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jamesjabbawalden
Reviews
Beautiful Creatures (2013)
Completely underrated
I am dumbfounded as to why so many people have criticized this amazing film. In my view, it's right up there with the Hunger Games, The Craft,or The Princess Bride in terms of shear action-meets-fantasy-meets-romance, and is miles above the likes of the obvious competitor, Twilight. First, the cast alone is a sea of talent. For such an unknown film, you only have to read the IMDb cast list to see a who's who of three generations of incredible actors. Second, the setting of the film. If you're a True Blood fan, you'll love this film. Third, the plot itself. As a huge reader and a big film buff, it's rare that you find "original" story lines. Worse still, it's rare that you find a film that holds it's story without becoming predictable. This wasn't predictable. The story, about a young teen on the verge of her sixteenth birthday, in which she'll be forced succumb to either her light or her darkness, is remarkably well told, and holds it's worth throughout the film. I could write a load more here, but the bottom line is this is a great adventure/fantasy/action/romance film, that i personally have viewed again and again, and enjoyed each time. Watch it!
3 Days to Kill (2014)
A film lost in itself
I'm not quite sure what this movie set out to be - a serious CIA thriller, another Bourne/Reacher/Ryan attempt to achieve what James Bond achieved and spawn a remarkable franchise, or a slapstick comedy that didn't take itself too seriously, but enjoyed the thrill of action and explosions in the manner that films such as Die Hard, Mr and Mrs Smith or by Mcg himself, This Means War did. But whatever it's intention was, it failed.
Starting off as a set up to what could be a serious albeit cliqued film - the journeyman agent, the one evil genius still at large, that one last job before calling it a day - the film quickly loses itself in a way that it never quite recovers from. With a wooden performance by Amber Heard, and scenes and dialogue that belong in a Robert Rodriguez film, 3 Days to Kill never lives up to the potential of what it could've been. Not quite action, not quite spy thriller, not quite comedy, and so many botched attempts at sentimentality that it becomes almost soap operaish in it's execution.
A solid performance by Kevin Costner, who's gone along the lines of Liam Neeson in perfecting the senior bad ass role, but even Costner wasn't enough to give this film plausability. I've watched it once, I couldn't see myself enduring it again.
John Carter (2012)
Incredibly Impressed
After all the hack job reviews when this film was released, I have to admit, I was expecting another Waterworld. Instead, after the first few shaky minutes (in which you'll adjust to the CGI), I sat back with my heels up and hung on to every incredible minute. Let's get one thing clear - this is not another twilight/clash of the titans/Alexander hack job. This film is epic, and belongs up their on par with the Avatars, the Star Wars, and the Prince of Persia films. My only regret on watching it was that I didn't see it at the cinema, multiple times, so I could have contributed with cash, in hope of seeing a sequel. It truly deserves one.