Posts Tagged ‘Positively Movies’

From previews and commercials Real Steel may look like a simple summer action flick, but it is surprisingly one of the better movies of 2011. With a strong, engaging storyline, amazing special effects, a fast pace and an excellent cast, the movie is definitely a must see for all, whether the young or just the young at heart!

Real Steel is the story of Charlie Kenton, a former boxer who struggles to make ends meet, and his son Max Kenton, who has lived his 11 years without once meeting his father. Set in a distant future where the public has embraced robot boxing in lieu of traditional human pugilism, Charlie is a man trying to find his place in a new world where the life he has known is not possible anymore, while Max is just trying to get to know the father he has never had.

The movie is based in part off of the short story “Steel” by acclaimed author Richard Matheson (I am Legend, What Dreams May Come, A Stir of Echoes). “I thought it was great,” Matheson said of the film adaptation. “They hit all the right things with it. They gave it heart.”

Veteran Australian actor Hugh Jackman (Kate & Leopold, Swordfish, Wolverine) plays Charlie, with relative newcomer Dakota Goyo (Thor, Resurrecting the Champ, Defendor) in the role of young Max. Both are absolutely incredible in this movie, and make every minute of their journey together as father and son completely believable and entertaining. Rounding out the case is Evangeline Lilly (from ABC’s Lost), Kevin Durand (Legion) and Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker), all of whom turn in stellar performances as supporting cast.

Directing is Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum, Cheaper by the Dozen, Just Married), who does an amazing job presenting his vision of the future in a new genre for him. The great Steven Spielberg played a large part in getting this movie off the ground, and it’s clear why he so firmly believed in Real Steel – the movie is an action packed, fast paced, heart felt, jump out of your seat thriller of a summer blockbuster!

The effects of Real Steel are on par with that of James Cameron’s Avatar, and for a reason: director Shawn Levy used the same technology developed for the blockbuster about life on another planet for Real Steel, and it is incredible. The robots are so well designed and move so smoothly it is easy as an audience to forget that they are not really there. Every punch, every kick feels as if it is a real actor out in the ring, dishing out and taking all that he can.

The robots aren’t the only ones in on the fun though; Jackman shows off boxing skills taught to him by the great Sugar Ray Leonard throughout the film. Boxing aficionados will recognize a few signature moves of both Sugar Ray, as well as the great Muhammad Ali incorporated into the fight movie by Jackman, who really took to his tutelage.

“First, it was a delight to see how much Hugh took to the training and how as a great actor he was able to implement the suggestions I could make,” Leonard said of the actor. “His moves and the grace with which he carried himself in character was really astounding.”

At it’s core, this is a movie about redemption for Charlie, Max, and even Atom (the robot that the father and son bond over). In a thoroughly entertaining 127 minutes Levy takes us on a rollercoaster of a ride that starts off in small town fairs and ends up in big cities, with the characters growing throughout the journey. The last real summer action movie of 2011, Real Steel is a lot more than what it seems, and with Jackman, Lilly and Goyo paired with excellent direction, incredible special effects, a phenomenal score by the great Danny Elfman, and a heart warming storyline, all of us here at Positively Celebrity highly recommend the Dreamworks film!

Real Steel opens nationwide on October 7th, both in regular theaters as well as in IMAX. You can learn more about the movie by checking out Real Steel’s website at http://steelgetsreal.com and also on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/realsteelmovie

As always, be sure to check back for all things celebrity from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

Morgan Spurlock is famous for putting corporations to task, as he did to McDonalds in the documentary Supersize Me and in his television series, 30 days (currently available on DVD).

The Beckley, West Virginia native has shifted gears in his new documentary, going from asking the hard questions of companies to asking for a handout. The change in attitudes serves Spurlock well, as POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, which is one of the most entertaining documentaries that I have ever seen.

Morgan Spurlock’s latest documentary is a highly entertaining look at the business side of Hollywood, and the writer/producer sets his sights on the practice of product placement in television and film. Product placement is when a company pays big time bucks to get their products screen time and/or interaction with the characters on screen.

