Director Justin Lin brings the sixth installment to the Fast & ...]]> The Fast & Furious franchise is certainly a peculiar one. An extremely fun time at the theatres, no doubt about that, but how is it that average-ranking films about racecars, muscle guys and half-naked women make its way to blockbuster status? Usually a series of films doesn’t last this long, especially when the third installment didn’t involve a single member of the original cast. But the Fast & Furious franchise slowly transformed from movies about racing cars to action-packed heist films and added tons of star power in the mix.

Director Justin Lin brings the sixth installment to the Fast & Furious franchise to life just two years after releasing Fast Five. It’s been 12 years since the original film The Fast and the Furious debuted in 2001, which was followed by 2 Fast 2 Furious, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Fast & Furious. And be prepared Fast & Furious 7 is set for a release sometime next year.

The Fast & Furious franchise succeeded at the box office because fans enjoy watching its charismatic characters, insane action sequences and beautiful fast cars. With each additional film (even Tokyo Drift), the writers have been able to add at least one memorable character into the mix, making the recent Fast films the best of the franchise.

Fast 6 reunites the original crew including Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker), Mia (Jordana Brewster) and Letty (Michelle Rodriguez). Almost everyone from Fast Five returns including Ludacris, Tyrese Gibson, Gal Gadot, Sung Kang and Elsa Pataky.

Agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson) gathers Toretto and his team to take down a former Special Ops soldier Owen Shaw (Luke Evans). Hobbs has a new partner, Riley (Haywire’s Gina Carano), who helps fill in Toretto about Shaw’s vehicular warfare crimes. As we’ve figured out from the trailers, Letty is back, even though everyone thought she died in a car crash in Fast & Furious. Letty is now linked to Shaw, which confuses the heck out of her ex-hubby Toretto, who thought she was gone for good.

It’s no secret that Fast 6 is action-packed, but there is one scene that stands out above the rest. The best scene in the film involves the Fast crew taking down a rogue tank on a highway. It’s crazy, yes, but Vin Diesel and Tyrese really make this scene work. Diesel has created such a memorable character as the strong and furious Toretto and Tyrese brings us tons of comedic relief as the egotistical Roman. Out of all the characters, these two were the most notable in the film.

And yes, most of the action scenes in the Fast films are over-the-top, but the scene involving the airplane (there is a short clip shown in the trailer) is almost too implausible to be considered cool. It lasts almost ten minutes longer than it should and its crowded by all the fighting going on inside and outside of the plane. That runway just lasts forever and it ends up hurting what is supposed to be the most climatic scene of the movie.

Although its not as good as its predecessor, with all the colorful cars, zealous characters and energetic action sequences, Fast & Furious 6 will please fans and attract new ones.

The Hangover Part III is a step up from the sequel, has a few good laughs, but nothing can touch the first film of the Wolfpack franchise. Although I enjoyed much of Part III, the sequels should have never been made, as nothing can live up to the first film that is a masterpiece.

The first Hangover debuted in 2009 and is one of the funniest films I’ve ever seen. The cinematography is beautiful, the screenplay witty and the actors create a group so memorable and ...]]> Note: Stay after the initial end credits for one of the best scenes in the franchise.

The Hangover Part III is a step up from the sequel, has a few good laughs, but nothing can touch the first film of the Wolfpack franchise. Although I enjoyed much of Part III, the sequels should have never been made, as nothing can live up to the first film that is a masterpiece.

The first Hangover debuted in 2009 and is one of the funniest films I’ve ever seen. The cinematography is beautiful, the screenplay witty and the actors create a group so memorable and fun that Danny Ocean’s boys would be jealous. As much as I wish the first film were left alone, Part III makes for a fine conclusion to the wild series and wraps everything up nicely for the fans.

Part III picks up where Part II left off (in Thailand); Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong) makes a prison break in quite a hysterical opening scene, eventually making his way to Tijuana. Meanwhile back in Los Angeles, in the aftermath of Alan’s (Zach Galifianakis) father’s death, his family and friends decide to stage an intervention. After all, he is 42 years old and still living in his parents’ house.

Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan’s brother-in-law Doug (Justin Bartha) agree to take Alan to a hospital to get treatment for his issues. While the guys are driving to the hospital, they get run over by a gang, led by bad guy Marshall (John Goodman). Marshall is looking for Chow and believes that the “Woldpack” can find him, since Alan has remained in contact with him via email. Marshall and his boys kidnap Doug and threaten to kill him if they don’t find Chow.

There are a lot of funny scenes in Hangover III, but there are also a lot of dark and disturbing ones, particularly the scenes with animal violence (which is just completely unnecessary). The screenplay, written by the director Todd Phillips and Craig Mazin, has some pretty wild scenes including ones surrounding a giraffe, a chicken and a pair of dogs. These scenes are supposed to come off as funny, but they come off as cruel and unneeded, which ends up hurting the film. What happened to the light and cheery scenes that made the first one comedic genius?

The references to the first film are quite enjoyable. I particularly liked the scene where we see the lovely escort Jade (Heather Graham) and her son Tyler, who is now 4 years old. It’s the same baby, by the way, and he is adorable. I can’t be the only one that wanted Stu to end up with Jade, right? Alan and Tyler have a lovely (and weird) moment in the living room that is too precious. It’s a perfect “awe” moment. There are also some cameos of characters from the first film that won’t be given away in this review, but keep on the lookout for them!

The scene after the credits is hysterical! It’s a wonder why the screenwriters didn’t write that plot point into the story mid-way through and finish the film from that point on. It probably would’ve been a much funnier and less dark close to the trilogy.

If you’re a fan of the first one, or for some reason a fan of the sequel, go see Part III at a matinee. The references to the first film and Bradley Cooper’s blue eyes alone are worth the price of admission. Todd Phillips gives us a fine close to the story, but it really could’ve been so much more memorable.

Oh, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto…how I love these two on screen together. In possibly one of the best bromances of the last decade, Pine and Quinto were practically born to play James Kirk and Spock, respectively. I was never a “Trek” fan growing up, but when I first saw director J.J. Abrams’s 2009 film Star Trek, I was speechless. Star Trek is ...]]> Note: See the film in IMAX 3D. The IMAX screen adds a wonderful layer to the story and although the 3D was converted, it looks better than many films actually shot in 3D. This is a spoiler-free review.

Oh, Chris Pine and Zachary Quinto…how I love these two on screen together. In possibly one of the best bromances of the last decade, Pine and Quinto were practically born to play James Kirk and Spock, respectively. I was never a “Trek” fan growing up, but when I first saw director J.J. Abrams’s 2009 film Star Trek, I was speechless. Star Trek is an excellent film because it speaks to both hardcore Trekkies and new fans that don’t know a thing about the story.

Abrams continues the story in an appropriately action packed sequel that fans will love. With that being said, Star Trek Into Darkness was one of my most anticipated films of the year and I have to say that my expectations were matched.

The opening sequence of Into Darkness doesn’t match up with the opening sequence of its predecessor led by George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth) and Michael Giacchino’s lovely lyrical score, but its still damn good. Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) and his first officer Spock (Zachary Quinto) lead a mission to rescue a planet that is danger of being destroyed by a massive volcano rupture. Kirk saves Spock’s life, which triggers their hilarious and touching relationship that grounds the film.

The crew of the Enterprise is called back home, but when a rogue officer John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch) detonates a bomb in one of the fleet buildings it leaves their world in a state of panic. Kirk, who has a personal vengeance to fry with Harrison, asks Admiral Marcus (Peter Weller) if he and his crew can single handedly go after the officer and bring him back to serve justice.

Every actor in this Star Trek franchise portrays the famous characters beautifully. It’s clear this is Pine and Quinto’s film, but the new villain played by Benedict Cumberbatch is beyond amazing. It’s hard to be the newbie and compete with other actors on screen, but Cumberbatch is incredible in this role. His voice and presence will exceed fans’ expectations. The British actor gives multiple layers to the villain, which is the brilliance of his performance. He makes the audience care for his character and understand why he is doing this to the star fleet.

As much as Into Darkness is a fantastic film, it doesn’t quite top Star Trek. The reason the 2009 film is better than the sequel is because the screenplay allows for more character development and it is less action-heavy. Some of the best scenes in both films involve just a simple conversation between two characters. My favorite scenes in Into Darkness were of Kirk and Spock just talking and joking around. The pair’s chemistry is what grounds the sequel and as an audience, we love coming back to them and seeing what they are going to get into next.

