Archive for Reviews
‘Game of Thrones’ Recap and Review – Season 3, Episode 8 ‘Second Sons’
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Last night’s episode, Second Sons, focused on three storylines: Daenerys planning her attack of Yunkai, Melisandre taking Gendry to Dragonstone, and the wedding between Tyrion and Sansa in King’s Landing. It was a welcomed change from the previous episodes, especially last week’s The Bear and the Maiden Fair, which tried to fit in so much that they ended up giving us nothing. Here, the three storylines were given much more time to unfold which proved mostly successful.
SPOILER ALERT: This article will assume you have watched/read Game of Thrones up to the last aired episode.
‘Game of Thrones’ Recap and Review – Season 3, Episode 7 ‘The Bear and the Maiden Fair’
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Truth be told, last night’s episode, The Bear and the Maiden Fair paled in comparison with the rest of the season. Now, of course, the standards were set high after the last couple of episodes, so it was still good television. But I just could not help but feel bored throughout the episode, which did not have a clear focus and was even more fragmented than usual.
SPOILER ALERT: This article will assume you have watched/read Game of Thrones up to the last aired episode.
GRADE: C+
Back when I first read The Great Gatsby in my 12th grade English class, I never thought, “Wow, this would look awesome in 3D!” or “You know what would make this story even better? Music by Jay-Z and Beyonce.” For those worried that Baz Luhrmann’s colorful interpretation of this classic novel looks too flashy or too modern, don’t worry. For the elaborate party scenes that make up a good portion of the plot, this flashiness works in its favor constructing a visually stunning piece summer moviegoers are sure to enjoy. Fans of the novel, however, may have some gripes with the soul of the story being overshadowed by the special effects.
‘Game of Thrones’ Recap and Review – Season 3, Episode 6 ‘The Climb’
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SPOILER ALERT: This post will assume you have read/watched Game of Thrones up to the latest episode.
As expected, “The Climb” showed us more of the North, but not that much more. The episode opened with Sam who fails to light a fire to keep the Craster daughter and her baby warm as they stop for the night on their way to the wall. Except for Sam singing and being told that he’s got too much wood (…), this scene served little purpose. On the “good” side of the wall, another purposeless fire-in-the-woods scene showed Bran settling a childish quarrel between Osha and sister-of-vision-kid. Vision-kid had a vision of Jon Snow on the “wrong” side of the wall, surrounded by the “wrong” people. This made Hodor wake up and say “Hodor.”
GRADE: C
For those scoffing right now, keep in mind that I disliked Iron Man 3 a lot more than most people. Trust me, the latest installment featuring “billionaire-philanthropist-playboy” Tony Stark was high on my anticipation list. After thinking about this film for a couple of days, it surfaced in my mind as the worst film out of the four Stark pictures (including The Avengers).
Mackenzie’s Review: ‘The Big Wedding’ — A Dysfunctional Over the Top Mess
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GRADE: D+
Writer/Director Justin Zackham has one great asset at his disposal for The Big Wedding — an extraordinary cast featuring Robert De Niro, Diane Keaton, Susan Sarandon, Amanda Seyfried, and Robin Williams. Sadly, that can only carry a movie so far, and it seems like these star-packed movies often fail because of a lack of plot or well-scripted dialogue, which is definitely the case with The Big Wedding.
GRADE: C+
Michael Bay’s latest is easily his most risqué film — in many respects, it’s not unlike his other films filled with half-dressed overly sexualized beautiful women, exotic cars, sweeping shots of characters in warm climates, and plenty of crazy shenanigans. But Pain and Gain tries deals with much heavier story lines than Bay usually handles. In the previews, the movie pitches itself as something fun and akin to Bay’s previous work. But that’s just the surface — below that is a sadistic, brutal, ruthless look at three morons seeking to achieve the “American Dream.”
Matt’s Review: ‘Oblivion’ and Tom Cruise Deliver an Entertaining Sci-fi Flick
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GRADE: B+
I know quite a few people who are less than enthralled with Tom Cruise lately (I’m amongst that crowd). His latest Oblivion has him in the same character we’ve seen out of him more than a handful of times before. He’s the “seemingly” normal guy who really is a balls to the wall hero — this “regular Joe” must defy the odds to uncover the truth about the post-apocalyptic Earth ravaged in destruction. Even those annoyed by the Scientology lover should be able to enjoy the scope and scale of Oblivion.
GRADE: C+
In Disconnect, we take a look at the perils of the internet and the effect it can have on our lives and relationships. Writer Andrew Stern and director Henry-Alex Rubin bring us this intense movie that shows how in a world where we are so accessible and connected to everyone, we are still becoming more and more — you guessed it — disconnected.
Matt’s Review: ‘42’ Profiles a Sports Legend Destroying Racial Segregation in Baseball
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GRADE: B
The story of Jackie Robinson is one that many baseball fans are familiar with. Jackie’s number is the only one to be retired by every team in Major League Baseball in respect for his fight to break the color barrier in the sport. He’s synonymous with the game of baseball, but the intimate details of his struggle to play the “white man’s game” are not. 42 sheds light on Robinson’s story and those involved who helped him become a baseball legend.