In making the documentary on product placement, Spurlock decided to USE product placement to fund all aspects of his latest work. It’s an ingenious idea that pays off big time, as Morgan takes us along for the ride while he meets with marketing companies, heads of corporations, Hollywood film makers and even the rock band OK Go (who made a wicked awesome song for the film called “The Greatest Song I Ever Heard”).

The result is POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, the first movie fully funded by sponsors paying for product placement within the movie itself, and one great documentary.

Morgan takes the cameras from the very beginning of his attempts to finance the film with cold calls to large companies like Coca Cola and (the audacity!!!) McDonalds. After many very amusing and very telling interviews, Spurlock gets his first client, and the ball really starts rolling.

There are a total of twenty companies that end up signing off on the movie sponsorship, showing a wide variety of categories. From Ban Deodorant to Mane N’ Tail (a shampoo that both you AND your horse can use!) to Hyatt hotels, Spurlock found those willing to take a chance on the filmmaker in order to get their name and product more visible to consumers.

Along the way, Spurlock speaks with a variety of people, including Ralph Nader, Brett Ratner and Peter Berg, to gather their input on product placement and advertising.

Though it must have been extremely scary to not have any say on how they would be portrayed or spoken of, it seems the company sponsorships have paid off. Morgan is currently all over the talk show and news circuit, happily wearing a suit plastered with the logos of all that sponsored him. He even helped change the name of the city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, to POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (seriously!) to get publicity.

As a movie goer I found myself very entertained with the whole process, and as a consumer, the movie really worked wonders on me with two companies in particular standing out: Amy’s Kitchen and POM Wonderful.

Amy’s Kitchen is an organic food company that offers a multitude of edible goods which Morgan happily munches on throughout the movie. Their pizza making an appearance in the film are really what sold me, and had me googling the company on my iPhone as soon as I was walking out of their theater.

I was not disappointed, as their margherita pizza tasted even better than it looked on the big screen at the Hollywood Arclight Theatre. I had never previously heard of the brand, and thanks to the company’s risk and Morgan’s ingenuity, a fan has been born.

As far as POM Wonderful goes, I have to say that I am completely and happily sold on the tasty beverage, which will be incorporated into my daily diet! Packed with antioxidants, POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice definitely seems to be a healthy alternative to the sugar packed orange juice and apple juice that are normally sitting around my breakfast table, and I never would have bothered to try it or learn more about it if I had not seen the movie.

The company has a pretty big part in the film, as their team agrees to fund Morgan’s documentary a sum of $1,000,000 for above the title naming rights. It’s pretty clear that the move was a shrewd one, as every single person I know who has seen the documentary has purchased and drank at least one bottle of POM Wonderful, and all have raved about it too!

Morgan’s interactions with the POM team are my favorite in the film, because though they are business people first and foremost, the POM team seems as genuinely interested in Morgan’s project as they are in pushing visibility of their product.

This documentary really breaks down the relationship of Hollywood and big business, and does it in a light-hearted and watchable way that left me neither upset with the movie industry, nor with the companies using product placement as a marketing force (except for Mac and Me, which I will never forgive McDonalds for).

Spurlock shows, as he has in previous efforts, that he can put together an informative, fun documentary that you can both enjoy as well as will make you think. I highly recommend POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold as one of the best movies of 2011.

All of us here at Positively Celebrity would like to laud Morgan Spurlock on his interesting documentary, and thank him for showing us a side of Hollywood that few ever know about, as well as for turning us on to a few great companies that we were unaware of! We can’t wait to see what the filmmaker has on tap for us next, and wish him all the success with his film!

For more information on Morgan Spurlock and POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold please visit www.MorganSpurlock.com.

For more information on Amy’s Kitchen’s delicious margherita pizza and to check out the full menu of all their products, please visit www.Amys.com, and to learn more about POM Wonderful and their full line of juice drinks, teas and more, please visit www.POMWonderful.com. Try their Pomegranate Blueberry, it’s delicious!

You can download OKGo’s track for the movie, “The Greatest Song I Ever Heard” on iTunes today! To learn more about the band, please visit http://www.okgo.net.