The visuals are striking, Giacchino’s score dazzles, Abrams goes lens-flare crazy, and the actors exceed expectations in continuing their characters. Cumberbatch proves he is a force to be reckoned with in this sequel, no pun intended.

Luhrmann’s Great Gatsby is spectacular, whimsical and daring. What’s more, Hollywood’s most versatile actor Leonardo DiCaprio delivers one of the best performances of the year as the charming and mysterious Jay Gatsby. We aren’t even halfway through 2013, but it’s pretty certain that The Great Gatsby will be one of the best films of the year.

The 1974 film starring Robert Redford and ...]]> If you are a fan of director Baz Luhrmann’s previous films Romeo & Juliet and Moulin Rouge, I don’t see how you will be disappointed or underwhelmed by his take of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous novel, “The Great Gatsby.”

Luhrmann’s Great Gatsby is spectacular, whimsical and daring. What’s more, Hollywood’s most versatile actor Leonardo DiCaprio delivers one of the best performances of the year as the charming and mysterious Jay Gatsby. We aren’t even halfway through 2013, but it’s pretty certain that The Great Gatsby will be one of the best films of the year.

The 1974 film starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow (in the worst performance of her career) was considered a major letdown and it’s needless to say that this Gatsby has been a much-anticipated film for quite some time. Luhrmann’s Gatsby was set for a Christmas 2012 release, but was pushed to a Summer 2013 release, which makes much more sense considering the story takes place during a very hot New York summer. Warner Brothers pushed the release date back because they didn’t want their film competiting against their other 3D film, The Hobbit. Even though the film was shot in 3D, it doesn’t add much and with the vibrant colors it makes sense to see it in 2D, which is the way I would like to see the film again.

The film begins in a very Moulin Rouge fashion, as we are introduced to our writer Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire). Carraway left the Midwest and moved to New York City in the spring of 1922, where the stocks are climbing, the Jazz Age is blossoming and everyone party-hardys. Nick moves into a modest cottage on Long Island next door to the mysterious rich party-host Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio). Across the bay live Nick’s cousin Daisy Buchanan (Carey Mulligan) and her brute of a husband Tom (Joel Edgerton). Between visiting his cousin’s mansion, hanging with Tom in the city and attending parties at Gatsby’s, Carraway discovers their secrets, dreams and illusions that eventually lead down a path of unthinkable tragedy.

There’s much to be celebrated about The Great Gatsby: the performances, the major themes of the 1925 novel coming to life on-screen, the eclectic soundtrack, Catherine Martin’s spot-on costumes and production design and Luhrmann’s striking colorful visuals. But let’s start by oozing over our main man, Leo.

Leonardo DiCaprio gives one of the most memorable performances of his established career (and my favorite of his in recent years) as the mysterious party host Gatsby. When we are introduced to the character of Gatsby in the film, it’s definitely one of the greatest reveals in recent memory. DiCaprio has the perfect smile, presence and hopeful glare that Gatsby should have. He is so perfect as the title character, I forgot about all his past characters when watching the film, he was just Gatsby. It’s clear that DiCaprio just “gets” Gatsby.

Tobey Maguire, who we last saw in one of the worst films of 2012: The Details, is spot-on as our young narrator Nick Carraway. Gatsby could be quite the comeback that Maguire has been looking for. It’s in the scenes where Maguire doesn’t even have many lines that you understand the brilliance of his performance. Carraway is our narrator, seeing every secret unfold and his reactions are just the way I pictured his when reading the novel. Bravo Mr. Maguire!

Carey Mulligan in wonderful and gives a connectivity to Daisy Buchanan that we have not seen before. She also does one of the best American accents in the business and her carefree flowing rich girl voice in Gatsby is unforgettable.

Australian actress Elizabeth Debicki came out of nowhere and completely dazzles in this film as Jordan Baker. Ms. Baker represents the carelessness of the rich and famous during that time and she’s darn good at it too. One of the major themes in the novel shines through directly in her performance as the snobby, careless and dishonest tennis player. Her cold portrayal won’t soon be forgotten and it would be wise for other directors to scoop this beautiful lady up.

