35mmReviews

Hi everyone!

Hope you all had a terrific Christmas time. This year has been amazing for all movie lovers out there (including me!). Great films for everyone, and superb news for the year to come. This year 2012 promises to be one of the greatest years in film industry, bringing amazing productions expected for most of us, so...

Let's the fun begin!

Happy new year for all of you!

This next 2012 will be certainly an amazing year for us, movie lovers. So far, I'd say that more than 100 films have been announced for 2012. Some of them have already made it to the top in my "must-see" list for the year. So, I chose the 35 most expected film that I DO really want to watch (so far) among all the other great films announced so far. Here's the list:

Synopsis: When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins.

Synopsis: As Batman deals with his new status as a wanted vigilante, he must also contend with two new enemies, Bane and Catwoman.

Synopsis: A teenage Peter Parker grapples with both high school and amazing super-human crises as his alter-ego Spider-Man.

Synopsis: Every year in the ruins of what was once North America, the nation of Panem forces each of its twelve districts to send a teenage boy and girl to compete in the Hunger Games. Part twisted entertainment, part government intimidation tactic, the Hunger Games are a nationally televised event in which "Tributes" must fight with one another until one survivor remains. Pitted against highly-trained Tributes who have prepared for these Games their entire lives, Katniss is forced to rely upon her sharp instincts as well as the mentorship of drunken former victor Haymitch Abernathy. If she's ever to return home to District 12, Katniss must make impossible choices in the arena that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.

Synopsis: Peter Berg (Hancock) produces and directs Battleship, an epic action-adventure that unfolds across the seas, in the skies and over land as our planet fights for survival against a superior force. Based on Hasbro's classic naval combat game, Battleship stars Taylor Kitsch as Lt. Alex Hopper, a Naval officer assigned to the USS John Paul Jones; Brooklyn Decker as Sam Shane, a physical therapist and Hopper's fiancee; Alexander Skarsgard as Hopper's older brother, Stone, Commanding Officer of the USS Sampson; Rihanna as Petty Officer Raikes, Hopper's crewmate and a weapons specialist on the USS John Paul Jones; and international superstar Liam Neeson as Hopper and Stone's superior (and Sam's father), Admiral Shane.

Synopsis: Agent Jay travels back in time to 1969, where he teams up with a younger version of Agent Kay to stop an evil alien from destroying the future.

Synopsis: Sacha Baron Cohen re-teams with director Larry Charles on their newest slice of satire with this Paramount Pictures production concerning a foreign dictator and goat herder (both played by Cohen) as they make their way across America.

Synopsis: Edgar Allen Poe joins forces with a young Baltimore detective to hunt down a mad serial killer who's using Poe's own works as the basis in a string of brutal murders. When a mother and daughter are found brutally murdered in 19th century Baltimore, Detective Emmett Fields makes a startling discovery: the crime resembles a fictional murder described in gory detail in the local newspaper - part of a collection of stories penned by struggling writer and social pariah Edgar Allan Poe. But even as Poe is questioned by police, another grisly murder occurs, also inspired by a popular Poe story. Realizing a serial killer is on the loose using Poe's writings as the backdrop for his bloody rampage, Fields enlists the author's help in stopping the attacks. But when it appears someone close to Poe may become the murderer's next victim, the stakes become even higher and the inventor of the detective story calls on his own powers of deduction to try to solve the case before it's too late.

Synopsis: War-weary, former military captain John Carter is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris. In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.

Synopsis: The G.I. Joe team faces off against Zartan, his accomplices, and the world leaders he has under his influence.

Synopsis: The Ghost Rider is recruited to protect a boy from becoming possessed by the devil, who needs a host in order to walk the Earth.

Synopsis: An ex-cop and now wanted fugitive who stands on the ledge of a high-rise building while a hard-living New York Police Department hostage negotiator tries to talk him down. The longer they are on the ledge, the more she realizes that he might have an ulterior objective.

Synopsis: Three Portland teens become exposed to a mysterious substance in the woods, and, as a result, begin to develop incredible powers. They work together to hone their skills for fun, until personal and family problems begin to turn them against one another.