And as always, be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

The fifth entry in the The Fast & the Furious movie series opened recently to record numbers!

Fast Five, starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, set the all time record for an April movie opening day, with a reported $33.2 million for its Friday release, and also set the highest opening weekend totals for a movie in April ever by absolutely crushing its competition, pulling in an $83.6 million haul in the first three days!

Fast Five is the latest installment of the popular movie franchise with fast cars and incredible stunts that will blow the audience away. From the opening scenes, the film is a non-stop adrenaline rush, taking the characters from all over the world to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when the group finds themselves on the US Most Wanted list seeking refuge in South America.

Joining the series mainstays (Paul Walker and Vin Diesel) in this incarnation are recurring characters played by Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges (aka rapper Ludacris), the absolutely stunning Jordana Brewster and more. Having the familiar faces from previous films in the series was a very interesting touch, as characters whose paths have not crossed in the past all come together for one big score at the behest of Dominic Toretto (Diesel).

New to the series are Dwayne “The Rock Johnson” and the gorgeous Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, both of whom are working together to capture Toretto and his crew so they can be extradited to the United States. Also looking to make life difficult for the good guys is Brazilian crime lord Hernan Reyes, played by Joaquim de Almeida, and his henchmen, who will stop at nothing to ensure Toretto’s group fails in their mission.

Director Justin Lin, whose previous work includes the very underrated Better Luck Tomorrow as well as two of the previous movies in the series, does an incredible job at using the favelas of Brazil as a backdrop to tell the latest tale in the franchise.

From a jaw dropping opening action sequence to the final incredible chase scene, Lin takes audiences on a wild ride that keeps their heart pumping from beginning to end. The movie isn’t all just chase scenes and explosions though, and the film has more than a few scenes that give it a surprising amount of heart.

Lin, Diesel and the cast have to be lauded for their effort, as it shows on the big screen; Fast Five is easily the best of franchise, and might be the best movie of the year so far.

All of us here at Positively Celebrity were thoroughly entertained by Fast Five, and want you to check out Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and the rest of the cast in what is clearly one of the most fun movies of 2011! Catch it in IMAX for an even faster and more furious movie experience!

Be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity.

Lindsay Lohan is getting back on the big screen!

The talented actress, who has had a wild roller-coaster 2011, has signed on to play Kim Gotti, the daughter-in-law of mob boss John Gotti, Sr. in the upcoming movie Gotti: Three Generations. Lohan will be starring alongside film heavyweight John Travolta (who will be playing Gotti Sr, aka the Teflon Don), and Joe Pesci who is playing Gotti’s first in command, Angelo Ruggiero.

Gotti: Three Generations, marks the first headlining role Lohan has received since 2007’s I Know Who Killed Me, which was widely panned by critics and bombed nationwide (though I personally didn’t find it that bad).

The actress was previously working on the Linda Lovelace Story, but the producers of the film were having issues finding insurance for the actress due to her personal issues; Malin Ackerman was announced to play the role of Lovelace in lieu of Lindsay.

On the upcoming mob film, Lohan told the Associated Press: “I’m really excited to be back on set and clear up all the misinterpretations about me and show this is what I love to do. I think it’s such an iconic story. I’m honored to be working with John Travolta and Joe Pesci.”

Lohan’s deal actually landed her two films, the Gotti movie as well as an upcoming film which was written by veteran actor Chazz Palminteri. The actress did have a bit of drama with regards to the role of Kim Gotti though, as executive producer Mark Fiore had earlier dropped the actress from contention for the role due to negotiation problems with Lohan’s management group.

A quick phone call from Lindsay herself to Fiore quickly fixed things though, and Lohan secured the role in the film which is estimated for release in 2012.

“It was over. But Lindsay wanted to do this film so bad that she interceded, and she called up her managers and singlehandedly got everything going again,” Steve Honig, a spokesman for the film’s production company Fiore Films, told entertainment website TheWrap. We started the day she was not going to be in the film and talks had broken down, and we ended the day with her signing a two-picture deal. You never know what’s going to happen in Hollywood.”

