The Last Mimzy

Rated: PG

Brought to you by OBS staff member Annabell Cadiz

Synopsis: When Noah (Chris O’Neil) and Emma Wilder (Rhiannon Leigh Wryn) discover a special box on the beach, they open it and unlock an exciting adventure beyond imagination. Inside they find Mimzy, a magical stuffed rabbit along with other mystical toys, which give the children exceptional powers of their own. Able to move objects with their minds and solve complex equations, these new wonder kids begin to attract the attention of their parents, teachers and even the FBI. Surrounding the phenomenon of Mimzy is an awesome secret-one that holds the key to saving the future of all mankind.

The Last Mimzy is a great movie for children. Full of magic and fantasy, kids will be drawn to the movie instantly. The movie also pulls mathematics and science together very well.

What I love the most about this film is how the purity and innocence of children is shown. Children are always able to see things more clearly and believe in the impossible more easily. The children can see the magic in the toys where none of the adults can.

The CGI effects are minimal but just enough. Children younger than ten wouldn’t be too interested in seeing this movie as it’s more a physiological film than action packed. The movie did feel a bit dragged out at some points but for the most part this is a movie that will open children’s minds to science and helping to take care of their planet.

Very cute movie.

Director: Bob Shaye

Running Time: 97 minutes

Rating: 9/10 stars

Just Like Heaven

Rated: PG-13

Brought to you by OBS staff member Annabell Cadiz

Just Like Heaven is centered around Elizabeth Masterson (Reese Witherspoon) who is consumed by her job at the hospital and her dreams of becoming a doctor. One night as she is heading to her sister’s house for dinner and a blind date setup, she has a head on collision with a truck while attempting to turn up her radio. Enter David (Mark Ruffalo), he’s depressed, broken hearted, and looking for a new apartment.

David ends up renting out Elizabeth’s apartment, her family does a month to month sublet. Elizabeth suddenly appears in the apartment, demanding David to leave. She then disappears right before his very eyes. David, via his friend, Jack (Donal Logue), who is a psychiatrist, believes he is hallucinating due from too much drinking. But Elizabeth returns again, determined to make David leave HER apartment. David gets the bright idea to go to a bookstore and read up on books about ghosts. He informs Elizabeth that she is dead but Elizabeth doesn’t believe him.

David continues on his journey to rid himself of Elizabeth’s spirit via priests, ghost busters, cleansers, and the kid from the bookstore, Darryl (Jon Heder), who helped him find the books about spirits. Darryl informs David that Elizabeth isn’t dead, something else is going on with her. Elizabeth comes to find out from Darryl, David had lost his wife. David and Elizabeth set out on a journey together to discover what has really happened to Elizabeth, and through that journey David finds more than just healing his broken heart.

Reese Witherspoon and Mark Ruffalo have wonderful chemistry together. The constant bickering and arguing and sarcastic comments will have you laughing out loud. The crazy antics they get into in order to discover Elizabeth’s story are just as amusing. There are also heartfelt moments throughout the movie: Ruffalo’s character revealing how he lost his wife, Witherspoon’s character fighting to remember who she is and discovering truth’s about herself, add charm to the movie without being dry or over dramatic.

Ruffalo is a pleasure to watch; he is an excellent comedic actor. Witherspoon proves she can venture into more than just drama, matching Ruffalo scene for scene like an old pro. Even though the plot is a bit predictable, there are still enough twists to keep the movie interesting and entertaining. The romantic scenes are lovely and intimate.

Just Like Heaven is a light and enjoyable romantic comedy for both men and women.

Running Time: 1 hour and 35 minutes

Director: Mark Waters

Rating: 9/10 stars

The Deaths of Ian Stone

Rated: R

Written by OBS Staff Member Rose

The Deaths of Ian Stone was released in 2007 as part of the After Dark Horror Fest 8 Films To Die For and directed by Dario Piana (who is directing The Lost Boys: The Thirst) I found The Deaths of Ian Stone on Fearnet Free on Demand (my go to place for horror movie watching when I’m in the mood for a good scare). I am usually disappointed in half of the films I find because they’re just so silly, gory and the story lines are so played out. I wasn’t expecting to “get into” this dark, horror tale, of a guy, Ian Stone (Mike Vogel) who life ends (by murder) at exactly the same time each day and begins anew the next.

Thinking I found a hidden gem in a low-budget horror film, I was excited and intrigued by the interesting science fiction-like concept. Finally something different! I was in fact correct in my assumption but found it poorly executed. I say this only because it has a SyFy Channel air about it and I find movies on that channel amateurish. Maybe I’m spoiled.