Synopsis: Chris Farraday long ago abandoned his life of crime, but after his brother-in-law, Andy, botches a drug deal for his ruthless boss, Tim Briggs, Chris is forced back into doing what he does best -- running contraband -- to settle Andy's debt. Chris is a legendary smuggler and quickly assembles a crew with the help of his best friend, Sebastian, to head to Panama and return with millions in counterfeit bills.

Things quickly fall apart and with only hours to reach the cash, Chris must use his rusty skills to successfully navigate a treacherous criminal network of brutal drug lords, cops and hit men before his wife, Kate, and sons become their target.

Synopsis: In Alaska, an oil drilling team struggle to survive after a plane crash strands them in the wild. Hunting the humans are a pack of wolves who see them as intruders.

Synopsis: For the past year, Matt Weston has been frustrated by his inactive, backwater post in Cape Town. A "housekeeper" who aspires to be a full-fledged agent, the loyal company man has been waiting for an opportunity to prove himself. When the first and only occupant he's had proves to be the most dangerous man he's ever met, Weston readies for duty.

Tobin Frost has eluded capture for almost a decade. One of the best ops men that the CIA's known, the ex-intelligence officer has given up assets and sold military intel to anyone with cash since he turned. From trading secrets to North Korea to aiding splinter cells, the damage he's done to the U.S. is immeasurable. And he's now back on the reservation with a secret.

As soon as Frost is brought in for debriefing, mercenaries come and tear apart Weston's safe house. Barely escaping, the unlikely partners must discover if their attackers have been sent by terrorists or someone on the inside who will kill anyone standing in the way. Now it's up to Weston to figure out who he can trust before they're both eliminated from the game.

Synopsis: George and Linda are an overextended, stressed out Manhattan couple. After George is downsized out of his job, they find themselves with only one option: to move in with George's awful brother in Atlanta.

On the way there, George and Linda stumble upon Elysium, an idyllic community populated by colorful characters who embrace a different way of looking at things. Money? It can't buy happiness. Careers? Who needs them? Clothes? Only if you want them.

Is Elysium the fresh start George and Linda need? Or will the change of perspective cause more problems than it solves?

Synopsis: It was summer 1999 when four small-town Michigan boys began a quest to lose their virginity. In the years that have passed, Jim and Michelle married while Kevin and Vicky said goodbye. Oz and Heather grew apart, but Finch still longs for Stifler's mom. Now these lifelong friends have come home as adults to reminisce about -- and get inspired by -- the hormonal teens they once were.

Synopsis: In the distant future, two superpowers control Earth and fight each other for all the solar system's natural resources. When one side dispatches a team to a distant planet to terraform it for human colonization, the team discovers an indigenous race of bio-mechanoid killers.

Synopsis: The Expendables are back and this time it's personal... Barney Ross, Lee Christmas, Yin Yang, Gunnar Jensen, Toll Road and Hale Caesar -- with newest members Billy the Kid and Maggie aboard -- are reunited when Mr. Church enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old-school mercenaries. But when things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the nick of time -- six pounds of weapons-grade plutonium; enough to change the balance of power in the world. But that's nothing compared to the justice they serve against the villainous adversary who savagely murdered their brother. That is done the Expendables way....

Synopsis: SUPERBAD funnyman Jonah Hill inks this adaptation of the classic 1980s cop series. The original show's creator, Stephen J. Cannell, serves as one of the film's producers.

Synopsis: When two best friends, who are also covert agents, who fall in love with the same woman, they set in motion a battle between spies for the woman's heart.

Synopsis: Armando Alvarez has lived and worked on his father's ranch in Mexico his entire life. As the ranch encounters financial difficulties, Armando's younger brother Raul, shows up with his new fiancee, Sonia. It seems that Raul's success as an international businessman means the ranch's troubles are over as he pledges to settle all debts. But when Armando falls for Sonia, and Raul's business dealings turn out to be criminal, all hell breaks loose as they find themselves in a war with Mexico's most feared drug lord, the mighty Onza.

Synopsis: When the rescue of a kidnapped CIA operative leads to the discovery of a deadly terrorist plot against the U.S., a team of SEALs is dispatched on a worldwide manhunt. As the valiant men of Bandito Platoon race to stop a coordinated attack that could kill and wound thousands of American civilians, they must balance their commitment to country, team and their families back home.

