Red (2010)

"Still armed. Still dangerous. Still got it."

- Red

When I first saw the trailer to this movie, I knew it was a film I wanted to see. It seemed like a movie that had it all: action, humor, and a bit of heart. Plus, with an all star cast - why not? It was definitely worth the wait.

Going into the film, I must admit - I read many reviews about it. It was interesting to read how this movie was compared to "The Expendables" being that it's a movie filled with both action and humor. But, something told me this film was definitely going to be better than "The Expendables." I was right.

(Note: For those who are interested, I saw "The Expendables" - I wasn't very impressed. Yes, it had a lot of action with some great action sequences. But, that's about it. As far as the overall movie and storyline, it didn't really rank that high at the top of my list. Sorry, just my opinion (for the fans of the film).

So, why is this movie called "Red?" Good question.

"Red" is an acronym that stands for: Retired, Extremely Dangerous. And let me tell you, the characters portrayed in the movie are extremely dangerous. I especially enjoyed both Bruce Willis' (who plays Frank Moses) and John Malkovich's (who plays Marvin Boggs) performances.

At the heart of it, this is a movie about growing older. And, I think many people can relate to this film. Though growing old is a way of life for us all, it does not mean we become useless and life has to be dull.

Even though we may grow old physically, if we are still young in our minds then we will always remain young at heart. And, being young at heart will give us the ability to make ourselves useful again.

In a way, I think growing old gives us life experiences. With experience, comes knowledge. And, with knowledge comes wisdom.

In the movie, the wisdom of team "Red" really comes out through all the characters. Each bring experience to the table, each bring their strengths. And, I found it quite entertaining to see how each of the characters really showcased themselves in the film.

So many times, we're used to seeing movies that involve young, superhero types. But, this movie begs the question - what happens when these superheroes grow older? Are they still superheroes? Or, do they retire away to seclusion?

In a sense, I think it's a little bit of both. Though, it's quite a dramatic change to live the fast life and then all of a sudden retire back to seclusion. It's one of those things where it's hard to get away from the kind of life you're used to living.

So, it's no wonder why some return to their prior lives even though they are older. It just goes to show that you can grow old physically, but if you are young at heart - you will remain young in your mind forever.

If you're looking for an action type of movie with a bit of humor and some heart, I definitely recommend this one.

Film Gurl's 15 Minute Rule: PASS

(Note: For another perspective on the film, check out my pal Action Flick Chick's review. Thanks for reading!)

Happy movie watching!

p.s. Feel free to leave comments on any post either here and/or my Facebook Page. Comments are always welcome, thanks for reading!



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Hereafter (2010)

"What happens when we die?"

- Hereafter

Going into this film, I knew this was a different kind of movie. Since it's a film directed by Clint Eastwood, I knew this was a movie that was going to have meaning. I was right.

From the very beginning, this film captured my attention. The first couple of scenes were very intriguing and shocking at the same time. As the audience, you see what the characters sees as if you were in the situation yourself.

(Note: I won't ruin it for those who have not seen the movie, but let's just say there are situations depicted in the film where you think will never happen to you but they have to others. It's that real).

In a way, I think there are some who can relate to the film. It kind of makes you think and wonder, will this ever happen to me? For some, it has. And, for others it has not. But, for everyone else - we may know of someone or heard of someone we know where the unthinkable has happened to them. It's real. And, it's true.

The movie starts off by introducing different characters with three separate stories. And, these characters all have lives of their own - all in different parts of the world. But, as the movie progresses they all seem to experience the unknown. And, as fate may have it - all have something in common.

(Note: For those of you who have seen the movie, I thought the way the film unfolded and the way the stories were told were a bit like this movie).

On the surface, this may be a film that is viewed by some as a bit slow. Though some scenes may seem to be unnecessary on the exterior, I feel they added to the general tone and nature of the movie.

