Ed's Review Dot Com

Ardustry Entertainment, Marty Adelstein Productions, Studio Babelsberg

Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hollander, Olivia Williams, Jason Flemyng, Jessica Barden, Michelle Dockery, Vicky Krieps

Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) is a special child. She’s been raised by her father in the cold arctic Finland and trained to be the ultimate killer. But now she’s 16 and ready to head out on her own. Her father tells her to press a secret button and she will be picked up and gives her the instructions of when and where to meet. Then he takes off as a helicopter arrives to pick her up and take her into to be taken apart and understood. As I said, she is a “special” child. She escapes and heads out on a journey across Europe to meet her father, dodging all those who want to kill or capture her, and find out along the way where she came from and why she’s like she is. She meets a friend or two along the way, but many more enemies who want to hurt her. Finally she arrives at the time and the place, but nothing is as she expected it to be.

This thriller is out in theaters now, and is a classic spy adventure movie. Cate Blanchett plays Marissa, a ruthless agent who Hanna is warned about, and who harbors deep secrets that hold the key to Hanna’s past. She’s an evil person, able to do just about anything to get what she wants. Eric Bana plays Hanna’s father very well. He’s loved and cared for her all her life, and has tried his best to prepare her for the challenge facing her. But Saoirse Ronan as Hanna is awesome. She has the innocent face of a child who was raised in the wilderness and has no knowledge of modern devices, but yet she is an awesome warrior, able to get the drop on James Bond I suspect. Her escapes, one after another are spectacular, and she is easy to root for throughout the film.

Exciting chases, violent fight scenes, and dangerous escapes fill the movie, and it’s very well done. Not too long that it doesn’t get tedious, we get the story and a rush of adrenaline as we go through the suspenseful parts one after another. It’s a great film for both the guys and the girls as it has much to offer both sexes. At PG-13 it’s not full of foul language or naughty parts, and so it’s an action adventure the whole family (I wouldn’t take the under 13 crowd as it might be a lot for them to handle though) can enjoy. I like Hanna and I hope she is happy in the life she has chosen!

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Philms Pictures

Rachelle Lefevre, Alia Shawkat, Ricky Ullman, Kevin Coughlin, Nicolas Wright, Chad Connell

The girls of Aversham and Cronstall’s School for Girls have come to realize that there are two rival boys schools in the area and that they are very much in demand, especially for Prom. So they craft a plan to pit the two schools Easthill’s rival private schools, Selby and Lancaster against each other in a series of challenges stating that the winner will get to take the girls to the prom. It all started with two guys, one from each school, who are going after Sabina (Rachelle Lefevre). Fed up with both of them, she starts the war. When things get out of hand, the school prefects put an end to the war, but a rivalry between two former graduates of the schools make sure it suddenly goes on, including the final showdown in a paintball capture the flag battle.

This is a simple teen flick, and despite the R rating is extremely mild. I am not sure what that’s about. It does have a bit of salty language, but that’s about it. The story is old and it’s been done before. Everything from “Revenge of the Nerds” to “Meatballs“, to every “Summer Camp” movie in history and even “Animal House” that started it all, has has the nerdy kids against the cool, suave, athletic, rich kids since time began. This is another one, but though it’s quite brainless, mindless entertainment, it’s not bad. It’s a diversion, and a new look at an old story. It’s available on Netflix watch instantly or occasionally you may catch it on TV. Definitely a “just for fun” film, no lasting value, just a fun way to kill some time.

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Screen Gems, Rainforest Films, Grand Hustle Entertainment

Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Hayden Christensen, Jay Hernandez, Michael Ealy, T.I., Chris Brown, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Zoe Saldana, Steve Harris, Johnathon Schaech

Takers is a good guys vs. bad guys story. There are a bunch of guys who still high off their last heist with a plan for a new robbery of an armored car worth 20 million dollars. It’s also the story of Jack Welles (Matt Dillon) who’s a dedicated cop. He’s very dedicated to his work, and to make sure that these guys are not going to pull off this robbery. A showdown is inevitable with the guys hell bent on knocking off the cash and the detective determined that they will fail.

