My favorite line that my Dad kept saying over and over again: Why did [the Predators] send a doctor?
Title: Predators
Director: Nimrod Antal
Starring: Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, and Topher Grace
Rated: R
Released: 2010
Rating: 4.5/5
Basic Plot: A group of people are dropped off on an alien planet and hunted by the species referred to as Predators.
Introduction of Characters/Title
This movie had one of the best character introductions I have seen in a good while. It starts with Adrien Brody falling out of the sky, landing, and then BOOM title. I am so sick and tired of seeing titles at the end of movies. Really, what's the point in that? When the characters are introduced the movie manages to show each one while not breaking the tension of the movie. Each character is introduced in his or her own way.
Good Jumping Off Point
Predators sort of played it safe. Like the first movie, Predator (which I have only seen the second half of), there is a jungle setting. You might think that since I said it's on an alien planet it would be really different, right? Nope. There are a few odd things in the jungle but not too much. So it's the same basic setting plus being chased by multiple Predators. So same setting and an increase in enemies. Hopefully this is a good jumping off point to continue the series. Because I am all on board for that.
Sword Fight With a Predator
This actually sounds fun and stupid at the same time. Come on, Mr. Predator, you have some big guns, I don't think you need to sword fight. But, also, the Predators are a warrior culture and so it might've decided taking on a weak human would be easy. Boy, was that Predator wrong. Both Predator and human showed their skill and it was very entertaining, and satisfying, to watch.
Why A Doctor?
Let me tell you something: 1 + 3 does not equal 2. You can't fit a square piece inside a circular hole. If you're sending killers to a planet the guy saying he's just a doctor is lying. I did hear this particular spoiler before I saw the movie so it helped some. But the fact of the matter is that it's still pretty damn obvious. Predators aren't stupid so when you know the reason the people are in the hunting preserve, you know they're not innocent at all. Some characters might be likable, but they're not good. The guy claiming he is a doctor is really a murderer. That being said, I still really enjoyed that character.
Two Types of Predators
What I will say next will prove I am a nerd. I knew, before this movie, that there was more than one type of Predator. So when it's mentioned in the movie I was like: I know that. Good reference.
Final Thoughts
This movie is great if you want a movie where you can sit back, relax, and enjoy the gore/excitement. If you're looking for the next Citizen Kane, this isn't it. But, come on, anyone expecting Citizen Kane from this movie is expecting too much. All it is is a bunch of confused people having to deal with staying alive. And, looking at the movie like that, it is very enjoyable. The ending made me want to see what happens next. The only problem at the end is the shot of Adrian Brody speaking to the camera and turning around when he's done. If you are a fan of science fiction and like action, this is a movie you should check out.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Gran Torino (2008)
When I go into a movie I look for quality and to stay focused. If a movie doesn't have interesting characters, action, or setting I won't like it. This movie ranks very high in interesting characters and has a little bit of action.
Title: Gran Torino
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, and Christopher Carley
Rated: R
Released: 2008
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) becomes friends with his neighbors after their son (Bee Vang) attempts to steal Walt's Gran Torino.
Good Slow, Bad Slow
I was taken away with 2001: A Space Odyssey and had my eyes glued to the screen the entire time. But, as you well know, that movie is the very definition of slow. I still consider it very entertaining, though. The Roommate (2011) was slow but I hated it. You see, there are two types of slow. One type that makes the movie enjoyable and the other that makes the movie a bore to sit through. Gran Torino is the good type of slow. What I mean by that is that it takes it time on the character development. If you're expecting a shoot 'em up type of movie, this isn't the film for you. Though there are some graphic scenes thrown in.
The Ending
At the end I was expecting Clint Eastwood to shoot the gang up. Instead he sacrifices himself so that Thao's family can live in peace without fear of the gang. However, there seems to be a more selfish motive for the action. Clint's character, Wilt, is dying of lung cancer and would look forward to a long life of pain if he had decided to live. That is why I think Wilt didn't have the purest of intentions.
Playing Off Of Each Other
I saw this film as a redemption of Wilt (Clint Eastwood) and the growth of Thao (Bee Vang). This was helped very much by the fact that the characters played off of each other and had good chemistry. If they didn't have good chemistry this movie would be less fun to watch.
Final Thoughts
This movie is a wonderful film. It's dirty and some parts will make you cringe (especially when Sue, played by Ahney Her, comes back after being raped). It isn't a film to show to your whole family but, if you like films, this is a must see. You get to learn about another culture and an insight into how war veterans look at things. There is also a little Christianity thrown in but it doesn't get really preachy, which is a good thing.
