeopath (United Kingdom) – See all my reviews

Inception is written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan. The film stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Ken Watanabe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Tom Hardy, Cillian Murphy, Dileep Rao, Tom Berenger, and Michael Caine. The musical score is by Hans Zimmer and Wally Pfister is the cinematographer. Plot finds DiCaprio playing Dom Cobb, a specialised spy for hire who steals ideas from the dreams of people. But one day he gets a different offer, one that will enable him to see his estranged children. To get his reward he must enact Inception, the planting of an idea in the mind of the selected target. But Inception is thought impossible and should Cobb and his selected team fail? The consequences are unthinkable.

There has already been much written and pondered about as regards Inception in the relatively short running time of its life. One can only imagine what will be written and said about it in ten years time. For although it's arguably a bit too early to be talking about it being held in such high regards as the likes of 2001: A Space Odyssey, it's inescapable that Nolan's movie is this current generation's sci-fi classic. That Nolan has managed to make it accessible to the mainstream, and dazzled the eyes as much as the brain in the process, is close to being a piece of genius craftsmanship.

Inception is a film that it's better to know nothing about before venturing into it, and then it asks, well Nolan asks, for your undivided attention. It's neither as confusing as some have painted it, nor does it have any tricks-peek behind the curtain type-up its sleeve. The truth is is that Inception has something for everyone; thematically speaking, and that's before we pore over the special effects that sees Nolan raising the bar considerably. As is the case with twisty high concept movies, interpretations are many, with the director rightly abstaining from discourse about his movie. What forms the basis is your basic life and death struggles, with the grey areas during and after given a clever cinematic make over. There's also meditations on grief that this reviewer personally found easy to get involved with; that of course wont work for everyone, but that is just one of many strands that Nolan dangles for the discerning viewer.

If that all sounds a bit too serious for the man who has redefined the Super Hero genre, rest assured thrill seekers, Inception is also a loud swirly spectacle. The action is raucous, be it gun fights or zero gravity punch ups, Nolan has not lost the ability to take the viewer on an action fuelled roller-coaster ride, aided superbly by Lee Smith's editing and Pfister's perfectly broad photography While Zimmer's score blends electronic action pulse beats with saddened guitar strains (ex-Smiths guitarist Johnny Marr on 12 string) to craft one of the best scores of 2010. As I said, there's something for everyone here, making it perhaps one of the leading nominees for title of ultimate modern day blockbuster.

Then there's the strong ensemble cast, led by a quite scintillating performance from DiCaprio. Following on from his cards played close to his chest turn in Shutter Island, DiCaprio has given 2010 two of its best lead performances. Here he gives real depth of emotion, the kind that makes it easy for the viewers to hang their hats on. His unfussy acting is easy to buy into, giving the character the air of believability, he is the glue that binds the whole film together. Murphy is wonderfully vulnerable, very much an axis in the narrative, while Levitt almost usurps DiCaprio with a neatly layered portrayal that carries a delightful whiff of duality about it. Special praise, too, for Ellen Page. Still in her early 20s, she exudes an intelligent sexiness that shines bright in a role that could have been boorishly played as a cipher in a lesser actress' hands. While Hardy provides brawny levity and Berenger leaves a favourable mark.

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The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

Top 500

Eight years after the Joker's reign of anarchy, the Dark Knight is forced to return from his imposed exile to save Gotham City from the brutal guerrilla terrorist Bane with the help of the enigmatic Catwoman.

Director:

 Christopher Nolan

Writers:

 Jonathan Nolan (screenplay), Christopher Nolan(screenplay), 3 more credits »

Stars:

See full cast and crew »

Storyline

Despite his tarnished reputation after the events of The Dark Knight, in which he took the rap for Dent's crimes, Batman feels compelled to intervene to assist the city and its police force which is struggling to cope with Bane's plans to destroy the city.Written by WellardRockard

User Reviews

 

The best movie trilogy ever made.

I knew right from the opening shot of Gordon's eulogy "I knew Harvey Dent..." with the breaking to form the Bat symbol, that this was going to be epic. It was obvious from the beginning that the film legend. In fact, I loved it and I think it is the best movies The Dark Knight. I absolutely Loved it, and I'm glad they really humanized Batman and limited his screen time in this film. Some "comic booky-actiony" type fans didn't like the small amount of time we actually see Batman, but that was the whole point of the trilogy! The ending, where Foley says "there's only one police in this town" while doing their march against Bane was really awesome. The ending was perfect. But the movie has missed the Joker. I say as both a Batman fanboy and especially a Nolan fanboy that this is the perfect trilogy.