This is a movie that involves detail. And, it's one that's definitely important to pay attention to even the smallest things - they will connect and be quite relevant to the movie as it progresses.

I'm going to be honest, this is not a movie for everyone. It is for a much more sophisticated audience - it is a film that makes you think. It it not your typical Hollywood action type movie. It's truly a film that makes you wonder and think about the unknown.

It's a different kind of movie, not everyone will enjoy it. Those who are solely looking to be entertained with lots of action this is probably not for you. But, for those who are looking for a movie with meaning - you will not be disappointed.

As for the end of the film, I think Eastwood did a brilliant job in bringing everything together. If watching the film closely from beginning to end, you will understand the deeper meaning at the end and why he ended it the way he did.

(Note: For those who are Clint Eastwood fans, the movie's musical score is very "Eastwood" like in nature).

If you're in the mood for a different kind of movie with meaning that makes you think, I definitely recommend this one.

Film Gurl's 15 Minute Rule: PASS

Happy movie watching!

p.s. Feel free to leave comments on any post either here and/or my Facebook Page. Comments are always welcome, thanks for reading!



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The Social Network (2010)

Just recently, I went out and saw this film adapted from the book. Going into the movie, I had already had some background knowledge about the story since I had already read the book. I'm glad I did.

To be honest, this is really a film where you may need some background information about the story. For those interested in the movie, I highly recommend reading the book before seeing the movie. But, why?

The reason being is that the movie is really set in a way to introduce characters and events from the original story. It pans back and forth from present day to the past. And, without having any type of knowledge about the story and the characters one can get confused.

As for the film itself, there are some gaps in the movie as there are scenes presented that may not make sense to someone who is not familiar with the story. In a nutshell, I suggest reading the book before watching the movie to get a better understanding and feel for the story.

Regarding the storyline, I think it played true to the scenes and story presented in the book. Though, it seems like there were bits and pieces left out. With the time limit of film, it's understandable how some elements can be left out of a story.

With that being said, I think this film has a good story to tell. Though, I just feel it could have been done better.

This was not the great story I was hoping for. It seemed a bit jarred with bits and pieces, a little here and there. But, I just did not feel it had the "punch" it needed to be great. When it ended, my initial reaction was - "That's it?" To say the least, I was a bit disappointed.

(Note: For all the fans of the film, these are just my thoughts. To me, the movie just felt it lacked the "punch" to be great. Though, the trailer was done quite nicely).

The one thing that did stand out was the performance from both Jesse Eisenberg, who portrayed Mark Zuckerberg, and surprisingly Justin Timberlake, who portrayed Sean Parker. Both actors portrayed their respective roles superbly. I was very impressed with both of their performances.

Overall, this movie seemed a bit low budget in nature. The story was there but I feel it could have been presented better. At times, it just seemed like they threw in bits and pieces together - I just did not feel that it had enough zing to it. In a way, it seemed like it was trying to tell a story but the story was just not entirely presented in a way that it could have been great -it lacked emotion. It could have been done better.

(Note: For those who have seen the movie, it really reminds me of this movie that was a bit similar in nature. Though, it was not made for the big screen - it was a television type of movie).

If you've been thinking about seeing this film, I recommend it more as a rental. It was "ok," but lacked the punch it needed to be great. If the movie had the same quality and feeling of the trailer, I think it could have been great.

Though, that's the thing - the film lacked the emotion and "punch" it needed to tell a great story. To me, the way the story was told and its presentation was just mediocre in nature.

For those who are really wanting to see the film, I highly recommend reading the book before seeing the movie. And, for those who have been debating whether to see this in the theatre - I recommend it more as a rental.

Film Gurl's 15 Minute Rule: NEUTRAL

(Note: For those interested, check out this entertaining film spoof based on the movie. Enjoy!)

Happy movie watching!

p.s. Feel free to leave comments on any post either here and/or my Facebook Page. Comments are always welcome, thanks for reading!



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