Title: Gran Torino
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Clint Eastwood, Bee Vang, and Christopher Carley
Rated: R
Released: 2008
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: Walt Kowalski (Clint Eastwood) becomes friends with his neighbors after their son (Bee Vang) attempts to steal Walt's Gran Torino.
Good Slow, Bad Slow
I was taken away with 2001: A Space Odyssey and had my eyes glued to the screen the entire time. But, as you well know, that movie is the very definition of slow. I still consider it very entertaining, though. The Roommate (2011) was slow but I hated it. You see, there are two types of slow. One type that makes the movie enjoyable and the other that makes the movie a bore to sit through. Gran Torino is the good type of slow. What I mean by that is that it takes it time on the character development. If you're expecting a shoot 'em up type of movie, this isn't the film for you. Though there are some graphic scenes thrown in.
The Ending
At the end I was expecting Clint Eastwood to shoot the gang up. Instead he sacrifices himself so that Thao's family can live in peace without fear of the gang. However, there seems to be a more selfish motive for the action. Clint's character, Wilt, is dying of lung cancer and would look forward to a long life of pain if he had decided to live. That is why I think Wilt didn't have the purest of intentions.
Playing Off Of Each Other
I saw this film as a redemption of Wilt (Clint Eastwood) and the growth of Thao (Bee Vang). This was helped very much by the fact that the characters played off of each other and had good chemistry. If they didn't have good chemistry this movie would be less fun to watch.
Final Thoughts
This movie is a wonderful film. It's dirty and some parts will make you cringe (especially when Sue, played by Ahney Her, comes back after being raped). It isn't a film to show to your whole family but, if you like films, this is a must see. You get to learn about another culture and an insight into how war veterans look at things. There is also a little Christianity thrown in but it doesn't get really preachy, which is a good thing.
If you could erase anything from existence, what would it be?
The Host by Stephenie Meyer. Of course, if that were erased I wouldn't be an internet critic. But I still hate that book.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Oscars 2011
My long awaited video talking about the Oscars of 2011 is finally here!
Fanpage:http://www.facebook.com/jashykinsfanpage
Blog:http://jashykins.blogspot.com/
Fanpage:http://www.facebook.com/jashykinsfanpage
Blog:http://jashykins.blogspot.com/
If that version does not work, try this version:
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
The Gods Themselves (Isaac Asimov)
Isaac Asimov is one of my favorite authors of all time. There has not been a book, yet, that I have read by him that I have been left disappointed. I expected a great story and was I blown away!
Title: The Gods Themselves
Author: Isaac Asimov
Released: 1972
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: The Electron Pump has been discovered and gives energy with no cost. But does this grand invention have an awful price to be paid for it and, if so, why?
Divided Into Three Sections
This book is divided into three parts that only have the Electron Pump to link themselves together. Why is that? The stories were originally published in a magazine and not a book. The first part (Against Stupidity...) is about Lamont discovering that the Electron Pump has a price to be paid. The egotistical Hallam refuses to listen and so Lamont isn't able to get the word out. The second part (...The Gods Themselves...) is about the para-universe (what the parallel universe is called) and how the para-men (inhabitants of the parallel universe) don't care that they'll kill off the humans and that exploding part of the Milky Way Galaxy is why they started the Electron Pump in the first place. Finally, the third part (...Contend in Vain?) is about Dension discovering a solution for the Electron Pump.
Alien Sex
Part two is really weird. And that's putting it lightly. If you don't like anything odd then you won't like part two of this book. In it, among other things, is alien sex. If you're one perverted SOB, settle down, it's not erotic at all. The aliens are beings of pure energy so...no titties is what I'm saying. I liked the alien sex scenes because they were weird. But if you're looking for something erotic then The Gods Themselves isn't for you.
The Part That Nearly Made Me Cry
I hardly get teary eyed or cry. I read and see a lot and there is hardly anything that makes me cry. At the end of part two, Dua fights so hard to stop the Electron pump so that the Earth will be saved (Dua doesn't think killing off billions is a really moral idea) and she fails. You see the aliens are put into two groups: Soft Ones and Hard Ones. Soft Ones are babies and it is in this stage they are able to reproduce by having three (of different types) form together. Each type of Soft One plays a part and eventually they all form together to make a single Hard One until they die. No Soft One knows about this until it is time to 'pass on'. Dua is nearly dying and decides to 'pass on' because the leader of their Triad says that they'll form a very important Hard One that can help them deal with Eswald (creator of the Electron Pump). When the process is nearly done Dua realizes that Eswald is the Hard One they'll be forming. This made me feel very sad for Dua because she seemed to be the most reasonable Soft One. RIP Dua.