Luhrmann’s wife Catherine Martin designed the costumes and production design for Gatsby. The flowing ‘20s dresses, headpieces as well as Gatsby’s colorful suits blend perfectly with the scenery. When Gatsby starts throwing his shirts around, in one of the most memorable scenes in the book, we couldn’t picture it any other way and it’s done beautifully here.

Only Luhrmann can put a modern soundtrack featuring Jay-Z, Beyonce, Fergie, Gotye and a beautiful ballad sung by Lana Del Rey (“Young and Beautiful”) over a 1920s story and make it work. I dare you not to be obsessed with the film’s love theme song after the film’s over. It’s absolutely perfect as Gatsby and Daisy’s theme and Luhrmann uses it consistently throughout the film.

The Great Gatsby is likely to be misunderstood as a silly spectacle, too modernized to truly depict Fitzgerald’s “great American novel.” While it may not be the typical take on the famous novel, you can’t deny that its major themes exude from the screen, Luhrmann’s visuals are breathtaking, Martin’s costumes incredible and DiCaprio is better than ever.

Iron Man 3 is the first of several anticipated films of Summer 2013. Let me say, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Fast & Furious 6, The Hangover: Part III and the rest of the summer blockbusters have a lot to live up to now that the final installment to the Iron Man ...]]> Note: I saw this film in 3D, but would not recommend seeing it in 3D since it wasn’t shot that way and doesn’t add to the film. See it in 2D and save a few bucks! Stay after the credits for a nice little surprise. This is a spoiler-free review.

Iron Man 3 is the first of several anticipated films of Summer 2013. Let me say, Star Trek: Into Darkness, Fast & Furious 6, The Hangover: Part III and the rest of the summer blockbusters have a lot to live up to now that the final installment to the Iron Man series is out in theatres. Surely one of the best summer flicks we will see this year, Robert Downey Jr. lives up to the hype as he returns to the role of his career: Tony Stark.

Iron Man 3 has all the essentials a superhero film should have: a badass, funny and charming superhero, a beautiful and strong sidekick (who just happens to be female in this film!), tons of action and unforgettable moments that take your breath away. After watching this film on the big screen, its quite possible that Iron Man could be my favorite Avenger.

Iron Man 3 picks up right where The Avengers left off. Tony stark (Downey Jr.) is suffering from post-traumatic stress syndrome after suffering a near-fatal attack when saving the world with the rest of the Avengers. He has gotten less involved with Stark Industries and has left most of the decision making up to his girlfriend Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow). It looks like he is scaling back on the Iron Man suit too, leaving saving the world to his friend Col. James Rhodes (Don Cheadle).

There’s a new enemy in the universe, an international terrorist known as Mandarin (Ben Kingsley). Mandarin bombs public places to get the attention of the government and there may be a connection to Mandarin and scientist Aldrich Killian (Guy Pearce). But when an attack hits close to home and Stark’s buddy Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau, who also directed Iron Man 1 & 2) falls into a coma after a bombing in Los Angeles, Stark vows to seek revenge against the Mandarin.

Downey Jr. gives one of the best (and most fun!) performances of the year! The actor continues to bring life to the comic book hero by giving him several layers of heroism. He makes Tony Stark so easy to connect to, even though he is an egotistical billionaire, because he is able to create a balance of vulnerability and strength.

Gwyneth Paltrow is equally as engaging as the lovely Pepper Potts. “The most beautiful woman in the world” gets her rear in gear in this final installment of Iron Man, or so she says here in an interview with Geek Nation. Paltrow finally gets to wear the suit in this film and the results are just amazing.

As much as I adore Guy Pearce as an actor (how unforgettable was his performance in 2012’s Lawless??), he was overused in this film. Without giving away any spoilers, I don’t think anyone thought his character was going to have as big of a role as he did in this film. And it’s not that I don’t want to see Mr. Pearce on screen, it’s just his character kept doing the same things over and over again in each scene, which made it a bit repetitive. I kept saying to myself, let’s cut back to Gwyneth or Robert!

As much as Iron Man is probably the best film in the franchise, Iron Man 3 could be my favorite since its funny, action-packed, touching and the chemistry between Downey Jr. and Paltrow is impeccable.

