Sucker-Punch

I try very hard to not be hard on movies- I love them. I enjoy criticizing them some of the time, but to be truly hard on a movie is just something I don't like to do. Then I come to movies like Sucker-Punch. I have never been a Zack Snyder fan, and this movie sure didn't change my opinion at all. First things first, this movie is very pretty to look at. The visual aspects of this movie are very eye-catching, and intriguing to watch. That being said, they can get old and taxing after two hours of watching them. Near the end of the movie there's a scene where every...single...action is carried out in slow motion. I found myself almost shouting "WHY" at the TV while watching the scene, it got old super-fast. Second, is the story. While watching this movie I had to have a friend (who loves the movie, mind you) explain to me what happened...the whole damn time! I feel that I should be able to figure out what exactly is happening in a movie while I'm watching it and not have to have everything explained to me- I didn't even have this much trouble understanding Highlander! It really killed a lot of the enjoyment of watching the movie for me. Conceptually, this movie is cool- seeing her "dance" in a second-reality-that's-not-really-reality turning into an action sequence in a third-reality-that-is-STILL-not-reality (like I said, confusing) was a very interesting concept- as was the whole "these realities aren't what's really happening" concept- I just found it thoroughly confusing. To be honest, it made me skeptical of watching Inception for fear that I'll get confused watching it as well. If you like Zack Snyder, action movies, or even shiny visuals this is the one for you- however if none of the above is you, you may not want to watch.

2 out of 5.

The Smurfs

I'll be honest- I did not go into The Smurfs with high expectations. After Hollywood butchered the lovable bear that is Yogi, my expectations were roughly the same, expecting The Smurfs to be completely massacred. I was pleasantly surprised- for the most part. I enjoyed the movie and it had many enjoyable, laughable, and heart-warming moments presented in a very family-friendly atmosphere. The Smurfs tells the story of The Smurfs and their archenemy Gargamel being sucked into New York City through a vortex in the Smurf Village. They run into Neil Patrick Harris' character Patrick (convenient, no?) as Clumsy Smurf falls into his box-o-makeup goods. The Smurfs then begin to try and find their way home and showing Patrick how to not miss his life all while trying to avoid Gargamel. Hank Azaria was quite perfect in his role of Gargamel, though portraying him a bit more daft than his typical self from the show. The Smurfs themselves were well cast too, save Papa Smurf who sounded like an Aslan the Lion wannabe and made the whole character seem a lot rougher and bolder than he was originally. Overall, if you're looking for a good, clean family flick than The Smurfs is right up your alley, but if you're into constant action with things blowing up, than you're probably better off checking out the latest Michael Bay flick.

3.5 out of 5

X-Men: First Class

When this movie was anounced I hadn't planned to go see it, until I saw the trailer. Once I saw the trailer my opinion changed. The movie seemed like it was going to be a breath of fresh air that the X-Men series really needed in order to respike my interest in it. After "The Last Stand" I had given up. "Wolverine" wasn't horrible, it just seemed like a movie trying to expand the profits while loosly fitting in with the comics. This movie changes that. Much how "The Dark Knight" has changed how people view Batman, "X-Men: First Class" can change how you can view X-Men. The cast is very well put together, and fit almost every character that has appeared in previous X-Men movies. The deal with this movie is that it is a prequel to everything that has ever been done (X-Men movie related-wise). It is the backstory of Charles Xavier and and Erik Lehnsherr (better known as Magneto). It shows how they discovered each other, as well as their own mutant powers all while attempting to show that mutants are not people to be feared. The adventure that unfolds will leave you hanging on to every turn that the movie takes you on, through hilarious cameos (Hugh Jackman may have won the best cameo in a movie award for me), and fun-to-watch action sequences. The movie is well put together and, while slightly inconsistant with both comics and the other movies, is very enjoyable to watch. I'd recommend it to the general movie goer looking for a good action flick and to the comic book nerd. You shouldn't be disappointed.

4.5 out of 5

The Hangover, Part 2

Tasteless, profane, and no limits. That was the formula that made up The Hangover, quite possibly the biggest comedy hit almost ever. I enjoyed the first part of the series quite well and found myself laughing frequently. However, when I heard that the second part would be coming out I rolled my eyes- another Hollywood sequel that didn't need to happen. Against my better judgment, I went in order to prove myself wrong- and didn't. This movie is indeed another Hollywood sequel that did not need to be made. Storywise, there is only so much you can do with the same kind of premise as the first movie- the guys party so hard they don't remember anything and find out they did some ridiculous things, including lose a member of their party. Look no further than the story of the first one to see the story of the second. This time Stu is getting married and the guys decide to have a calm bachlor's bonfire. When they wake up the next morning they're shaved, tatooed, and missing Stu's fiancè's brother. They then travel around Bangkok in order to find him and piece together the night. The jokes go to places that did not need to be travelled to in many instances causing me to merely shake my head in disbelief. Now, that's not to say the movie isn't funny- I found myself laughing quite a bit, it just is a completely different type of humor than the first one, though the same type of stuff is included. If you are a complete die-hard fan of the first Hangover you will probably enjoy this one a lot, but if you, like me, rolled your eyes at the thought of a sequel you probably should avoid this one.

2.5 out of 5

Black Swan

A very cleverly weaved tale that shows a fairly accurate depiction of behind-the-scenes of major dance companies. Having been in that kind of scene before even just for an audition you get a vibe that is very strongly similar to much of the goings-on in Black Swan. Not to say that all companies are the same, but it does exist. Portman's portrayal of the ballerina Nina was fairly believable, though sometimes cliché. She crafted a very self-conscious girl who wanted to be perfect and, for the most part, it worked. The shock to me was just how much of a "thriller" this movie is. I was not prepared for half of the things this movie throws at you and soon I was witnessing blood, cursing, and some moments intended to startle (one at which I did jump). Parts of the movie are rather grotesque and truly disturbing to witness and others are witty and clever to watch. The actual dancing aspect of the movie is well done, though mostly focused on Portman through interesting camera angles in order to show facial expressions and hear the small talk between the performers on stage. The movie was rather enjoyable and I'd recommend it for those looking to branch out of the ordinary and witness an interesting look inside of a "beautiful" production, however it is certainly not recommended for the faint of heart.

4 out of 5

The Return of Murphy!

Alright so here is a new update on Murphy:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUh1WnrquUI

[copy and paste in the URL to view]

She's back and better than ever, featuring a new head and new pyro effects. Fast forward to about 5 minutes into that video to see the footage. Her magnificent return has been long awaited since September. At one point there were rumors of her not returning from the higher ups at Disney, however Murphy has returned and she is here to stay!