Tag: Action

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 review

Director:
Francis Lawrence
Cast:
Jennifer Lawrence
Josh Hutcherson
Liam Hemsworth
Woody Harrelson
Donald Sutherland
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Julianne Moore
Rated: PG-13

The odds will certainly be in this movie’s favor at the box office this weekend.
“The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1” is the first in a two-part finale for the whole book- based movie series. The film picks up not long after the events of the previous installment, “Catching Fire” with Katniss Everdeen, played by Jennifer Lawrence, taken to the mysterious District 13.

District 13 is the home of the rebellion against the oppressive rule of the Capitol of Panem. Upon her arrival, Katniss meets the President of District 13, Alma Coin, played by Julianne Moore. Katniss soon learns that the District wants her to be the face and symbol of the rebellion.

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REVIEW: ‘Big Hero 6’

Director:
Don Hall, Chris Williams
Cast:
Scott Adsit
Ryan Potter
Daniel Henney
Maya Rudolph
Rated: PG

Hiro isn’t an average teenager. At 13, the main character of “Big Hero 6” has already graduated from High School and has mastered robotics. Unfortunately, he doesn’t exactly use his gifts for the best purposes as he ends up in back alleys at night partaking in robot fights. While he is good at the fights, his brother Tadashi, sees a better route.

A robotics expert himself, Tadashi encourages his younger brother to attend the same university that he goes to. One night Tadashi takes Hiro to his lab at the college where Hiro meets Tadashi four friends. Hiro seems to be inspired after the visit and plans to attend the university, however, an accident that takes Tadashi’s life changes that decision.

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REVIEW: ‘Fury’

Director:
David Ayer
Cast:
Brad Pitt
Shia LaBeouf
Logan Lerman
Michael Pena
Jon Bernthal
Rated: R

In “Fury,” Logan Lerman plays Norman Ellison, a rookie soldier who gets brought into an American tank unit in the waning days of World War II. As Norman arrives at the front, he gets teamed up with an experienced crew that operate a tank called Fury.

The leader of this tank crew is nicknamed Wardaddy, played by Brad Pitt.

Norman’s new crew also includes Boyd (LaBeouf), Gordo (Pena) and Grady (Bernthal). As the tank pushes into German controlled territory, Norman is faced with challenges he has never seen before as he sees the horrors of war.

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Dracula Untold review

Director:
Gary Shore
Cast:
Luke Evans
Sarah Gadon
Dominic Cooper
Charles Dance
Rated: PG-13

“Dracula Untold” of course tells the tale of the world’s most famous vampire, but this time, instead of going down the Bram Stoker route, this film goes for what feels almost like a super hero origin story.

The movie picks up with the main character, Vlad, the ruler of Transylvania, a few years after fighting in multiple wars where he became known as one of the most fearsome warriors in the region. Retired from his life as a soldier, Vlad rules his kingdom and spends time with his family, and things seem good.

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The Equalizer review

Director:
Antoine Fuqua
Cast:
Denzel Washington
Marton Csokas
Chloë Grace Moretz
Rated: R

Denzel Washington returns to the action movie genre with “The Equalizer,” a film that wants to be serious at times and not so serious at others.

The story follows a man named Robert, played by Washington, who lives a fairly normal life. He has a simple job at what is a Home Depot rip-off, a nice apartment and a quiet life. Quiet isn’t enough to keep Robert asleep at night and because of his restlessness he often goes to a local diner to read.

It is apparent early on that Robert has a violent and somewhat troubled past he is trying move on from. This life starts to come back when he meets a prostitute named Teri, played by Chloe Grace Moretz, who is in trouble with the Russian mafia.

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The November Man review

Director:
Roger Donaldson
Cast:
Pierce Brosnan
Luke Bracey
Olga Kurylenko
Rated: R

He may not be James Bond anymore, but Pierce Brosnan is the best part of this spy action thriller.

“The November Man” follows a character by the name of Peter Devereaux, played by Brosnan, an ex CIA agent who is called in for a special mission. Things take a deadly turn when Devereaux finds out he will be squaring off against Mason, played by Luke Bracey, who is an agent he trained.

As the plot thickens, Devereaux learns his espionage mission has more sides to it than he originally thought and the amount of enemies in his way grows larger.

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The Giver review

Director:
Phillip Noyce
Cast:
Jeff Bridges
Meryl Streep
Brenton Thwaites
Odeya Rush
Rated: PG-13

Based on a 1993 novel of the same name, “The Giver” follows the story of Jonas (Thwaites), a young man living in a society with no war, pain or suffering. This is made possible because there is no emotion or feeling. On the day when he finds out what he will do for a career in the dystopian future, Jonas learns that he will discover the history of his people from The Giver (Bridges).

As Jonas begins to learn from The Giver, he discovers emotion and passion in life, and he looks to share it with those around him. This is forbidden, though, and he becomes a target of the Chief Elder of the community (Streep).

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Let’s Be Cops review

Director:
Steve Quale
Cast:
Matt Walsh
Sarah Wayne Callies
Richard Armitage
Max Deacon
Nathan Kress
Rated: PG-13

Ryan (Johnson) and Justin (Wayans) are a couple of guys pushing 30 who are trying to make it living in Los Angeles, but don’t appear to be going anywhere in life. Justin isn’t making progress as a game developer and Ryan is still trying to ride the success of a commercial he starred in.

One night when the two are preparing to go to a costume party, they decide to dress as cops. It all comes off as fun to the two buddies as people actually believe they are from law enforcement, however, things take a turn for the worse when real officers and the mob think they are police, too.

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The Expendables 3 review

Director:
Patrick Hughes
Cast:
Sylvester Stallone
Jason Statham
Mel Gibson
Wesley Snipes
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Rated: PG-13

The novelty has worn out on this franchise.

In “The Expendables 3,” Sylvester Stallone once again returns to the role of Barney Ross, the head of a mercenary group which goes on some of the most dangerous missions that can be given. Despite his crew being experts, though, during one particular mission, an old foe of Ross appears which turns out to be the most deadly opponent a person could face.

The enemy named Stonebanks, is played by Mel Gibson. After Stonebanks injures one of Ross’ teammates, the gun-for-hire decides to let his old crew go and hire younger mercenaries to take down his greatest enemy yet. However, the older warriors still want a piece of the action.

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Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles review

Director:
Jonathan Liebesman
Cast:
Johnny Knoxville
Alan Ritchson
Noel Fisher
Jeremy Howard
Tony Shalhoub
Megan Fox
Will Arnett
William Fichtner
Rated: PG-13

Yo dudes this is no cartoon. Well, the turtles are animated, so technically it sort of is a cartoon.

The 2014 “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” is a retelling of the comic book/cartoon series phenomenon of the late 80s and early 90s. The movie follows the character April O’Neil (Fox), a young TV reporter just starting her career, who is trying to break a story on a secretive group of criminals called the Foot Clan.

On one of her assignments she comes across four mutant turtles who have been trained in the art of being a ninja. As the plot thickens, April finds out that she has a connection to the turtles from her youth and also to the mysterious Foot Clan.

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