The Hangover Part III (Film Review)

After leaving the theater from seeing The Hangover Part III, one major question swept my mind: what was the point?  Sure the movie got a few chuckles out of me, but definitely not enough for a full feature length film.  In fact, the film didn't even feel like a full-length sequel, but rather some cheap knockoff—ultimately coming off as hollow, stale, and worst of all, boring. 

Iron Man 3 (Film Review)

While I cannot say Iron Man 3 is better than the original, at least I can acknowledge its superiority over Iron Man 2.  It’s an energetic, action-packed flick that's made better thanks to its lead role and humor.  The story follows Tony Stark (once again played by Robert Downey, Jr.)  who is failing to find a balance between his girlfriend and his obsessive building of Iron Man suits.  Stark is also cursed with dealing with random panic attacks, created from his experience with the Alien Invasion/near-death experience in The Avengers.  Stark also gets more than he bargained for when he foolhardily challenges active terrorist The Mandarin to a revenge fight after the villain seemingly attacks and injures Stark’s head of security.

The Magic of Jurassic Park (Film Analysis)

After nearly 20 years, Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park has returned once again to theaters (this time in 3D), and not only does it still have the same epic adventure feel that other blockbuster movies have nowadays, but also that same magical sense.  As the faint hint of John Williams' masterpiece tune began to play I felt a shiver throughout my entire body.  I giggled with delight as the first brachiosaurus appeared on screen, and awed as Dr. Hammond stood on that hilltop overseeing several different species of dinosaurs, welcoming his guests to Jurassic Park.  My childhood senses had returned to me—no longer did I care that, in reality, the real-life dilophosaurus did not possess a frill neck and the ability to shoot venom, nor did I get upset when one of the children thought of the brilliant idea to shine a bright light into the T-rexes’s face.  It all became meaningless to me as I was swept up by the beauty, horror, adventure, and imagination I had felt long ago as a six-year-old watching Jurassic Park for the first time—once more feeling that same old magic as an adult.

The Great Gatsby (Film Review)

Let me start the post off with a sad truth.  I am the 1% of people that did not read The Great Gatsby while in high school, nor have I seen any previously made film adaptations.  Going into Baz Luhrmann's version of The Great Gatsby was my first experience with F. Scott Fitzgerald’s story, and seeing how the director's previous adaptation was…well, quite different, this may have not been the best idea (if confused, just look up Romeo + Juliet and you’ll see what I mean).  To substitute for this, I brought friends who had already read the book and were willing to inform me what had been changed.  According to my friends, very little has been changed—with the exception of some aesthetic changes to the music and scenery—the overall plot remaining fairly loyal to the original.  For those who, like me, have not had the chance to read Gatsby, below is a brief opening summary (major spoilers free I assure you).

About This Blog (Intro)

Hi, my name is Stash and I love movies!  They are a major hobby/obsession in my life and I try my hardest to go out and watch as many as I can find.  My range for films has no limits; I'll watch new releases, old releases, classics, cult classics, color films, black & white films, silent films, drama, comedy, horror, fantasy, adventure, action, sci-fi, western, animation, foreign, avant-garde, long films, short films, beloved films, hated films, and anything in between.  Seeing tons of films means tons of opinions, but sadly there are few people I know who share this passion and as such I'm usually stuck with these opinions in my head.  This is why I've decided to start this blog, so that I will be able to express my thoughts and ideas on film.

The idea I've come up with (for now at least) is to write at least one review per week on either a new release that is in theaters at the moment or a film out on DVD from that same year.  Now this doesn't mean I'll be writing a review right on opening week, but I will write it as soon as possible.  I also should make clear I won't be able to see every film that comes out (due to time restraints, money, restricted releases, etc.) but I will try to write a review on any I missed when they come out on DVD (I might write more than one if I get the time).  I will also on occasion create other film related posts, such as: older movie analysis/reviews, looking at film history, top ten lists, talk on film actors/actresses, etc.  The major ideas for writing this blog are:

1. To introduce/expand the readers knowledge on the many different films, eras, actors/actress, directors, and genres all around (as well as piquing their interest in something they may have not been initially interested in seeing).

2. To persuade or reveal a different mindset on a certain film or film related topic (for example; convincing the reader to watch or re-watch a film he/she thought was bad).

3.  To write something that is enjoyable and interesting for both the readers and me.

Now starting next Monday I will be posting a series of different posts relating to new releases, older films, and film related ideas so that anyone interested in reading my posts can figure out if they will want to continue reading more or not.

Thank you!