I have to admit that I was really bored with this film. It’s so very predictable and so much like every other big heist film. There’s nothing different here and it just makes it really hard to focus on the story when you don’t really care. I did not enjoy this movie very much. Some people are really into heist movies and will probably not care that it’s just like all the others. It’s just not my cup of tea. Matt Dillon gives it a good try here, but seems to be mailing in the part just like everyone else. There was just nothing to get me interested in this film, and though I watched the whole thing, when it was over, there was nothing memorable to look back on and remember it by. I can imagine in 6 weeks someone may ask, “Have you seen Takers”, and my response will probably be, “Yeah, I think so, it sounds familiar. Wasn’t that the one about the armored car robbery?” If you’re a fan of cops and robbers, then go ahead. Otherwise, you won’t be missing much if you simply pass this one by.

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Warner Bros. Pictures, Kennedy/Marshall Company, The, Malpaso Productions

Matt Damon, Cécile De France, Frankie McLaren, George McLaren, Bryce Dallas Howard, Jay Mohr, Marthe Keller, Thierry Neuvic, Mylène Jampanoï

Hereafter is a film about death and life by director Clint Eastwood. It’s a story of 3 people in different parts of the world who are touched by death and/or the afterlife in different ways. George Lonegan (Matt Damon) is a blue collar worker who is trying to escape the ability of actually talking to the dead which gift he got after dying on the operating table as a little boy, but the notoriety it caused was ruining his life. His brother Billy (Jay Mohr) wants him back in the business as a great way to make a fortune. Marie Lelay (Cécile De France) is a French TV reporter who died in the tsunami in 2004 but came back to life bringing memories of what happened while she was out of her body that she can’t understand. She defies her boss and writes a book on the experience which causes her no end of trouble including losing her job. Two identical twins, Marcus and Jason (Frankie and George McLaren) are struggling to take care of their alcoholic mother and stay together as a family. With hope that things are going to get better Jason is suddenly killed while running an errand and Marcus is devastated. He sets off on a quest to find out what happened to his brother, he finds fake after fake and no one can really help him. In a miraculous set of circumstances the three stories collide in the climax of the story.

This film starts with one of the most unbelievable images of the 2004 Tsunami in an amazing bit of filmography. This short segment is one of the most remarkable scenes I have ever seen. After witnessing the news of the Japan Tsunami recently, watching this recreation of the previous one was very touching. Then the film turns slow, and is a very haunting look into the lives that have been touched by death in different ways. I said the movie was slow. This does not mean in the least that it’s not very interesting. It is extremely touching and heart wrenching. It does not take sides, and does not give answers. One of the things George says at a very touching part of the film when asked, “But you’ve done so many readings???” answers, “I don’t know, I’m sorry, I just don’t know”. This is how the whole thing goes. It’s reassuring if you have a belief, it can reaffirm your belief, but the movie has no definite answers. It is what it is, and it’s up to you to try to interpret what it all means. This is as it should be because it doesn’t tell you what to believe, but just tells you the stories. What you come out of it with is entirely up to you.

I enjoyed this movie very much. It was not what I expected at all. But it far exceeded what I thought I would see. Mr. Eastwood has become one hell of a director. He can put a story together in a way very few can. I highly recommend this very cerebral film about the “Hereafter”.

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Alliance Films, Automatik Entertainment, Blumhouse Productions

Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye, Leigh Whannell, Angus Sampson, Barbara Hershey, Andrew Astor, Heather Tocquigny

A Couple Josh (Patrick Wilson) and his wife Renai (Rose Byrne) have 3 children. They’ve just moved into a new house, but strange things are happening. Their son, Dalton (Ty Simpkins) hears a strange noise in the attic. When he goes to investigate, he falls, it’s just a bump, but shortly later he’s in a coma. The doctors can find no reason, but it’s as if he is not home. But it could be something much more insidious at work, something pure evil.

Insidious is one heck of a horror film. This is definitely one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a long, long time. Sure it depends on loud sounds and sudden flashes to startle you, but it also is a very creepy story. The folks behind this movie are from Saw and Paranormal Activity. They bring the same levels of horror and terror from these films, but it’s a very well crafted film. It has the supernatural tension of Paranormal Activity, but with well edited, beautifully filmed camera work. No shaky handhelds to make you sick. The suspense is awesome, and it builds and builds to the final climax. The acting is excellent. There are a few flaws. The film takes to an astral plane called The Further. This is not very well developed and is underused. It could have been better. But for the most part, everything you would want in a horror film is here. I saw the film in a theater full on teenagers. Two boys sitting near me at one point screamed and tossed a box of popcorn and drinks about 20 feet in the air. The mess landed about 3 rows up. Now that’s a horror film. This movie made me, one who rarely jumps in films likes this fly out of my seat a couple times! If you like the horror genre, it’s hard to find a scarier scary movie than this one! Enjoy!

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog