Shanetmims Reviews

Cloud Atlas (2012)

Mind-blowing and mesmerizing!!!!!!!!!!!!

[10/10 · 29 October 2012]

What does a lawyer who saves the life of slave in the 1850's, a gay conductor who is recruited to help another composer revive his career, a reporter who is discovering the cover-up of what could be a dangerous nuclear power plant disaster, a man who gets stuck in a retirement home and now must escape from there, a clone who discovers she is the key to humanity's future, and a futuristic hunter and an alien teaming up to discover how to save humanity, all have in common?

To the narrow minded, or to the uninitiated, probably not much, or nothing at all. But for those of us who have seen Cloud Atlas, it is everything!

Cloud Atlas, based on the book(which I have not read, but will soon)by David Mitchell, is a film about humanity and all that unites us to one another. Through six stories, that are stand alone stories, but all feature links to each other, themes of love, greed, courage, destiny, free will,faith, and reincarnation(!!!) are explored to amazing lengths, that, although the film is three hours long, never bores! In fact, this reviewer was reinvigorated when the credits rolled!

This film has it all:great acting(particularly from Tom Hanks, Jim Sturgess, Jim Broadbent, Hugo Weaving, and newcomer Doona Bae), great drama, great action, a terrific score, great costumes, great visuals, and a larger -than-life feel that rivals anything I have ever seen on screen before!

The segments are very strong, in particular the ones about the composer(called Letters from Zedelghem), the one about the man stuck in a retirement home(called The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish) and An Orison of Somni-451, which is the about the clone. The remaining three are The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing(which is the one about the man and the slave), Half-Lives: The First Mystery of Luisa Ray(the mystery about the nuclear reactor), and Sloosha's Crossin' an' Ev'rything After(the last one about the hunter and alien). They are all strong stories, and I was amazed by how they all came together and how they all worked on screen.

A lot of this has to do with the editing. The film cuts back between the stories, sometimes before you expect it to. It is takes a little bit to get used to(for me, it only took about five minutes), but you get quickly caught up and become entranced by what is on screen.

It is funny, it is emotional, it is action-packed,it is spiritual:it is all of these. If someone asked me what this film was about, I would just tell them this:it is about life, and what it means to truly live.

Whether this ends up becoming huge to word of mouth, or whether it remain a modern day cult classic, I don't know. But what I do know, for me at least, is that Cloud Atlas is one of my favorite films, and I can't wait to see it again and again!

Men in Black³ (2012)

Not the sequel I was expecting, but it is a worthy one, for the most part

[9/10 · 26 May 2012]

Let me get this out of the way:I love Men in Black. I think the first movie is perfect. Very few movies can combine a gripping plot,strong performances,great special effects and makeup,a fun score,creative aliens,and some of the funniest movie moments in any film ever like the first film did. And this all this was accomplished in less than two hours.

The second film was not as strong. I actually thought it was had more good than bad parts in it. I mean, it still had some funny moments,some good effects,the chemistry between the leads was still present,and I like the twist at the end. But let's not kid ourselves:it was pretty repetitive,was not as funny as the first,and had a weak villain to follow up the great villain of the first. Still, I think it is better than is reputation,especially after watching it again recently.

So,when I heard there was a third movie coming,ten years after the second,I was more excited than worried.Come on,they had ten years to make a proper sequel;they wouldn't make an equally entertaining but disappointing sequel like MIB II again. And with each new trailer,I got more and more excited,and after seeing it last night,it was worth the wait,but it was not as good as the first. Why? Read on.

The film picks up ten years after the last film. We open with the introduction of our villain,Boris "The Animal",an alien who is escaping a prison on the moon. The last of his kind,and missing his arm due to a previous MIB encounter,Boris is coming to Earth to get revenge on the MIB agent who took said arm:K. Meanwhile,J is at a crossroads at his life,feeling like even after fifteen years,he still doesn't have much of a idea of who his partner really is. After a brief,but brutal encounter with Boris at a Chinese restaurant,K puts him partner on probation to keep him safe from Boris.The next day,when J is coming up to work,he finds himself facing a horrible truth:K is now dead,and apparently has been for forty years!

After discovering why he has not been erased from the time-line(why is kinda clever and funny,so I won't spoil it here)J learns that Boris has gotten hold of a hand-held time travel device and has traveled back to July 16,1969 to kill K, which means K never prevented the invasion of Boris's species by entering a shield into Earth's gravitational field which will protect the entire planet from an alien invasion.Now J must go back in time to July 15,save K,and along with K and an alien named Griffin,who can see pretty much every possible future at once, find a way to get the shield into space so Earth can be saved.

This movie would fail without the chemistry of its three leads,and Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones both still have terrific chemistry as J and K,respectively.Hard to believe,ten years later,they still click wonderfully and both are as fun to watch as they were in the first two.Michael Staulburg is a great addition to the cast as Griffin,having some really funny moments with his powers, and his dry delivery. Jemaine Clement is a great villain as Boris,menacing and fun to watch,and his character brings a real sense of darkness this time out.The supporting cast,including Emma Thompson,Alice Eve,Will Arnett,and Bill Hader,are give good performances,with Emma being a real standout.

However,the best performance belongs to Josh Brolin,who nails Tommy Lee Jones' mannerisms and delivers a worthy compliment to Jones's K.It is worth seeing just for him. Very special mention goes to his final scene,which really touched my heart as a fan of this trilogy.You will know what I mean when you see it.

Men in Black has always had cool tech,both from the gadgets and technical achievements from the production design and the makeup,and the standard continues here.The MIB headquarters looks different than the proceeding films,and there are actually are two different variations of it:2012 and 1969.Both are impressive,as is the makeup and computer effects for the aliens. Boris's makeup and computer effects are particularly noteworthy and very impressive. There are new gadgets as well,such as these one wheel bikes that J and K use in a great chase scene,the hand-held time travel device(which was a great effect when utilized)and even jet packs! How awesome! The writing here is much better than two. Scenes lead logically to the next scene and the lead characters' souls remain intact. And the final revelation is a very nice way to further tie the bond between our heroes together even closer than before.

And don't worry:the film is still quite funny.Griffin gets some very funny moments,you get to see the worms sing amazing grace,and Brolin captures Jones's deadpan delivery very well.I particularly like the scene where K is delivering "SPOILER ALERT" Zed's(the original MIB chief) eulogy.In typical K fashion,it is very deadpan and very funny.

My problems with the film are these,however:the film does lack the pace and humor of the first.It is the longest of the three,and it felt like it around the beginning of the third act.Also, it lacks the heart of the first,and some scenes don't hit like they should. I hate to bring it up. I have nothing but love for this trilogy,but why is it so hard to outdo the first? It was so good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Still,I did enjoy it,and my disappointment mostly just comes out of this writer's love for the first. But with some great humor,a smart script,great performances,some fun tech,some wonderful feelings of nostalgia,and a great scene near the end tying the entire trilogy together,MIB 3 is what we should had gotten ten years ago,and this writer is very pleased that the franchise has been redeemed! Check it out!

The Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

One of the best religious films ever made,with a terrific performance by Wilem Dafoe!

[9/10 · 8 May 2012]

Martin Scorsese.

What can you say about him? The guy is one of the best, if not THE BEST,mainstream directors in film today. Everything he touches just seems to work. It's is hard to believe, but by this time last year, I had only seen one of of his films(for those of you wondering, it was, of course,Goodfellas). Now, in just the last four months, I have seen Raging Bull,Aviator,Casino,Hugo,Cape Fear,King of Comedy,Mean Streets,Shutter Island,Departed,Taxi Driver,and of course, the subject of this review,The Last Temptation of Christ.

Now,before we start this review, let's address two things:one,I'm a Christian, and two:this film is not based on the Bible. This is based on a fictional book that is all hypothetical. I am a open minded Christian, so this approach didn't bother me much. But I understand this approach isn't exactly very popular, so I hope this review will help you in making a decision to see this film on not.

So, on with the review.

The Last Temptation is the story of Christ, but as you have never seen it before. In this variation of the story, Jesus(Wilem Dafoe)is a carpenter who is tortured by thoughts of a darker kind. He is unsure exactly of where these thoughts and desires are originating from:God or Satan. In order to get God to leave him alone, Jesus builds crosses from the Romans to crucify the rebel Jews, and because of this, Jesus is seen as a traitor by his fellow people, including Judas Iscariot(Harvey Keitel) and Mary Madaglene(Barbara Hershey),a woman he once had a brief relationship with, but has since become a prostitute.

One day,Jesus gets fed up with the conflicting thoughts and voices, and so, he decides to go into the desert where he hopes God will make himself known to him. After a brief encounter with Satan, who tempts him with the desire to have a wife and children,Jesus calls out to God to save him,and God grants him salvation. Because of this, Jesus accepts his role as the Son of God, and begins to form the origins of Christanity. Although the final destination of the path Jesus is on remains unclear, in time more and more of his ultimate fate is finally revealed, as Jesus learns he is to die on the cross for humanity's sins.

Eventually, Jesus does end up on the cross, and this is where he confronted with his final temptation:whether to give up dying on the cross to save humanity for a wife and children or fulfilling his role as the savior of mankind. What follows is one of the most profound, spiritual, and most heartfelt scenes I have ever seen, but I prefer to let you see the scene for yourself. My description of the scene won't do it justice.

What a movie! What a cast! Dafoe has always been a terrific actor, but he is incredible here and he brings the movie to another level just with his presence alone. Harvey Keitel is great as Judas, Jesus's most faithful servant(like I said, this is not based on the Bible).I don't why he got such bad reviews for this performance;the way he delivers his lines is of sincerity and real emotional depth. Barbara Hershey is great as Mary. You really feel her pain of not being able to be with the man she loves, but also understand why it can never be. All the rest of the cast is good as well(David Bowie leaves a impression as Pilate), but those three in particular really stand out.

Special mention must go to the score by Peter Gabriel. It is just hypnotic and really moving. One of the best scores in any motion picture. The sets are outstanding,the costumes are great,the direction fantastic,.............I just could go on and on, but I don't really need to. When you see this film, the film will just speak for itself.

The only reason I am not giving it a perfect ten is that there all some weird moments in it,but I won't spoil them here. It didn't hurt my enjoyment of the film, and it probably won't hurt much of yours,either. One of Marty's best films!

The Avengers (2012)

Isn't it great when a film not only lives up to the hype, but surpasses it!?!?!

[10/10 · 6 May 2012]

Man, what a ride! And I am not just talking about this movie itself, but the entire journey it took getting here! Ever since Iron Man in 2008, The Marvel Cinematic Universe has been a blast, with, addition to Iron Man, we also had The Incredible Hulk(2008),Iron Man 2(2010), and last year's two heavy hitters Thor and Captain America:The First Avenger. Now, it all comes to a head in Marvel's The Avengers, in what is, in short, the best comic book film since The Dark Knight!!!!!!!! The plot is mostly centered around Loki(Tom Hiddleston), who is, after being sucked into the black hole at the end of Thor,coming to Earth after finding a way into our realm. S.H.I.E.L.D has been using the tesseract(the weapon Red Skull used in Captain America)for experiments, and Loki uses this as a way to come to Earth. Using a staff that can cross dimensions, given to him by his new army,the Chitauri(an evil alien race),Loki has a master plan to unleash his army upon the world, and when all has settled, Loki will be declared humanity's new king.

In response to this act of war, Nick Fury, director of S.H.I.E.L.D(Samuel L. Jackson), decides to restart the Avenger program. Recruiting Iron Man/Tony Stark(Robert Downey, Jr.), Steve Rogers/Captain America(Chris Evans) and Bruce Banner/The Hulk(Mark Ruffalo), along with Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow(Scarlett Johansson), they begin to put a stop to Loki's evil plan. Eventually,Loki's "brother" Thor(Chris Hemsworth)shows up, with an intent to take Loki back to Asgard.

Loki is not making it easy, however, as he has converted a number of S.H.I.E.L.D members to his side, including Dr. Eric Selvig(Stellan Skarsguard), a scientist who is designing the portal to let Loki's army through, and Clint Barton/Hawkeye(Jeremy Renner),a brilliant marksman and one of Black Widow's closest allies. In order to stop this grave threat, differences must be set aside, difficult choices must be made, and a team will have to come together in stop Loki and the Chitauri army.

Avengers Assemble, indeed! For anyone worrying that this wouldn't be the definitive payoff to four years and five films of anticipation can put those fears to rest, because this was..............INCREDIBLE! There are so many things to discuss and give praise for in this movie, so let's start at the beginning.

First off, the cast is brilliant,with everybody giving a incredible performance. Tony Stark is my favorite character in all of these films, and RDJ is as great as ever! So dry humored and sarcastic, yet so heroic and likable. Chris Evans builds on an already good performance, making Cap even better this time around. Always thought Hemsworth was terrific as Thor, and he still owned the role here! Can't wait to see him again. Scarlett was very good as Widow, and had great chemistry with the rest of the cast. Jeremy Renner is good as Haweye, but is easily the least fleshed out of the characters. Still, likable and has some good moments. Loki is back, and Hiddleston shines again. If he was heart-wrenching and tragic in Thor, he is scary and menacing here, yet still giving some insight into his pain.

The big surprise here is Ruffalo as Banner. I think he was the one that most were skeptical about, as he wasn't carried over for the previous films. However, color me impressed. Ruffalo is fantastic as Banner, having great chemistry with the cast, giving Banner enough a soul so we care for him, and when he is the Hulk(using motion capture and CGI), he has some great, audience cheering moments. All the rest of the cast give great performances,including Skarsguard, Gwnyeth Paltrow as Pepper from Iron Man 1 and 2, and of course Mr. Jackson as Fury.

The action scenes were phenomenal. Marvel's own movies aren't exactly known for the action scenes,and as much as I liked the action in those movies,particularly Iron Man 2,Thor, and Incredible Hulk,the action is fantastic,and easily the best action scenes in any superhero movie ever! The script is well-written and full of action. A lot of people have commented that the film looks like the action scenes from the Transformers movies. But I think something must be said here:the action is far better than in those movies. The characters are actually flesh and blood, which grounds it much more in reality, and puts far more at stake. They may have superhuman skills, but they are still human.Can't say that for the Transformers movies.Plus, the characters are played as intelligent, heroic and full of personality, unlike the characters in those films.

All in all, this deserves accolade upon accolade. Kudos to Joss Whedon,the cast and crew of this and the other five films,and Marvel for making this a reality! Can't wait to watch them all one day in one long marathon! In short(ironic,considering this was a LONG review)although Batman will still rule the summer,for now, MAKE MINE MARVEL!

Gangs of New York (2002)

An unforgettable experience!

[10/10 · 20 August 2011]

Ever seen a film that captured all you loved and hated about not only America(for those of of you who are American),but the world,as well? A film that made you so angry,but yet left you in tears due to its compelling story,characters,and visuals?

For me,Gangs of New York is that film.

I LOVE this movie! From its heartbreaking opening,to its truly melancholy ending,this film leaves with so many mixed emotions that just further support the emotional weight of this film.If by the final scene,you don't either feel a positive or negative emotion to what you saw and the effects it had on not only the characters,but America in general,then I question your humanity.

Now,I am not a patriotic person.I find,as a country,America is very hypocritical,and it makes me sick,but I still care for my fellow man,and that is becoming more and more rare as time goes on.People just look out for themselves more often nowadays,and you just want to scream at them for their self-centered behavior.

Gangs of New York is set in 1863,when gangs ran the streets of New York,and the government couldn't (or would not,whatever you prefer) gain control of the city that would one day be one of the greatest cities of the world.The story deals with the character of Amsterdam Vallon(Leonardo DiCaprico),who,when he was young,lost his father(Liam Neeson) to gang leader Bill the Butcher(Daniel Day-Lewis).Amsterdam is put in a reform school,but when he grows up,he plots to avenge his father's murder by getting close to Bill and killing him.

In joining Bill's gang,however,Amsterdam gets to know the man personally.Now,Bill is someone Amsterdam,and we as a viewing audience, should hate without question.But he is the interesting thing:Bill isn't unlikable.Even in all that he has done,and will do(and he does plenty,as this is an almost 3-hour film),Amsterdam finds he actually is starting to respect the man,especially when it concerns Amsterdam's father,who Bill considers as "the only person he ever killed worth remembering."

Sadly,nothing good will come out of this.Bill soon discovers who Amsterdam really is,and he won't take kindly to someone in his gang who has it out for him. And so,Amsterdam and Bill,by the film's climax,will find themselves on opposing sides in what will shape the future of "their great city".

Gangs is a wonderful film,filled with terrific performances,amazing visuals,great direction,a solid screenplay,filled with depth and themes,and,overall,a powerful message:"in the end,how significant are the quarrels of man's past? For in the end,time will fade even legend."

Please see this. You will be shocked and amazed.It reminds me of how I see this country every day,and reminds me of how thankful I am for the people in my life that make life worth having.

X: First Class (2011)

First Class is not to be missed!

[10/10 · 5 June 2011]

Wow! Just wow! And believe me,it takes something truly great to leave me almost speechless! X-men:First Class was amazing,spectacular,emotional,fun,.........Need I go on? On to the review.

X-men:First Class is about the epic origins of the X-men and the friendship between Xavier and Magneto that became a rivalry.For fans of the comics or the previous four films,this is the film to see! This movie has more depth and covers more ground in 132 minutes than the last two films achieved.

First Class,as I said before,deals with Eric Lensherr /Magneto's and Professor Charles Xavier's relationship before their friendship became what it was in the original trilogy. Xavier(James MacAvoy)is a leading expert on genetic mutations when the origins of the X-Men begin when a CIA operative named Moira McTaggert(Rose Byrne)recruits him,and his half sister Raven,who will become the villain Mystique,to stop the nefarious Sebastian Shaw(Kevin Bacon)from starting World War 3 through what history refers to as the Cuban Missle Crisis.

Meanwhile,Eric(Michael Fassbender)is tracking down Shaw and his associates,who are responsible for killing his mother directly in front of him,and he wants revenge.When Xavier and Eric finally meet,they find common ground,and begin to locate and recruit mutants to form a resistance to Shaw's own group of mutants.They recruit(and these are the code names)Havok,who can generate discs of energy throughout his body;Darwin,who can adapt to any environment,Angel,who can fly and spit fireballs;Banshee,who has a high-piercing scream that can shatter glass,can be used as sonar,and allows him to fly(along with glider wings),and Beast,who has enlarged feet which allows for faster speeds and improved dexterity.

Along with Mystique,the X-men are formed and are put through training.As this progress,characters not only develop their powers,but some of the mutants personalities' and even appearances for one of them begin to change as well,as allegiances will change and a character will pay the price for his inability to accept his own self-worth.

This all leads to a brilliant conclusion as the X-men and the Hellfire Club meet and the fate of humanity will be decided as the Cuban Missle Crisis will begin.

I knew this would be good,but I wasn't expecting this! This is the best X-men film since X2,and lives up to the standard set up by the first two X-films.This is an action packed film,and yet,still develops the characters to where you understand the characters even better than before.

James MacAvoy and Michael Fassbender are excellent in their roles.MacAvoy portrays Xavier as a womanizer who also is a bit of a party guy,and yet,when he is the mentor we all know and love,you buy it instantly. He honors Stewart from the previous three,yet brings something new to the character.Fassbender is terrific as Magneto. You feel for him when necessary,but he still is as intense as McKellen was in the previous three.

They are supported by a great cast:Jennifer Lawrence plays the young Mystique,and comes across as a young Rebecca Romijn brilliantly,and you really feel for her,and understand her motivations for what she ultimately becomes perfectly.Nicolas Hoult is terrific as Beast,creating a smart and heartfelt performance,and when he does become the big blue guy,not only does his look suit his new codename,but he has earned your compassion,as well. The rest of the cast is great as well,with special mention to Kevin Bacon,who makes for a imposing,seductive,and disturbed Shaw.