Lohan told the Hollywood Reporter that she feels like she can relate to many of the mob women, stating “You don’t get to see the heart behind the story and the real side of people. I can relate to that because I think that I’ve been portrayed in a certain light. I just want to do my best to show what their family really went through.”

Marc Fiore said of the former child star, “We’re very pleased to have Lindsay on-board. She has been very enthusiastic about the Gotti project, and after resuming discussions with her, we were impressed by her commitment to the film and felt she would be a perfect Kim Gotti.”

All of us here at Positively Celebrity wish to congratulate Lindsay on her new gig and can’t wait to see her back where she belongs, on the big screen in theaters nationwide!

Be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

The gang of the raunchy teen comedy American Pie are teaming up once again for a new installment of the series!

The cast of the first three American Pie films (Chris Klein, Mena Suvari, Eugene Levy, Jason Biggs, Tara Reid, Allison Hannigan, Thomas Ian Nicholas and the hilarious Sean William Scott as Stifler) are reuniting for the fourth theatrical installment of the lucrative franchise, tentatively entitled American Reunion.

The franchise, which has grossed over $750 million worldwide for Universal from the first three movies alone, will be written and directed by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who collaborated previously on Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.

American Reunion will catch up with Jim and the gang at their 10 year high school reunion. Lots has happened to the group in the decade since their graduation from East Great Falls High School, including one character becoming a reality television show star, another an international world traveler and one a YouTube celebrity!

American Reunion will undoubtedly be full of scenes that will make us laugh, cringe and maybe even tear up a bit. The movie is estimated to be released for 2012, and will surely be one of the biggest hits of next summer!

All of us here at Positively Celebrity can’t wait to be updated on how Jim, Oz, Stifler and the gang have been spending the last decade, and couldn’t be more excited on the news of American Reunion!

And be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

In 1982, Walt Disney Studios took a chance on first-time producer Donald Kushner as well as first-time writer Steven Lisberger by making and releasing their science fiction film TRON.

The movie, deemed extremely risky by many studios and accordingly passed on, went on to bring in over $30 million at the box office and has become a groundbreaking cultural phenomenon. Ultimately, TRON influenced a whole generation of moviemakers to use CGI in their productions (including Pixar/Disney animation head John Lasseter) and has spawned TRON books, video games and a sequel that is easily one of the best movies ever made.

TRON: Legacy is a visually stunning, incredibly fast-paced roller coaster ride of a film that will have audiences loving every minute. The movie follows original TRON protagonist Kevin Flynn’s son, Sam Flynn, as he stumbles into the digital city his father created called “The Grid.”

From the moment Sam steps into this new world, he is drawn into the world of the programs — fighting for his life, learning the details of why his father disappeared 20 years prior, and much much more (which we won’t spoil for you!).

The story moves rapidly from the film’s start, and there is absolutely no slowing down. From beginning to end, TRON: Legacy doesn’t let up for a instant; it’s an action driven, wildly exciting 125 minutes of American film making at its very best.

Casting for TRON:Legacy was superb; with a strong line-up of recognizable stars and fast rising talent, the cast brings first-time director Joseph Kosinski’s movie to its full potential. Sam, the main character, is played by Garrett Hedlund, who turns in a strong performance as the lead.

Kevin Flynn’s role is reprised by Jeff Bridges, and the actor also doubles as CLU, his computerized counterpart in the world of The Grid.

Olivia Wilde plays Quorra, the wide-eyed, strikingly beautiful and deadly protege of Kevin Flynn.

Bruce Boxleitner returns as the loyal and stoic Alan Bradley,

and the cast is rounded out by Michael Sheen in the role of Castor, a scene-stealing Ziggy Stardust-esque club owner in The Grid. Sheen’s performance is particularly amazing as the Londoner, famous for his talent on the theatrical stage, is quite the believable madman on the silver screen.

The movie is presented in 3D, filled with mind-blowing visuals and special effects that once again will set the standard for science fiction films just as the original TRON did. In particular, the action sequences in The Grid’s coliseum stand out as phenomenal, with animation so well rendered that viewers won’t be able to help but forget that they are watching CGI, finding themselves lost in the brutal sports being played out on the screen.