The only thing that remains constant in Ian Stone’s “lives” is his girlfriend Jenny (Christina Cole) from his first life in college. But she doesn’t remember him in his new lives. In every new life he is being hunted by dark creatures that can turn into human form, who want him dead for reasons unknown, until more than half way through the film.

One such creature/human is Medea, played by Jaime Murray, (Dexter’s psycho ex-girlfriend, Lila Tourney, on the series of the same name), so we all know she plays crazy perfectly. Her performance was over the top, but so was her turn as Lila.

Certain scenes reminded me of Butterfly Effect in the sense that every time Ian Stone wakes up after being murdered, something has changed drastically about him in his new life. In other words it gets worse and worse.

Ian’s main focus throughout the film is trying to figure out who these creatures are, why they want to constantly murder him and protecting his girlfriend Jenny. One key to it all is remembering who he really is.

SyFy Channel movie distain aside, I did enjoy this film and just wished it had a bigger budget because it could have been badass as opposed to not that bad at all.

If you have Fearnet on Demand you can watch it now, if not, it’s worth the rental.

Running Time: 87 minutes

Rating: 6/10

Written by OBS Staff Member Rose

If your looking to get your socks blown off by some fantastical upgrade in Predators directed by Nimród Antal, you’ll be disappointed.  In this sequel to the 1987 film Predator, no matter how things change they more they remain the same. Changes include the eight new stereotypical characters running through the jungle together.

Adrien Brody is the new Schwarzenegger, named Royce, replete with major abs. You can tell Brody worked his ass off chest off to get this part. What a transformation! The remaining seven are Edwin (Topher Grace) the one who ‘doesn’t belong in this picture’. Not the film itself, just the odd man out. Isabelle (Alice Bragga), the token female who can also kick some ass, Stans (Walter Boggins) the typical loose canon of any bunch, Chuchillo (played by Danny Trejo) who I think is in every action movie ever made, Hanzo (Louis Ozawa Changchein) the sword wielding Asian dressed in a suit, Mombasa (Mahershalalhashbaz Ali) the African renegade, and last but not least, Nikolai, the token Russian, (played by Oleg Takterov, who usually portrays the bad guy but in this flick he’s actually a sweetheart). It’s the United Nations of trained killers plunked down on a mysterious island.

Soon they learn they are actually the ‘game’ on this wild island preserve. Cue commentary from each character formulating their predicament and what to do. Next, the pick off. You know people will die. It is just who goes first and who ends up surviving and what kind of tactics they use to survive.

That my friends is the movie is a nutshell.  The only advances in Predators are new Predators and their pets. I won’t say anymore.

The performances from the cast were standard all around, nothing Oscar worthy.  Because this film is a sequel to the much loved ‘guys action blow stuff up movie’ with Mr. Ahhhnold, I can see why they are in talks for yet another sequel to this film.  I won’t lie, I watch Predator every time it comes on cable. But how many times can we watch tactically trained humans run around getting killed off by the same butt ugly alien and still find it fun and unique?

Hollywood needs to learn when to let go. Between Predator, Alien vs Predator, AVPR, Predators and now another in the probable works…I smell the stench of Friday the 13^th all over  this. Oh yea, but the sweet perfume of mo’ money from remakes covers up the smell of a dead horse. I forgot. (Wink.)

As much as I’m knocking the knock-offs themselves…I still enjoyed the film.

Rated: R

Running time: 107 minutes

Rating: 7/10

Bought to you by OBS staff member Annabell Cadiz

Warning–There are some spoilers in the review!

Review: The movie begins with Balthazar Black (Nicolas Cage) narrating the story as he and his fellow sorcerer’s fight against the evil sorcerer Morgana (Alice Krige). Merlin, Balthazar’s master and teacher, falls due to Maxim Horvath’s (Alfred Molina), Balthazar’s best friend, betrayal. Veronica (Monica Bellucci) another one of Merlin’s students, performs a “Soul Merging” spell that traps herself and Morgana within one body. Balthazar is able to lock away Morgana and Horvath into a nesting doll. Before Merlin dies he tells Balthazar there is another meant to take his place, the “Prime Merlinian,” and Balthazar needs to find him. Merlin gives him a ring that will help him to do so. Balthazar then sets out to find the one who is meant to stop Morgana from being freed and destroying the world.

Now, I must admit, at the beginning I was very reluctant to see this movie. By the trailers I figured it would be too predictable and with a corny love story. Confession: I WAS SO WRONG!