Why
This is a question that is asked a lot throughout the book. When Lamont or Dension brings up the fact that the Electron Pump has a high possibility of causing major shit to go down, the opponents ask why. The problem is that the humans (some of them) don't realize that the aliens might have different plans than them. Of course I'm not sure them not being open minded is the real problem. A lot of the humans that are in support of the Electron Pump are because of personal reason and that the human population has become too dependent on it.
Scientific Lingo
Being a Hard Science Fiction book (meaning staying as true to life as possible instead of something like Star Wars) it uses a lot of scientific language. However, Asimov usually explains those parts really well but they can still be taxing on one not used to reading this genre.
Final Thoughts
This book was deeply moving and a little thought provoking. This book isn't action packed but that's really not the way Asimov usually writes, so I was expecting that. The only real problem was that some big event happens on Earth and it is never explained what it was. I would highly suggest this book to someone who is a science fiction fanatic. Because, let's face it, if you haven't even heard of Isaac Asimov you can't call yourself a science fiction fanatic.
Title: The Gods Themselves
Author: Isaac Asimov
Released: 1972
Rating: 5/5
Basic Plot: The Electron Pump has been discovered and gives energy with no cost. But does this grand invention have an awful price to be paid for it and, if so, why?
Divided Into Three Sections
This book is divided into three parts that only have the Electron Pump to link themselves together. Why is that? The stories were originally published in a magazine and not a book. The first part (Against Stupidity...) is about Lamont discovering that the Electron Pump has a price to be paid. The egotistical Hallam refuses to listen and so Lamont isn't able to get the word out. The second part (...The Gods Themselves...) is about the para-universe (what the parallel universe is called) and how the para-men (inhabitants of the parallel universe) don't care that they'll kill off the humans and that exploding part of the Milky Way Galaxy is why they started the Electron Pump in the first place. Finally, the third part (...Contend in Vain?) is about Dension discovering a solution for the Electron Pump.
Alien Sex
Part two is really weird. And that's putting it lightly. If you don't like anything odd then you won't like part two of this book. In it, among other things, is alien sex. If you're one perverted SOB, settle down, it's not erotic at all. The aliens are beings of pure energy so...no titties is what I'm saying. I liked the alien sex scenes because they were weird. But if you're looking for something erotic then The Gods Themselves isn't for you.
The Part That Nearly Made Me Cry
I hardly get teary eyed or cry. I read and see a lot and there is hardly anything that makes me cry. At the end of part two, Dua fights so hard to stop the Electron pump so that the Earth will be saved (Dua doesn't think killing off billions is a really moral idea) and she fails. You see the aliens are put into two groups: Soft Ones and Hard Ones. Soft Ones are babies and it is in this stage they are able to reproduce by having three (of different types) form together. Each type of Soft One plays a part and eventually they all form together to make a single Hard One until they die. No Soft One knows about this until it is time to 'pass on'. Dua is nearly dying and decides to 'pass on' because the leader of their Triad says that they'll form a very important Hard One that can help them deal with Eswald (creator of the Electron Pump). When the process is nearly done Dua realizes that Eswald is the Hard One they'll be forming. This made me feel very sad for Dua because she seemed to be the most reasonable Soft One. RIP Dua.
Why
This is a question that is asked a lot throughout the book. When Lamont or Dension brings up the fact that the Electron Pump has a high possibility of causing major shit to go down, the opponents ask why. The problem is that the humans (some of them) don't realize that the aliens might have different plans than them. Of course I'm not sure them not being open minded is the real problem. A lot of the humans that are in support of the Electron Pump are because of personal reason and that the human population has become too dependent on it.
Scientific Lingo
Being a Hard Science Fiction book (meaning staying as true to life as possible instead of something like Star Wars) it uses a lot of scientific language. However, Asimov usually explains those parts really well but they can still be taxing on one not used to reading this genre.
Final Thoughts
This book was deeply moving and a little thought provoking. This book isn't action packed but that's really not the way Asimov usually writes, so I was expecting that. The only real problem was that some big event happens on Earth and it is never explained what it was. I would highly suggest this book to someone who is a science fiction fanatic. Because, let's face it, if you haven't even heard of Isaac Asimov you can't call yourself a science fiction fanatic.
Monday, March 7, 2011
What's one thing that most people don't know about you?
Isn't it obvious? I'm a psycho killer! (Phatasmagoria 2 reference)
Q&A: The Green 1
In this Q&A I look at how to pronounce Makija, what inspired me to write The Green, and other questions!
Fanpage:http://www.facebook.com/jashykinsfanpage
Blog:http://jashykins.blogspot.com/
Fanpage:http://www.facebook.com/jashykinsfanpage
Blog:http://jashykins.blogspot.com/
If that version does not work, try this version:
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)