The score for TRON: Legacy was put together by Daft Punk, the French electronica duo, and is well deserved of much critical acclaim. With a mix of synth as well as classical overtures (Daft Punk utilized an 89 person orchestra in the sountrack’s creation), the score for the film ranks as one of the best for the new millennium, on par with Hans Zimmer’s masterpiece soundtracks of “The Dark Knight” and “Inception”, as well as Andrew Kaiser’s amazing score for the independent film “Timer”.

Positively Celebrity gives TRON: Legacy a perfect 10/10. The strong cast, great story, amazing visuals, fast pace and incredible score make this movie the can’t-miss event of the year.

TRON: Legacy will be released everywhere on December 17. The movie’s soundtrack is available now, and is a definite must-have for any music lovers collection! All of us here at Positively Celebrity highly recommend TRON: Legacy, and can’t wait to see the amazing film again in IMAX 3D!

That’s the slogan for the entertainment company Cinespia, responsible for the summer outdoor movie screenings at Hollywood Forever Cemetery. Just about everyone in L.A. has at some point either gone or has thought about going to a screening at Hollywood Forever. And while it’s more chill than spooky, it’s also creepy to think that though ghosts the likes of Johnny Ramone, Tyrone Power, Cecil B. DeMille and others might not be close by, their decaying remains are.

I personally have attended screenings every year since I moved to this city, and the experiences have definitely changed over time. It seems that though the number of attendants is relatively the same, Cinespia has hired more people to work the field and run the grounds. But despite more people “helping” to coordinate the large masses of people toting their booze and Trader Joe’s goodies, going to a screening now can turn into one big hot chaotic mess if you don’t know how to navigate. So here are a few tips…

First off, parking inside the cemetery might seem like a good idea, but alas, it is not. It’s going to take you forever to get in as cars line up around the block and you’ll wind up not getting a good seat to watch the film. It will also take you forever to exit the cemetery because all of the drunk pedestrians aren’t watching where they’re going. Park in one of the residential areas and get yourself in line about a half hour before the gates open (check their website as times vary). You ARE allowed to bring booze, so coordinate that when packing your picnic. Thousands of people will be there, so if you have a weak bladder, make sure you sit close to the porta-poddies and can avoid trapsing through hundreds of people spreads. And lastly, just be aware and conscious of others around you. One inconsideration can ruin a groups entire experience.

Hurry! Summer’s almost over. Check out their website at Cinespia.org to see the rest of their line-up for the year. Enjoy the show people!

Finally Christian Bale and Johnny Depp, two of today’s most talented actors, are in one movie together. Even though this amazing duo is seldom in the same scene, both add something special to a very sexy and dangerous crime film.

Michael Mann is the director and transports audiences back to an era when robbing banks was the choice money making scheme. “Enemies” is about Melvin Purvis (Bale) the head FBI agent responsible for bringing John Dillinger (Depp), Public Enemy #1, to justice. The accomplices of Depp and Bale are a remarkable cast of actors and really make this ‘cat and mouse chase’ movie complete. Whether you love a good crime film or not – “Public Enemies” is a great escape from summer movie sequels.

The Good: – The Ensemble – Making up an FBI department as well as a “gang” of bank robbers needs more than Depp and Bale. The support characters in “Enemies” are understated yet are key to filling out the atmosphere and feel of the movie. They are an impressive bunch and include: Marion Cotillard (Academy Award Winner for “La Vie en Rose”), David Wenham (“Australia”), Stephen Dorff, Channing Tatum (“Stop-Loss”), Rory Cochrane (“CSI: Miami”), Emilie de Ravin (“Lost”), Billy Crudup, Giovanni Ribisi (“Perfect Stranger”), Domenick Lombardozzi (“The Wire”), and Shawn Hatosy (“Southland”), are just a few of the immensely talented crew.

- The Camera Work – One of the characteristics that stands out the most in “Enemies” is the cinematography. The documentary style filming helps bring the audience into the story more – it isn’t simply watching a bank robber’s life develop, instead it’s getting to live Dillinger’s life with him. Purvis’ story benefits as well because when the camera focuses on him, no matter how much you’re cheering on Dillinger, you want Purvis to catch his man.