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Guardians of the Galaxy action movie (2014)

A group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe.

Director:

 James Gunn

Writers:

 James Gunn, Nicole Perlman, 2 more credits »

Stars:

 Chris Pratt, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper |See full cast and crew »

Storyline

After stealing a mysterious orb in the far reaches of outer space, Peter Quill from Earth, is now the main target of a manhunt led by the villain known as Ronan the Accuser. To help fight Ronan and his team and save the galaxy from his power, Quill creates a team of space heroes known as the "Guardians of the Galaxy" to save the world.Written by James Hake

User Reviews

 

A Beautiful Space Fantasy

It's no surprise that when Marvel's latest movie was released many, many people (the non comics reading kind, mainly) said "Who?" The comic itself has never been what you call top tier, with various incarnations having been around for decades, although the film is based on the team created by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning in 2008, now being serviced by top writer Brian Bendis.

Marvel certainly have made sure the Guardians have plenty of publicity, turning a bunch of also rans into a must see event and even having the confidence to proclaim "The Guardians Of The Galaxy Will Return" at the end of the movie. This is a company with the utmost confidence in their product, and after seeing it it's very easy to understand why.

First and foremost, Guardians... is fun. After a truly heartbreaking beginning everything goes a bit daft, mixing swashbuckling sci fi action with larger than life characters, and whilst at first you may be a little puzzled, it all streamlines into a simple plot soon enough. Basically, Guardians leader Peter Quill (known mainly to only himself as Star Lord) has a plot device, and other people also want the plot device. He forms an alliance with a very disparate bunch of people who each have their own reason for helping him. To go into more detail really isn't that necessary, as all it will involve is laying out a roster of names and personal grievances, and you'll get all that when you watch the film, because if you're reading this review I will lay odds you're going to see it.

The movie looks beautiful throughout, probably thanks to the thousand or so "Digital Artists" who take up a large part of the end credits. Ship design is fantastic, with many looking like they were pulled direct from a Chris Foss art book, and if you know Foss you'll know this is a high compliment. Yeah, the bad guys have dull, dark vessels with inadequate lighting (surely evil needs to see as well?) but the good guys have some sexy vessels indeed. Sound wise, it may seem odd that a 2014 state of the art sci fi movie will have a 1970's chart soundtrack, but the inclusion of The Runaways, Rupert Holmes and, of course, Blue Swede's "Hooked On A Feeling" is completely explained and rather poignant. It would be nice, too, if kids start downloading some of this awesome old stuff and finally start listening to real music (so speaks an old fart).

So in a nutshell this is a very good movie. It's packed with fun and enjoyable characters, but also has it's fair share of down beats and dead beats. Top honours are fought out for between Chris Pratt, excellent and ridiculously likable as Peter Quill, and the brilliant Rocket Raccoon, a purely CGI character stuffed with attitude and some great one liners. The other main characters all do well, however, with even big bag Ronan (no, not the Boyzone one, mores the pity) being well served and very well played with menace aforethought by Lee Pace.

One thing people want to know about Marvel films is what's the after credits scene like? Well, without being spoilery, I'll say two things: one, it's NOT a big reveal or anything like that, but two, it's really funny if you have a knowledge of a certain old Marvel character. Oh yeah, and you get to play everyone's favourite game in the movie - 'Spot Stan Lee'. It just wouldn't be the same without him mugging it up somewhere.

In closing, "Guardians Of The Galaxy" is right up there with the rest of Marvel's cinematic output, making a clear mark by being totally different to anything else we've so far seen. It's Fun with a capital 'F', and engaging throughout. Some of the violence may be a bit much for smaller kids, and there's a bit of moderately fruity language (is 'dick' fruity still? I fall behind sometimes). That said, kids who don't mind a walking tree impaling people or a raccoon murderising people with a kick ass gun will have a blast. Big, beautiful and bad ass, "Guardians Of The Galaxy" is definitely the feel good fantasy of 2014, as evidenced by the grin still stuck to my face. All together now... "I'm hooked on a feeling..."

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