35mmReviews

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts, BAFTA, has revealed the award nominations for the annual ceremony that will take place on Sunday 13 February at the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden. With the recent Golden Globes ceremony and these BAFTA nominations, we can get a much better idea of what to expect for the Oscars nominations, to be announced in a week. Here is the full list of nominees:

Here's the movie trailer for the upcoming movie, Tetsuo: The Bullet Man. The film will be released in selected theaters this next weekend. This Japanese film was released in Venice Festival  in 2009 as well as other Festivals in 2010. The film was finally released in Japan this last year, and is coming to your theaters this year, after its success in its own country.

Synopsis: Anthony, an American businessman living in Tokyo, transforms into a vengeful killing machine after his son is murdered.

Release Date: January 21st, 2011

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Halle Berry is back to the big screen with a new film based in a true story.  Frankie and Alice is a drama  based in a true story about a young woman, struggling with multiple personality disorder. It's been a while since we saw her playing a lead role in a drama film like this one, something she definitely plays really good. Frankie and Alice will be in theaters this next February.

Synopsis: A young woman, struggling with multiple personality disorder, is torn between who she is and a racist alter-personality that preys on her mind.

Release Date: February 4th, 2011

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If you were one of those millions Avatar fans, you might be interested in Sanctum. James Cameron is the executive producer of this film based in true events, so you can expect a "real" 3D quality film. I had the chance to watch the trailer in 3D this last weekend at the theaters and I must say that it looks amazing.

Synopsis: Master diver Frank McGuire has explored the South Pacific's Esa-ala Caves for months. But when his exit is cut off in a flash flood, Frank's team - including 17-year-old son Josh and financier Carl Hurley - are forced to radically alter plans. With dwindling supplies, the crew must navigate an underwater labyrinth to make it out. Soon, they are confronted with the unavoidable question: Can they survive, or will they be trapped forever?

Release Date: February 4th, 2011

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Synopsis: Britt Reid, son and heir to Los Angeles' largest newspaper fortune, is a rich, spoiled playboy who has been happy to maintain a direction-less existence. When his father James Reid dies, Britt meets an impressive and resourceful company employee, Kato. They realize that they have the resources to do something worthwhile with their lives and finally step out of James Reid's shadow. Kato builds the ultimate weapon, The Black Beauty, an indestructible car with every weapon imaginable and Britt decides that in order to be heroes, they will pose as villains. With the help of Britt's new secretary, Lenore Case, they learn that the chief criminal in the city is named Benjamin Chudnofsky. He has united all the gangs under his power, and he quickly sees that the Green Hornet is a direct threat to the prosperous criminal underworld he controls.

Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz, Edward James Olmos, David Harbour, Tom Wilkinson
Directed by: Michel Gondry
U.S. Rating: PG-13

I grew up watching amazing old TV series. Even though I was just a kid, I loved and totally enjoyed watching action TV series like The A-Team, The Hulk, Starsky and Hutch, CHiPs and especially, The Green Hornet. This last one was my top favorite one. I totally felt like an adult watching these TV series with my dad and older brother. I was such a fan of Bruce Lee (Kato).

It's been decades since I watched The Green Hornet, but I still remember this TV series like it was yesterday.

That's the main reason why I was so excited when I heard for the first time that Columbia Pictures would bring The Green Hornet to the big screen. I tried to follow all the updates, criticisms and comments about this production, and to be honest, I was kind of surprised that Seth Rogen would take the role of Britt Reid, since I didn't know how a comedian would deliver the real character of Britt Reid in this film. I didn't know he was the co-writer of the script.

The film starts with a flashback of Britt's early years. He lost his mom being just a little boy. His dad, James Reid, is the owner of the most important newspaper in LA (The Daily Sentinel). James didn't have much time to spend with his son. James expected too much from his son Britt, but he didn't get the attention and love he needed from his own father. Now, being a 28-year-old guy, he's a  famous irresponsible "party boy". He doesn't want to learn anything about his dad's empire. He just cares of getting up in the morning, enjoy his coffee and get ready for another wild day.

When his dad dies in his garden from an allergic reaction to a bee sting, he's shocked about the situation and new responsibilities he'll have to face with the newspaper.

When he wakes up the morning after, he notices that his "special coffee" is gone.  When he tries to find a responsible for this, he finds out that his coffee was prepared every morning by his dad's mechanic, which he fired the day before, after finding the news of his dad's death.

Kato was more than a mechanic. He was a skilled martial artist who not just took care of all his dad's cars collection, but prepared the best coffee ever from a coffee machine created by himself.

Britt and Kato start knowing each other better. Kato shows Britt some of the secret weapons he prepared for his dad's personal security. Britt notices how crazy and worried his dad was regarding his own security. Britt tells Kato how awful and boring their lives are and he tries to convince him that they should do something about it. They go out on a night and start fighting some minor crimes, but they're suddenly involved in a bad social perception of their truthful intentions, when they're captured on a video while visiting  his dad's graveyard to cut the head off a memorial statue of his dad on a whim. In the process, they are mistaken by the police for the criminals and chased through the street.

Britt convinces Kat that they should become crimefighters who pose as criminals in order to infiltrate real criminals, and also to prevent enemies from using innocents against them. Britt tries to change this bad perception using his dad's newspaper, giving more and more attention to his secret identity and work. Meanwhile, Kato works on some several gadgets and weapons and fits them in a black sedan called "The Black Beauty".