- The Look – Michael Mann and the creative team of “Enemies” bring back the distinct 1930’s aesthetics without having to actually recreate much. A lot of the movie was filmed at Dillinger historical spots that are still standing today. Many of the locations, such as the Little Bohemia Lodge where Dillinger and some of his cohorts were found by Purvis and the FBI and the local for one of the major gun battles featured in the movie, are real buildings that are still open.

- The Music – Elliot Goldenthal has created noteworthy scores for movies like “Across the Universe” and “Frida.” For “Enemies” he has combined bad-boy, bluegrass type tunes with music from the era as well as piano ballads to help complete the mood of this movie.

- Christian Bale – Bale’s “Purvis” is a serious guy. He doesn’t smile much during the movie (maybe once when he’s gunning down a famous gangster), but the seriousness works because it plays both to Bale’s assets as an actor as well as the tone of the Purvis character.

- Johnny Depp – Depp’s Dillinger combines sexiness with a sense of real danger. It’s subtle, but sometimes there is a sense that Dillinger truly fears for his life and is genuinely hurt at the loss of friends. I feel like I got to know John Dillinger a little better due to yet another exceptional performance by Depp.

The Bad: – The Time-Span – “Enemies” is over an hour and a half long and could have used a couple more edits in post production to cut down the time a bit.

- What is True – Scenes like Dillinger meandering through the “Dillinger” FBI Department without a soul identify him and scenes such as people on the street waving at Dillinger while being driven to prison as if he’s a celebrity yet he goes unrecognized in a lit movie theater makes me question how much of the film truly represents real events.

- Purvis Perspective – More glimpses into Purvis’ personal life and more of his point of view would have added symmetry and evenness to the movie.

In The End: “Public Enemies” is an exciting film about two Depression era legends – one – a bank robber and the other a bank robber hunter. The entire team who created “Enemies” should be very proud. The talent can be seen in every aspect of the film – from the camera work, to the score, to the costumes and best of all –  the actors.

Life derails for Walter Garber, a NYC transit worker, when a former prisoner hijacks a subway train, takes hostages, demands money and demands only to talk with Garber. Tony Scott’s version of the 1974 film with the same title, “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” is full of action and passionate performances.

Both Denzel Washington (Garber) and John Travolta (Ryder) are full of energy throughout the film. The movie also stars Luis Guzmán, John Turturro, James Gandolfini, Alex Kaluzhsky, and Gbenga Akinnagbe. “Pelham” won’t be nominated for any awards, but it’s a captivating movie and a terrific opportunity to finally see these veteran actors, Washington and Travolta, acting together.

 The Good: - Denzel Washington – Going from playing an obnoxious crime boss to an inspirational debate teacher – Washington’s “Garber” adds “everyday man” to his recent resume. But Garber isn’t perfect, which makes the character even more appealing. Only Washington could give this character the sincerity needed to not come off as hammy. Would we expect anything else from the classy actor?   - John Travolta – I think the last time Travolta was this fuming in a movie was in “Face/Off” (or was that Nicholas Cage?). Covered in tattoos as “Ryder,” Travolta plays the wisecracking, angry-at-the-world subway hijacker impressively. It’s great to see Travolta and his acting talents back on movie screens (only this time without a dress).

- The Movie’s Pace – The story’s timing is well done – it’s not too long or too short. The plot progresses steadily and doesn’t get caught up with irrelevant details. “Pelham” gets to the point, and sticks to the point – and I like that in a movie.

- It’s An Action Movie Too – “Pelham” isn’t all talk – it’s not continuous negotiations or argument with Ryder, it’s not solely “what can they say next to make him stop.” Those theatrical elements are covered, but Scott has also offered audiences great action sequences complete with flipping cars, cop shoot outs, and a standoff!

The Bad: - Background Characters – Roger Ebert makes a great point, “This version occupies a denatured action-movie landscape, with no time for local color and a transit system control room that humbles Mission Control. That also may explain the film’s lack of time to establish the supporting characters, even Travolta’s partners.” I agree because, the lack of focus on the secondary characters establishes a lack of caring for them. However, putting more emphasis on them may have interrupted the film’s pacing and if that’s the case then I’ll pass – keep the movie the way it is.

