The Minority Report - "Super 8" (2011)

"If you talk about this, you and your parents will all die."
In all honesty, behind “Falling Skies,” the trailer for “Super 8” was probably the biggest letdown of the Superbowl commercials. It was one of those trailers that had a lot to hide and very little to show. I was intrigued, but not enough to follow up. Slowly, more bits of the story came together. As the date of release came closer, I became more interested. When the initial reviews came in, I was convinced I needed to see it. The thing that solidified the idea of watching the movie was the fake rendition of the movie on Funny or Die, which was hilarious. Ready? 3…2…1…“CLOVERFIELD”!!!

The movie introduces you to a young boy called Joe Lamb (Joel Courtney) who has just lost his mother in a steel mill accident. The movie picks up 4 months after the accident. The year is early 1979, and Joe and his friends make movies on Super 8 mm film with an old camera. They are currently attempting to film a zombie flick for a film festival and they needed an extra actress. A girl called Alice Dainard (Elle Fanning) is used, and there is immediately a spark between them. During one of their scenes, they are filming in a train station when a train is approaching. For production value, they decide to film while it passes, only to be interrupted by its subsequent derailment and explosion at the hands of a car that hit it head-on purposefully. The kids scatter as the craziness occurs, but the camera keeps filming the entire event as it unfolds. Out of the wreckage come the kids and one mysterious piece of footage. Strange things begin happening around the small town, and it’s got something to do with what was on that train.

It was a surprise hit, to be sure, but J.J. Abrams hit the nail on the head with this one. The story is as mysterious as it is ambitious. It harks back to old Spielberg films in a refreshing way that allows you to enjoy it even though the story has been done before. The spirit behind the unknown and the childish inhibition embodied by the lead character are not soon forgettable, and I am sure that everyone can relate since we have all been young before. Overwhelming sadness and emotion can be dealt with and overcome through strife, and this movie truly teaches us that. It’s nothing new, but it is an excellent new take on an old style. The filming is superb and there is a ton of foreshadowing scattered about. It’s a new movie, but feels like an old ambitious film. Oh, and stay for the credits to experience something that you can’t miss. This movie is like watching paint dry on some old Super 8 mm film while it captures something truly out of this world.


By Kulguy

The Minority Report - "X-Men: First Class" (2011)

“A new species is being born. Help me guide it, shape it, lead it.”
I have been waiting to see this movie ever since there was a small hint that it was going to be made. I am, admittedly, surrounded by nerds that were all quite excited for it as well. Finally, I was able to see it and was definitely not disappointed. Rebooting a franchise isn’t easy. Considering the fact that this is a summer of superhero movies, it has to make its mark, and make it well. It most certainly did that. With excellent cinematography, a phenomenal cast, and an emotionally charged storyline, this movie is truly something to behold.

The movie begins with the classic scene we all remember: a young boy getting separated from his parents during the holocaust. In the midst of his anger, he begins bending the gates separating him and his parents until he is struck over the head with the butt of a rifle. The location quickly changes to a child living in an opulent home that gets awakened by his “mother.” In reality, it is a young shapeshifter named Raven (at this point, Morgan Lily, but later Jennifer Lawrence). Meet Erik Lensherr (Michael Fassbender) and Charles Xavier (James McAvoy). The former gets tortured for prolonged periods of time by a man named Dr. Schmidt (Kevin Bacon) to enhance his metal controlling abilities, while the latter flirts with women by using his telepathic powers and suave talk about genetic mutations. Two completely different lives clash as the CIA becomes involved because of Cold War tensions between the United States and Russia, culminating in the Cuban Missile Crisis, with the X-Men trapped in the middle.

This is in no way, shape, or form, a full synopsis. If I had tried to give a complete synopsis, I would ruin some great moments in the film. For one thing, the evolution of Magneto and Xavier is beautiful. You see them grow and mature over time. Magneto, driven by rage and revenge makes it his life’s mission to kill his captor from the concentration camps, Dr. Schmidt (aka Sebastian Shaw). His efforts have taken up most of his young life and hardened him as an individual. His character has glimmers of sanity in between the clouded hatred and fierce disposition with which he behaves treats those around him. Xavier, on the other hand, is a quirky individual who cares deeply for his fellows. He carries himself with a wisdom and serenity that allows him to help people. It is these same traits that are also his greatest weakness. Both the actors do a phenomenal job portraying the individuals in the film.

Interestingly enough, the cinematography and editing (in one specific point) is slightly reminiscent of that employed by the often forgotten “Hulk” movie from 2003. Here, the split-screen employed works phenomenally to depict multiple angles of the same scene instead of sucking at displaying different scenes all around the screen. It also shows the passage of time really well. Overall, this movie is definitely a great one. I went in expecting a great movie, and it delivered. Like critics have said: it isn’t a great superhero movie, it’s a great movie. This movie is only very slightly like watching paint dry on a mutated rendition of the Cold War.


By Kulguy

The Minority Report - "The Hangover Part II" (2011)

Sometimes it is not about the destination, it is about the journey; and other times it is about where you end up, not how you got there. “The Hangover Part II” seems to fall into neither of these categories, as the destination and the journey are a photo copied, clone of its predecessor. Want to see the “The Hangover Part II”? I recommend watching “The Hangover,” except add some more penises and a monkey. The plots are identical, the situations are identical, the timing of some of the gags is identical, and the ending is identical. The only thing not shared between both of these films is the amount of laughs. “The Hangover Part II” simply is not as funny and, more importantly, not as memorable.

The plot for this movie is the exact same as the first. Stu (Ed Helms) is getting married. His friends Phil (Bradley Cooper), Doug (Justin Bartha), and Alan (Zach Galifianakis), go to Thailand for the wedding. Surprise, surprise: Stu, Phil, and Alan awake from a drug-induced coma that leaves them amnesic of the prior night’s events, with Stu’s soon-to-be-bride’s little brother missing. It is up to the trio to find the little brother in Bangkok before the wedding.

Simply put, this movie is a clone of the first one and comes off as money hungry. It relies more on sight gags and cheap laughs. Even though the scope of the film is increased, it does not seem to have any direct effect on how gigantic the events were from the original film. It is its own worst enemy. Nothing can top finding out that they stole a cop car and Mike Tyson’s tiger. The expectations were far too high for the sequel to succeed. The themes of the second film were darker in tone and not as playful as the first, and this gives it a tad more personality. This movie overall did make me laugh, but upon a second viewing, it had already lost some of its luster. This movie is like watching someone paint a mustache on the Mona Lisa, changing the original slightly, but, overall, it is the same damned thing.


By V-Dawg