Adapted from the 2006 French film Mon frére se marie, screenwriter and director Justin Zackham (screenwriter for The Bucket List) brings together massive star power, which ...]]> It’s completely acceptable to watch and enjoy a predictable, fun, feel-good romantic comedy. But if that comedy is manipulative and treats the viewers as children, then it cheapens the film, making it unbearable to watch. There are two main problems with The Big Wedding: the screenplay treats the audience as idiots, inserting plot devices just to move the story forward; and it wastes the talents of fine actors like Robert De Niro and Diane Keaton.

Adapted from the 2006 French film Mon frére se marie, screenwriter and director Justin Zackham (screenwriter for The Bucket List) brings together massive star power, which includes Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Robin Williams, Katherine Heigl, Amanda Seyfried, Ben Barnes and Topher Grace.

The question is, “Why would such talented actors sign on to participate in what could be one of the worst movies of the year?” The answers are quite simple: they all wanted to work with each other and in the end, its just another payday in Hollywood.

The wedding in Big Wedding surrounds a young couple, Alejandro (Ben Barnes) and Missy (Amanda Seyfried) who are coming up on their last days before the nuptials. They attend their final couple’s meeting with Father Moinighan (Robin Williams, playing the same character in 2007’s License to Wed), who painfully pushes the Catholic faith on Alejandro. Alejandro’s adoptive parents Don (Robert De Niro) and Ellie (Diane Keaton) have been divorced for 15 years and Don now lives with long-time girlfriend Bebe (Susan Sarandon).

Alejandro’s biological and Catholic mother Madonna (Patricia Rae) decides to fly in to attend her son’s wedding, which puts Alejandro in a tizzy since he never told her about his adoptive parents’ divorce. Alejandro convinces his parents to pretend they are married during the wedding weekend in order to keep his biological mother happy.

Naturally Bebe gets upset and storms out, leaving Don and Ellie to play house again. Although Bebe seems to have been a big part of Al’s and his siblings (Katherine Heigl and Topher Grace) lives, she still leaves, something that a woman who deeply cared for these children would never do.

As stupid and tedious as The Big Wedding is, it does prove how fine of an actor De Niro is. It’s no surprise that the best scenes in the movie were the ones that included him, showing how the Oscar winner can take a crap screenplay and lift it up a little, even making his silly character quite likable.

The Big Wedding reminds us of 2009’s It’s Complicated mixed with 2002’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding, except those films were entertaining and served their purpose well in the movie world.

With that said, I now I have to say that Pain & Gain might be my least favorite of Bay’s movies. It’s not that it was poorly directed, its not that the talent ...]]> I want to be clear from the get-go here. I’m a Michael Bay fan and I’m proud to say it. Armageddon, Transformers, The Rock and Pearl Harbor are all good, entertaining films, and the action-packed director doesn’t deserve a lot of the hate he gets from critics. In fact, I think Armageddon is in the top 5 most played movies on cable TV. Good for you Michael Bay.

With that said, I now I have to say that Pain & Gain might be my least favorite of Bay’s movies. It’s not that it was poorly directed, its not that the talent wasn’t fantastic in the beefy roles, its that fact that I’m not sure the subject matter was as funny in real life as it was written in the screenplay.

Also, its important to note near the beginning of this review, comedic actress Rebel Wilson makes any movie better. She’s fantastic as Anthony Mackie’s wife in the movie.

Pain & Gain is based on the insane true story of three men Daniel Lugo (Mark Wahlnerg), Paul Doyle (The Rock) and Adrian Doorbal (Anthony Mackie) who attempt to live the American dream in 1990s Miami. Daniel is a personal trainer and with the advice of a self-help guide (Ken Jeong) he figures out a plan to gain a lot of money quickly without having to do any work to earn it. The plan involves kidnapping and a lot of illegal stuff that eventually puts the trio in a violent frenzy.

When I say violent, I mean violent, disgusting and unthinkable things happen in this story that are hard to believe happened in real life. We’re talking about Kill Bill violent here, only this is based on a true story, so be prepared if you’re going to take your kid to this movie thinking it’s “just an action film.”

The Rock gives the most surprising performance of his career as Paul Doyle. Between the hilarious lines of dialogue (and coke) he says in this film, its clear The Rock had a blast playing this character and completely dove into the subject matter. This is the wrestling star’s third movie released in 2013 (with Snitch and G.I. Joe: Retaliation) and it’s definitely his most memorable performance of the year… so far. We can expect to see the muscleman in the sixth installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, due May 24, 2013.