Yes, the storyline to a certain degree is predictable and there is a slight love story but that didn’t take away my enjoyment. The visual effects alone were impressive! A paper dragon being turned into a real one. Confetti being used like a fog. A giant metal eagle being formed from the top of a building. The visual effects flowed seamlessly. You don’t end up feeling like you’re watching a movie soaked in graphics which is always a plus in my book because now a days every movie has some form of CGI technology thrown in and not all of them are worth the money.

The acting in this movie was wonderful! Nicolas Cage ROCKED MY SOCKS! He proves yet again why he’s such a sought after actor. He’s zany and quirky and pulls off his sarcasm like a pro. Alfred Molina’s performance was beautifully done. He makes being a bad guy look like so much fun. And Jay Baruchel, who plays the apprentice Nicolas Cage character Balthazar needs, is PERFECT as the shy science geek. His facial expressions alone had me rolling in my seat. He managed to keep the humor along with Nick Cage, without being cheap or forced. Jay managed to pull off the awkward, shy, slightly oblivious, nerd well! All nerds everywhere (I included) will LOVE this movie!

If you’re looking for a really good family film to take the little ones to then The Sorcerer’s Apprentice should be the one you go watch! Or even if you’re looking for a movie that’s filled with good actors, great visual effects, humor that will have you convulsing in your seat then this is your movie! So GO WATCH IT! RIGHT NOW!

Rating: PG

Running Time: 121 minutes

Directed By: Jon Turteltaub

Rating: 10/10

Written by OBS Staff Member Rose

Five friends go to a remote cabin in the woods for a relaxing weekend.  They find an old tape recorder with recordings of demonic incantations from The Book of the Dead. Unbeknownst to them, as they listen to the tape they are in fact awakening the demons from the woods and one by one they become possessed.

Review

Evil Dead is written and directed by horror king Sam Raimi and stars Bruce Campbell (a high school friend of Raimi’s). Sam started the project when he was still a student at Michigan State University. The idea was to produce the most shocking and horrific film in history to date; that date being 1982.

I have never seen the film prior to today and I was intrigued at what was considered grueling horror over 20 years ago. For its time, the film was extremely controversial for its graphic violence and gore.

I found it absurdly gruesome and quite funny. My favorite comical piece of dialogue was early on in one scene, a basement door in the floor opens by itself. Everyone is standing around staring into it and Scotty, one of the two guys says, “What’s down there” to which one of the girls replies “Whatever it is, it’s still down there”. No kidding! I simply loved the black humor throughout this movie.  My biggest gripe is some scenes took way to long to culminate. The Evil Dead would be perfect for the Starz Bunnies Movies in 30 Seconds satires. Friends go to cabin, girl gets possessed, gets locked up in basement, all friends get possessed, Ash tries to kill everyone even though he’s a woos, done, end of film.

The use of odd camera angles that enhanced certain scenes caught my attention right away. Sam Raimi definitely knew a thing or two about directing almost fresh out of school. Most of the acting was amateur but hey they weren’t really “actors” yet at all. Bruce Campbell stayed true to form with the films next two sequels. He carries over the same tongue-in-cheekiness and anti-hero personae he had in this film, which is what he became known for, or at least how I came to perceive him, especially after viewing Army of Darkness.

The scene in the woods where Cheryl gets raped by the actual woods was the most disturbing part of the film. On the humorous side watching her getting violated by a tree branch just had me thinking of the splinter factor. On the dark side, it was just so bizarre and quite misogynistic, however B horror flicks of that era (mid 70’s to early 80’s) usually were.

With the budget allotted, a pretty good job was done effects wise (for it’s time). I will continue to say that because by today standards it can’t hold a flame. Wigs are obvious, as is the latex facial prosthetics, and the makeup looks like Tammy Fay Baker applied it. Don’t get me wrong just because adults might find it ridiculous yet fun, doesn’t mean anyone under 17 should view it, it’s quite over the top and grotesque. Even the movie poster warned the public of this.

In all fairness, Sam Raimi was well ahead of his time. He set the standard for horror films to constantly push the envelope. I’m curious to see how the remake will be in 2010. If they keep the rape scene, throw in as much preposterous gore as the original and add 21st century effects capability, it’ll make House of 1000 Corpses look like Sesame Street.

If you want a comparison between the remake and the original check this film out. Just remember you get the era you pay for.

Rating: 8.5/10 stars

Running time: 85 minutes

Rated: NC-17 for substantial graphic horror violence and gore.