Ed's Review Dot Com

Lucasfilm, Bad Robot, Truenorth Productions,

Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Max von Sydow

It’s some time since the last part of the story, and Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is missing, gone off to seek solace and to try to understand what has happened. The resistance is in hiding and trying to rebuild. Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher) is now a General in the resistance, and with the help of Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and Chewbacca they set out to try to follow the trail of Luke to get his help. Darth Vadar is long gone, but a new dark lord Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) has risen to power and will do anything to stop them, and the empire has a new secret weapon that is well hidden and will make the death star look like a firecracker.

This long, long awaited sequel to Star Wars continues the story far into the future and is the seventh in the series. As everyone remembers parts 4,5,6 were first, then years later Lucas brought the warmth of Jar-Jar Binks to the world in the parts 1 – 2 – 3. I am not a Star Wars fanatic, nor do I hold the harsh view on parts 1, 2, and 3 that some people have. I find myself in the middle. I thought all 6 of the films were not all that bad, although I do nod to the originals and I do feel George Lucas went a bit overboard with the special effects in the prequels that left the meat of the story in the dust with all the sparklies and explosions. Now the world was waiting with baited breath to find out if Disney was going to be able to handle the pressure after purchasing the rights to the Star Wars franchise and their first attempt to finish the story with 3 more films. I think most people were hoping for the best, but secretly expecting Disney to screw up big time. Well, they did, in my opinion, a very good job of staying true to the original series, and though I thought a few things were a little strange in the first viewing, as time passed and with additional exposure to the new film, I’ve really come to the conclusion that they really nailed it. I am anxious for the next film and the one after that. This is a must see film, whether you’re a fan of the original films or not. This is a worthwhile story with lots of fun and action, but with lots of serious life issues as well. There is plenty to talk about after seeing this film, and it’s going to be another big part of the world’s culture for years and years to come.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Paramount Pictures, Scott Rudin Productions, Warner Bros. Pictures,

Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, Thomas Horn, James Gandolfini, Viola Davis, John Goodman, Jeffrey Wright, Max von Sydow, Zoe Caldwell, Stephen McKinley Henderson

Oskar Schell(Thomas Horn) is a very talented little boy. He’s an amateur inventor and is very smart, and very close to his father Thomas (Tom Hanks) who tells him stories of interesting adventures. One of his stories is about a mysterious 6th borough of New York that disappeared. Oskar’s Dad was killed in the 9-11 disaster and Oskar begins a downward spiral as he struggles to deal with the loss. But when he finds a mysterious key, he is certain there is a message that his Dad left for him, and he sets out on a quest to solve the mystery and find the secret message his Dad left for him. In the process he meets a lot of interesting people and is not only touched by them, but leaves his mark on them as well in this tale of loss and sorrow following one of our nation’s most horrible and tragic events.

This is a fairly unusual film. I felt it could have been a lot better, but I do have to give credit to the filmmakers for trying to do a film about this historical event, as there have not been much written about the aftermath of the tragedy. I was definitely anxious to see this DVD, but I was quite a bit disappointed. I am not sure what the biggest problem was. It should have been really emotional and touching, but it wasn’t. The characters were flat and one dimensional. There wasn’t a lot of heart, and I don’t feel like it really touched me. The ending didn’t make any sense at all to me, and I don’t want to say anything that will give it away, but when the mystery is “solved” I had no idea what they were talking about. I’m just not sure what the message or meaning of this film was supposed to be. I liked the story of Oskar trying to deal with the loss of his father, but then it spun off on this tangent that seemed to keep Oskar busy but didn’t seem to take the audience anywhere. I didn’t hate this, but I just didn’t feel much at all about it. When it was over, I just sort of shrugged my shoulders and said, “Oh well”. It’s not a story that stayed with me, nor did I think much more about it. Disappointing effort.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Universal Pictures, Imagine Entertainment, Relativity Media

Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett, Max von Sydow, William Hurt, Mark Strong, Oscar Isaac, Danny Huston, Eileen Atkins, Mark Addy

Robin Hood is a story that is one of the most well known in history.  It’s been made into movies dozens of times.  This is a movie that didn’t need to be remade, but it was.  And boy did they give it their best shot.

Russell Crowe does a pretty good Robin Hood.  But this version is probably closer to the legend than many of the others.  Crowe’s Robin of Loxley is not a cheeky smart aleck that jokes and puns his way through his whimsical adventures.  He means business, and of course,  the battles are a huge part of this story, and they are graphically and realistically portrayed.   That’s probably the least favorite of my parts of the movie, but I have to give them credit for the way they are filmed.  

This is the story of those who fought for freedom and liberty from greedy pseudo King John who assumed the throne while his brother Richard was off fighting in the crusades.  In the beginning they tried to work with John and try to deal with him, but when it became clear that it was impossible, the decision to turn outlaw and steal back the taxes taken unfairly and give them back to the people.  It’s a long movie, but I rate it highly if you’re into this type of story.  Though there have been many previous versions that were very good, this one probably gets to the heart of the story really well. 

I didn’t buy Cate Blanchett as Maid Marion, but by the same token, she probably really nailed the part.  It’s just that she wasn’t the way I wanted her to be.  But what do I know.

I didn’t love the film, but I liked it, and I respect the job they did and the technical beauty of the movie, so I rate it pretty high.  It’s one of those that you probably want to see.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

Paramount Pictures

Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson, Max von Sydow

Directed by Martin Scorsese, this film could have been a blockbuster but for one major flaw.  It was horribly wrongly marketed!  The previews and the advertisements certainly made this film out to be something that it was NOT, and when people saw it, they were deeply disappointed.  They were expecting a horror spectacular, a supernatural thriller, and it wasn’t anything like that at all.   This is a suspenseful mind game from start to finish.  You will never be able to relax, as you don’t know where you are or which way is up!  Nothing is what it seems, then it changes, but it’s not that either.  I don’t want to compare it to other films, as the comparison would give away the secrets of the story, but let me say it’s not a horror movie at all.

However it’s a wild ride and very nerve wracking and suspenseful.  It keeps you on your toes through it all.  There are clues, but they are easy to miss.  It’s much easier to watch and listen and be confused for a long time till at the end it becomes crystal clear.  There are evil villains and heroes galore, but you can never tell who is who.

It’s got great cinematography and eerie atmosphere.  This place is not a fun place to live, that’s for sure!  And this guy volunteered to go!  Wow.

DiCaprio has been is some strange movies lately (see Inception for an example).  Not sure what his career goal is in doing this, but working with Martin Scorsese must have been a blast.  And there are some fantastic actors in this film!  Max von Sydow and Ben Kingsley.  This must have been a joy to make.

I haven’t read the book, but I bet it’s a good read, but the movie is a great suspenseful ride if you don’t come in expecting a horror flick.  If you like your mind bent into weird shapes, this will do it!   If you’re one of those folks that figures out what’s going on before it happens, then good for you.  I’m kind of glad to be dumb enough to not see it coming and get shocked in the end.  And after the shock, is a few more shocks.  You might end up like some who ended this movie with “What just happened???”   The last few minutes are up for interpretation, but it’s a clever ending.  If you’ve seen it, you know what I mean.   This was filmed in Acadia National Park in Maine, and it’s a perfect setting.

Oh if they had just marketed this right, people would have looked at it with different eyes and it “could have been a contender.”