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Tampilkan postingan dengan label Sci-Fi. Tampilkan semua postingan

The Maze Runner 2014

Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Overview
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, young Thomas is deposited in a community of boys after his memory is erased, soon learning they're all trapped in a maze that will require him to join forces with fellow "runners" for a shot at escape.

Crew
Director: Wes Ball
Writers: James Dashner, Grant Pierce Myers, Noah Oppenheim, T.S. Nowlin

Movie Facts
Part of the: The Maze Runner Collection
Status: Released
Runtime: 113
Budget: $34,000,000
Revenue: $166,914,185
Language: en



Production Companies
20th Century Fox, Ingenious Media, Gotham Group, Dayday Films, Temple Hill Entertainment, TSG Entertainment

User Reviews
This weekend is a big weekend, with at least three blockbuster movies releasing in my neck of the woods. I start my reviews this weekend with perhaps the most anticipated of the bunch, the Maze Runner. Once again Hollywood has decided to take a book series and run with it, in hopes that it will be the next big series to change the world. Yet like always, the question remains: Is this another glorified mess from the trailers, or have they done a good job? Well with two of my good buddies, I headed to the theater to start my weekend of reviews.

Despite the ambiguity though there are two other elements that help keep the movie going. First off the action is fun and relevant to the plot, the maze portions in particular being an intense fight for survival. Despite being a little savage and gruesome at parts, the evolutionary drive to remain alive is balanced with strategy, running, and fights with primitive tools. The action doesn't seem extra, but is built into the story quite well, spanning the fighting spectrum between the male rivalry to fighting the raging the Grievers. Of course the action is only as good as the acting as well, especially when it comes to interacting with CGI settings. Thomas (Dylan O'Brien) is the staple to the casting, surprising me with his performance of a male version of Catniss. Unlike the leading lady though, Thomas fought the culprits without being as whiney, a plus in my book for a leading character. O'Brien had a nice balance to his role, passionate and fiery, without crossing into an overacted, melodramatic mess. Lead Maze Runner Minho (Ki Hong Lee) was also a nice supporting character, bringing the wing man role to life and adding a little grounding to Thomas's flamboyant attitude. As for characters like Newt (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), Alby (Aml Ameen), Chuck (Blake Cooper), and Gally (Will Poulter), they were good too and each did a nice job playing their respective characters. Though with the exception of O'Brien, the real strength was the chemistry between all the group was the greatest quality of the acting and the community they formed.

Overall the Maze Runner is a decent addition to the movie based on book library. There is a nice design to the movie, and a lot of good character building to set the stage in this morbid tale. Acting wise it is enjoyable, but in reality it's the action surrounding the story that got me the most. I still wished though that there was some better wrap up than what we got, despite the opening it provided. Overall a decent movie to watch this weekend, and has elements worth a visit to the theater. My scores are:
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Guardians of the Galaxy 2014

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi


Overview

Light years from Earth, 26 years after being abducted, Peter Quill finds himself the prime target of a manhunt after discovering an orb wanted by Ronan the Accuser.

Crew
Director: James Gunn
Writers: Nicole Perlman, James Gunn

Movie Facts
Part of the: Guardians of the Galaxy Collection
Status: Released
Runtime: 121
Budget: $170,000,000
Revenue: $774,176,600
Language: en



Production Companies
Marvel Studios, Marvel Enterprises, Moving Picture Company (MPC)

User Reviews
Starring – Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel

If you've seen the trailers for Guardians of the Galaxy, you'd be within your rights to think Marvel Studio execs have been hitting the bottle hard or taking LSD.

The film revolves around a group of dysfunctional but goodhearted criminals – think Robin Hood's Merry Men of the future – comprising human thief Peter Quill aka Star-Lord (Pratt), green assassin Gamora (Saldana), talking raccoon Rocket (Cooper), knife-wielding Drax the Destroyer (Bautista), and walking tree Groot (Diesel).

Like the Avengers, the Guardians get off to a false start but soon unite over a common cause, namely, the galaxy being obliterated by genocidal maniac, Ronan – not Keating – the Accuser.