Synopsis: Considered an outcast within his family of brainiacs, a bouncer leads a team of under-performing misfits to semi-pro hockey glory.

Synopsis: Left on a nun's doorstep, Larry, Curly and Moe grow up finger-poking, nyuk-nyuking and woo-woo-wooing their way to uncharted levels of knuckleheaded misadventure. Out to save their childhood home, only The Three Stooges could become embroiled in an oddball murder plot... while also stumbling into starring in a phenomenally successful TV reality show.

Synopsis: A story set in Bangalore and centered around the workers and residents at Dunroamin, a home for the elderly.

Synopsis: Dodging speeding cars, crazed cabbies, open doors, and eight million cranky pedestrians is all in a day's work for Wilee, the best of New York's agile and aggressive bicycle messengers. It takes a special breed to ride the fixie -- super lightweight, single-gear bikes with no brakes and riders who are equal part skilled cyclists and suicidal nutcases who risk becoming a smear on the pavement every time they head into traffic.

But a guy who's used to putting his life on the line is about to get more than even he is used to when a routine delivery turns into a life or death chase through the streets of Manhattan. When Wilee picks up his last envelope of the day on a premium rush run, he discovers this package is different. This time, someone is actually trying to kill him.

Synopsis: Abraham Lincoln is reinvented as a vampire-killing president in this Timur Bekmambetov-directed action picture. PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES author Seth Grahame-Smith adapts his own book for 20th Century Fox.

No trailer released yet

Synopsis: Merida is a skilled archer and impetuous daughter of King Fergus and Queen Elinor . Determined to carve her own path in life, Merida defies an age-old custom sacred to the uproarious lords of the land: massive Lord MacGuffin, surly Lord Macintosh and cantankerous Lord Dingwall. Merida's actions inadvertently unleash chaos and fury in the kingdom, and when she turns to an eccentric old Wise Woman for help, she is granted an ill-fated wish. The ensuing peril forces Merida to discover the meaning of true bravery in order to undo a beastly curse before it's too late.

Synopsis: Blamed for the terrorist bombing of the Kremlin, IMF operative Ethan Hunt is disavowed along with the rest of the agency when the President initiates "Ghost Protocol". Left without any resources or backup, Ethan must find a way to clear his agency's name and prevent another attack. To complicate matters further, Ethan is forced to embark on this mission with a team of fellow IMF fugitives whose personal motives he does not fully know.

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Michael Nyqvist, Vladimir Mashkov, Josh Holloway, Anil Kapoor, Léa Seydoux, Tom Wilkinson
Directed by: Brad Bird
U.S. Rating: PG-13

It's clear that the "nuclear war game" is always profitable for good Hollywood action films, and Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol was not an exception. Brad Bird brought one more time the IMF team, led by Ethan Hunt, to save the world from the bad guys and prevent an imminent war between the U.S. and Russia.

It's clear that every single director has shown their own personal style on each of the four Mission Impossible films, starting with Brian De Palma nearly fifteen years ago. He tried to keep the film so close to the original TV series. John Woo and J.J. Abrams tried to give a more relevant approach to Ethan Hunt's character and mixing it with his personal life. What I liked from Brad Bird's job was the exceptional work he did trying to focus the attention to Ethan Hunt's character over any other character on the film. I honestly could say that it looked like a light version of a James Bond film, with the only difference that in this particular case, Ethan Hunt supported his mission on a team that worked synchronized under his leading plan.

Obviously, it's not a surprise that Tom Cruise excelled his acting performance. The plot of the film might not be new, but we certainly can believe that it was extremely enjoyable for the amazing cast gathered for the film, and especially, for Tom Cruise's unique performace. He clearly matched director Brad Bird's vision and personal style.

Director Brad Bird had the unique style to mix the human side of each one of the main characters involved in the team, with some thrilling action scenes, AMAZING stunts (especially the ones performed by Tom Cruise himself!) and some drama.

In Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol, a secret agent is working on an assigment in Budapest trying to get some top secret documents related with nuclear bombs activities. This secret agent is killed by a professional assassin working for another team of extremists. Ethan Hunt is in a Russian prision and he's extracted by a IMF special team. Soon, he'll get his first assignment: To get some secret information attached to the documents lost by the agent killed in Budapest. They will have to get to the secret vault in the Kremlin. Ethan Hunt and his team are framed, accused of terrorism, and the IMF is shut down. Ethan Hunt and his team will have to obtain these secret codes and information before they get to the wrong hands, but they won't count with all the logistics, assistance and protection of their agency. They will have to perform this dangerous secret mission using all they have... Their knowledge, skills and few weapons.

The end of the film shows clearly what we already knew, that we'll enjoy sometime soon a Mission Impossible 5.

I would rate this movie with a 4.5/5

Have you watched the film? What did you like or dislike from this movie? What would you rate this movie? Share with us your thoughts!

I remember exactly a year ago, being extremely excited for all the amazing films announced for this year 2011. I patiently waited for months to watch most of those great promoted films. Among sequels, prequels, remakes and new films, I definitely enjoyed this year. Even though, I must also say that inevitably, some of those highly expected films, were extremely disappointing at the end of the year. Some of them weren't just disappointing, but extremely boring or weird. So, here's my list of the 10 most disappointing films in 2011:

Synopsis: Phil, Stu, Alan and Doug travel to exotic Thailand for Stu's wedding. After the unforgettable bachelor party in Las Vegas, Stu is taking no chances and has opted for a safe, subdued pre-wedding brunch. However, things don't always go as planned. What happens in Vegas may stay in Vegas, but what happens in Bangkok can't even be imagined.

Synopsis: Kyle Kingson has it all – looks, intelligence, wealth and opportunity – and a wicked cruel streak. Prone to mocking and humiliating "aggressively unattractive" classmates, he zeroes in on Goth classmate Kendra, inviting her to the school's extravagant environmental bash. Kendra accepts, and, true to form, Kyle blows her off in a particularly savage fashion. She retaliates by casting a spell that physically transforms him into everything he despises. Enraged by his horrible and unrecognizable appearance he confronts Kendra and learns that the only solution to the curse is to find someone that will love him as he is – a task he considers impossible. Repulsed by his appearance, Kyle's callous father banishes him to Brooklyn with a sympathetic housekeeper and blind tutor. As Kyle ponders how to overcome the curse and get his old life back, he chances upon a drug addict in the act of killing a threatening dealer. Seizing the opportunity, Kyle promises the addict freedom and safety for his daughter Lindy if she will consent to live in Kyle's Brooklyn home. Thus begins Kyle's journey to discover true love in this hyper-modern retelling of the classic "Beauty and the Beast" story.

Synopsis: On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas -- a woman like none he's ever known. But just as he realizes he's falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart. David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself -- the men of The Adjustment Bureau -- who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path... or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.

Synopsis: For years, there have been documented cases of UFO sightings around the world -- Buenos Aires, Seoul, France, Germany, China. But in 2011, what were once just sightings will become a terrifying reality when Earth is attacked by unknown forces. As people everywhere watch the world's great cities fall, Los Angeles becomes the last stand for mankind in a battle no one expected. It's up to a Marine staff sergeant and his new platoon to draw a line in the sand as they take on an enemy unlike any they've ever encountered before.

Synopsis: An ex-special ops agent is lured out of retirement to rescue his mentor. To make the rescue, he must complete a near-impossible mission of killing three tough-as-nails assassins with a cunning leader.

Synopsis: To the history books Apollo 17 was NASA's last Apollo mission but an undocumented and covert operation to the moon was made by Apollo 18, which revealed disturbing evidence of new life forms.

Synopsis: Nick is a small town pizza delivery guy whose mundane life collides with the big plans of two wanna-be criminal masterminds. The volatile duo kidnaps Nick and forces him to rob a bank. With mere hours to pull off the impossible task, Nick enlists the help of his ex-best friend, Chet. As the clock ticks, the two must deal with the police, hired assassins, flamethrowers, and their own tumultuous relationship.