- Slightly Over the Top – The cars flipping during collisions are a little dramatic, but it sure does make for an entertaining movie.   In The End: “The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3” will definitely keep audiences’ attention. But now that it’s competing with “Transformers 2” I think we’ll see it disappearing from theaters soon. However, make sure to catch it on DVD because Washington and Travolta’s performances shouldn’t be missed!

X-Men Origins: Wolverine was released in May in succession to the first three X-Men films and in prelude to the highly-anticipated Avengers film, which will be released in 2012.

As a kid, watching the show X-Men on T.V. to see Wolverine and my other favorites was a Saturday morning ritual. Now, to see his cinematic portrayal come to fruition indulges nostalgia.

The film’s opening credits coincide with a sequence that introduces Logan and his brother Victor, who we come to know as Wolverine and Sabertooth, respectively. The setting is 1840s Canada and the two young brothers flee their home and become professional soldiers, fighting in many wars such as the Civil War, WWI, WWII, and Vietnam. One could immediately detect the maudlin disposition of these two feathering pansies in the first twenty minutes.

After surviving an execution in one of the virtuous wars they so bestially fought in, Logan (Hugh Jackman) and his brother (Liev Schreiber) are approached by Colonel Stryker, who understands what they are. Stryker (Danny Huston) makes them an offer they can’t refuse; well they could refuse it, but that wouldn’t make for a very interesting story, would it? They agree to Stryker’s proposition and join his team. They do not realize that their agreement to help Stryker is a facade for a plan that will ultimately have relative consequence in the events that occur in the preceding X-Men films: the Weapon X program.

Logan and Victor fight alongside other mutants for Stryker’s cause before one day Logan decides that he no longer wants to be a part of the annihilation of innocent people. So he quits the team, much to the dismay of his manicure-needing older brother.

Logan escapes to the mountains of Canada, where he becomes a Brawny man-looking lumberjack and gains the love of a comely schoolteacher named Kayla (Lynn Collins), who licks his figurative wounds. Get it? Cause’ he regenerates. Through his intimate relationship with Kayla, he gains the inspiration for the moniker that is eventually dubbed to him.

However, his quiet life with the schoolteacher is vehemently interrupted when Sabertooth returns and Logan finds Kayla slain in his trail. Feeling the pain of love lost and enraged to avenge his fallen lover, he seeks answers from Stryker. Stryker explains to vindictive Logan that the only way to defeat Sabertooth is to work with him. After Logan agrees, he befalls the insidious will of Stryker and undergoes a procedure that renders his claws adamantium, making him virtually indestructible. The plot thickens…and from a pool of comatose recollections emerges….Wolverine.

Throughout the film, Wolverine and Sabertooth tussle in several scenes, some of which are charmingly graced by the presence of highly anticipated X-men favorites like Gambit (Taylor Kitsch), and Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds). Although Gambit is a tough character to portray well, Kitsch does it with aplomb. Ryan Reynolds integrates the comical charm of Van Wilder and the graceful swordsmanship seen in Blade: Trinity to do likewise. Liev Schreiber plays a ferocious Sabertooth, and appropriately portrays a formidable opponent for Hugh Jackman.

His performance is more memorable than that of that one dude’s from the first X-men films. And although it probably wouldn’t fit into the story, I would have liked to see Omega Red face off against his arch nemesis. Hugh Jackman is ultra jacked for the film. However, I don’t think the gruff machismo of Wolverine would approve of tanning. But aside from his spray-on tan and impotent howling, Jackman seems to pull it off.

Most people reviewed X-Men Origins: Wolverine unfavorably and said it has a dull storyline, and doesn’t compare to other superhero movies like Iron Man or The Dark Knight. While I agree the storyline is not strong, to compare it to other superhero films unrelated to the X-Men story is naive and presumptuous. The film sits comfortably in the company of the other X-Men films and its acts supersede many of the portrayals in the first three films. The action sequences are grippingly fun and flashy. If you’re an X-Men fan, see the movie…bub.