The action delivers! It is jaw-dropping,epic,and actually is thought out in an intelligent manner.The X-men are almost secret agents with mutant powers,and I like how they did that.The 60's setting really helps the movie,giving a real sense of history,while still working as a superhero film. CGI is great,and the score is effective. Matthew Vaughn and Bryan Singer bring,along with the rest of the cast and crew, everything together for an experience you'll never forget.

When all is said and done,everything has been set up for a sequel,and for the first time since X2 ended,I can't wait for the next one! See this,and you won't be disappointed!

Toy Story 3 (2010)

An excellent,emotionally-satisfying,hilarious,final chapter!

[10/10 · 28 June 2010]

In 1995,Disney and Pixar released their first film,Toy Story,a revolutionary new animated film that combine stunning visuals,a terrific storyline,and a unforgettable group of characters,voiced by some extremely talented actors. Needless to say,it was a well-deserved hit,and it put Pixar on the map.Nine films followed:A Bug's Life in 1998,Toy Story 2 in 1999,Monsters Inc. in 2001,Finding Nemo in 2003,The Incredibles in 2004,Cars in 2006,Ratatouille in 2007,Wall-E in 2008.,and last year we received Up.All of these films are classics,and deservedly so,combining visuals,story,and characters to create some of the greatest films of not only their genres,but of all time! With Toy Story 3,we can add another classic to the list,in what is probably their best film yet!

At the end of Toy Story 2,Woody and Buzz were talking about what would happen when Andy,their owner,would grow up. What would become of them? Although Woody said he wasn't worried,and was just interested in making the fun times last,the other toys expressed no concern,as they had nothing to worry about. Andy still was young,and they were still being played with. After a amazing opening sequence that shows Andy,6 years old,playing with his toys,we then see Andy as a now seventeen year-old young man who is about to go college. The toys,who are now just Woody,Buzz,Jessie,Bullseye,Mr and Mrs. Potato Head,Hamm,Rex,and the three aliens,haven't been played with in years, and are now concerned about their future. Most of the toys from the first two are long gone,most notably Bo Peep,having been sold or thrown out,and the others are afraid they will receive a similar fate.

When Andy begins to put the toys away,he puts the others in a trash bag intended to be in the attic,while Woody is put in his college box. Sadly,he leaves the bag,lying around,and Andy's mom throws it out as trash.The toys escape the bag,as Woody leaves the box and makes it outside,and decided to go in a box labeled Sunnyside,the daycare center where they will be donated to kids who will play with them and where they will always be loved.Woody tries to convince them Andy still cares for them,but they refuse to listen.Along with Andy's sister's Barbie doll,the toys think they have found heaven....until they are actually played with by young toddlers who treat them with reckless attention. The toys realize they have made a horrible mistake,but when they try to leave,the head toy,a strawberry-scented bear with a cane,named Lotso,traps them,and runs the daycare as a prison.It will now take all their efforts in order to escape Sunnyside and return to Andy,but will it be possible?

Usually,third films suck compared to the previous films,and so many trilogies fall victim to this. There are a few third parts that are better than the first two(Return of the King,Bourne Ultimatum,Mission:Impossible III),or at least equal to,but there are few in number. I am happy to report that Toy Story 3 is not as good as part one and two,it surpassed them. The story this time is so much more poignant,not only because of the first two,but on its own merit.If you thought the characters were strong in the first,and engaging in the second,you heart will break for them here,as they have been given more depth than ever before. And if you love Pixar's animation style in their previous ten films,they have outdone themselves here,giving so much detail to everything. It is so striking to see how far they have come.

I knew going in to this chapter,it would be good,but I did not expect the all the emotional moments in this film. I actually cried during the last fifteen minutes,and that is some of the best moments you will ever see in cinema,animation or not.

Pixar has gone to "infinity and beyond" with this final chapter that delight young and old,fans and newcomers,and will have people,even knowing this is the last chapter,wanting to see these incredible characters again.

That is the mark of this,and all the other Pixar films:They are masterpieces. See it!

Beast Machines: Transformers (1999–2001)

I'm sorry,but I have to say........

[10/10 · 27 December 2008]

....I actually like this better than Beast Wars.

