I was completely taken by surprise by this movie. Knowing nothing of the original novel, and knowing the 2011 miniseries by name only; I went in with no expectations but came out genuinely pleasantly surprised. This is a first-rate drama that really delivers on the emotional side that these movies usually lack.

The story follows Mildred Pierce, a single mother trying to support her family. She divorces her first husband because they're not on the same page about how to raise their daughter, Veda. Mildred will do anything to give Veda the life that she never had. She works hard in the restaurant business and becomes very successful. Around this time, Mildred meets and almost falls in love with Monte Beragon, until she releases what a freeloading dirt bag he is. But Veda takes up a fascination with Monte; she thinks he is the only one who can satisfy her lavish lifestyle. Mildred is left with a plethora of moral choices to make.

What makes the movie so great is the troubled heroine at the center. Joan Crawford is superb as Mildred, and totally deserving of her Oscar win. The character itself is fascinating, a woman who will do anything to get in the good graces of her egocentric daughter. She makes a lot of wrong decisions, but the audience still roots for her. Crawford nails the part of this very edgy character.

Providing a memorable and despicable performance is Ann Blyth as Veda Pierce. I can't remember that last time I hated a character so much. Veda is selfish, uncaring, and completely lacking empathy. Crawford might give the best, most subtle performance, but Blyth gives the most memorable. She is utterly despicable in the part. For some unknown reason, Blyth was nominated but didn't win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress. Her performance is far better than the actual winner's, Anne Revere in National Velvet.

The rest of the cast is also excellent. Eve Arden is funny and fantastic in her Oscar nominated turn as Ida. Jack Carson also turns in a great performance as Wally. But the two main male leads of the movie, Zachary Scott and Bruce Bennett, aren't entirely impressive.

This movie shows itself to be an above average noir drama, and it scored six Academy Award nominations to prove it. It's a class act that always entertains. The story pulls you right in and is riveting from start to finish. This is really a movie about people, the story isn't quite as important; and the phenomenal performances back up the fascinating characters.

"Personally, Veda's convinced me that alligators have the right idea. They eat their young." 8.5/10

There really isn't a whole lot to complain about in this movie. It's good. Not great, but definitely above average for this type of movie. The movie's story is typical rom-com stuff, wrapped in a zombie movie, injected with a brilliant sense of humor. The movie doesn't take many chances, it just seems content with it's already above average level. And that isn't a bad thing in this case.

R is your typical zombie; dead...pale...sluggish, and oddly conflicted. He doesn't want to be a zombie. He doesn't want to eat people. He longs to have normal communication with others. But alas, he is still a zombie, and he must eat. He goes out hunting for human flesh, and finds some. A group of humans are in the zombie's territory looking for supplies. R and some other zombies attack them. During the fight, R sees Julie. And for some strange reason, he doesn't feel the urge to eat her. Matter of fact, R actually develops feeling for Julie. The relationship between R and Julie may be the key to fixing the zombie problem.

This really is a strange idea for a movie, but somehow it manages to work. Nicholas Hoult is in large part to thank for that. His portrayal of R is an interesting. He has only a couple spoken lines in the movie. Most of his dialogue is done in voiceovers. He has to show emotions with his facial expressions only, and he does a great job.

Theresa Palmer is on par as Julie. The performance is exactly what it should be. The character isn't all that interesting to begin with, but Palmer brings her to life pretty well. The remainder of the supporting cast does nothing to break the high-quality status quo. John Malkovich is surprisingly serious in his part as Julia's dad. Rob Corddry is very funny in his part. He has some great lines, even though he is a zombie. Analeigh Tipton doesn't really do anything in the movie until the last half hour, but she does eventually have some funny lines.

On the whole, this goes above and beyond the call of duty. It's better than these types of movies generally are. Though it does seem like the movie plays it a little safe at times, it's overall entertaining, clever, witty, well acted, heartfelt, and sweet.

"What am I doing with my life? I'm so pale. I should get out more. I should eat better. My posture's horrible. I should stand up straighter. People would respect me more if I stood up straighter." 7/10

Lincoln not only meets high expectations, but also alters preconceived notions. Steven Spielberg seems more interested in telling a reasonably true story than over glorifying the factual events. Sure the movie probably isn't 100% accurate, but I'm not a big enough history buff to know exactly which parts of the story are fiction. But for the most part, the movie seems to get its facts straight, and from a purely movie-making standpoint, this is flawless.

The story deals with Abraham Lincoln's struggle to get the 13th Amendment passed. Needing a 2/3 majority to pass the amendment, and still being more than a few votes short, Lincoln sets the wheels in motion to get the amendment passed. But to do so, he must make tough, sometimes law-bending decisions. Adding to the drama is Mary Todd Lincoln's unstable mental health, and Robert Lincoln's desire to join in the fight for the Union.

There are two things I don't like about this movie. Number 1: at 150 minutes of dialogue scene after dialogue scene, the movie can get a bit dry at times. If you're paying attention, then it's not what I would call boring, but the movie definitely the definition of exciting. Number 2: The movie portrays Lincoln's bending of the Constitution in glorified light. While I'm sure the movie was just being honest (and I appreciate the honesty), I'm still not the biggest fan of celebrating rule breaking, especially when the rules are coming from one of our founding documents and are broken by the president.

But the goods of the movie far and away outweigh the bads. This is probably the best acting ensemble of 2012. Needless to say, Daniel Day-Lewis is simply marvelous as Lincoln. His costume, make-up, and acting are truly transformative. It only takes a minute or two to complete separate Daniel Day-Lewis from Lincoln. Day-Lewis he is completely deserving of his Oscar win. He is Lincoln.

I would say that Tommy Lee Jones gives a performance right on par with Daniel Day-Lewis. His performance as Thaddeus Stevens is powerful and commanding. He has some of the best scenes of the movie as he fights for slaves' freedom. My favorite scene of his is when he makes his speech about how slaves should have 'equality before the law.'

Sally Field gives yet another stellar performance as Mary Todd Lincoln. She didn't really stand out in her other 2012 movie, The Amazing Spider-Man, but here she is excellent. Field plays Mary Todd Lincoln in a sort of bipolar way. It's great how the movie shows the difference from the person in private and the person in public. The scenes between Field and Day-Lewis are extremely well acted and powerful.

The remainder of the supporting cast members all turns in outstanding performances. There really isn't a weak link anywhere. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is good, if underused, as Robert Lincoln. He really only has one scene of emotional value. David Strathairn gives a characteristically exceptional performance. Also, look for David Oyelowo and Dean Dehaan in tiny roles.

On the production side of things, the movie is faultless. Steven Spielberg directs the movie with care and devotion. This is probably his best movie in at least 10 years. The score by John Williams, while understated, is gorgeous and perfect for the movie. As is just about everything about this movie...understated but perfect.

Overall, this is a well-made, intelligent, and insightful portrait of Abraham Lincoln. A bit too long? Yes. Maybe one too many lengthy dialogue scenes. Yes. But those are relatively small issues in comparison to all the great things that this movie is filled with.

"With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in." 9/10

For one reason or another, I didn't see this movie until it came out on video. And I feel lucky that I waited. I was just as excited as anyone for this movie. I Love the original three movies, and my expectations were high for this. When the movie was released, the review came in positive to mixed. I got the feeling of what the movie would be like before I saw it. I think that helped me enjoy this movie. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is not The Lord of the Rings. Nor should you expect it to be. The book is geared more towards children, and so is the movie. The tone of the movie feels different from the original three.

This first movie in the trilogy unfortunately has an identity crisis. Some of the time, Peter Jackson wants the tone of the movie to be like a children's adventure movie, and some of the time he wants it to feel like Lord of the Rings. Balancing both makes for a somewhat awkward movie experience. One moment, you're hit with burp and snot jokes, and the next, the Orcs are beheading Dwarfs. I wish they decidedly went in one direction or the other. Hopefully they will pick a tone for the next two movies.

We meet the quite, reserved, and monotonous Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, living peacefully in his house in the Shire. His life is turned upside-down when a meeting of Dwarves is held in his house. The Wizard Gandalf and Dwarf leader Thorin head up the meeting of 13. They need one more member to round out their group. A Hobbit. Someone to be their burglar. Gandalf has decided on Bilbo. Though originally unwilling, Bilbo decides to go on this adventure. Their mission: to re-take the Dwarf's kingdom on The Lonely Mountain from the dragon Smaug.

As I mentioned before, the tonal inconsistencies are one of the reasons why this movie isn't nearly as good as the original trilogy. Another is the lack of emotional power that the first three seemed to have effortlessly. There are flashes of it in this movie, but it isn't as often or as natural. It's there in the scene where Gandalf explains to Galadriel why he choose Bilbo, and it can be seen in the speech Bilbo gives about why he is helping the Dwarves. Still, the strong emotional scenes aren't there nearly as much as they should be.

Another issue is the sometimes ridicules action scenes. The fight in the Goblin cave is especially bad at times. The insane heights from which the Bilbo and the Dwarves fall would easily kill them. And the action just isn't shot as intimately as it was in the original trilogy. Also, the action scenes seem to follow a similar trend. Our hero's will be in grave danger, when suddenly; the Dwarf Company will burst out and slay the enemy.

But enough about what's wrong with the movie, now on to what it got right. All the cast members do amazing jobs, starting with Martin Freeman as Bilbo Baggins. Without his excellent performance, the whole thing would fall apart. He is perfect as John Watson in Sherlock, and he is perfect as Bilbo. I only wish the movie had focused more on him. Around when the Company gets to Rivendell, Bilbo's screen time is decreased. But I'm sure he will have many more great moments in the upcoming movies.

Ian McKellen is once again flawlessly brilliant as Gandalf. Like Freeman, McKellen is the glue that keeps the movie from falling apart. He is awesome! The Dwarves are all reasonably well acted. Richard Armitage is the most distinctive of the bunch. He also gives the best performance. Yet another reason why the first three are better than this movie is that the supporting characters are more likable and definable in the originals. In The Lord of the Rings, we have four Hobbits, a Human, a Wizard, an Elf, and a Dwarf. In The Hobbit we have a Hobbit, a Wizard, and twelve Dwarves. They simply do not have clearly defined character, at least not nearly on the same level as Lord of the Rings.

And Gollum once again steals the show! Andy Serkis is spectacular in the role. The scene between Gollum and Bilbo is easily the best in the movie. He also naturally gets the most laughs. I'm fairly certain that I would watch an entire movie of Gollum in the cave talking to himself...

The Hobbit is a visually stunning movie. The on-location scenes in New Zealand are as gorgeous as ever. The Shire returns in all of its lush beauty. The action scenes are hit or miss. The scenes with Thorin and the Pale Orc are epic. They prove that Peter Jackson hasn't lost a step in the action department. But then there is the scene that I mentioned earlier, in the Goblin cave. This scene is heavy on the CGI and light on the believability.

One of the areas where the production did not decrease at all is Howard Shore's musical score. His attention to detail is second to none. The thematic continuity is almost perfect. Except for when the Nazgul theme is played over Thorin's epic showdown with Azog. Anyways, the Concerning Hobbits theme is prominent again. The Xylophone and Cimbalom theme for Gollum returns when he does. As for the new material, it is outstanding. The awesome theme for The Lonely Mountain is the most prominent. It takes the place of the Fellowship theme from the originals, and does an admirable job. Also, there is a cool new motif for Gandalf that I noticed right away. And though Neil Finn's song for the credits of the movie does play better in movie than it does on album, it is still without a doubt the worst song written for this series.

Overall, this movie was never going to be better than the originals. While it wasn't boring, it couldn't help but feel bloated at 169 minutes. It just doesn't flow as smoothly as the movies of the first trilogy. When you think about it, with Lord of the Rings, Peter Jackson condensed three books into three movies that formed a spectacular overall narrative. With The Hobbit, he expands one book into three movies, and so far makes a more unwieldy story. But this is still Middle Earth, and I still love it. I forgive the movie for its unavoidable faults. But it is still the worst in the series so far. I hope the sequels improve on this original. And they could if they cut back on the juvenile humor, add more emotional depth, and focus more on Bilbo. As it is, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is a solid addition to the franchise, but it could have been better.

"I often think of Bag End. I miss my books, and my armchair, and my garden. See, that's where I belong, that's home. That's why I came back. Because you don't have one, a home. It was taken from you. But I will help you take it back if I can." 7.5/10

While not very smart, Stephan Sommers G.I. Joe: Rise of Cobra did offer enough cool action scenes to make it a fun action movie. The movie wound up being a success at the box office, but a bit of a failure with critics. With enough financial success to warrant a sequel, but a less than enthusiastic critical response, the franchise turned in a new direction. With Sommers out, dance movie director Jon Chu took over directing the sequel. With a rock-solid cast, heart pounding action scenes, and a tendency never to get too indulgent, Chu is able to craft a wholly entertaining action flick.