Michael Bay’s Pain & Gain certainly deserves another viewing or two and call me crazy, but I’d rather watch his action-spectacle films over this one any day. Oddly enough after I finished writing this review, I’m now in the mood to watch Transformers. Hmm maybe Pain & Gain had a purpose after all?

Wait to rent the Blu-ray of Pain & Gain over watching it in the theatre; you might like it enough for a Saturday afternoon viewing party.

A sci-fi thriller should leave questions unanswered and up for speculation, that just comes with the genre; but if you’re questioning the plot for half of the film, the experience becomes frustrating rather than entertaining. It’s no secret that the visuals in Oblivion are breathtaking and Cruise’s performance noteworthy, but the screenplay is a little too confusing for its own good.

It’s the year 2077, Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) is a security repairman stationed with his ...]]> Oblivion may leave a lot of viewers confused, but one thing’s for sure about director Joseph Kosinski’s (TRON: Legacy) newest sci-fi film: Tom Cruise is stellar.

A sci-fi thriller should leave questions unanswered and up for speculation, that just comes with the genre; but if you’re questioning the plot for half of the film, the experience becomes frustrating rather than entertaining. It’s no secret that the visuals in Oblivion are breathtaking and Cruise’s performance noteworthy, but the screenplay is a little too confusing for its own good.

It’s the year 2077, Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) is a security repairman stationed with his partner Victoria (Andrea Riseborough) on evacuated Earth. Jack and Victoria are part of a mission to extract important resources from Earth, after the war with an alien species, who still scavenges what’s left of the planet. Although the humans won the war, Earth is uninhabitable with most of it being wiped away after decades of fighting.

Jack’s memory was wiped clean before the mission, but he still manages to have the same dreams about a mysterious woman (Olga Kurylenko). The mission is clear: Jack and Victoria must acquire what they can while on Earth, then return “home” to the mother spaceship, but Jack can’t help wonder if Earth can be saved.

You may not like his beliefs or his politics, but Tom Cruise proves he’s one of the best actors working today as our lead star in Oblivion. There’s just something about the 50-year-old actor that exudes action star. I may not have understood what was happening in Oblivion, but I had good time watching Cruise’s character trying to figure it out himself.

Olga Kurylenko (To The Wonder) also gives an amazing performance as the mysterious woman, who gradually gains a bigger role as the story and twists unfold. She and Cruise have fantastic chemistry that adds the emotional layer to the story that is so vital. Kurylenko has a lovely on-screen presence and I look forward to her upcoming films.

Director and screenwriter Joseph Kosinski has an eye for striking visuals and a clear vision of what he is attempting to accomplish in this sci-fi flick, if only his story just made a bit more sense. Again, its one that is up for debate and questioning, but the twists get the better of this original thriller.

Maybe I’m giving Oblivion less credit than it deserves, as it definitely gains a second and third viewing, but I can’t help the disappointment and confusion I experienced mid-way through the film hurt the overall picture. TRON: Legacy definitely grew on me and now I have to say it’s one of my favorite movies, maybe the same thing will happen for Oblivion…once I own the Blu-ray.

In The Tree of Life, we get some of the best photography of the past decade with a metaphoric plot that not all viewers will like or appreciate. That film worked because the shots and scenery leveled Malick’s emotional screenplay. Although To The Wonder contains some of the best shots ...]]> Terrence Malick’s To The Wonder feels like The Tree of Life on antidepressants. I liked The Tree of Life, but I admired the film more than I will say I understood it. No matter how beautiful and glorious the cinematography is in a film, the story is always the most important.

In The Tree of Life, we get some of the best photography of the past decade with a metaphoric plot that not all viewers will like or appreciate. That film worked because the shots and scenery leveled Malick’s emotional screenplay. Although To The Wonder contains some of the best shots of 2013, the screenplay is confusing and the characters undeveloped which ultimately hurts the film.

A French woman, Marina (Olga Kurylenko) and an American, Neil (Ben Affleck) meet in France start a relationship. Their relationship begins as most do, with lots of love, affection and the wanting to be close to each other. Neil asks Marina and her daughter (Tatiana Chiline) to move to Oklahoma with him. Marina accepts, looking forward to starting their lives together in the States.

Soon after the move, Marina meets Father Quintana (Javier Bardem), a priest struggling with his service to God and the Christian way of life. Eventually, problems arise between the couple and when Marina’s Visa expires, she and her daughter move back to France. After the breakup, Neil becomes close to a childhood friend Jane (Rachel McAdams), and the two fall for each other quickly. In reality, Neil has found a rebound, while Jane is wanting more.

To The Wonder follows Marina’s story, as the majority of the film is done through her voiceover (which is in French). While I appreciate the female perspective on the story, the screenplay completely misuses Ben Affleck, who probably has all of three lines in the movie.

The actors are fantastic with what they are given especially Olga Kurylenko (Seven Psychopaths and Quantum of Solace) who does a beautiful job in the starring role. The Ukrainian-born actress brings all the wonder to Malick’s film, but unfortunately its not enough to redeem the overall picture.

The absolute worst part about To The Wonder is the subplot with Javier Bardem. Somehow Bardem and Kurylenko’s characters were supposed to be linked as “exiles” in Oklahoma, but the two only had some simple dialogue exchange in the church and that was when Bardem was blessing her. His character is so unnecessary in the film, that I was practically falling asleep during his scenes, something I never thought would have happened in a Bardem movie. Not only was the role wrong for him, no actor could have made sense to his plot in this film.

To The Wonder is mighty magnificent to look at and Kurylenko leads the film with a strength and poise, but Malick’s melodramatic screenplay cheapens its lovely visuals and talented actors.

Simon (James McAvoy) is a fine art auctioneer, working in London at one of the most prestigious art houses in the world. In order to get himself out of debt, Simon teams up with a criminal gang headed by Franck (Vincent Cassel), to steal a multi-million dollar Goya painting. During the heist, Simon gets knocked out losing part of his memory, which makes him forget where he hid the painting.

Franck convinces ...]]> Fans on Inception: This is a film for you. Prepare to have your mind warped, shocked and whipped in director/writer Danny Boyle’s (127 Hours and Slumdog Millionaire) newest thriller, Trance.

Simon (James McAvoy) is a fine art auctioneer, working in London at one of the most prestigious art houses in the world. In order to get himself out of debt, Simon teams up with a criminal gang headed by Franck (Vincent Cassel), to steal a multi-million dollar Goya painting. During the heist, Simon gets knocked out losing part of his memory, which makes him forget where he hid the painting.

Franck convinces (more like forces) Simon to try hypnotherapy in order to figure out where he put the painting. Elizabeth (Rosario Dawson) is the hypnotherapist who is going to help Simon retrieve the hidden canvas so he can be free from the clutches of the gang. As the film really takes off around the second act, we’re never quite sure who is a good guy, bad guy or central player in the game of finding the painting.

Trance is really a film for everyone. There’s action, thrills, mystery, romance, seduction and even a touch of horror. In 2010 it was Inception, in 2012 it was Looper, now in 2013 its Trance, and you really need to get yourself to a theatre and see it.

We’ve never seen James McAvoy in a film quite like this one. The Scottish actor is usually prone to playing the good guy (Professor X in X-Men: First Class) or the handsome man candy (Penelope, Becoming Jane and Atonement). McAvoy’s Simon is unlike any other character I’ve seen in movies this year. He’s smart, complicated, obsessed and even a bit scary. Brave to Mr. McAvoy for giving one of my favorite performances of the year.

Rosario Dawson has never been better as the she-devil hypnotherapist Elizabeth. Her character is the most interesting in the film because she is so dimensional. Dawson adds a layer of seductress overtop of the calming therapist, creating a complicated and intriguing woman.

No matter how brilliant a film’s screenplay and actors are, a beautiful score always makes a film better. Composer and singer Rick Smith’s technical and hypnotic (literally) tracks that surround Boyle’s film are purely magical. I listened to the soundtrack the other day and completely relived the movie; the score is so crucial to the overall film.

Boyle’s screenplay is already electric and Smith’s score completes the picture; but its McAvoy and Dawson’s striking performances and profound chemistry that make Boyle’s film an instant masterpiece.