There,I said it.

To anyone out there who love Beast Wars as a child and wanted to see how their story continue,the follow-up,Beast Machines,gave us the opportunity to see their adventures unfold.

Beast Machines takes place after Beast Wars ended.The Maximals are returning home to Cybertron.However,when they get there,they discover they have reverted back to their original forms from Season 1 of Beast Wars,they can't transform,and they have no memory of why they are unable to do so.Not only that,but Rhinox and Silverbolt are no where to be found.Thankfully,Optimus is being assisted by the planet's computer,The Oracle,and they eventually find where she is residing.To help them transform and to prevent stasis lock(shutdown,basically),she gives them new techno-organic bodies(half beast/half mechanical),which means practicing a new form of transforming is required.Optimus,Cheetor,Rattrap,and Blackarachnia discover that Megatron actually managed to take over the entire planet and stole the Sparks from every single Transfomer and has store them away from Optimus and the others.He has also managed to utilize the Sparks of Waspinator,Rhinox,and Silverbolt and make them the generals of his drone armies:Jetstorm(Jet)-Silverbolt,Tankor(tank)-Rhinox,and Thrust(motorcycle)-Waspinator.The Maximals(along with Silverbolt(eagle),who returns in season two,Nightscream(bat,male),and Botancia(Venus Fly-Trap,female) must now save their friends and reclaim the planet.Optimus also discovers that Cybertron has an organic core and now he must find a way to restore life to Cybertron.

I like this series a lot more than Beast Wars,as I stated before.In fact,it may be my favorite series of all time.Why? It is so interesting.The characters have so much dimension,the storyline is fantastic,the action scenes rule,and the philosophical depth is so spectacular. It actually makes you think. Such a great series.You can find it on DVD. I really hope you enjoy it.It doesn't exactly fit into the continuity,but just think of it as a loose sequel to Beast Wars and you won't have a problem.

Beast Wars: Transformers (1996–1999)

One of the best cartoons ever,period!

[9/10 · 27 December 2008]

If you were a child of the 90's,chances are you knew of the show,and if you a fan today,it is very easy to see why.

Beast Wars:Transformers is the sequel series to the original cartoon.It takes place 500 years after the events of Generation 1(the original series),but takes place on prehistoric Earth.How is this possible?Well,let me explain.

In season 1,the Maximals(the good guys who have descended from the Autobots,the good guys of the original series)and the Predacons(the villains,who have descended from the original series' villains,the Decepticons)fly through a transwarp in space while their ships are battling and end up shooting each other down,crashing to Earth below. The Maximals and Predacons must now take on new disguises so their systems won't shut down from Energon(their energy source overload,due to the fact the planet is rich in it.The Maximals are lead by the heroic Optimus Primal,whose beast mode is that of a gorilla.His team is made of Cheetor(a cheetah,male),Rattrap(a rat,male),Rhinox(a rhino,male),Dinobot(a velociraptor,male),Tigatron(a white tiger,male),and Airrazor(a falcon,female).The Predacons are lead by the evil Megatron(a t-rex);his team is made up of Waspinator(a wasp,male),Terrorsaur(a pterodactyl,male),Scorpnox(a scorpion,male),Tarantulus(a tarantula,male),Inferno(a fire ant,male),and Blackarachnia(a black widow,female)The Maximals are in a battle for their survival for most of the season not only against the Predacons,but against some strange aliens as well.

Season 2 is a time of change.The season begins with the death of Optimus Primal.Then,something incredible happens.Cheetor and Rattrap are given new bodies that don't suffer from Energon overload and have their own transportation modes.Sadly,Megatron and Tarantulus also have new features of their own as well.New transfomers also join:Ouickstrike,(scorpion/cobra,male)joins the Predacons,along with Rampage(crab,male),while the noble Silverbolt(eagle/wolf/male)joins the Maximals.Optimus Primal returns later in the season,now given a new body of his own.The focus of this season is on Megatron and why he flew to Earth in the first place.Characters die in this season:Predaons Terrosaur and Scorpnox die as early in the first episode of the season,and the honorable Dinobot gives his life to save the human race from a grim fate by Megatron.