But getting from point A to point B in the production of this movie was not easy. Filming took place late 2011 with a release date of June 29, 2012. The film went through all the usual marketing; a trailer was even aired during the Super Bowl. But then, a month before the film's scheduled release, Paramount announced that the release of the movie would be pushed back 10 months. The reason for the delay involved converting the movie to 3D. Also, Channing Tatum's star power increased dramatically in 2012 with the releases of 21 Jump Street and Magic Mike. There were (false) rumors that another reason for the delay was to increase Tatum's part in this movie.

Anyways, this movie picks up where the first one left off. Zartan is still disguised as the President, and the Cobra Commander is still imprisoned. The fake President orders the termination of the G.I. Joes. The entire force is wiped-out, including their leader, Duke. The only ones that remain are Roadblock, Lady Jaye, and Flint. Snake Eyes is also off on his own mission to bring Storm Shadow to justice. The remaining Joes plan their retaliation against the Cobras' who killed their brothers in arms.

One of the improvements that this movie has over its predecessor is its cast. The chemistry between the actors is also much improved this time around. The criminally underrated Dwayne Johnson stars as Roadblock. And what more could you want from an action star? Of course he fits the bill for the action scenes, he has charisma, his comedic timing is great, and he is effortlessly funny. Johnson isn't new to rejuvenating franchises, and he does a bang-up job here. His chemistry with Channing Tatum at the beginning of the movie is great. But sadly, Tatum's character Duke is killed off 20 minutes into the movie. I can understand the thinking behind killing him off, but I still can't help but think of the possibilities if they hadn't. The movie would have been quite a bit better if Duke had survived. To have Dwayne Johnson and Channing Tatum battle along-side each other for the entire movie would have been amazing.

Sadly, instead of Tatum, we have D.J. Cotrona as Flint. And he has absolutely no personality. None. Sure, he has a few cool action moments, but he is largely useless. On the other hand, Adrianne Palicki turns in a good performance as Lady Jaye. She easily makes Lady Jaye a character to root for. This is the second time I've seen Palicki recently (the other being Red Dawn) and I must say that I am impressed. I hope she's able to get more projects lined up.

The rest of the cast all give usable performances. Bruce Willis isn't given a whole lot to do. His performance is similar to his one in RED. Jonathan Pryce role is expanded in this movie. After not being much of a factor in Rise of Cobra, Pryce is sometimes absurdly villainous here. He is a great actor and he gets to have some fun here.

Much like its predecessor, the action is the best thing about this movie. And thankfully, the action here is much closer to the ground. By the end of the first movie, the action was so ridicules that it wasn't even fun. The action here never reaches such low levels of stupidity. The highlight of the movie comes about halfway through. This scene involves Snake Eyes and Jinx fighting other ninjas on a mountainside. This is the best action scene of the entire franchise so far. I'd go as far as to say that this is the best action scene from any movie based off a Hasbro toy. As the Burj Khalifa scene was to Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol, so too is the ninja mountainside fight to G.I. Joe: Retaliation. All the best action scenes are with Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow.

With a plot that is so ridicules, it's hard for a movie to be much better than this. There are other errors along the way, like not enough Cobra Commander, RZA's Blind Master, and occasionally poor pacing. Still, Retaliation easily improves over Rise of Cobra with a winning cast, loads of fun, and solid action including one of the best action scenes I've seen in a popcorn action movie. You will have to turn your brain off, but you will be entertained. And what more can you ask for from a movie made to sell toys.

"You're looking at an advanced weapons system capable of destroying each of your countries 14 times over. 15 in the case of North Korea, just to be safe." 6.5/10

With G.I. Joe: Retaliation coming out shortly, it's time to review the first movie. G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra has an often ridiculous story, some really poor CGI, too many shallow characters for comfort, and an overbearing amount of action. But I can't say that I wasn't entertained. The movie works fine as a dumb action movie, which is exactly what it is...and what it should be.

We first meet soldiers Duke and Ripcord as they're escorting a case of nanotech warheads to safety. While on route, they are ambushed by the Baroness, whom Duke recognizes as his ex-fiancée Ana Lewis. Duke's team is outgunned and close to defeat, when suddenly, their lives are saved by the G.I. Joes. With the warheads still in their possession, Duke and Ripcord are taken to, 'The Pit,' the headcounters of the Joes. They join forces to defeat James McCullen and his endless supply of resources.

The cast is hit-or-miss. Channing Tatum gives a decent performance as Duke. This is a pre-stardom Tatum who only had modest acting credits before this movie. His acting is a bit raw and rough around the edges, but he isn't distractingly bad by any means. Tatum proves himself to be a solid action hero.

The rest of the Joe's are largely unimpressive. Dennis Quaid is very uninspired as General Hawk. He has absolutely no charisma. Quaid's Hawk does nothing to separate himself from all the other such characters. Marlon Wayans gives a useable performance as Ripcord, but his character has some of the dumbest moments in the movie. Rachel Nichols gives a fine performance as Scarlett. She is one of the bright spots in the cast. Sienna Miller is quite good as the Baroness. The plot line with her and Duke is the only thing that adds any emotional heft to the movie. Unfortunately, Tatum and Miller are not given enough time on screen as a couple to form much chemistry. A pre-stardom Joseph Gordon-Levitt is appropriately sinister as Rex/The Cobra.

The best parts in the movie are the undeniably fun action scenes. Sure these scenes are ridicules and frequent and drawn out, but what would you really expect from a movie based on a toy line. The sword battles between Snake Eyes and Storm Shadow are really fun...probably the most entertaining fights in the movie. The scene in Paris with Duke and Ripcord in the accelerator suits is also very cool. But the action toward the end of the movie becomes really stupid. When the movie moves underwater, the action becomes even campier and the CGI gets noticeably worse.

All in all, this movie is exactly the dumb fun you expect it to be. It's a movie based on a toy line, so obviously the movie isn't overly intelligent, and obviously there is plenty of action. Thankfully, most of the action scenes are loads of fun. It's not a good movie, but it did manage to entertain me. And for a movie like this, that is enough. The trailers for G.I. Joe: Retaliation are intriguing, and I'm expecting the sequel to be better than the original.

"Duke wasn't born, he was government issued." 6/10

It's no secret that I am not the biggest fan of the original Red Dawn. I found it to be a ridicules, depressing, poorly made piece of junk. My hopes weren't very high for this remake. Especially considering how the movie was shelved for 3 years. Still, the delay wasn't all bad; as some of the primary actors in this movie went on to achieve massive success after the filming, but before the release of this movie.

The plot is similar to the 1984 original; America is invaded by a foreign nation (in this case North Korea). A group of teenagers, led by Marine Jed Eckert, make their way up into the mountains. With limited resources, Jed trains his brother Matt, and friends Robert, Daryl, Toni, and Erica to fight. They band together as The Wolverines, and put up a fight against the invading army.

Let me run through the reasons why this remake is easily better than the original:

1) The main reason that makes this movie better than the original is that it is actually fun. With a story this ludicrous, the movie better at least be entertaining. The 1984 Red Dawn should have been dumb fun. Instead it wasn't fun at all, rendering it simply dumb. The 2012 Red Dawn, on the other hand, gets it right. Or at least as right as you could with such a preposterous story.

2) This remake is a good 15 minutes shorter than the original. Because of this, the movie isn't half as much of a slog as the original.

3) The characters and the performances are much better this time around. In the original, none of the supporting characters really stood out. By the end of the movie, I couldn't even remember most of their names. The remake has much better fleshed out characters. They all have their own personalities, and you can easily distinguish them from each other. Also, in the original, the two girls, Toni and Erica, did absolutely nothing for the movie. Here they are both play important parts.

4) The action scenes here are miles ahead of the original. Director Dan Bradley made a name for himself as a stunt-coordinator and second unit director on movies like The Bourne Ultimatum and Mission Impossible - Ghost Protocol. Bradley's strength is action, and this movie is full of it. The action scenes are urgent and heart pounding. One of the reasons why the original was terrible was because the movie should have been a fun action movie. I've already said how the movie wasn't fun at all, but the action was also very poor. This remake fulfills the fun action movie job that it was tasked with.

5) Lastly, the ending to this movie is much more hopeful and optimistic than that of the original. The ending to the 1984 version is depressing and makes the movie seem even more pointless. The ending the 2012 version is very well handled and leaves the audience with a much better feeling. Sure this updated ending is a bit heavy on the Patriotics, but I don't see that as a bad thing.

Chris Hemsworth stars as Jed Eckert. Patrick Swayze was solid in the role back in 84', but Hemsworth is much better. This movie was filmed before his breakout in Thor, and you can see his potential here. He makes a very convincing action hero. The relationship between Jed and Matt is miles better than what it was in the original. Josh Peck is serviceable as Matt, but you can kind of see why he hasn't caught on yet. Still, I do think he has talent; he just needs to find his nitch.

Josh Hutcherson is very solid as Robert. It's not a huge part, but he does well with it. This was filmed years before The Hunger Games, and it is noticeable that his talent increased in that time. Tom's son Connor Cruise also gives a nice performance as Daryl. His scene at the end of the movie is moving and well acted.

Isabel Lucas and Adrianne Palicki play Toni and Erica. The characters are much better represented in this movie compared to the original. Adrianne Palicki's Erica is the better character and performance of the two. She has good chemistry with Hemsworth. And the character has some great moments, especially near the end of the movie. Isabel Lucas doesn't really do anything impressive as Toni.

Overall, the story in the remake is still as preposterous as it was in the original, but everything else is executed on a higher level. I liked the movie, didn't love it. But considering how the 1984 Red Dawn was one of my most disliked movies, liking the remake is next to shocking. This movie is no better than a dumb fun action movie, but that is exactly what it should be. And at a trim 93 minutes, this is a lot more digestible than the original.

"Marines don't die, they go to hell and regroup." 7/10

The Wizard of Oz is a classic, enjoyed by all, beloved by most. Was a prequel really necessary? No, not by a long shot. But that doesn't make Oz the Great and Powerful a bad movie. It could have been. In the hands of a different director, this movie could have been a flat out failure. But with Sam Raimi at the helm, the movie works.

The mixed to positive reviews of this movie have a lot to do with expectations. Was it fair to expect something is visually groundbreaking and iconic as The Wizard of Oz? Obviously not. The comparisons between Oz the Great and Powerful and The Wizard of Oz are somewhat ridicules to me. The movies were made in two completely different times. The truth of the matter is that modern audiences are a whole lot different from 1939 audiences. But I think Oz the Great and Powerful doesn't simply cash in on Oz's good name. It takes elements from the original movie, but it really does its own thing. The result is good. Not great, but better than your average fantasy tentpole.

Conman and magician Oscar Diggs upsets the wrong person and must run for his life. He thinks he is safe when he winds up in a hot air balloon. Unfortunately, his balloon is sucked into a tornado. When Oscar finally lands, he is in the magical Land of Oz. All the people of Oz are convinced that Oscar is the fulfillment of a prophecy. He is said to be the powerful Wizard who will kill the Wicked Witch and rule Oz. That scenario doesn't sound half bad to Oscar, so he lies and says he this all powerful Wizard. The land is ruled by three witches, and after arriving in Oz, Oscar breaks the heart of the wrong witch. Good Witch Theodora turns into a wicked witch and promises the kill all the good people of Oz, starting with Oscar. It's up to Oscar and the Good Witch Glinda to protect the Land of Oz.

The acclaimed director John Huston once said that, '90% of directing is casting.' Well in this case, Sam Raimi got about 75% of his casting right. James Franco headlines the cast as Oscar Diggs. The reaction to his performance has been mixed, but I think he is brilliant. Franco realizes the character's place in the movie, and gives an appropriate performance. Sure, he's a little goofy at times, but really, Oz is a goofy place. The character's arc is also quite rewarding. Going from being a person who wanted greatness, but wasn't even good; to a person who not only achieves greatness, but also goodness. Very solid character development. Franco's performance is honestly one of my favorite things about the movie.

The same can't be said for Mila Kunis as Theodora. Simply put, she is miscast. That doesn't make her a bad actress by any means, but she clearly isn't right for the part. I wouldn't be surprised if her naturally raspy voice played a large part in her getting the part. Sure the transformation from Mila Kunis to a grotesque monster is striking, but the performance just doesn't hold up. It doesn't work because when the character changes, it seems like Kunis is just pretending.

The rest of the supporting cast is hit or miss. Rachel Weisz gives a bright spot performance as Evanora. She is appropriately sinister, but she is underused. Michelle Williams character Glinda is really underdeveloped. Williams is clearly not at fault, the writers are. She gives a fine performance, but doesn't really have much to work with. Zach Braff is largely uninspired as Finley. Joey King is another bright sport as the China Girl. She brings the level of sweetness and emotional weight that the movie really needed.

The complications that went along with making this movie cannot be overlooked. First and foremost, the issue of the rights to The Wizard of Oz throws a wrench into the story. There aren't that many references to the original movie because Disney doesn't own the rights to the original. Still, old favorites like the flying monkeys, the Munchkins, and the poppies do show up! Second, James Franco's father died during the making of the movie. Franco was only allowed three days off before he had to come back on set and be the cheerful wizard again. Third, Michelle Williams had to take a few weeks off to promote My Week with Marilyn. And fourth, Rachel Wiesz was already signed on to The Bourne Legacy when she started filming this movie. She had to take weeks off during the shooting of this movie to film her entire part in The Bourne Legacy. Even with all this snags, Raimi is able to make a quality movie.

By and large, this movie succeeds. Its heart is in the right place, and when everything could have gone wrong, a lot went right. The movie is visually astounding, the story works well (especially when dealing with Oscar's character arc), there are some genuinely funny moments, and James Franco, Rachel Wiesz, and Joey King give excellent performances. The movie does have issues though, like miscasting Kunis, some failed attempts at humor, and lack of character development for the three witches. As it is, I was neither overwhelmed nor underwhelmed. I was simply whelmed.

"I don't want to be a good man. I want to be a great one." 7/10

More of a Solid 8 than a Super 8, enjoying Super 8 so much came as a surprise to me. I knew very little of what it was about before watching it. I knew there were a bunch of kids making a movie, and there was a monster, and it was in the same vein as the Spielberg children adventures. Expectations weren't particularly high, but I was rewarded with a fantastic movie experience. A throwback to a time when summer blockbusters weren't left open-ended for a cash-grab sequel, a time before my time. Instead of constant CGI explosions and shallow characters with no development, Super 8 gives us suspense, thrills, scares, action, and well rounded characters.

J.J. Abrams is seriously one of the most talented young directors working today. And producing the movie is the unrivaled Steven Spielberg. It's no surprise that Spielberg mentored Abrams on this movie. It's just like something Spielberg would be involved in back in the 70's and 80's. It seems that Abrams channels The Goonies into his cast of young characters. It's remarkable how Abrams is able to not only capture the style and time of those 70's movies, but also craft something that doesn't seem like a parody. The devotion to the emotional side of the story is to thank for that.

Joe, Alice, Preston, Martin, and Cary are helping Charles film his amateur zombie movie. They sneak out at night to film at an abandoned gas station next to the railroad tracks. While filming, a train blasts down the tracks. Charles enthusiastically keeps the camera rolling, only to see a pickup truck speeding on the tracks straight toward the train. The train and truck collide, sending the kids shoot into chaos. Everything about the train accident is suspicious. Joe and Alice take a particular interest in each other, and the mysterious wreck. But Joe's dad Jack and Alice's dad Louis completely disapprove of the relationship. Louis is a scumbag who was dunk the day Joe's mother died. If Louis wasn't drunk, he would have been doing Joe's mother's job, he would have died, and Joe's mother would still be alive. With the animosity between the fathers in place, the movie forges ahead. The train accident is just as mysterious as Joe and Alice feared, and even worse.

When making something like this, there is a lot of trust the director must place in his actors. And if the young cast bombs, so will your movie. Luckily, the cast here is outstanding. Joel Courtney and Elle Fanning seriously give two of the best performance I've ever seen from teens their age. Kids in movies always manage to be obnoxious in some way. Not the young cast in this. Courtney is likable and believable as Joe. He has to carry the majority of the emotional load towards the end of the movie, and he handles it perfectly. As does Elle Fanning playing Alice. There is a scene between Joe and Alice when they watch a video of Joe's deceased mother. Fanning is so good in this scene, very similar to her sister Dakota (who doubtlessly would have played the part if the movie was made 5 years ago). The parallels between Dakota's performance in War of the Worlds and Elle's performance here are evident.

The supporting cast is solid. Kyle Chandler is especially good as Joe's dad Jack. The scenes near the end of the movie with him are very well done. The character does follow a familiar father figure arc, but it doesn't come off as obviously as these sorts of things usually do. The other teen actors in the movie do a good job, and Ryan Lee stands out as Cary. In the classic "Goonies" fashion, all the kids talk and swear over each other at the same time. It's time like this when the Spielberg influence is felt most.

My only issue with this movie is sort of a big one. The "big reveal" at the end isn't as good as it should be. Abrams creates a whole lot of intrigue along the way, but when you finally find out what all the mystery is about, it's a disappointment.

I also have to mention Michael Giacchino haunting, beautiful, and touching score. Giacchino has been writing music for J.J. Abrams productions for over 10 years. A long-term relationship between a director and composer always produces better results (Spielberg and John Williams, Tim Burton and Danny Elfman, and Christopher Nolan and Hans Zimmer). The collaboration between Abrams and Giacchino had already produced the excellent music for Star Trek (2009), Lost, and Mission Impossible 3&4. Super 8 continues the first-rate music. His mysterious theme for the monster is perfectly atmospheric. But what steals the show is his gorgeous, glorious main theme, heard in its full glory during the final scene. It flawlessly highlights the emotional climax of the movie, with Jack and Louis letting go of hatred, the monster letting go of the past, and Joe metaphorically letting go of his mother.

The reveal near the end of the movie really holds it back from a higher rating. Still, I had loads of fun with this movie. Sure Spielberg's touch is more than a little evident here, but when was that ever a bad thing? Minus that one plot point, this movie is awesome, from the acting, to the atmosphere, and nearly everything else.

"I know bad things happen. Bad things happen. But you can still live." 8/10

After a very high recommendation from one of my RT friends and months of procrastinating, I finally saw Hugo. And I must say that this is one of the most (if not the very most) well made movie I have ever seen. From a purely movie-making standpoint, this is flawless. The direction, the acting, the production and set design, and the music are all perfect. The movie is visually spectacular. Another thing going in this movies favor is that it is undeniably magical. There is just this certain aura this movie has...pure magic. It's quite the movie watching experience!

Hugo Cabret is an orphaned boy living in the clock tower of a train station. His loving father died, leaving Hugo a broken automaton. Hugo and his father had been fixing it up, but they could never get it running without a missing key. Flash forward after Hugo's father's death and Hugo is living alone in the train station. He winds the clocks, steals for food, and continues to search for the missing key. He is caught in the act of stealing by trinket store owner Georges Méliès. Hugo runs into Méliès goddaughter Isabelle and notices that she has his missing key! When Hugo and Isabelle wind up the automaton, the picture that it produces starts an adventure in motion that will reveal the mysterious and wonderful past of Papa Méliès.

In the first paragraph I mentioned the movie's strengths, but the movie does have some issues. First and foremost, I have no idea what age demographic this movie was made for. Any child under the age of 10 will probably be bored out of his mind. Most pre-teens and teenagers couldn't care less about Georges Méliès and the origins of motion pictures. So who's left? Mature teens and younger children who can appreciate the wonders of the movie, and adults (probably fans of Scorcese). Maybe this is why the movie did less than stellar at the box office. Another thing I didn't like about the movie was that it seemed to have a few pointless scenes (for instance, Hugo's dream scene and Christopher Lee's bookstore owner scenes). One other issue I have with the movie, and I know this is just me, but it left me vaguely depressed. There's just something about it that made the happy ending sort of sad for me.

One of the movie's great strengths is the cast, starting with the two younger stars of the movie. Asa Butterfield stars as Hugo. There wasn't a moment in this movie that I was annoyed with his character. Kids in movies usually annoy me, mostly because they always act like egotistical jerks. Not Butterfield though. He is able to give a legitimately good performance against much bigger stars. Chloe Moretz also stars as Isabelle. I might be slightly biased because she is I guess what you'd call my "celebrity crush". But I still think her performance is outstanding. The way Isabelle uses huge words that are sometimes inappropriate for the situation, is one of the funnier things in the movie.

Ben Kingsley probably gives the best performance of the movie as Georges Méliès. It's mixing fact and fiction when Kingsley character is revealed, which is what makes it special. It was really interesting to see the scenes of Georges making his movies. Rounding out the cast we have Sasha Baron Cohen as the Inspector. At first I thought his only purpose was for slapstick comedy, but later in the film his is actually given character. This is the second supporting role in a drama that I've seen Cohen in recently, and he is really great in both. I hope more good roles are ahead for him. Also of note is Jude Law in all of about two scenes. He plays Hugo's devoted and loving father very well. It only takes a few minutes on screen to know that he really loves his son, making his death carry some weight.

Overall, I thought this movie was a wonderful and magical experience. I do think it is slightly overhyped though. It has a few issues, but I still really enjoyed it. This movie proves that the magic of film is just as alive as it was back when Méliès was making his pictures!

"I'd imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured, if the entire world was one big machine, I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason." 8/10