They decide to fight the most important criminal in LA, Chudnofsky. He runs all the night clubs and illegal drug operations in the city. All the drug dealers and illegal labs work for him. Britt and Kato will start destroying his operations and leaving a business card with an "e-mail address".

One of the very first scenes shows the moment when Chudnofsky (Christoph Waltz) arrives to a new night club opened in LA. Chudnofsky went to visit the owner of this place to complaint that he was affecting his reputation opening this place and selling drugs without his authorization. Chudnofsky was the biggest criminal and drug dealer in the city and he wouldn't accept that a new guy in town would open a night club and sell drugs without paying him for it. So, he offers the owner (I won't mention who this person was... he was HILARIOUS!) to give him the night club and turn into his employee. The dialogue on this opening scene was extremely funny and entertaining.

Britt hires Lenore Case (Cameron Diaz) a personal assistant with some expertise and a degree in criminology. Britt tries to get from her the way a criminal mind like "The Green Hornet" would act, and that's the way they move all their actions and hits.

When Chudnofsky feels threatened by The Green Hornet, he tries to kill them (Britt and Kato) and fails in this attempt. Then he tries to make a deal with him to kill the DA of LA and divide the city and illegal businesses in two. The DA of LA is also trying to deal with Britt for his re-election.

At the end, Chudnofsky tries to change his image and changes his name to Bloodnofsky, dressing with a red suit to make the point that blood is what everyone would see when they think of him. Bloodnofsky and his gang, along with the DA will try to kill The Green Hornet but they will fail at the end.

The plot is completely away from the original idea and characters set for the TV series. It is also, obviously, set for the modern days. I was expecting something else, since I thought they would bring the original idea and action set for the TV series, but at the end, they decided to give a comedy point of view to the script, the same way it happened with Starsky and Hutch, played by Ben Stiller and Owen Wilson. Both TV series were tough action scripts, but both films didn't follow the original frame.

I was also excited to watch some really good action from Kato. Kato was originally played by Bruce Lee, so it was amazing to watch him kick some butts with his amazing and unique skills in martial arts. Jay Chou performed his role amazingly well, but he couldn't deliver the fight scenes I'd expect to see with any other possible asian actor. Christoph Waltz has become one of my top favorite actors. He is simply amazing. His role in Inglorious Basterds was a poem, but I felt like he was unconfortable playing his role in this film, it didn't help him to show his real talent.

Another special criticism is about the 3D tech used for this film. To be honest, I don't know the reason of shooting this film in 3D. The quality was poor, I didn't feel like I was actually watching a film in 3D. It was a waste of money on my tickets. I would have rathered to watch it in 2D. The only reason  watched it in 3D was because they didn't have it in 2D.

You might think that, due to all these criticisms and comments, the film is not worth to watch. But let me tell you that you're wrong. I must say that I haven't laughed so much in a film at theaters since The Hangover. I laughed from start to end. Some of the dialogue lines were hilarious. We really enjoyed and had a pretty good time. I think they were trying to target the young audience, since they wouldn't have any idea of the original idea of this TV series.

I totally recommend the film, you will have some really good laughs. If you watched the original TV series, don't expect anything close to the facts and original idea. You will have some good laughs and entertaining time.

I would rate this movie with a 3/5

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!

The 2011 Golden Globe Ceremony took place last night in California. I'm very pleased with the winners. If you didn't have the chance to watch it last night, here's the complete list of  nominated and winners for the 68th Annual Golden Globe:

Here's the trailer for one of the films I've been patiently waiting for this 2011. Starring Matt Daemon and Emily Blunt, The Adjustment Bureau promises to be one of the big romantic ScyFy thriller films for this first half of the year.

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.

Release Date: March 11th, 2011

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What can you expect from a film that includes 4 Academy Award Winners? I believe something exceptional! That's what I believe this new film will bring. Starring Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner, Chris Cooper and Tommy Lee Jones, I'm sure this film will be a great drama for this first half of the year.

Synopsis: Bobby Walker is living the American dream: great job, beautiful family, shiny Porsche in the garage. When corporate downsizing leaves him and co-workers Phil Woodward and Gene McClary jobless, the three men are forced to re-define their lives as men, husbands, and fathers. Bobby soon finds himself enduring enthusiastic life coaching, a job building houses for his brother-in-law which does not play to his executive skill set, and perhaps the realization that there is more to life than chasing the bigger, better deal.
Release Date: January 21st, 2011

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Lightning McQueen is back with his gang to race once again. One of my TOP favorite Pixar films is back. This time, McQueen and his friends will fly throughout the world to race in the World Grand Prix, so we can expect lots of fun. The new sequel for Cars will be released this next Summer, and honestly, can't wait to go and watch it. Maybe it will be the first film I'll watch with my little guy! :)

Synopsis: Star racecar Lightning McQueen and the incomparable tow truck Mater take their friendship to exciting new places when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world's fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater's action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colorful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.

Release Date: June 24th, 2011

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Burning Palms is a new film released this weekend with a pretty interesting cast. Starring Zoe Saldana, Paz Vega, Jamie Chung, Rosamund Pike, Dylan McDermott & Lake Bell, this drama will bring 5 odd stories interacting in just a single tale.

Synopsis: Burning Palms is a dark comedy, interlacing multiple stories where no taboo is left unexplored. Framed as a graphic novel come to life, the film unfolds in five popular neighborhoods of Los Angeles.

Release Date: January 14th, 2011

Check the trailer and let us know what you think about it!