Season 3,the final season,begins with a bang. And what a bang it is! The Maximals are being erased from existence by Megatron attempting to destroy Optimus Prime before the events of the original series began!.Although the attempt is a failure,Optimus Prime is badly damaged and in order to save him,Optimus Primal stores his Spark(pretty much the soul and spirit of the transformers)inside himself.Due to this,Primal evolves into Optimal Optimus,stronger,bigger,and capable of so much more than his previous self.Optimus Prime is soon restored,and the Spark returned,but Primal retains his new body.The rest of the season lies with the Maximals and their attempts to protect their ancestors and the timeline from Megatron and his evil plans.New members join both teams:the Maximals find assistance in Depth Charge(manta ray,male),a enforcer sent to bring Rampage in for different crimes.The Predacons clone Dinobot,who shares a Spark with Rampage.Blackarachnia leaves the Predacons and joins the Maximals,due to her shared feelings for Silverbolt.Cheetor and Megatron get new bodies and the aliens,whose experiments have been found and explored by both sides for years decide to intervene in an attempt to fix the timeline by sending Tigerhawk(tiger/hawk,male),a combination of the Sparks of Tigatron and Airrazor(they were abducted by the aliens in Season 2).It all leads to an exciting series finale in which Megatron attempts to fly back to Cybertron(their home planet)in an attempt to rule it once and for all.

I hope I didn't wear you out with that,but this is a very complex series,filled with great story lines,awesome characters,and exciting action.If you have never seen it,I think you should try it out.All three seasons are available on DVD. I hope you enjoy.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (2008)

Indy's back!!!!!

[9/10 · 20 October 2008]

This is my first review on this site.

Steven Spielberg,George Lucas,and Harrison Ford. In the 1980's,these guys gave us one of the greatest cinematic heroes of all time:Indiana Jones.Between the years of 1981 and 1989,audiences went along for a ride they would never forget in not one, but three Indiana Jones adventures:Raiders of the Lost ark,Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,and my personal favorite,Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. All taking place in the 1930's,we all watched Indiana Jones survive great dangers while trying to capture rare and important artifacts,all having supernatural abilities in these films honoring the legendary 30's cliffhanger serials.

Well,earlier this year,Spielberg,Lucas,and Ford returned to give us the LONG awaited fourth chapter,Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. How does it rank with the others? Well,let's see.....

When we last left Indy,it was 1938,and he had found the mysterious Holy Grail. It is now 1957. Fear of the Nazis has long since passed and now its Russian Communists our country has come to fear.Archaeologist-adventurer Indiana Jones has been captured by the Russians to help them find something of great importance to them.

After discovering the item,however,Indiana manages to escape,but finds himself under government supervision due to involvements with George "Mac" McHale (Ray Winstone), who has been revealed to be working for the Communists. Because of this,Indiana is on temporary leave at his job. But before he can leave to continue his teaching elsewhere, a greaser by the name of Mutt Williams( Shia LaBeouf) shows up,telling him that his old college friend Harold Oxley (John Hurt) has been captured by the Russians and are planning to kill him because he found a object of huge importance to them. However,he has hid it and has left clues to its location,clues he knows Indiana can interpret. Now,Indiana and Mutt start their quest to find the mysterious Crystal Skull and save Oxley and Mutt's mother from a grim fate.

I don't want to give anything else away. This is a truly great film and if you liked the first three,you will like this one as well. Harrison Ford still shines as Indy,and the other cast members(Shia as Mutt,Cate Blanchett as nemesis Irina Spalko,Karen Allen returning in her iconic role as Marion Ravenwood from Raiders of the Lost Ark) shine in their roles,as well. John Williams returns to score the film and does a terrific job,reprising classical themes and giving new ones to remember.

The effects are good. The action scenes are incredible. The film looks incredible. If I have one complaint,it that it is not Last Crusade,and it is not as emotionally-involving as that film was. But it is more than worthy fourth chapter with everybody's favorite adventurer,Indiana Jones.

Series Ranking -------------- 1.Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade 2.Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull 3.Raiders of the Lost Ark 4.Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom