I'm sorry. I've been really late in my "reviews".... its annoying.

But here's what I've got in the list. I'm trying to get it done by the end of the week though:

SEX AND THE CITY: THE MOVIE
THE HOTTIE AND THE NOTTIE
MY BIG LOVE
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL
WANTED
MAMMA MIA!
THE DARK KNIGHT

So much to do, so little time! :(

Movie Review: Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008, Steven Spielberg)

* * *

Cast: Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchett, Shia Labeouf, Karen Allen, Ray Winston, John Hurt, Jim Broadbent, Igor Jijikine,
Screenplay: David Koepp
122 minutes / Color

A for effort? Yes. But apart from that, that’s it. As much as I tried to enjoy this newly polished version of the acclaimed “Indiana Jones” series it was hardly as good as everyone think it is. To tell you the truth it is nothing but an excuse to make money. Luckily it wasn’t completely horrible. But some parts were simple unbearable. The humor and the recycled acting and story are what’s more on my bad side.

George Lucas and Steven Spielberg bring back Harrison Ford’s lovable adventure character back to the silver screen but its not only his old age that brings the movie to its weakness. The bad storyline is more to blame on this part.

Years after Indiana Jone’s (Harrison Ford) last adventure, he is taken by a communist Russian group, headed by the evil Professor Irina Spalko (Cate Blanchett), to find the Crystal Skull, which is the key to all the knowledge in the universe.

With a gun to his face, Jones does all he can to find the skull and gives the group a head-start. When he escapes from his hands, he goes back home where he is working as a Professor in a local college.

When Jones means punk, Mutt Williams (Shia Labeouf), who mother was abducted by the same group, they face dangers and an adventure to not only beat the communist but get Mutt’s mother back from the lethal group.

When they actually do save her from the Russians, Indy learns that Mutt’s mother is actually an old love of his, Marion Ravenwood (Karen Allen), but despite their arguments, they must work together to beat the Russians and return the Crystal Skull and its power to its rightful place.

As the movie turns into a race to the temple where the skull unleashes all its power, Irina gets more impatient to gain all the power in the universe. The cat and mouse game continues to action and absurd dialogue…

As the finale comes to a close, the Russians and the Jone’s team arrives in the same time. But knowing the bad guys, the Russians take the skull and Irina places it on the head of a mystical being that is not complete. Lights and magic circulate, but the temple crumbles and happens to be a big UFO and sucks the life out of Irina.

The whole group escapes leaving the UFO to fly away and watching Irina and the Russians leave with them. Indy and Marion’s old love sparks again and they marry into a happy ending. But as they walk away, Indy’s hat is blown away from the wind and lands on his step-sons feet, making the world realize that he’ll follow in his footsteps.

Cheesy or cheesy? I’m sorry but ALIENS? Were they serious? The movie is okay, but when the aliens started popping out, it simply deteriorated in front of my eyes. How terrible to add such a wacky twist and making the amazing Cate Blanchett look like an idiot.

I do however, praise then for their visual effects. Though most of the sets don’t look so natural, the effects added and done were polished with delectable grandeur. Even the space ship at the end looked fantastic. However, it sad to say that most of it was ruined but the unintentionally funny acting of people like Blanchett, Ford and especially the unprofessional choice of Karen Allen.

Karen Allen was the worst. It was not fun to listen to her. She was simply annoying and if I were the script writers, the addition of her to the story would’ve never crossed my mind. I mean, what does the new generation care of Indy’s old love interest? What would’ve been 10 thousand times better if they gave Shia a love interest, even if she were a very bad choice like Miley Cirus or Lindsay Lohan or something, which would’ve been better then seeing that old fart ruin half of the film for me.

Shia is a promising actor; he’s been doing quite well lately and completely outshines the cast. But Harrison Ford’s choice for a comeback was quite overdone. He’s too old for his character and seemed kind of silly seeing him jump around on screen liked he did in his hay-days in Hollywood. But I would NOT like to see Shia as the next Jones if ever they were to make a next movie.