Synopsis: When sad-sack loser Frank sees his ex-addict wife willingly snatched by a seductive drug dealer, he finds himself bereft and wholly unable to cope. But soon he decides to fight back under the guise of a DIY superhero called Crimson Bolt. With a hand-made suit, a wrench, and a crazed sidekick named Boltie, the Crimson Bolt beats his way through the mean streets of crime in hopes of saving his wife. The rules were written a long time ago: You are not supposed to molest children, cut lines or key cars; if you do, prepare to face the wrath of the Crimson Bolt!

Synopsis: A group of teenagers find their lives intersecting and their futures taking shape as they prepare for the most pivotal event of their high school careers. At first Nova Prescott is infuriated at a classmate who nearly destroys her plans for prom. But the closer the big day gets, the more she realizes that he may be the perfect date. Meanwhile, secretive seniors Tyler and Mei wrestle with the consciences over how to make the most of their big night as the rest of their classmates attempt to reconcile their explosive anticipation with their growing uncertainty over how the dance will ultimately pan out.

Synopsis: Milton, a hardened felon has broken out of hell for one last chance at redemption. Intent on stopping a vicious cult who murdered his daughter, he has three days to stop them before they sacrifice her baby beneath a full moon. He's joined by Piper - a young, sexy waitress who liberates her ex-boyfriend's cherry-red muscle car in order to help Milton. Now, the two of them are hot on the trail of the deadly leader of the cult, Jonah King, who believes it is his destiny to use the baby to unleash hell on earth. But the bloodthirsty cult is the least of Milton's problems. The police are after him too. And worse, an enigmatic killer known only as "The Accountant" - who has been sent by the Devil to retrieve Milton and deliver him back to hell. With wicked cunning and hypnotic savagery, the Accountant will relentlessly pursue Milton at high speed across the country until his mission is accomplished. Fueled by high octane and pure rage, Milton must use his anger to go beyond all human limits to avenge his daughter's murder, before his last chance at redemption is revoked.

Here's the list of films to be released in theaters this week:

Synopsis: The Lady is an epic love story about how an extraordinary couple and family sacrifice their happiness at great human cost for a higher cause. This is the story of Aung San Suu Kyi and her husband, Michael Aris. Despite distance, long separations, and a dangerously hostile regime, their love endures until the very end.

A story of devotion and human understanding set against a background of political turmoil which continues today. The Lady also is the story of the peaceful quest of the woman who is at the core of Burma's democracy movement.

Release Date: December 30th, 2011 [UK]

Synopsis: Hollywood 1927. George Valentin is a silent movie superstar. The advent of the talkies will sound the death knell for his career and see him fall into oblivion. For young extra Peppy Miller, it seems the sky's the limit - major movie stardom.

Release Date: December 30th, 2011 [UK]

Synopsis: The small working-class town of Angels Crest is a tight-knit community resting quietly in one of the vast and stunningly beautiful valleys of the Rocky Mountains. Ethan, one of the town's residents, is a young father but not much more than a kid himself. He has no choice but to look after his three-year-old son Nate, since mom Cindy is an alcoholic. But one snowy day, Ethan's good intentions are thwarted by a moment of thoughtlessness, resulting in tragedy. A local prosecutor haunted by his past goes after Ethan, and the ensuing confusion and casting of blame begins to tear the town apart.

Release Date: December 30th, 2011 [US]

Synopsis:Wanting to leave Iran with her husband Nader and daughter Termeh, Simin makes all the necessary arrangements. However, her husband Nader refuses to leave behind his father who suffers from Alzheimers. Determined to leave, Simin sues for divorce, and when her request is rejected, she moves in with her parents. Her daughter Termeh chooses to stay with her father with the hope that one day her mother will change her mind. Finding it difficult to keep cope, Nader hires Razieh to look after his father. The young woman is pregnant and has accepted the job without her husband's permission. Following, Nader arrives home one day to find his father alone and tied to a table. When Razieh returns, things completely combust, shattering Nader's life and also Termeh's image of her father.

Release Date: December 30th, 2011

Synopsis: A surprising and intimate portrait of Margaret Thatcher, the first and only female Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. One of the 20th century's most famous and influential women, Thatcher came from nowhere to smash through barriers of gender and class to be heard in a male dominated world.

Release Date: December 30th, 2011