Meanwhile, the film is very much in the here and now, with Quill's backstory the only one that truly gets a look-in, which creates a sense of intrigue about his colleagues who only have their pasts hinted at, meaning sequel fodder.

There's just no way of knowing where you're going and tonally the movie delivers a piece of everything and it's done big and without hesitation.

Guardians may have been a gamble, but I'm Grooting for it to Rocket to the top.
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Interstellar 2014

Adventure, Drama, Sci-Fi

Overview
Interstellar chronicles the adventures of a group of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.

Crew
Director: Christopher Nolan
Writers: Christopher Nolan, Jonathan Nolan

Movie Facts
Status: Released
Runtime: 169
Budget: $165,000,000
Revenue: $621,752,480
Language: en



Production Companies
Paramount Pictures, Legendary Pictures, Warner Bros., Syncopy, Lynda Obst Productions

User Reviews
(This is both a review of the film, and an assertion of Christopher Nolan's filmmaking style)

There have been many reviewers and critics alike that have high praise for the film (the visual effects, the acting, the music), but say how it's not Christopher Nolan's best directed film. This is where i personally would have to disagree. Before i get into it, though, i'll talk about Interstellar a bit.

Now, about Mr. Nolan. Don't just look at Nolan, but look at his films. Some say Inception would be his masterpiece, while others would say it's The Dark Knight, or Memento. But honestly, every single film Christopher Nolan has directed is a masterpiece not of its genre, but of Nolan. Following is his quiet masterpiece, not the film that put Mr. Nolan on the map as a phenomenal director, but one people visited or revisited after becoming accustomed to Nolan, after seeing Memento, what could be called his breakout masterpiece. Then, right after, he directed the remake of the Norwegian thriller, Insomnia. This, too, could be considered a masterpiece, even if a remake. Then, we were given his take on the Batman universe, starting with Batman Begins, the origin masterpiece. Then, there's The Prestige, adapted from the novel of the same name, which can be called his dark masterpiece. The Dark Knight, his bold masterpiece; Inception, his complex masterpiece, and The Dark Knight Rises, his flawed masterpiece. Now, we have Interstellar, his emotional or personal masterpiece.

This is just my looking at Nolan and his films, but whatever your thoughts are, you can't deny Interstellar is one hell of a journey. He certainly is one of the best filmmakers of our time, and of all time. I can't wait to see what he does next, but i'm not sure it will be as emotionally powerful as Interstellar.
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Lucy 2014

Action, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Overview
A woman, accidentally caught in a dark deal, turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.

Crew
Director: Luc Besson
Writer: Luc Besson

Movie Facts
Status: Released
Runtime: 89
Budget: $40,000,000
Revenue: $458,863,600
Language: en
Webpage: Lucy 2014



Production Companies
Universal Pictures, TF1 Films Production, Canal+, EuropaCorp, Ciné+

User Reviews
Disappointing movie towards the end. Starts off well, everything makes sense, everything is clever, logical and interesting. After a certain point in the movie everything becomes ridiculous, unrealistic and not enjoyable to watch. The idea behind the movie was good, execution was not. The characters were also a little bit boring in my opinion. The situation the main character found herself in had an array of extraordinary things to do and take advantage of but didn't. Not a lot out of the ordinary happened, main character worrying throughout and not taking advantage/playing around with the situation she was in. If you're a fan of logical "what ifs" like myself I would not recommend it.
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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes 2014

Action, Drama, Sci-Fi


Overview
A group of scientists in San Francisco struggle to stay alive in the aftermath of a plague that is wiping out humanity, while Caesar tries to maintain dominance over his community of intelligent apes.

Crew
Director: Matt Reeves
Writers: Pierre Boulle, Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa, Amanda Silver

Movie Facts
Part of the: Planet of the Apes (Reboot) Collection
Status: Released
Runtime: 130
Budget: $170,000,000
Revenue: $708,200,000
Language: en



Production Companies
Ingenious Media, Chernin Entertainment, TSG Entertainment

User Reviews
While this film was a little slow it delves into the heart of an issue that has plagued us for centuries: why do we fight each other and why do we go out of our way to kill each other. While this film involves the beginning of a war between humans and apes, this war could represent any war between two clans or factions, with the difference being ideological, cultural, or even as pathetic as the colour of one's skin. It is clear that the hostilities that arise come down to differences that are pretty much only skin deep, and that is that one side are apes and the other side is human.

There is also the misunderstandings and the distrust between the two sides, for while they are told to discard their weapons, there is one that always has to ignore the request due to the fear that by discarding their weapons they open themselves up to being attacked and being defenceless. Of course there are those who are always looking for a peaceful solution, trying to work together, however the peaceful ones are always being undermined by the war mongers, who for some reason seem to have the loudest voices.

Sometimes I wonder whether Hollywood actually supports the warmongers in power, or whether they are closer to the left as the right claim they are. For me it is the Hollywood dichotomy in that they have aspects of both the left and the right within their culture. Obviously there is the lose morals of many of the characters, and of course the idea that seeking revenge for being wronged is actually okay (which seems to form the basis of many an action movie). In this film it is the question of war, and the fact that when it comes to war, those who cry for war, and those who manipulate the truth to fuel the passions of the masses, are those that then to come out on top, and those who advocate for peace are seen as weak, and in some cases, unpatriotic.
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Avengers: Age of Ultron 2015

Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi

Overview
When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.

Crew
Director: Joss Whedon
Writer: Joss Whedon





Movie Facts
Part of the: The Avengers Collection
Status: Released
Runtime: 141
Budget: $250,000,000
Revenue: $1,405,035,767
Language: en



Production Companies
Marvel Studios

User Reviews
Avengers: The Age of Ultron is the sequel to the fourth highest grossing movie of all time. At the risk of over-hyping it any more, I can say it's probably the best Marvel movie to date. It manages to be action-packed, dramatic and even very funny in all the right places.

After the Avengers lead a successful raid against a Hydra outpost, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr) revives his secret peacekeeping program Ultron (voiced by James Spader) to help safeguard the planet from evil. However, Ultron interprets the idea of keeping Earth safe as a need to eradicate humankind from existence. Ultron shortly escapes from Stark's laboratory to act out its mission and it's up to the Avengers, along with their new allies, the twins Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlet Witch (Elizabeth Olsen) to stop Ultron from carrying out this genocidal act.

Even though it is darker than the first film, Avengers: The Age of Ultron is still able to capture the charm and humour from its main characters that we have grown to love over the years. Tony Stark is still as witty as ever, delivering his trademark hilarious one-liners and Hawkeye's (Jeremy Renner) scenes have some of the most poignant moments in any Marvel film. But perhaps the biggest surprise were the twins Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch, who played a much more important role than I thought they would. There's rarely a dull moment.
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The Purge: Anarchy 2014

Action, Horror, Sci-Fi

Overview
Three groups of people are trying to survive Purge Night, when their stories intertwine and are left stranded in The Purge trying to survive the chaos and violence that occurs.

Crew
Director: James DeMonaco
Writer: James DeMonaco

Movie Facts
Part of the: The Purge Collection
Status: Released
Runtime: 104
Budget: $9,000,000
Revenue: $108,782,847
Language: en



Production Companies
Universal Pictures, Why Not Productions, Platinum Dunes, Blumhouse Productions, 5150 Action

User Reviews
It's 2023 hours before the Purge. Waitress Eva Sanchez plans to spend the Purge hiding in her working class apartment with her daughter Cali and father Papa Rico. He leaves a message telling them that he is sick and sold himself to be Purged by a rich family. Then a paramilitary force takes over their building. Meanwhile couple Shane and Liz are trapped when a masked gang sabotage their car leaving them stranded right before the purge. The two groups are rescued by LAPD sergeant Leo Barnes who is on a mission to Purge of his own.

This one takes the franchise out into the streets. The expanded scope improves it in many respects. The actors are smaller but the scale is bigger. Cali keeps talking loudly which is very annoying. She's the annoying brat character. I would be a lot happier if she shuts up. I like some of the turns. There is a social commentary component that is somewhat interesting. The morality question is raised but it's all very murky. There is still a lot of room for improvements.
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Divergent 2014

Adventure, Mystery, Sci-Fi

Overview
DIVERGENT is a thrilling action-adventure film set in a world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues. Tris Prior is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy by a faction leader to destroy all Divergents, Tris must learn to trust in the mysterious Four and together they must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it's too late. Based on the best-selling book series by Veronica Roth.

Crew
Director: Neil Burger
Writers: Vanessa Taylor, Veronica Roth, Evan Daugherty


Movie Facts
Part of the: Divergent Collection
Status: Released
Runtime: 139
Budget: $85,000,000
Revenue: $288,747,895
Language: en
Webpage: Divergent 2014



Production Companies
Summit Entertainment, Red Wagon Entertainment

User Reviews
Studios are constantly in search of the next "Twilight," "The Hunger Games," or "Harry Potter" franchise, with best-selling books being the primary source of episodic additions. They've found just such a novel (an entire trilogy by Veronica Roth), containing the similarities and elements so highly coveted – but originality definitely isn't one of them. "Divergent" is once again a teen-oriented science-fiction adventure, full of action, romance, and adolescent consternations. Instead of focusing on a love triangle, survivalist thrills, or a great magical evil, this derivation is all about independence, corporatism, and the dramatic coup d'état of a corrupt government. The setting is still a postapocalyptic dystopian remnant, the small gathering of heroes is still vastly outmatched, and unconvincing love banter is carelessly tossed about.

Falling victim to the same problem of many science-fiction or fantasy epic startups, the story is 90% introduction. The majority of the movie is merely a first act. Resolutions aren't even attempted and many characters are clearly saved for subsequent chapters, which prevent the satisfaction of revenge or clarity for this mystifying society. "Let's just say they built the fence for a reason," insists Four. By the time the themes of free will, chemical brainwashing, and rebellion are put into action, it's too late. The plausibility of confronting an army, sneaking into a heavily defended command center, or conquering mind control drugs are at a low, especially when the lead hero is an unpersuasive, untoughened insurgent incapable of killing the villains that are in desperate need of dispatching.
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Insurgent 2015

Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller

Overview
Beatrice Prior must confront her inner demons and continue her fight against a powerful alliance which threatens to tear her society apart.

Crew
Director: Robert Schwentke
Writers: Brian Duffield, Akiva Goldsman, Veronica Roth, Mark Bomback








Movie Facts
Part of the: Divergent Collection
Status: Released
Runtime: 119
Budget: $110,000,000
Revenue: $295,238,201
Language: en
Webpage: Insurgent 2015

Production Companies
Summit Entertainment, Mandeville Films, Red Wagon Entertainment, NeoReel

User Reviews
A 4 is probably generous. I'm getting sick of the Elysium genre and this is the same thing with the exception of some vivid dreams. The elites have sequestered themselves on the same planet this time. The plot is the elites can and do openly mind control everyone and segregate the population the way they think it should be separated, but some special people can't be mind controlled and have to be dealt with, by violence of course. Suffice it to say it gets weird. I mean weird. Goofy. Nonsensical. Unbelievable. All accurate descriptions of this out of control mess. I didn't see the first one, and now probably won't because I already want this 2 hours back.
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Pixels 2015

Action, Comedy, Sci-Fi

Overview
Video game experts are recruited by the military to fight 1980s-era video game characters who've attacked New York.

 Crew
Director: Chris Columbus
Writers: Tim Herlihy, Timothy Dowling, Patrick Jean

 Movie Facts
Status: Released
Runtime: 105
Budget: $88,000,000
Revenue: $243,637,091
Language: en
Webpage: Pixels 2015





Production Companies
Columbia Pictures, Happy Madison Productions

 User Reviews
This movie did not go well in the box office yes, but I don't see how. This movie was by far the best movie I have ever seen. Maybe it's not because of how the movie was, maybe it was because everyone thought it was so good they pirated it instead of watching it in theaters. People are saying that Adam Sandler is finished because of this movie but this movie was amazing and it had a lot of effort put into it. This movie is funny, it has a lot of action, and it is the only movie I've really seen dedicated to gamers. I mean a gamer saving the world? This movie had all the classic arcade games all mashed into a movie and had the protagonist set out to defeat them in life because they do so well on the games. I don't care what anyone says, this movie was awesome.
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