Blanchett’s choice to get as far away as her “Oscary type” performance has become only “type-cast”. She put herself in a trap and getting back to her “The Good German” (2006) roots. And that’s not good at all…

But I guess the film was a little bit worth it because of the grand scale it was presented. The scope and excitement of seeing an old character back on his feet was breathtaking, I admit. Even if it wasn’t as brilliant as I thought it would be.

My confession is, up to this day I have never watched an Indiana Jones film. But I’m kind of glad I haven’t, because if I did, I knew I’d be more disappointed and bash this film thoroughly. My time will come however.

Not that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas wasted their time, I’m sure this was a fun project for them. But they are such amazing story tellers and I know they could’ve made it so much better than this. But this is what they produced and the world has to live with it.
At the end, despite much of my criticisms and bashing it wasn’t absolutely terrible. It was plainly mediocre and for sure fans would agree. That’s why it’s so disappointing. Sagas and series have to be great. All the movies in a series SHOULD be great…but this one is a miss. I’m not counting on a spin-off with Shia Labeouf. Though he is quite talented, I’d rather see him exert his talent else-where.

Twilight isn't that bad.

I'm reading the book and it isn't half bad. It's interesting and really good actually. I cannot wait for the movie. Stewart and Patterson look very promising and hopefully all ends well. No chance at Oscar, but maybe...if its good enough. Here's to hoping. :)

30 Under 30 - The Most Promising Young Actors Under the Age of 30 (MY CHOICE)

1. JIM STURGESS (Age: 27)
Why He's Promising: "Mouth to Mouth" (2006), "Across the Universe" (2007), "21" (2008) and "The Other Boleyn Girl" (2008)

2. JAMES MCAVOY (Age: 29)
Why He's Promising: "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe" (2005), "The Last King of Scotland" (2006), "Atonement" (2007) and "Wanted" (2008)

3. KEIRA KNIGHTLY (Age: 23)
Why She's Promising: "Bend It Like Beckham" (2002), "Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003), "Pride and Prejudice" (2005, Best Actress Oscar Nomination) and "Atonement" (2007)

4. JAKE GYLLENHAAL (Age: 28)
Why He's Promising: "Donnie Darko" (2001), "Brokeback Mountain" (2005, Best Supporting Actor Oscar Nomination), Jarhead (2005) and "Zodiac" (2007).

5. EMILE HIRSCH (Age: 23)
Why He's Promising: "The Girl Next Door" (2004), "Imaginary Hereos" (2004), "Lords of Dogtown" (2005) and "Into the Wild" (2007)

6. HEATH LEDGER (Age: 29)
Why He's Promsing: "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999), "Brokeback Mountain" (2005, Best Actor Oscar Nomination), "I'm Not There" (2007) and "The Dark Knight" (2008)

7. RYAN GOSLING (Age: 28)
Why He's Promising: "Murder by Numbers" (2002), "The Notebook" (2004), "Half Nelson" (2006, Best Actor Oscar Nomination) and "Lars and the Real Girl" (2007)

8. ED WESTWICK (Age: 21)
Why He's Promising: TV's "Gossip Girl" (2007 - )

9. EVAN RACHEL WOOD (Age: 21)
Why She's Promising: "Thirteen" (2003), "The Upside of Anger" (2005), "Running with Scissors" (2006) and "Across the Universe" (2007).

10. ELLEN PAGE (Age: 21)
Why She's Promising: "Hard Candy" (2006), "X-Men: The Last Stand" (2006), "An American Crime" (2007) and "Juno" (2007, Best Actress Oscar Nomination)

11. NATALIE PORTMAN (Age: 27)
Why She's Promising: "Leon" (1994), "Cold Mountain" (2003), "Closer" (2004, Best Supporting Actress Nomination), and "V for Vendetta" (2006).

12. JOE ANDERSON (Age: 26)
Why He's Promising: "Beoming Jane" (2007), "Control" (2007), "Across the Universe" (2007) and "The Ruins" (2008)

13. SCARLET JOHANSSON (Age: 24)
Why's She's Promising: "Ghost World" (2001), Lost in Translation" (2003), "Match Point" (2004) and "The Prestige" (2006)

14. AMANDA SEYFRIED (Age: 23)
Why She's Promising: "Mean Girl" (2004), TV's "Veronice Mars" (2004-2006), TV's "Big Love" (2006- ) and "Mamma Mia!" (2008)

15. PAUL DANO (Age: 24)
Why He's Promising: "The Girl Next Door" (2004), "Fast Food Nation" (2006), "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006) and "There Will Be Blood" (2007)

16. SHIA LABEOUF (Age: 22)
Why He's Promising: "Holes" (2003), "Disturbia" (2006), "Transformers" (2007) and "Indianna Jones and the Island of the Crystal Skull" (2008)

17. ZAC EFRON (Age: 21)
Why He's Promising: "High School Musical" (2006), "High School Musical 2" (2007) and "Hairspray" (2007)

18. LEIGHTON MEESTER (Age: 22)
Why She's Promising: TV's "Entourage" (Season 6 2008 - ) and TV's "Gossip Girl" (2007 - )

19. AMANDA BYNES (Age: 22)
Why She's Promising: TV's "What I Like About You" (2002-2006), "Loved Wreck", "She's the Man" (2006) and "Hairspray" (2007)

20. KEVIN ZEGERS (Age: 24)
Why He's Promising: "Transamerica" (2005) and "It's A Boy Girl Thing" (2007)

21. MICHAEL CERA (Age: 21)
Why He's Promising: TV's "Arrested Development" (2003-2006), "Superbad" (2007) and "Juno" (2007)

22. JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT (Age: 27)
Why He's Promising: "10 Things I Hate About You" (1999), "Mysterious Skin" (2004), "Brick" (2005) and "The Lookout" (2007)

23. ADAM BRODY (Age: 29)
Why He's Promising: TV's "The OC" (2003-2007), "Mr and Mrs Smith" (2005), "Thank You For Smoking" (2005) and "In the Land of Women" (2007)

24. ABIGAIL BRESLIN (Age: 12)
Why She's Promising: "Sings" (2002), "Little Miss Sunshine" (2006, Best Supporting Actress Oscar Nomination) and "No Reservations" (2007)

25. KRISTEN STEWART (Age: 18)
Why She's Promising: "Panic Room" (2002), "Zathura" (2006), "In the Land of Women" (2007) and Into the Wild" (2007)

26. BRITTANY SNOW (Age: 22)
Why She's Promising: "John Tucker Must Die" (2006) and "Hairspray" (2007)

27. BLAKE LIVELY (Age: 20)
Why She's Promising: "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants" (2005) and TV's "Gossip Girl" (2007 - )

28. JOSH HUTCHERSON (Age: 15)
Why He's Promising: "Little Manhattan" (2005), "Zathura" (2005), "Bridge to Terribithia" (2007) and "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (2008)

29. DANIEL RADCLIFFE (Age: 19)
Why He's Promising: "Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix" (2007), "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" (2005), "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets" (2002) and "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" (2001)

30. CHANNING TATUM (Age: 28)
Why He's Promising: "She's the Man" (2006), "Step Up" (2006), "A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints" (2006) and "Stop Loss" (2008)

Movie Review: 21 (2008, Robert Luketic)

* * * * *

Cast: Jim Sturgess, Kate Bosworth, Kevin Spacey, Laurence Fishburne, Aaron Yoo, Liza Lapira, Jacob Pitts
Screenplay: Peter Steinfield & Allan Loeb (Based on the novel “Brining Down the House: The Inside Story of Six M.I.T. Students Who Took Vegas for Millions” by Ben Mezrich)
123 minutes / Color

It’s a fact that director Robert Luketic has had some misses (“Monster-in-Law (2004)) but has some very valuable hits too (“Legally Blonde” (2001)). With “21”, we are given another hit. This time, with more spunk, more love and more brains too!

I’m not being bias because it has Jim Sturgess, who I absolutely loved in his first movie “Across the Universe” (2007). But I’m proud he did this movie next because it’s avoiding his type-cast and it was really good. Over-hyping isn’t the word I’m using my “hype”, because the film is more then enjoyable, it’s fantastic!

The film, about 6 M.I.T students counting cards in Vegas, follows the young and bright Ben Campbell (Jim Sturgess) and his struggle for money and how to get into Harvard Med School. When he shines in Prof. Mickey Rosa’s (Kevin Spacey) math class, he gets an offer he can’t refuse…

Rosa and an ensemble of talented card counters from the same school had formed a team to go to Vegas every weekend and count cards to earn millions. Rosa has one condition however, whatever they earn: he gets 50% of all the proceeds. A little doubtful, Ben joins and promises himself that when he earns the $300,000 he needs for Med School he would stop then and there.

But as Ben gets to Vegas and finally lives the life he was longing, he gets into the highlife and the addiction of gambling and playing black jack. Every weekend they play, party, shop and sleep together (Ben falls for his beautiful teammate Jill (Kate Bosworth) on the job).

As Ben gets richer and richer, he soon slacks off to his problems back in Boston and his friends who care much for him. Soon the cops are on their tail, especially casino specialist Cole Williams (Laurence Fishburne) and Ben and the team boots out Mickey after a brief conflict.

They soon try to earn as much as they can but during that night, the police strike and everyone escapes…except Ben. Ben doesn’t only loose all his money but gets the beating of his life from Cole.

When Ben comes back from his “hell” weekend, he realizes that his whole life is crumbling apart. His friends hate him and Mickey has stolen all the hard earn money he was saving up. He couldn’t leave the experience without a fight and was ready for one more heist.

Ben befriends Mickey and fixes all his problems, he brings the whole team back for Vegas and says that they should earn as much as they can this one night and this one night only. However, when the police comes, Ben and Jill devise a plan and have Mickey ride the wrong escape car. Apparently, Ben had made a deal with Cole to capture Mickey all along for he was one of the biggest gambling criminals of years gone by…

Basically, that’s the story. Though it sounds like another “heist” or “Vegas” movie, don’t be alarmed, because this is way better then the likes of any “Ocean’s” movie. It surprises me such a young cast (expecting Kevin Spacey) could be the likes of George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Oh, I take that back. I’m not surprised.

Being so good, you feel that the cast are already veterans, despite that fact that most of them are just begging their careers. Obviously, Jim Sturgess shines. But Aaron Yoo and Kate Bosworth also make their marks in this movie. Bosworth is sexy, elegant and has showed us a great variety of “disguises” that actually shows of her skills. Though Aaron Yoo, is a bit type-casted, I cannot deny he isn’t a talent.

Jim Sturgess gives an exemplary portrayal of Ben Campbell. Though it doesn’t beat his “Jude” character (and I’m kind of confident to say that I don’t think anything will), he still gives us a character so complex and so entertaining that he’s probably the earliest contenders for awards. How I wish he’s win an Oscar soon!

Spacey, like always tries to gives us his best, but fails. He needs to stop playing the villain. Though he was perfect here, I feel like I’m seeing the same old routines I’ve been seeing since…forever!

Lucketic’s direction surprised me a bit. I wouldn’t have guessed this was his picture until I saw the credits. I mean, if you look at his old lineup of movies, including “Legally Blonde” (2001) and “Win a Date with Tad Hamilton” (2004), this doesn’t look like his type of movie. And I’m glad he’s making a transition to this kind of film. He did a pretty good job and should keep it up.

Vegas is always a beautiful place. But “21” shows it in a young light. It became sexier and much more full of life then we see it in other movies. In “21” not only does the sights an sounds of Vegas indulge us, but the clothes choices and music choices and the cinematography was appealing and perfect. It’s glitzy, it was glamorous, it was fabulous.

Top rap up the review, I’ve got to say that “21” is far jaw-dropping and amazing. But as a 2008 film, it is yet to be beaten. It had great acting and a great plot. I young actors a notable and memorable and they are like Vegas: FULL OF LIFE! Can’t wait to see more of Luketic and Sturgess.